Dennis Mykols And His Plastic Love!
Long time Woody boater Dennis Mykols sure loves his big Woody Boats. but Dennis also likes a little variety in life.. We all share that with Dennis.. Today’s header is from Dennis and his new old love Lake’n Sea, lovingly called Leak’n Sink.. This little number is a time capsule though and Dennis finally got the engine running, here is Dennis’s words on the subject.
Lake n’ Sea logo – Lake’n Sea Owners Association
Take it away Dennis.
Hi guys, well I finally got my 1959 Lake N’ Sea 14 foot runabout out on the water after a year of finding the right outboard mechanic to work on the 1959 Mercury Mark 35A 35 h.p. motor. It was not run in 25 years. The boat was in the water and last registered in 1968!!!
This little gem was bought knowing the motor did not work, but I did not care, cause I only planned to used her as a Trailer Queen at Car shows and certain Classic boat shows.
1957 Lake’n Sea Ad – Courtesy of the Lake’n Sea Owners association via Lee Wangstad.
But once I got her home and sat in her, I quickly realized how comfortable it was to sit behind the wheel, with plenty of leg room, and “steering wheel clearance” around my fat belly. So I was really looking forward to getting this little boat in the water this Summer. But I had several false starts in getting the right person to work on the motor, and to have confidence I would not waste a ton of dollars getting it to run!
Todays amazing header
A call to Bob Shapton from Grand Rapids, Mi. in September got me rolling in the right direction. He only works on old Mercs and he came highly recommended by a lot of my fellow Water Wonderland chapter members. Less than $1000.00 I had a newly restored motor.
I included a couple of pictures I took on October 9th. Yes it was my “Last Gasp” run for the year, and one I will recall all winter long, looking forward to next years classic boating calendar, and planning out where to take this little package of fun. Long live FiberClassics…
Here is your brochure cover Dennis – courtesy of the Lake’n sea owners association
Now if any of you are inspired by Dennis and his Lake n Sea of course there is a cool web page so you can know everything about them. The Lake ‘n Sea Owner’s Association
Your not alone Dennis -You may recall Taxx fell in love with a Lake’n Sea in Florida a couple years back!
Really outstanding header photo! Dennis she is beautiful! Can’t wait to see you & Ronnie and “Lake & Sink” in Tavares.
Do to de- lamination issues in the early Chris Craft model, were they used to much plywood, and then just shot gel over it, these boats got to be known affectionately as “LEAK N’ SINK”…
Parsons Industries worked the bugs out, and took out all plywood, except for the transoms.
I just bought the same boat in Fl. I want to restore this beauty back to it’s original glory and am looking for advice and help.
Nice story Dennis. I hope I can see your fiberglass beauty in the flesh at a Michigan show next Summer.
Her neon mouth with the blinkers-off smile
Nothing but an electric sign
You could say she has an individual style
She’s part of a colorful time
Secrecy of lady-chrome-covered clothes
You wear cause you have no other
But I suppose no one knows
You’re my plastic fantastic lover
Great story on your cool Lake ‘N Sea 15’ Dennis and the boat looks beautiful (as usual with your boats).
Here’s a factory shot from 1959 with a brand new Parsons Lake ‘N Sea 15’ on display at the dealership. – (Photo courtesy Lee Wangard)
Neat boat. I thought they were called “leak and sink”, however.
Put her next to your previous boat Old School and wood wins hands down, but she is pretty and the comfort behind the wheel angle is a pretty convincing argument. Maybe just a mahogany steering wheel for a touch of wood? Or is that sacrilege?
Rick, your right “Old School” was pure EYE CANDY, either in the water, at a dock, going 50 mph or just sittin on her custom trailer…
Sure do miss that old girl. And now that I have sold Lyman Tyme, I just wonder, if I should call the current owner, and make a deal, hint, hint, Ken…
Great looking boat. I’m glad you’re enjoying it, Dennis.
Hope to see you at a show again soon!
Another story that should have been put on the sister site “Plasti-Boater”.
Dennis, outstanding boat, photo and trailer! Love the fenders!
Yes, the fenders do make the little trailed pop. and I got the original Gator” baby moon” hubcaps chromed,
Don: You are right…As I recall the fiberglass cracked so badly they were nick named “Leak and Sink” which, as I recall, is why Chris Craft either sold off or discontinued the line somewhere in the 60’s and later got into the Cavalier and Corsair fiberglass stuff about which Andreas has reminded us of late.
in a conversation with Mr. Chris Smith, he recalls that they did not realize you needed to treat the wood first, and then apply resin and fiberglass. After running and hitting waves some boats started to come apart in small areas around the transom, and allow water to seep in.
