I just bought a 60's aluminum 14' runabout with a '64 Merc 35HP and
could use a bit of advice. Everything is in pretty good shape and seems
to be worth a bit of restoration. Certainly there is no damage and the
boat/motor doesn't appear to have been "tinkered" with at all. I've
never owned a boat before although I've owned and serviced every other
form of motorized fun.

1. The aluminum is quite dull. What is the best product or method to
clean it up?

2. The top horizontal surfaces of the aluminum are stained black. What
is this (it doesn't look like old paint and doesn't really have a
texture) and how can I remove it?

3. How do I go about setting the motor up for optimal performance?
Specifically I need to know how deep it should sit in the water, how to
make the boat plane properly and what different mount angles will do.

4. How to cure a leaking hull? As far as I can tell several rivets in
the hull are leaking. There doesn't appear to be any damage (cracks,
dents, etc.). Luckily the boat manufacturer is still around and is going
to replace the rivets. Other than that are there any products I can use
to seal the hull better from the inside?

5. Are there any companies that manufacture electronic ignition
conversion kits for old Merc outboards? Are there any other updates I
should consider for the engine amd drive?

6. What is a good flooring material. I'll be installing a marine plywood
floor and want to cover it with something other than carpet. A nice hard
nonslip plastic type surface would be great. I'd like to be able to hose
the boat out. What would you recommend?

7. I'm considering adding some maple trim to the boat (dash, gunwales,
misc.) I'm using maple because I get very nice stuff for free. How can I
finish the wood so that it resists water and sun?

I'd appreciate any other advice you can offer on old boats. Mine runs
and floats fine but I'm looking forward to tinkering with it.

Thanks a lot,
Andrw