Rushton 109 Copy
North River Boatworks in Albany built several of
these replicas of one of Rushton’s most popular pleasure rowboats,
Model 109, in the Mystic Seaport collection. They were skillfully
made, every bit the equal of Rushton’s factory’s work. I have sold
two of these for $5000 each that were like new.
This one was known in the North River shop as “The
Black Rushton”. It must have been ordered painted black, except for
its Spanish cedar sheer strake. The interiors of the North River
Rushtons was always oiled, and this one needs re-oiling inside. It
needs sanding and revarnishing of the decks and gunwales and sheer
strakes, which will get back their reddish color in the process.
There are two long splits along the grain in two of the black bottom
planks which can be made whole in the simplest way, by feeding them
a bead of Glu-vit, a seam-sealing epoxy, which will be drawn into
them and fill them. The buyer can be happy that these conditions
bring the price a long way down from that $5000 these boats usually
bring: $2200