Parsons in Traverse City, Mi, worked with fiberglass since the WW II years making rotor blades for helicopters. They taught they could, and did, get it made right. They took out all the plywood in the hull and seats and dash, etc. But they could never get the cost per unit down to make a profit, so they sold the molds after a two year run.
When I bought my Chris-Craft built Lake ‘N Sea, thanks to the Mariners’ Museum, I was able to secure copies of the original paperwork between the factory and the dealers from the period.
Chris-Craft bought the Lake ‘N Sea division in early 1957 from the company in Florida. Chris-Craft then produced only 266 boats and sold the Lake N’ Sea Division to Parsons in December 1957. Parsons improved the boats considerably. I own Hull #115 (an all original survivor) which was found in a storage facility in Tennessee in 2010 after sitting for 35 years. – Texx
yours is way cool, too, Texx. I am glad to see more interest in these early plastic boats. I think the combination of auto design elements (usually fins of some type), bright and often multiple colors, and the flexibility fiberglass gave to designers in coming up with exotic shapes, all contributed to the excitement about these boats in the latter half of the 50’s vs. the generally somewhat staid wood boats of the time. (later century coronados excluded, Tommy). As well, i might add, as the increasing size of outboards during this period.
bring em on!
I agree re header. A L&S has never looked better.
Great looking boat! You’ll have a lot of fun with it if you use it much – something about having the ability to tow a light boat around, see a lake or waterway that looks interesting, plop it in the water, fire up the OB and go for a quick run, easily re-trailer and look for the next spot.
I really want to find one of those adjustable dollies seen underneath the boat in the 1959 factory shot!
Some model has to be the “Edsel” of the hobby.
I also have been a lover of the Lake N Sea and was fortunate enough to own a totally original un restored 1960 17FT Arrowhead I purchased from an estate just South of Port Huron Michigan . She was a true one owner barn find that had been in storage for over 35 years . She had a full factory original canvas package which was in like new condition and was still in the factory wrappers stored in one of the front seat back storage compartments, all of the deck fittings and stern and bow light looked like the day they were installed. The pics that are attached were taken the first year I owned her and showed her at the Lake Geneva Show in 2006. She was sold to the Holland Museum back in the town where she was born.
Another pic, she was a pleasure to run and enjoy!
Very Very Cool!
Fantastic boat Dennis the fibreglass looks virtually new… So I absolutely have to ask …. is the gel cost original or was it painted with awl grip?
Seriously, plastic boat restoration is becoming the “in” thing here on WB and I am interested in how you turn an old glass boat into a runway model …. Perhaps someone in the fiberglasics camp can enlighten us ….. And yes I have a motive , I admit that I own a 92 sea ray that has wonderful brand new restored interior but a 25 year old exterior which is ok but nothing like the FG showboats that are now frequently turning up on this blog.
Cobourg kid, and John Gambill, my Lake N’ Sea was the same color as John’s boat. The finish was shinny, and no chips or spider cracks, like you find in other boats this age. My issue, was I could not get into that color, called Sunburn. I researched the original colors offered and choose to go with this blue, for two reasons; 1. I think it reminds most of the car and boat colors of the period, and 2. my Dads first fiberglass boat bought in 1959 was a “KAY” boat, with this same color. my Lake N’ Sea was primed and shot with four coats of Awlgrip. What a difference in looks and shine.
Coboug Kid, what is cool about toys like this vintage, and size, is once you find a solid hull and deck to work with, you can bring them back to new condition for less the a couple of grand!
Dick Dow, your comments are exactly why I spent the money on getting the Merc running. I plan on using this little gem daily, and pulling her to a lot of inland lakes around the Midwest, to classic events I have yet to attend. Is it Spring yet???
Thanks for the inside scoop Dennis it’s appreciated. Whomever did the work sure did a terrific job , and at a fantastic price too!
Up here in CA $2,000 wouldn’t even touch the prep and primer work .
I’m convinced that that’s a $4,000 to $5000 dollar + paint job (if you factor in the cost of materials, labour and spray booth time) any day of the week!
Just checking in after a weekend of no internet.
Dennis great looking boat and nice story.
Love to read about stuff like this here on WoodyBoater!
Fantastic looking boat Dennis.