Finally getting the boat fixed up...

[mbo_1971]

It has been like Christmas around here for the last 2 days. After getting more suitable trailer 2 months ago, I was able to throw a few things i have collected for the '84 20SF, and drag her down to Ocean City, MD and have a buddy do a little work on her. Well, I picked her and some new outriggers up with the new tow vehicle today. Here are a few pics of todays events.....

had the old bottom paint blasted off (at least 3 layers), some major scaring repaired with Interlux 2-part filler and sealed with epoxy primer. With this being a trailer boat, i opted to not go with awlgrip because of its tendancy to mar on bunk trailers.




Had a few items installed i have picked up over the last few months - TTop and leaning post (not sure its permanant - a little big). Love the ttop - perfect height, very sturdy and does not feel cramped with it in (was concerned)




Also had some other cosmetics and structural issues addressed that i did not get pix of:
unneeded throughhull removed, pludded and sealed
motorwell glass was unstable around hatches - fabricated dyvinicell layer and installed
50billion drillholes in the motorwell cleaned up with carbosil and primed
old gunwale mount anchor light mount has dissolved - hole filled and primed

A few things to do up here, and then she goes to Joe's Marine in Wanchese for rigging (wiring/controls/motor) and we shouold be in the water.

So on the way to Ocean City, I dropped by my dad's office and picked up a present Brown dropped off this week. Found these little beauties on the lauderdale craigslist classifides - for $300!!! Huge upgrade!



New tow vehicle. Actually new daily driver as well, but i drive about 6K miles a year - another craigslist find. Brakes need work, but im happy with her - '96 with 97K miles.





So here is a question - the previous outriggers were mounted about 18 inches forward of the front leg of the ttop. I thought that they were generally mounted further back. Thoughts on why i should leave them forward? I was thinking that with the drag of the baits, and the angle once they are laid down, maybe that is why they are so far forward? Mounting them up there also make spassing the console/ttop a bit easier as well.

[mbo_1971]

A-La Strick, adding this one to keep the work on my '84 20' SF threaded into one post. This was a post i put up a few weeks ago with the work I did the console:

Been hacking away at the house with not much time for working on the boat lately. I have been wanting to recondition the console for a while, and the honey-do's were short this weekend, so I had my project.

This is what the console looked like when I got her:


Quite a mess. Needed a blank slate to work from, and wanted a new t-top to replace the make-shift one that she came with. I am going to apologize in advance - I should have had the camera to show progress - next project.

Step one - off with what was there and on with the new top (done a few weeks ago):



Then the blank slate was crafted. Here is how she looks now.







Last item on the agenda was to fabricate some new hatches for the rear access areas. The original teak versions were splitting and pretty beat up. Also didn’t want the maintenance (I know - I will probably regret it later).





If I had to do it over again, I would have gone slightly lighter on the hardware, but at least I don’t think its going anywhere. Also debating on adding some fold down lexan/clear doors to the electronics area. Also need to add stops and latches to the doors new doors.

I don’t like the leaning post - way too big. It was cheap, and the old unit I had was falling apart. I am going to put something in, but not sure on what yet.

So its off to have wiring, engine and controls finally mounted next week after vacation. Very excited! Comments on the above are welcome. What you might have done differently....

matt

[mbo_1971]

Got the next big item ticked off for this project - re-wire rough in. Since im not the electronics maven, had my buddy Ryan at MTS in Annapolis do the following:

Dual Group 27 batteries mounted under the console



Centralized mounting board (epoxy coated) with main switch and electronics blade and bus - very clean and neat!!!


Backside of a BlueSea Weatherdeck 8 switch panel - also very clean and neat!!


Power posts for easier inside the starboard rear hatch for motor connect:


next is dragging her back up and getting motor mounted, tank re-plumbed, steering system mounted and gauges mounted. More to come soon I hope.

Matt

[glow]

Hey Matt,

My name is Greg and I recently joined CSC a few months ago. I have learned a ton of things here about renovating and custom fabrication. I have a quick question. What kind of material is that on the top of your console? It looks like a rail/molding so things don't roll off the top. What you've done looks really great. Seems like alot of CSC members are renovating during the winter season. I live in Hawaii and we only have two seasons...wet and dry. Thanks for your help, Greg

[mbo_1971]

it is the same thing i used for all of the other re-facing of the console - King StarBoard. In this case, it is 1/2" ripped to 3/4" and rounded with a quarter rounding router bit and sanded on the ends to match the quarter round. The stuff is amazingly easy to work with. Thanks for the compliments. I stole the idea from someone else on the board - think it was Riff Raff who has a similar finishing technique.

matt

[reelclassic]

Hey had a question about the bottom paint How and what was it blasted off with?

[mbo_1971]

Soda blasted. Costs a little more than sand paper, but takes about 1/20th the time or less. Highly recommend.

matt

[1bayouboy]

If it's not awlgrip on the bottom, then what did you use over the barrier coat???

[mbo_1971]

i believe its 2 coats of an epoxy primer. Would have to follow up with Jimmy to find out exactly what the product was. Has a rather rough finish. I dont keep the boat in the water, and its on a bunked trailer, so awlgrip woul djust get banged up.

[glow]

Thanks for the info. Matt. Aloha, Greg