The owners of this charming little homebuilt rowboat first found us online and reached out to see if we could help make their vessel seaworthy. They had originally purchased it at an auction for next to nothing and later sold it to a friend—only to discover it was a leaky little craft. In good faith, they took it back, but of course, it still wasn’t usable.

Enter John’s Little Boat Shop. Despite the long journey to bring it to us in November ’24, after some discussions, a set budget, and an in-person visit, they decided to move ahead with the restoration—aiming for a spring pickup.

We enjoyed continual communication throughout the winter, including their thoughts on what to name the boat once back in their possession. We were quite amused and applauded their decided to christen her “Free Cat”, leaning on the same principle as the person who gets a free barn cat, then spends the next number of years with exhoberant vet bills to have this ‘free cat’ as a family member.

When we stripped the boat down, it quickly became clear that the entire aft section of the bottom had previously been patched and filled with bondo. The stem was also badly rotted, so it was partially replaced. In addition, new gussets were installed along the side and bottom chines. To finish the structural work, the boat received an epoxy bottom and hull sides, while the decks and interior were carefully sanded and varnished to highlight the wood’s natural beauty. Finally, the hull was finished in a rich, glossy coat of Epifanes black, bringing back her character with a sleek look. She’s now good and dry!