Well, last month I purchased an M-5.8 dinghy and today I took possession of my new toy. I bought it sight unseen, so this was the first time I had a chance to inspect the boat. This dinghy has not had an easy life. It's amazing that no matter how small the boat, they still need lots of maintenance!! I took the boat out today for a quick dip to see how well she floats. I also wanted to know just how stable such a small boat could be and how I would pilot the boat. Here are my observations. The boat is very stable. It is also, VERY small. I'm not sure how people actually sail the M-6.8. This boat did not come with oar locks, so I put a 35lb thrust elec. motor on her. It worked well. The only way I found to pilot the boat, was too sit on the front rumble seat facing backwards and work the motor. I tried to sit on the rear bench seat, but I needed to center my weight and of course I was now in the way of the motor tiller. So I shifted my weight to one side, using the battery to counter my weight. Well, with that much weight in the back of the boat, the water was only 1" below the transom. So, back to the rumble seat!! I think once I install oar locks this will be an easy rowing boat. She also looks like she will trail behind my M-15 nicely. For some strange reason, a PO (previous owner) installed blocks of wood to the port and starboard sides of the boat, which appears to have been used to support a bench seat in the front of the boat. Effectively turning the rumble seat into a full bench. Now, since I was in this boat earlier today by myself, with the exception of a battery, I would find if interesting to fit a second person in the boat. Unless that person were a garden knome. So, too modify the seating to accommodate 3 people......that's a mystery lost to history. To bring this boat back to pristine I will need to perform the following: Remove the wood blocks and repair the holes. Repair the stress crack in the keel. Repair the stress cracks along the base of the rumble seat and the hull. Repair the 'prior' repairs to the hull. (inside and out) Paint / re-gel coat the hull. Restore all of the woodwork. Install oar locks For some reason a PO 'painted' the inside of the boat with fiberglass resin. Then they painted the wood with the same resin. Now I need to remove that resin. Does anyone know of a way to remove the resin so that I can restore the woodwork? Also, once a boat has been painted, will I need to repaint it, or can I spray gel coat on the hull? If anyone has any life experience dealing with these challenges, I'd appreciate your thoughts. Thanks in advance. Skip Campion M-15 1982 #201 'Wild Guppy' M-10 1974 #177 'Lil Guppy' M-5.8 1973 #028 'To be named' - possibly 'S.S. Minow'