Hello fellow boaters - my Avenger 16 doesn't look like it will be finished for this season and because of my impatience to get on the water, I have been offered a Shakespeare Mustang (1980) with a 115hp 6 pot merc (inline) The hull looks clean and undamaged - both hull and deck in original gel finish and never painted, trim looks tidy, - - Any advice on the boats, or problems to look for, would be very welcome - infact is it a good boat?
Last of all that dreadfull question, Is it a classic? - can I bring it along to the meetings (without shame!) until the Avenger is finished?...............................meanwhile - Back to the boat shed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I bought a Waverider Mustang about a year ago which I believe is a later version of the Shakespeare Clubman.

The boat has turned into a bit more of a project than I expected . So far I have replaced the transom packing, the stringer braces and the floor.

The transom packing was not severely rotted but in very poor condition. I intend to fit a Mercury 80hp so did the job for peace of mind as much as anything. I needed to cut the rear portion of the floor out to do the transom job which is when I discovered the state of the stringer braces and floor.

From this experience I would recommend checking the transom thoroughly particularly where it has been drilled for engine mounting especialy considering the motor you intend to use. Also check for springy areas of floor

I replied to a post on the general topics Shakespheare string which gave greater detail about the transom work I still havent learned to insert a link to it im afraid.

As for "is it a classic?" is'nt that the eternal question, I will let someone else answer that one. I certainly intend to use mine at club events where the water gets lumpy.

There is a site devoted to Shakespeare here http://people.dsv.su.se/~klas/Boats/home.html

hope this helps
DH

Floater - many thanks - I am having a look on Wednesday - will take my friend "Spike" and have a poke around the floor and transom! - the engine looks good and the guy is asking £500 for boat , engine (no trailer)

Hi, I was the guy that floater posted a reply to,thank you very much,also howstar who steered me on the transom,I would most certainly double check the transom,I have just replaced the complete transom on what I think is a '70's/early '80's sportsman,which looked like this in the att.http://cmba-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1679 and I hope it's going to look like this http://people.dsv.su.se/~klas/Boats/Sup ... sman3.html the boat, I also intend to hang a 1969 merc800 on the back of it when I get that far. You will also see floater's pic's if you scroll down the link.

Sinbad good luck for Wednesday keep spike busy!

£500 seems a very good price. The engine alone is probably worth that much. From your original post I guess you want something you can use straight away not another project, If it doesnt meet your needs it may be worth posting it in the sales/wants category I expect someone else may be interested sounds like a lot of boat for not much money. Let us know how you get on.

Haventaclue how are you getting on?

DH

Hi floater.not so bad just got the transom filled.
I cut out the inside,12mm marine ply,by two,with a layer of fiberglass on the outside and inside to close the mount and drain holes with a layer of a mixture of resin and line whiting to bond.The found I still had room for another piece of of 12mm ply,more mix,covered the lot with two layers of fiberglass,filled the top of the transom and now awaiting a gel coat,wondering if needed as I am going to paint with a couple of coats of car paint and lacquer.Thanks again for those drawings,a great help
My apologies to sinbad for hijacking your thread, good luck with the Shakespeare and I really should move my thread to the boat shed if I could work out how.

Haventaclue
Pleased you are making good progress, I have just finished reinstating the floor and am now fabricating the cockpit side panels.

I have used 15kg of polyester resin and 9kg of epoxy on the boat so far!

floater,
and there was I complaining about 7kg of polyester or thereabouts,mind you I haven't started the floor yet,at least things are moving on for you