This summer I decided I wanted a boat to go fishing in instead of fishing from shore. So I saved my paychecks and any spare change I had(I'm 17, money doesnt come very fast with a part time job) and waited for something to pop on Craigslist. I wanted something manageable because this was my first boat restore.
After looking at a few different jet boats and deciding they werent what I wanted, I found a 1965 Thompson with a trailer for 700 bucks. It was a pretty good price around here for summer time and a complete boat and trailer. I called and made a sweet deal: my Kawi 550 stand up and $250.
I wish I would have seen this section before I finished because I would have taken alot more pictures!
I ended up replacing the decking, rigging up the new outboard(original was a 1963 Evinrude Fastwin), and painting throughout. Transom and stingers were in great shape and dry! Its a dry heat in AZ!
Here's how I finished her.
1965 Thompson 14ft
1975 Mercury 200 20hp outboard
Lots of time and elbow grease
After looking at a few different jet boats and deciding they werent what I wanted, I found a 1965 Thompson with a trailer for 700 bucks. It was a pretty good price around here for summer time and a complete boat and trailer. I called and made a sweet deal: my Kawi 550 stand up and $250.
I wish I would have seen this section before I finished because I would have taken alot more pictures!
I ended up replacing the decking, rigging up the new outboard(original was a 1963 Evinrude Fastwin), and painting throughout. Transom and stingers were in great shape and dry! Its a dry heat in AZ!
Here's how I finished her.
1965 Thompson 14ft
1975 Mercury 200 20hp outboard
Lots of time and elbow grease


