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Hello Jerry,
I have spent the last 13 months restoring a 1976 17' sport that my father had bought new. I think I used the boat more back then than he did. He also had a 19' outrage and then a 21' outrage. The boat I have now survived hurricane Katrina in the New Orleans area and I was able to acquire the boat late last year. It was trashed from being left out in an open grassy field in south Louisiana since the hurricane. The boat was full of spider cracks, discoloration, crazing, rotten wood, and general disrepair (there was a weed growing in the tunnel in the deck.) I will finish my work and have it ready for the water in about 45 days. I've researched many, many Continuous Wave articles on gelcoat, paint, gelcoat vs. paint, sanding, varnishing, epoxy, rub rails, and other stuff. I created a new mahogany console from scratch, applied 10 coats of varnish, filled in spider cracks with gel coat paste, sanded my butt off, am about to paint the non-skid with Interlux paint, had the dealer do some work (new drain tubes, replaced the rub rail, and outside gelcoat repair.) I had to completely rebuilt the original trailer from scratch as well. The only original part on the trailes was the frame.

I've been in boats all my life in south Louisiana (over 45 years.) My father is an avid boater. He has had numerous boats including two Bertrams, four Boston Whalers, a Chris Craft, and some others inbetween.

I I think I can help you if you have a question. Hope I can find your thread on this site.

Lee Mehrhoff