Brand Director @ Wieden+Kennedy
BARRACUDA LIPSTICK
Allow me to reintroduce Barracuda Lipstick, a 1969 Italian Wooden Speedboat.
I've never worked on a classic wooden boat before, but with the help of my good friend Tobin and a little bit of luck boatyards remained open during quarantine, we were able to restore this boat from Lake Como, Italy.
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I bought this boat off the one and only, Geoffrey Lillemon, in the fall of 2019. It was stored in an amazing boatyard in Amsterdam Noord and became our new local. If you are interested in all the restoration details, please keep scrolling.
THE BEGINNING
When I took over the boat all wood was exposed. It pains me that I ended up painting over the mahogany sides but after research and coming to grips that it is a canal boat, I wanted more protection. And layers of HB coat and marine paint would help add strength and durability to the boat.
BOTTOM WORK
Heat gun.
Scrape.
Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
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The very first step was stripping the old bottom all the way back to bare mahogany. It was slow, messy, and oddly meditative — but absolutely necessary.
Before anything beautiful could happen, everything questionable had to go.
Once exposed, reinforcing the bottom became the priority. With help from the wooden Dutch masters at the boatyard, we sealed and strengthened it using epoxy and fiberglass, turning decades-old wood into something solid, durable, and ready for the next chapter.
COATING
Once the structure was sound, it was time to seal everything up. The entire hull was coated in multiple layers of Epifanes HB Coat, acting both as a primer and an added layer of protection before moving on to antifouling.
Below the waterline, I finished it with a two-component blue antifouling paint — built to handle the abuse and keep things clean where it matters most.
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Above the waterline, I went with a custom “lipstick” red from Epifanes. Bold, classic, and impossible to ignore.
For the topsides, the panels were bolted and glued back down as they came off the boat. Then came sanding… and more sanding. And then some more. I lost count of how many passes it took, finishing with a wet sand at 400 grit before varnish.
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The final touch was roughly eight coats of Epifanes Bootslack, thinned about 15–20% to help it flow out extra smooth and slick.
FINISHING TOUCHES
Engine + Cable Steering
The 9.9hp Yamaha received a new cowling assembly to replace a damaged lid, then was fully repainted white with a racing stripe. The pulley steering system was completely rebuilt with new cables and pulleys, and the electrics were rewired in the process — all far more complicated than it sounds.
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Windshield
The original windshield was inherited in three broken pieces. I worked with a company outside Amsterdam to fabricate a custom replacement that perfectly matched the boat’s curvature. Installing it required a sturdy mounting structure, paired with a rubber base to keep everything secure and watertight.
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Seats
The seats began life as ten-year-old teak seats that were repurposed and cut to fit the boat. They were mahogany-stained and varnished to match the rest of the finish, then mounted on custom-built brackets to sit perfectly level inside the hull.
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Gas Tank + Battery
Bespoke mounts were built and installed inside the rear wooden box to securely house both the gas tank and battery.
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Floorboards + Interior Lining
The interior shell received structural touch-ups and a fresh coat of cream-white paint. Part of the upper wooden panel was replaced after the original section had broken away.
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Steering Wheel
The original steering wheel stayed. Apparently a classic, just very tired looking. So we refinished, repainted, and remounted it and turned out amazing.
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Cleats + Metal Hardware
Four new cleats were added for fenders, installed with a fully waterproof mounting kit. Front metal hardware and step pads were polished, and rear grab handles were replaced for easier entry and exit from the water.
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The Extras
Two beer holders.
A bottle opener.
And a nav light / flagpole holder.
IN THE WATER
