On Golden Pond Picture Boats – EXCLUSIVE Woody Boater Sneak Peek Pictures!
Thayer IV- U22-1460 The Main Picture Boat in the final stages of preservation. Seth Katz in the back ground. He did not have time to pose for a picture. In fact I have yet to ever see Seth actually sitting in one place. Dang! Photo Frank CSI Miklos
Seven months ago Seth Katz of Katz’s Marina on Lake Hopatcong, claimed he would have “the TWO on Golden Pond Boats will be ready for Tavaras. IN THE WATER!” Now, anyone that has restored a boat knows that 7 months is just a good start on such a job.. And you also recall the old statement. “You want Quality, Speed and price.. Pick two. Well, Seth chose speed and quality. And the results are simply put. JAW DROPPING! Along the way, we here at Woody Boater has been there at every step. Making secret trips up to Lake Hopatcong to document the progress, yet promising to keep it all on the QT. Well today you get to see it all.
Photo, Late November, Seth Katz on the left, Woody Gal, and Wayne Moxfeild. Oh, and Mariah showing off her new bottom.
The detail that Seth has done is insane to preserve these two world famous boats. Mairiah’s bottom was like wet cardboard and the boat was a mess. Having been stored outside and wrapped in plastic.
Here is Mariah with her new bottom being installed. Photo November
Mariah's New Bottom from the inside. Photo taken early December
She only has 175 original hrs on her. But sadly unsafe and in such a state that if drastic measures were not taken, she would have unfortunatly crumbled in a few years.
Mariah's transom all painted over varnish. Yes they varnished the transom and then painted it. Like it was found. Details... Now after all that, the boat had to be de-glossed. That is happening as we read this. Photo Frank"CSI" Miklos Friday.
This shows the varnished transom - photo taken a couple weeks ago.
Mariah's transom saved and being used for the lettering and future art
Seth preserved almost all the wood except structural bottom wood. Her transom as in Thayer IV were toast and had to be replaced. The effort to preserve these boats has been an amazing and costly effort. All the wood except the bottom and transom on Thayer IV is original, her interior is 100% original and has been repaired and all fixed up.
Mariahs interior from the factory was red, before filming Pat painted the interior several colors and wound up with brown so on film the red would not steal the scene. So, On went a new RED interior, and then it was painted. Details.
Thayer IV's engine box. As Seth put it.." It would have been cheaper to just replace it" But he had is fixed. And it's amazing.
Both motors have been rebuilt by Dave VanNess and Gauges by Dale Kocian. Is all coming together just in the nick of time. They will be complete, WE HOPE and water tested next week just in time to be ready for there close up!
And now Thayer IV U22 -1460 The documented main picture boat.
Thayer IV transom and opened up bottom. Photo October.
Early november - Jim Scott looks over the bottom of Thayer. All new frames, she is now structuraly sound
Another angle on Thayer IV U22-1460 new bottom, these images were shot when we went on the 105 mph donzi ride.
The original Thayer IV, as preserved as it could be, The planks had split. Future art. Photo taken November.
Thayer and Mariah ready for prep. Photo Janruary 2012
Thayer IV 1460 in the booth the day after being stained. Janruary
Thayer IV U22-1460 ... I can still smell the stain.. mmmm the smell of late winter.
Thayer IV's new transom - Photo Janruary
Lots of amazing Katz's varinsh application and now stripes! She has earned them.
Thayer IV's Van Ness rebuilt correctly engine. The engine that "rebuilt" was a mess, wrong crank , and other issues. no one does finer work than Van Ness. Image last week.
And this image from Friday! All the same dented wood that was in the film is there. Every detail. An interesting job to preserve a boat to 1980's look, on a earlier boat.. Talk about a brain killer. "Yes its the wrong globe light, but the right one for the film, yes there was no third scoop on the U22 but there was in the film".. Note the side of the bilge hole. Same correct side as in the film.
Here is the dash with the restored Gauges from Dale Kocian. Note the original compass on the dash
This has been an amazing journey, and after seeing what had to be done to both boats, everyone agrees that Katz’s was the perfect place for these two boats to be saved.
Many of these images you see are from Frank “CSI “Miklos, and Woody Boater over the past 7 months. Who is quoted as saying. “the OGP boats are looking great…” Next step is Alan Johnson is there today putting the lettering on. We will update that process , and …Pat Curtin to show up next weekend to go over small details and is slated to be in Tavares for any questions and will no doubt be in full Pat form.. Stay tuned for more updates as we count down to Dora! Just 17 Days til the show, and 13 til we start reporting LIVE form Dora.
Perhaps you could place some plastic loons around the boats at the show?
And for a fun contest, you could let little kids navigate the Thayer IV through a gauntlet of submerged rocks? Winner gets a Sons of Varnish T-shirt.
Notice the hangman’s noose next to the Mariah transom.
Somebody check on Seth.
That is how you keep the employees motivated to get two restorations done so fast. Seth graduated from the Darth Vader School of Management and the effectiveness of his motivational techniques can easily be seen in these remarkable photos.
Chad,
A restoration of this quality deserves nothing less than real live loons. I know there are several in this community that could be tossed in the water for the show. In fact, just a week ago there was a total loon job looking for a zipper pull, Seth should recruit him!
What is this? Spell check next?
Boats look great! I hope to see them in NH.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yTwD7U_XV4
Just testing the new features.
Holly Cow…… Batman i just saw these two boats at lake Hopatcong’s boat show and not that i want to be a Jester or joker, but in the Gothic state they were in whoed think they would have them in this condition before the first spring robin showed.Holly restoration …Robin maybe we should have the Batboat restored !
Wonderful idea that Katz Marina thought of finding both of these boats from a great movie On Golden Pond and restore them.Lake Hopatcong has a golden restoration happening due Seth restoration team. Stu Bailey
Great job by the Katz Marina group. I can’t wait to see them in Florida.
Probably would have been done earlier if Seth took his hands out of his pockets.
Haha! Dead on.
Haha! Seth probably had his hands in his pockets to pay for all the fine work being done , that and his and his crews attention to detail are saving these treasures.
That is beautiful work. As a lover of lapstrakes my hat is off to the work done on Mariah. I don’t care what anyone says those lapstrake hulls look more beautiful inside and out, and the ride is so much softer. Which I need for my advancing years. Thanks for all the pictures. Seth I am going to show up some day at your shop and get a peek. Just a warning.
I am starting to get very excited about the show in Tavares, Florida now! There is a snow storm warning tonight here in Calgary. See you all soon!