Chandler restores classic 1972 Stauter John Boat

Jim Chandler has been thankful for the opportunity to restore a 1972 Stauter John Boat during the Shelter in Place and Safer at Home orders for the last two months.

Chandler began working on the boat in February, before the virus caused the shutdown.

“This has been the greatest thing for me, since COVID-19, “Chandler said. “I can’t stand to sit in the house with nothing to do. It was a godsend for me. I was running out of projects. I’d have gone crazy without something to focus on.”

Chandler said the boat was originally owned by Mossy Oak founder Toxey Haas, in Mobile. Haas’ daughter and sonin-law, Jenny and Neil Turner, wanted to register the boat in their son’s name, but couldn’t register it in Haas Turner’s name. He was 14 at the time.

“I spent a lot of time with Haas, going fishing,” Chandler said. “We would fish while his daddy was working. They knew I liked to woodwork, so they gave the boat to me.”

Chandler and Bob Wyman picked the boat up from the Turners and brought it back to West Point. He said they had a time getting it from the coast to West Point, but he could not have done it without help from Wyman.

“The boat is still in Neil Turner’s name,” Chandler said. “Haas is grown now and living in Huntsville. I would like for them to take it back after the work is done. We’ll have to work something out. It is theirs, I just got the fun of working on it and seeing how well it turned out. If none of them want it, I may try to sell it. It would be perfect for a seafood restaurant on the coast to buy it and display it. That way people can enjoy seeing how boats used to be made. I don’t think there are too many of these type still around.” Boats become antique at 30 years.

The Stauter John Boat is 46 years old. “It required a lot of work,” Chandler said. “I had to replace the transom supports, I reinforced the stringer. There was a lot of rotten wood on it. The seat cap was replaced and the bottom was refinished.”

It required sanding down to the bare wood. Chandler said he planned to stain the wood, but there were to0 many scars.

“I had to use a lot of epoxy,” Chandler