Topic: 16ft Ski boat Restoration....

[seaweb11]

I did the stringers and floor on this boat 25 years ago. Here's the story.......Bought boat put 125hpr  on it and launched it. Hit the throttle and the thing spiraled INTO THE OCEAN!  My friend and I were soaked, good thing I had my hand on the throttle or we would have continued to the bottom

"remember I'm 21 years old and a bit new to this stuff at the time"

I took it to a boat builder and he says sell it! I say I just bought it!  He says the boat hull looks as though it came out of a mold and put on a trailer.....then they just placed the stringers in and put a couple of strips of glass on them.  So the boat was TWISTED HUGE!  I cut all the floor out and we placed the boat on 3 oil drums, them placed the new stringers in and with a fork lift lowered VERY HEAVY Gears from some monstrous machine and popped out the hull so it was straight. I then glassed in the stringers and then moved the gears and glassed again.

Moral of the story, make sure the hull is all pressed out before you replace the stringers.

[seaweb11]

Are either of these close to it Joel?  They are 67s





Man that inboard one looks fun!  Nice hats too.............

[Joel]

Mine's a Polaris.  It also has a Johnson V4 in place of that tall Mercury in the ad.


I'll have to find myself one of those hats.

[boatsdickson]

Seaweb... wish I had more boat knowledge to share with ya, it sure is interesting. I got my boats nickname as a youngin by my first karate instructor. My first class the instructor looked at my growing feet and said my god look at them boats. It stuck since then.

Do we have something in common? Hum.

How bout this... Where you live, you got a lot of ferrys to get you around.
                      Where I live, we got us a lot of fairies. 
                      Even got a bearing manufacturer named FAG..... 

I know, I was reachin with that one..... 

[DarkRider]

well as long as you arent going for the reach around its all good lol

[seaweb11]

1st coat of paint today............looks like crap   It did not settle to a gloss and will need re- sanding
()&%$##@@$^^%$#@@@$%%^&&#$#@QER##@TY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[333]

That better not be discouragment I'm hearing.  The first coat always looks like $h1t.  It brings out everything missed on previous sandings.  I'm waiting to hear about the motor.

[seaweb11]

"discouragment" Just a smidge, won't slow me down though.

  I sanded the lower end of the motor yesterday and did get down to the boat yard to paint it today. It looks good   The cover will have to wait til next year.

P.S. I belive I have sanded this 18 times now with all the glass etc.  It's just time to be DONE!

[seaweb11]

Went to buddies shop this morning and the paint had settled a bit. Still to tacky to do 2nd coat so I went to town and picked up a new fuse box and some wire for the electrical work. Came back to look at the boat in the afternoon and it was dry, looked alright.   A quick 220 sand tomorrow and a second coat, should turn out OK after all

I will post some photos tomorrow of the paint outcome, I have his shop till Wensday when he gets home. You should see this shop!  I'll take a couple of picts of it as well and you can all drool.

[seaweb11]

Not a bad days work today. Installed the new wiring fuse box, hooked up a few things, sanded and painted again. Stopped off at my wifes employers and asked if she could take tomorrow off to help me with the carpet and all is well

[boatsdickson]

Man, man.. the paint booth and the car lift makes a very complete package.

And Craftsman... and guitar amp... and... and...

[seaweb11]

Yeah, there is also a nice hand built chopper I covered with sheets in there, along with 2 old 750s and this

[Rushoid]

Yeah, there is also a nice hand built chopper I covered with sheets in there, along with 2 old 750s and this

I owned a Firebird in much the same condition once. Someday, I'll have a complete one. Maybe like this (taken at a car show last weekend):

[333]

Okay, I just have to share.  This was my morning.

[333]

Hey Seaweb, I bet your boat doesn't have one of these!

[seaweb11]

To any one who hasn’t given up on me........here is the latest. The wife took the day off work today so she could help me lay the carpet. Contact cement on one piece of 12 ft carpet

It went well and I took one more run "3rd coat" of paint on the work done.   I"M just about there.
Engine and conrols going on Wed.

[DarkRider]

just a question there derek...what did you wind up getting for a stereo? because wouldnt you have to cut the opening out from the original a little larger for a newer style deck?

[seaweb11]

Yes I will have to cut it out bigger.

[DarkRider]

figured i would ask...just wondered why that wasnt done before the paint was applied. You get to deal with cutting into a freshly painted surface at this point.

[333]

The glass and paint are lookin mighty fine!!!

[Jugghead]

seawebb,
we didn't give up on you man!
your restorations always come out looking great! I can't wait to see a pic of the boat in the water...
(and one of you eating it big time trying to jump the wake on one ski)

[seaweb11]

"figured i would ask...just wondered why that wasn't done before the paint was applied. You get to deal with cutting into a freshly painted surface at this point. "

The dash hasn't been painted, just the aft end.  I have had to prioritize the work due to wet paint, dust etc. I will use a dremel and cut out the new slot for the CD player after I go for the 1st  boot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bow tank going in tomorrow. My daughter ground the old "Datsun 510 gas tank"  down and we hung it in the paint boot, she put  3 coats of tremclad on it today. The 2 of us will install it in the morning and we have a 1:00pm time slot start at the boat yard to install the motor and controls.  I hoping for an evening boat ride.............


Re:"(and one of you eating it big time trying to jump the wake on one ski)"

 I may be over 40, but I used to compete professionally at slalom, so chances of that shot may be slim..............but it has been 10 years, so you may just get your wish.  Picked up the tube ride thing for the kid today as well   That should be a hoot

[Jugghead]

Re:"(and one of you eating it big time trying to jump the wake on one ski)"

 I may be over 40, but I used to compete professionally at slalom, so chances of that shot may be slim..............but it has been 10 years, so you may just get your wish.  Picked up the tube ride thing for the kid today as well   That should be a hoot

heheheh,
I really don't wish you eat it. as you know i was just pokin' fun.  i hope everything goes as planned. and as others have said, nice work! hope to see a pic of her in the water.  a nice sunset shot

[DarkRider]

ah ok my bad..the pics made it look like you had repainted the entire thing...good luck with gettin it in the water man!

[my78k]

I agree about the paint looking like it was done throughout...nice colour match! or maybe my eyes are worse than I thought!

I have been checking this thread daily and haven't given up...I really like how it is going. We have a 16 ft bowrider now that is only a year or 2 old at my parent's cottage but I love the look of the old ski boats so I have been toying with picking one up cheap and re-doing it. This thread has been a cool how to and good inspiration.

Dennis