Well, I've just returned from a 5 day trip to Daytona Beach, Florida, where I went to perform rescue surgery on our beloved Encore. She was suffering from years (decades even) of neglect, and I needed to perk her up very quickly. It was a large undertaking, and I knew I had to set some reasonable goals given that I only had a few days. All in all, I'm fairly pleased with the outcome. It is just the beginning on her journey back to health. The changes, so far, are primarily cosmetic, but all necessary steps toward restoration.
I don't know how far this project will go. My first milestone is to get her spruced up and looking respectable on the outside. Then check out the hull and see what problems may or may not be lurking there. If there are no serious problems with the hull, then I'll probably proceed to sprucing up her interior and then getting all her functional parts back to working order (as time and money permit). If there are signs of problems with the hull, then I'll have to take a close look at whether it's really feasible to ever restore her to her former glory. Time will tell.
In the meantime, I will continue the outside restoration and take comfort in seeing her at least look like the boat she once was. I know my father will be pleased to see her looking like the beauty he fell in love with so many years ago.
I will be updating this site with her current status and pictures as the project progresses. I'm receiving some help from generous neighbors in the marina (boaters are awesome people!!) and I've hired a carpentry specialist to handle the urgent woodworking needs. The next visible steps in Encore's restoration are: