“HANK”
Forest E. Johnson 1956 26’ Prowler Runabout.
First Place – Professionally Restored Power Boat” winner in the Concours d’Elegance at the 23rd Annual Wooden Boat Show, 2014, Mystic Seaport, Connecticut.
In the fall of 2011, a longtime customer of E.M. Crosby Boatworks approached Ned about re-conditioning a boat they had just purchased in Florida. Hank was built by Forest Johnson, of Johnson Outboard fame, in the 1950’s for motor boat racing.
She lived up to her expectations by beating the legendary Ray Hunt designed Moppie in an eight hour Miami-Nassau offshore powerboat race. To get Hank back into racing form again, the new owner commissioned all new framing and a new bottom, as well as new power, tankage and systems.
Once Hank arrived at E. M. Crosby Boatworks, Ned and his crew secured the outside of the boat to preserve her shape, then systematically removed and added new frames, laminated of douglas fir and dimensionally twice the size of the original frames. The original plywood gussets at the chine were replaced by FRP gussets, and billed for superior strength. Bilge/engine stringers were installed to support her new 6.2 liter gas engines.
With framing complete, the crew, using a skill saw, sheered the bottom off at the waterline. Hank was then flipped over; a new okoume plywood bottom was laminated on and epoxied with three layers of 10oz. biaxial cloth. Once the Prowler was back on her feet, a new engine, tankage and systems was installed, framing was completed, a new windshield installed and her new furniture epoxied with dynel cloth and Awlgripped. Her cockpit is teak over plywood.
This restored boat, with her exceptional pedigree, is now the pride and joy of her new owners, and is expected to be loved and appreciated by their family for many generations. Hank is currently moored in Boca Grande, Florida.
RESTORATION OF HANK
