F/V Pocket Mouse

Here's a hull for Eric Manyboats. Willard Crealock 30' salmon troller in Bodega Bay California I found on Craigslist tonight.

Anyone know anything about this particular boat or the hull model in general? Was wondering if this might be based on the Willard 8 ton model sailboat?

Sure looks like the 8 ton, with the outboard mast side stays in place .Do you think Willard sold any hulls as kit boats like Westsail did ?

Yes they did Marty. However this one apparently is not as she has been rigged as a sail boat. The chain plates are almost certianly original but the boat could have been an unfinished hull from Willard and the owner installed the chain plates (is that one word or two? ( don't know much sailboat stuff)). Or the boat may/could even be a Nomad like mine and somebody put the keel and chain plates on. ??

And yes it's an 8 Ton hull. There is a mid 80s Willard on our float that has this hull .. or I should say "keel extension". It's the same hull as mine except the keel. Good call Marty and I think the cruiser mid 80s Willard w the keel extension is one of a kind.

Are you going to buy that boat Craig? Anybody thinking of buying this boat needs to know about the ballast issues some of these Willards have. Corrosion and it's swelling have created problems for about 10% (possibly more) of the Willard 30s. Seems to me though that conversation this last weekend at the rondy revealed to me that the "8 Ton" had "external" ballast. So the ballast problem wouldn't exist on this boat if that were the case. However there may be both internal and external ballast. The ballast problem would/could be much easier to deal w if this boat is gutted or nearly so.

This looks very much like the hull on the Willard we owned. We had a 1977 30/4 or also called a Mark IV. Ours was #143. It has about 18" of cast iron in the keel that is bolted on. A 4' rudder makes it very easy to maneuver at any speed. We found out about the keel when we stripped the hull to gel coat then zinc primed the iron, epoxy coated the hull and applied bottom paint. It's draft is 4'11".

No interest in buying it currently Eric and what you see is what you get. Interior is gutted and the house and decks/fish hold should pop right out. Shaft, prop, rudder and gear is what you start with. The ad said 6,000 lbs of steel ballast so I assumed that was the keel extension. Ad also stated 17 layer fireproof fiberglass hull lay-up.

Seller has a small diesel running take out for sale too, Perkins 4 cylinder I believe.

OK good,
I'd like to build a boat out of it but I'm too old and busy for that. I'd stretch it w a different stern and remove the monster keel. But it would be easier and most likely less expensive to just buy a Willard.

I'm new to this forum and realize that this is an old thread, but one of the comments spoke to a potential problem with the ballast in some Willards. I'm looking at possibly buying a 36' Aft Pilothouse project boat that been up on the hard for awhile and is pretty rough. What is evidence of the ballast problem?

Willard has a web sight . Maybe you could poke around there and get some questions answered. I saw the Willard that you are talking about on Internet today. If I was 30 years younger I would be all over this one . The hull looks good from the pictures . Good luck on the purchase.

Thanks for sound advice Marty. I have been poking around a little, and have a better idea about the ballast issue now. The Willard that I saw online had a really low price tag (which is both intriguing and scary!). Also, I couldn't find another Willard that looked like that one. I'm wondering if there were recent alterations (which could also be scary). Might have to make a long journey to check it over.

Any idea on what it takes to get a surveyor to look over a boat?

As a former Willard owner I am a little familiar with the model you talk about. There is one like it I think in Everett WA named Quasar. Check it out on the Willard site. The owner is very nice and knowledgeable about this boat. Where is the one you are looking at?

It's located on the west coast of Florida. Here's the link:

1966 Willard 36 Aft Pilot House Power Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Not sure if my last post went thru, so I'll try it again.

Keith - the one I saw was listed on Yacthworld and was located in Bradenton Florida.

Steve