I was approached by a guy few weeks back if I was interested in buying a boat .... Well I'm always interested in looking, whether I have any money is another matter. He kpet pressing me - so I agreed.

To my surprise it was a Soviet Classic Sportsboat, any soviet movie that has a boat in - will inevitably have one of these in.

Built entirely in "proper" thick 4mm aluminium, riveted. Usual engine - the Veeta Soviet 23HP outboard.

Model name : Progress 4

Built 1973, Russia

LOA : 4.65m

Disp, without gear / engine : ~ 300kgs

Seats 4 standard + bench aft facing for 2 small children.

Standard colour scheme (as per photo) Soviet Navy grey/blue !

So here she is on original trailer just delivered to my esatate ... ready for renovation ....

Sitting next to my old "tub" that carries me all over baltic .....

Renovation plans are to have overall yellow hull, red deck-hull joint line, decking in mid blue non-slip. Replace slatted plastic covered seats with car bench seating.

Including outboard (at service now), oars, control systems + another 4m rowing timber dinghy / oars etc. ...... 300 quid all in ! The Progress 4 if you find one advertised usually fetch about 800 - 1000 quid !

I'm looking fwd to summer jaunts on the river ....

Interested to know how rivited hull  survives if used alot in salt water?My dad used to tell me how Coastal Command Sunderland Flying boats were a total pain in this respect with electrolytic action across the rivets.They even had one that sank on its mooring.They had to use a layer of tape between layers of duraluminium and manganise pop rivets to try to stop this happening.

In salt water constantly of course when not flying..

Anyway looks like a fun project.

Phil

The water round here is brackish ... near fresh. But the rivets are aluminium also - as they are full button head jobs.

Also boat / rivets are not Dural - a material developed for aircraft skinning.

Problem with as you describe was the use of dissimilar metals ... usually resulting in enlargement of the rivet holes ... and loosening. I only know about it as I used to spend time at Calshot - where flying boats were based years ago.

The boat is in very good condition ... just needs the seats and controls sorted. Plus the cosmetics ... photo's will follow as she progresses ...

US manufactured Pearly Misses from the early 60s are still going strong in this part of the world(Endland East Coast - salt water).

They are riveted construction and jhave stood up to it just fine. They a jolly good tough boats too!

I reckon the rivets must have been made with an identical grade aluminium as the hull sheets, they never show any electrolysis.

However if they are pushed into big head seas a lot or are bashed into things, the rivets will work loose and need a bit of careful re-hammering to seal the boat up again!

Well work is going on ... and she's starting to look the "Party Boat" I want ....

this is what the finished article should look like :

I have another now ... guy offered me a sister boat complete with engine and trailer. Just have to get the engines sorted and the weird control set-up sorted !

So that's my place becoming a museum for Soviet Classics !!