The boat here in question is the 1971 Cape Dory 14 hull number 601. The original owner had the boat sitting shore for 10 years when he decide to have it restored by a co-worker in 2015. I was able to get in touch with the person who did the work and he was kind enough to provide pictures and a narrative of what work he did (thanks Sean!!). Below is his write up and photographs of the restoration as it progressed.

Xavier and I were co-workers at a Marine Construction Company based out of Baltimore, Maryland. At the time Xavier was the Chief Engineer and I the Chief Estimator. I shared pictures and stories daily with Xavier daily about fishing, crabbing, and my boat restoration projects. I was completing the second Swan Point Skiff of two that were found in a field in Chincoteague, Virginia and Xavier took particular notice with this one.

One night after work he asked me to come over to his home and take a look at a rowing skiff that needed some work. Upon arrival I realized this skiff needed a dumpster not just “some” work. It was upside down and that’s where it had been for the previous 10 years. All of the wood work was rotten and mostly falling off. I took several minutes of effort to find it under a maze of branches and leaves. It had played home for many a family of critter and creatures over the years.

Xavier and I met the next day to work thru details of what he wanted done. His stated purpose of the restoration was for his wife Ann to enjoy rowing and sailing on the Severn River like she had done many years ago. That reason for the restoration was easy to see thru. At the time Xavier was being treated for Pancreatic Cancer with a not so good prognosis. I knew it was about a goal and a long game. He needed the goal of sailing his little skiff in order to deal with the illness and the treatment.

First order of business was getting a trailer. Since I had recently purchased two new trailers for my 14’ Swan Point Skiffs I new where to go and get a third. With the trailer procured I go the Dory flipped over and loaded onto the trailer for its journey to the Eastern Shore to the workshop.

Once at the workshop the entire hull was given its complimentary breach bath and scrub. There was a hull hiding under all that dirt. What was left of the wood rails and interior wood was removed and made its way to the dumpster.

A multi day affair of wet sanding the outside of the hull followed by several coats of wax brought back a nice luster. I toyed with just painting the hull, and that would have been easier, but decided that leaving it a gel coat finish would make for a better finish. One of the restoration criteria was that there be anti-fouling on the bottom since it would be left in the water. A scuff sand on the bottom, 5 coats of Interlock barrier coat and 3 coats of Petit Hydrocoat would do the trick.

When the outside of the hull was done the Dory got flipped over onto her keel. Sanding and painting of the interior was next on the docket. My research found that the original Dory’s were dark blue on the seats and a light blue for the interior and floor. Three coats of Interlux Brightside completed the restoration work.

A friend of Xavier’s was a custom woodworker in Baltimore. He had several slabs of African Mahogany in his shop. I drew the shapes needed and the materials list and sent it off. A week later the milled and shaped pieces arrived at the shop. There are three wood strips that make up the rail of the Dory. Two pieces are outside of the hull and one on the inside. A thin strip of rubber was placed on each side of the hull to provide a cushion for the fiberglass. The first piece on the outside went on with it being screwed from the inside out into the wood. The inside piece went on next being screwed thru the outside wood strip into the inside strip. There are no visible fasteners on the inside strip as a result. The last strip to go on was the second outside piece. The screws were countersunk on this piece and a mahogany plug glued over the hole. The strips are one piece from the bow to the stern. Finish the Mahogany was a multi week process. I would put on a coat a day, sand it tomorrow, and recoat. Twelve coats of Awlwood Finish were applied to all the wood on the Dory.

It all came together just a bit too late. Xavier never got to sail the Dory. He lost his battle to cancer while the Dory was at the sail shop in Cambridge. We were so close.

Baltimore Sun's obituary for the prior owner.