Guess the viewer knows by now, we are not talking "restoration" here. If it was a '55 Chris Craft with a beautiful mahogany motorbox -- maybe. But we're dealing with a "modern" 1981 fiberglass boat, and I want to waterski. So we're building a boat to suit my "needs," not to win prizes for originality. That's my motorbox the way it arrived in my possession in late 2011. And it's now February, 2012.

Some portions of the interior have been re-made and re-upholstered. I thought modifying the motorbox woud be an easy job. When I removed the top layer of vinyl, I found this -- almost the same color I selected for the new upholstery.

Grant MacLaren -- Frank, I have looked carefully at the way you made them. My table saw is not as nice as yours, so I think I'll make the corners using two pieces each. Less likelihood of later rip cuts messing up earlier ones. BTW, the port corner piece (pictured) is "punky" all the way up. Not related to the rot, methinks. Thanks for your informative photos.

Christien Holcomb -- Frank, what was the stock you started with?

Grant MacLaren -- Frank, who would have written "18 RES." on port side of motorbox? My guess is the sub who supplied these components to Century.

Frank Miklos -- What happened is Century made these parts then they were sent over to Fortier Industries, Fortier upholstered them and returned them to Century ... Fortier did work for Century from at least the 1940s through the end of the Manistee era.... Fortier also made all of the fabricated brass hardware...

Frank Miklos -- Christien we either use white oak or Mahogany depending what was used on the original box... Century used both... In the wood boat years... I don't know what grant's are. They don't look like oak or Mahogany... The box that I am restoring was in very poor shape but were much more solid than Grant's... What ever they were using later seems to rot much worse than the Mahogany or Oak that was used in the wood boat era...

Frank Miklos -- We also use marine grade plywood not sure if century actually used marine grade... Most manufactures don't on seats, motorboxes etc, just exterior grade...

Christien Holcomb -- So for my 57 Coronado it would be mahogany. Is that 2x2 stock and 1/2" plywood? Mine isn't as bad as Grants either but getting closer with every removal of the hatch. Apparently water was allowed to sit on the floor for some time and the starboard corner is bad.

Keith Lemieux -- Marine ply is high cost. Just bought 3 sheets 1/2"... $202.00 with tax

Frank Miklos -- We also put motor-boxes together with 5200 on all joints...prevents water from getting between the wood joints... Also makes the box a little more rigid... Original boxes were just screwed together... Also stay away from foam padding for covering these boxes foam holds moisture much longer than cotton does...

Frank Miklos -- Grant another cool thing back around 1985 Brad Atkinson had his 64 Coronado's hardtop re-covered by Fortier... The man who re-covered it was the same man who did it in 1964. There is a layer of canvas under the padding on hardtops... the fiberglass padding was glued to the canvas... The upholsterers often signed their work in glue... Brad's Coronado was signed... The guy still worked for Fortier 30 years later and did the re-covering of the same top...

Grant MacLaren -- Nice story.

2-29-12 Frank had posted this sketch showing how to make the corner piece using a table saw. Today I used a friends saw to start my corner pieces:

(3/1/12) 4' of motorbox corner stock should be ready for box assembly tomorrow. I'm wondering if sides could be thinner than 15/32. I saw both 15/32 and 11/32 at Lowes today.