Page 1 of 6

trying to identify skiff

Posted: 10 May 2015, 18:30
by retroboat
the black skiff has now moved to Deniliquin, I am rubbing it down with wet and dry paper hoping to find something to identify it.
unfortunately have only found brick red paint so far and there doesn't appear to be anything under the red, I suspect it has been repainted you can see modern primer under it in places, the remains of the deck has white paint on it which I believe to be original.
were there any red 16 foot lewis skiffs with white decks ?. I still live in the hope that this boat is the second mandy because it would be great if it hadn't been chopped up and burnt, will keep sanding until there's no paint left.
how many red 16 foot lewis skiffs are yet to be identified ?.
I would greatly appreciate any one who could shed any light on this.

also thanks to dave d for showing me around Goolwa and taking me to meet the sting and dig treager.
Nathan.

Re: trying to identify skiff

Posted: 10 May 2015, 19:03
by bootlegger
Good luck with the project. Hopefully you will find something To identify it.

Re: trying to identify skiff

Posted: 10 May 2015, 19:29
by rayza1
If you have a look at the transom, under the black paint you will see the name WOODEE, I was told it raced around the Ballarat area under that name. Never got around to chasing it up any further. Glad to see it will be restored

Re: trying to identify skiff

Posted: 11 May 2015, 18:58
by retroboat
Thanks Dave will keep carefully sanding, hopefully by the time they got to the other side they got a bit lazy and didn't sand it as well and left something there. have got down to the timber and there is traces of white paint which hopefully will reveal a name when it is all sanded and I play join the dots.
nathan

Re: trying to identify skiff

Posted: 11 May 2015, 19:04
by retroboat
thanks ray hopefully there will be some of the original boat able to be salvaged, I think the majority of the planks will live again, however I don't think there will be many original ribs left.
Is there anyone you may know of who could provide more information on woodee?
any help would be much appreciated.
nathan

Re: trying to identify skiff

Posted: 13 May 2015, 15:37
by Wildwoody1
DIABLO pictured with John Dent driving with Tom Watts in MISTIC MISS . Diablo was fitted with 289 ford , had the small Lewis Cav plate replaced by a wide Everingham style to assist in trimming the hull.
Was purchased from John Dent by someone based up Northern Victoria .

Re: trying to identify skiff

Posted: 13 May 2015, 20:14
by retroboat
Thankyou for the information Ross,
have done some more sanding and I have started to find black paint under the brick red paint in places, it would appear that when it was sanded back and painted that the planks have been coated with epoxy because the bare timber has a hard coating on it even after it is sanded with an air sander and the water has had no effect on the timber.
is it possible that diablo may have been renamed woodee?.
Nathan.

Re: trying to identify skiff

Posted: 14 May 2015, 15:39
by lewisinfo
Hi retroboat, From new ( Lewis Bros ) never did any skiffs with a painted deck. Could you show a side on view , side on , bow on images, that will be enough to tell if its a Lewis. Ron ( Lewisinfo ).

Re: trying to identify skiff

Posted: 14 May 2015, 18:13
by retroboat
Good Evening Ron,
I was great to talk you this evening and I look forward to talking to you more in the very near future.
I am pretty sure this boat is one of your masterpieces and have attached the photos you would like to see.
Regards Nathan.

Re: trying to identify skiff

Posted: 16 May 2015, 17:03
by lewisinfo
Hi Nathan, Good to see the images of the boat. By the "deck" layout it would appear to have been changed to runabout. Do you intend to return it to a skiff ?. Ron.