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[Copper Collar]

Well I have a small space heater and a block heater on each engine to get through this ridiculous cold spell. Also finally placed an order for a new starter and starter solenoid. Almost positive that I have this diagnosed right, but I've been wrong before, which leaves the voltage regulator which is stupid expensive. If that is the case I'll switch from a stator to an alternator and run both batteries and starters off of it.


That said, I'm saving for filling in the transom, hermco bracket, and twin etecs in a 175 or 200 flavor.

[Entourage]

I have been down that road with twin 3.7's and i could never win. They are great when they are running but when they break which was real often it was 300 bucks here 300 bucks there. It gets old real quick.

[Copper Collar]

Well I went to change the starter and the nuts that hold it to the flywheel housing are pretty rusted. Let it sit for 24hrs with some PB blaster and I tried again, torqued on them until I didn't feel comfortable (points are going to round off or the studs are going to snap). So it will be dropped off at a marine mechanic to change in case it turns into something more.

In other news, I removed the fish box that the original owner had made for it, but had let go to hell (pic on page 1). I knew some of the wood in the core of it was rotten, but went I went to pull it out I found that all the wood up until the passenger seat was gone on all 4 sides. I had a very close look at this before purchase to make sure the box was 100% separated from the floor, without being able to actually remove it. The floor under the box is solid, awl grip, and paint match the rest of the boat.

[fdheld34]

Are you planning on rebuilding the fishbox...would come in handy for extra storage etc...or are you going with a pedestal seat?? At least the floor is solid under there!!!
-Fred

[Copper Collar]

Yes the fish box will be rebuilt. However, I might copy one of the other builds (see pic below) on here and go with 2 fish boxes. I do know that I am going to have a different lid in place and on the forward end of the box I am going to have slide out drawers (toward the center line) for easy access storage.

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[Rufneck]

The picture above is my boat. Those seat boxes are the result of Jim (77SceptreOB) and my thoughts on how best to incorporate well positioned seating and eliminate the need to have free floating coolers on the deck. Both of the compartments beneath the aft facing seats will be used for ice/drinks and maybe for bait. Neither would be big enough to be a fish box unless your sole focus in on fish like that black bass above. You will see that I also incorporated 2 cut outs for tackle drawers. I have selected some 3 drawer boxes made from Starboard that will go into the holes.

Alternatively, I could have made one side a fish box that goes the full length of the seat box and kept the other side as is. Quite honestly, I didn't think about it but I am not sure if I would have done it anyway. The seat box is about the same length as the fish box that is in the floor so it would not have enabled me to keep larger fish. Most of the time we will catch fish that are adequately sized for the fishbox in the floor. We will be making some deep trips offshore where large wahoo and dolphin are expected. On those trips, I will probably just take a large cooler that will fit across the rear of the cockpit. Given that your boat is an I/O, that's probably not a good option for you.

Good luck with it all. I expect to get mine back from the boatyard in the next few weeks and then it is my turn to start doing work.

[Copper Collar]

Well the box that goes on the port side of my boat goes all the way forward, so just shy of 5 ft long. The drawers (a smaller set or 1 large one) could be moved to bulkhead facing aft where the cooler door opens onto (if that makes sense). The starboard box could stay the exact same as yours. You would end up with 1 cooler, 1 large fish box, and 2 sets of drawers.


The I/Os are going away.....eventually.

[Copper Collar]

Engines removed and the helm is de rigged.









I was surprised by a few things taking her apart. First a riser on one of the engines had a small pin hole it it that would have flooded the boat if I had of just fixed the starter. The wiring while good on the inside, insulation was brittle and cracking, it was also a birds nest under the helm and in the engine bay, fire hazard to say the least. The wash down pump was rusted away and the two bilge pumps were never mounted under the engines, they were free floating.


Structurally she is solid, all the accouterments will be replaced. Also I think this project deserves the name "10 Year Plan".

[studiojake]

I know the feeling. I am hopefully nearing the end of my six year plan. Any chance you still have the port tachometer?

[Copper Collar]

Originally Posted by studiojake

I know the feeling. I am hopefully nearing the end of my six year plan. Any chance you still have the port tachometer?

Sorry, went to the dump last week.