Every family has its own sorts of heirlooms.
Some families tend to these trinkets constantly, keeping them in pristine condition. Others, focused elsewhere, let these items fall into disrepair.
Reddit user bcell4u decided it was time he unearthed one of his family’s neglected possessions: an old motorboat.
His uncle’s brother’s boat, originally from the 1970s, sat outside and unused for over 20 years. In that time, the elements completely overtook it. However, this DIY-er decided his family’s boat deserved its second chance out on the water.
He dug this boat out of the muck, spent a great deal of time cleaning it out, and then got to work bringing it back to life.
Having a boat to tool around in is one thing, but getting to ride around on something you had a hand in building yourself is beyond special.
With diligent TLC, this forgotten boat is now completely revived and ready to hit the high seas.
Scroll through below to see how this incredible DIY-er brought his family’s boat back to life.
Recently, one DIY-er decided to see if he could restore his uncle’s brother’s boat to its former glory.
Previously, the boat sat unused and, for the most part, uncovered for 20-plus years.
While at one point it sported a canvas cover, those can only stand up to the elements for so long.
Sometime during its 20-plus years outdoors, the canvas cover deteriorated, letting rain, mud, grime, rust, and so on build up all over this boat’s interior and exterior.
After diligent shoveling, scrubbing, and rinsing, this DIY-er filled the boat with water to check if its facade had acquired any significant leaks.
Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the test proved positive for leakage.
The vessel’s front (keel) spine area had sprung a sizable leak.
Though certainly a problem, this leak wasn't bad enough to warrant scrapping the entire restoration project, so this DIY-er carried on.
Testing complete, this DIY-er let the boat dry before he continued scrubbing away at its exterior.
Once the boat was clean enough, he covered it in a protective layer of marinetex to help seal the remaining leaks.
What good is a boat without a trailer to cart it to sea?
This DIY-er also took on the task of restoring the boat’s original trailer.
Its wheels had completely rotted, so those needed replacing.
Trailer handled, he shifted his attention back to the boat itself.
He primed and painted the entire interior and exterior.
To give the boat a good seal, he used Rustoleum topcoat over the paint.
Since he was already painting, he decided to give the trailer a fresh coat as well.
Once all the paint was dry, this old boat finally started feeling special again.
This DIY-er then started building the boat new seating and decking.
He decided to add plywood to the boat’s floors as well, so his passengers would be able to move about the entire vessel with ease.
He covered the new flooring in gray fabric to match the paint job, giving the whole boat a unified look and feel.
While working on this project, a friend of his reached out, looking to get rid of a lightly worn trolling motor, battery charger, and fish finder.
He made the deal, and decked the boat out with these awesome gadgets.
This DIY-er also restored the boat’s old motor, which, like the vessel itself, no one had used in over 20 years.
Decked out with new oil, spark plugs, and gear oil, the boat started!
As a finishing touch, he added a bimini top for shade.
After careful repair, this DIY-er now has a beautiful boat, rich with family history, which he can pass down to the next generation.
What do you think of this restored boat? Have you ever restored a forgotten family heirloom? Let us know your story in the comments.
Please SHARE this project with other DIY-ers who love bringing neglected items back to life!
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