crazy8118 Posted February 28, 2022 Report Share Posted February 28, 2022 A little history on this project before I do a photo dump. I work at a marina for the last 20yrs as head tech and service manager/yard foreman. This was a customers boat, which he bought new in 1998. I just bought it from him this past December. He hasnt used it much in the last few years, as he is getting older, and his kids are now grown up/moved out. It has 210 original hours on the hull and original engine. Seems like the only thing ever upgraded was the Garmin, sometime in the early 2000s. It had a GPSMAP186C. I removed the poling tower for him a few years ago as the legs were rotted at the water line, and ready to fall apart. I filled and glassed the holes, and resprayed the transom and top cap where the mounting location was. I pulled the boat from storage, and immediately send it to my buddies shop for sandblasting. The bottom paint looked like someone glued potato chips to it. 24 years of paint, and never sanded. Once back from sand blast, I hand sanded the bottom with 80 grit, washed it clean, dewaxed the bottom, and rolled on 2 coats of Petit Protect Barrier coat, and 2 coats of Black Widow bottom paint (amazing stuff, use it on my Seacraft 23 also). I also had to repair one chine, it was cracked about 2", which ended up being a 12" void. Honestly, I see this a lot on these hulls. We service about 15 of these boats every year, and I have repaired quite a few chines. Easy enough to grind out, add glass, grind out and fair it down. Once the bottom prep was complete, I started gutting the inside. All the hatch catches were broken, the rod locker locks were rusted out. And I gutted all the wiring and pumps. I hate the access in these boats, so I added a 10x14 hatch in the splashwell in front of the motor, and a 7x11 hatch in the front of the console. I rewired everything from bow to stern, relocated both batteries to the console, as well as the switch. I made a panel for the upper shelf for the new fuse panel with a house breaker and ground bus. I bought a new switch panel for the dash with rocker switch cut outs, and I added all new rocker switches and rewired all the switches. I replaced the bilge pump and float, new livewell pump (redesigned the plumbing and resealed the thru hull and sea chest inlet). I also removed the old transducer from the transom, filled the holes, and added a B150M thru hull. I wired that to a Garmin 74SV. I also replaced the control box which was in really bad shape, and also the control cables, and Yamaha key switch/warning horn. Before I buttoned up the console, I also cut out the tiny access hole in the floor of the console for the fuel sender/pick up. Replaced the sender, pumped the fuel out, and replaced the fuel pick up and fuel line. Instead of the 6" round plate, I made a 15"x15" starboard plate to cover the new access hole, which also serves as my battery tray floor. 2 group size 24's fit perfectly on the plate under the front seat. Also added a new water separator and new fuel lines/primer to the engine. I also replaced the split loom on the engine rigging with mesh sleeving, much cleaner look and avoid the tube filling up with water/oil etc. Added a new Lewmar steering wheel with a power knob too, had to get rid of that original rubber grip wheel that as melting. Next step was to prep for paint. I removed the rub rail and sanded the hull sides. Took it over to my buddies shop and we sprayed 3 coats of Awlgrip 545 epoxy primer, 3 coats of Whisper Grey Awlcraft 2000, and 5 coats of Awlcraft clearcoat. Needless to say, the hull looks wet standing in the paint booth. Ill be pulling it out of his shop tomorrow, putting it back in my shop to finish the final bits. I still need to put the rubrail back on, new rope insert, touch up some bottom paint, etc. Not much left to do though besides the final cleaning/compounding/waxing of the interior. The inside is actually in very good shape, no cracks or damage. Just a bit faded. It just needs a lot of compounding (even the non skid) to bring back some shine in the gelcoat. Also have to finish the service on the engine, and install the prop I had reconditioned. More to follow! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted February 28, 2022 Report Share Posted February 28, 2022 great work.... dc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy8118 Posted March 1, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 A little more on the skiff today. Pulled it out of my buddies shop after a 36hr bake in the heat post paint job. Back in my shop I got the rub rail installed, new 1/2" rope insert, trim tabs installed, new nav lights, and tested all the systems. Not much left at this point, small odds and ends, and engine service. Unfortunately it's still stupid cold up here in CT so not launching any time soon! Added a few pics of the rigging and the bilge access. Literally the biggest hatch possible for the splash well. I had to trim the hatch on the table saw and build some spacers to get it to fit properly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whichwaysup Posted March 1, 2022 Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 Man, what a great thread! So cool to see you bringing this classic back! It must be rewarding to own a boat you had your eye on for so long. Keep the posts coming! She is looking great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted March 1, 2022 Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 Very well thought out..... dc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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