Wooden Forest E. Johnson Trunk Cabin Express Cruiser  31', 1960



This rare Johnson was built in 1960 in Miami, Florida
(Hull #241)
Always been in north on Lake Michigan since built
Purchased in Joliet, Illinois in 1992
Rebuilt over a period of eight years and re-launched in 2000
Used summers of 2000, 2001 and 2005 in Montreal area
Always stored inside on original cradle mounted on trailer

Defiant, powered by twin Mercruiser 350 engines, is extremely fast (35-40 knots) and can cruise all day at
20-25 knots on 12 gph. She is easily handled solo and with the canvas
top folded down looks and behaves like a large runabout. With all the
canvas in place she is comfortable for a family of four on extended
cruises. She has a fully enclosed head and large galley area.

Her flowing lines, flared bow and stern tumblehome, teak decks,
gleaming paint and chrome turn heads wherever she goes.

Restoration included:

Hull:

. Mahogany frames with batten-seam Atlantic White Cedar planking
. Questionable frames and knees replaced
. Questionable planks replaced
. Bottom refastened with silicon bronze    screws
. Bottom transom plank removed and inspected and replaced
. Mahogany toe rails and gunwales were removed and replaced where
questionable
. Deck laid with fibreglass in epoxy
. New teak deck laid
. All paint and varnish stripped to bare wood.
. Bilges cleaned and painted
. Hull properly fared with long board
. Stirling two-part polyurethane paint professionally applied by
spray
. All chrome hardware removed and re-chromed. All hardware is
original and complete
. Cabin sole and cockpit floorboards replaced with teak and holly
. New canvas enclosure for entire cockpit that permits standing
headroom for entire cockpit (not shown in photos)

Engines and drive:

Original Crusader 283 engines replaced with fresh Mercruiser 350's
with fresh water cooling (Glycol). Only115 hrs of operation since
installation:

. Cylinders bored 0.020" and new pistons installed
. New performance camshafts
. New double timing chains
. New bearings
. Heads ported and polished
. New valves, guides and springs
. New distributor caps and high tension spark plug leads
. New water cooled manifolds and risers
. New sea water pumps
. Rebuilt marine alternators and starter motors
. Rebuilt Borg Warner Velvet Drive transmissions.
. New precision ground propeller shafts
. New drive flanges and packing
. New four blade Acme propellers

Equipment:
. New holding tank and head
. Large icebox
. Depth sounder, temperature sensor and speed log with bronze through
hull
. Original Herreshoff anchor
. New wiring where necessary
. New electronic tachometers
. Fresh starting and house batteries
. Excellent tandem trailer with electric brakes on both axels. It has
never been submerged in water and always stored inside. Original
cradle included.
. Fenders and mooring lines
. Two sets spare propellers
. Spare drive shafts
. New Bennett hydraulic trim tabs

Defiant is ready for use, however, in order to make her pristine it
is recommended that the following be done:
. Mahogany on cabin sides and exterior of  windshield frame be
stripped of varnish and refinished
. Mahogany transom should be stripped of varnish and refinished.
. Paint on hull is excellent with original gloss but there are some
areas where normal rubbing from fenders shows. A wet sanding and
re-spray with Stirling midnight blue paint would make it perfect.
Sufficient paint is included.
. Upholstery is not torn or worn anywhere but is a little tired and
dull
 

PRICE: $59, 000.    (Will consider any reasonable offer)

For further information, please contact Trevor at 514-483-8951 or 514-482-6053 or email trevor.skutezky@skutech.ca

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