Topic: 16ft Ski boat Restoration....

[DarkRider]

Lookin great so far Derek.

[seaweb11]

To tired today to get all done that I wanted. But I did spend a few hours cutting out the cloth patterns from paper, so now I can cut up my pieces of cloth and get back at er tomorrow

[seaweb11]

So, 6 hours today cutting the fiberglass cloth and got er done

A lot of time spent having every thing in its place, lots of surgical gloves as they get to sticky to work with within 10 mins, , scissors at the ready, acetone to clean tools as you work, everything in it's place, all laid out and then 1 hour of rapid mayhem

[DarkRider]

looking great so far man! looking forward to seeing more progress..

[heffay]

So, 6 hours today cutting the fiberglass cloth and got er done

A lot of time spent having every thing in its place, lots of surgical gloves as they get to sticky to work with within 10 mins, , scissors at the ready, acetone to clean tools as you work, everything in it's place, all laid out and then 1 hour of rapid mayhem

it's all in the prepwork!

[seaweb11]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. Tomorrows another day of grinding

[mark]

This all looks like more fun than I'm allowed to have. Makes me itch just looking.

BTW... Have you checked out this here site?... http://www.fiberglassics.com/

Lots of good info there too.

Happy trails.

[jevfro]

I love old ski boats!  I've got a 1972 18' sidewinder jet w/ 455olds. Haven't had it out yet this year, but i plan on it, after some resto work of my own.  carpet, electrical/gauges  Thanks for the link madmark!  I found that one once but forgot about it.  I really like the old brochures they have for boats like mine.

[mark]

Ahoy mateys.
It also happens to be the only site where I have ever found ANYTHING about my.. um.. boat(?).



Happy trails.

[seaweb11]

The glass cloth is all laid and has been sanded down to a reasonable smoothness.

I'm lucky that the wife is working at the Island Boat yard and I have been able to get some very cool supplies not available to the general public. He makes his own filler out of one main resin, so everything including the gel coat is made from the same base. This makes for a VERY GOOD bond as you move along in the process.

It is so hot out that I have been having difficulties in the stuff kicking on me before I’m finished, but I think I have the mixture down now for tomorrow.

 Photo #1 is the final filler coat, jar on the left is Gel coat, middle can is glass beads for fill, container on the right is the resin/filler.  Mix them all together in just the right consistency and you have a gel coat filler.

Lots more sanding and filling to do

[seaweb11]

Another day on the orbital sander today

........ the inside well corners took most of the day as they had to be done by thumb and 150 grit paper, but they turned out great. Using a spoon upside down with the filler seems to be the trick with rounding out inside corners as you lay up the glass/filler coat..

I still need to hit the right inside well with the filler concoction, but I'm getting real close to a final 2 coats of gel coat and 2 coats of paint
It may look bad, but it is smooth and straight.  I'll be water sking in days...........

[seaweb11]

Wow, 2 more days gone   Seemed pointless taking photos as  I am just laying the same stuff on and sanding it off  still. Looks the same but feels different to the fingers

Tomorrow a bit more sanding and then 2 coats of gel coat, a quick sand and the PAINT!

I went to town on the ferry yesterday to get a paint match. The 1st 2 paint stores were not keen to try and match my marine paint. The last store took an hour and I think they came real close. Should see some finished painted photos by Monday night.   

The front seat swivel pedestals were taken to my "welder friend" to sort out the new holes. Turns out the new seats required a bit of angle iron welded to the pedestal to clear everything. Now I have painted them again and they are ready for install.

New carpet is at the house now as is the new CD player and speakers..   My daughter has polished up the old stainless steel ski tow-bar and I am stoked about getting it all back together.


I think..........Tuesday .................2 DAYS FROM NOW!  will be my “in a perfect world”  2 week restore my boat  deadline.

...............It will be in the water before the next weekend

[seaweb11]

2 final coats of gel coat. Sand that and I'm on to paint

[neil young]

WOW seaweb that boat looks great...nice job so far

[seaweb11]

Thanks A  bit of a slow kick to the gel coat so I let her see the sun today to try and dry it out a bit more before sanding.






 

[Jugghead]

No news since monday... maybe he's out tooling around in the boat and too busy to post a pic of his restore in the water?
Sure looks good.  ski boats are fun and versatile: at least on Minnesota lakes they often double as a great fishing boat!
Let us know how its going, and post a pic when she's done!

[seaweb11]

I took Tue off to go to Vancouver and pick up the motor. 5 hour wait in ferry line to get there just in time for rush hour traffic and then another 3 1/2 hour wait to get home  

I have had to wet sand the gel coat by hand and it is taking for ever!!! 220 grit   Almost done, just came in for some food. Man I'm tired of sanding the same thing over and over.

Bikes are easier I assure you

[UnCrash]

Lookin great man 

Keep it up!@@@@!!!!

[my78k]

Just think soon you won't need to no stinkin ferry!!! lol...

[Sam Green Racing]

 

[boatsdickson]

Looking go so far, youll have it in the water before you cough up the last chunk of glass..   Hows the daughters bike build coming? Gettin a little itchy (sorry) for some pic updates....... 

[seaweb11]

My Daughters bike is all done, in fact I picked up the $101.00 per year collector plate today!

My 2 week time line on the boat went to Hell with all the glass work that needed to be done.  I did get all the wet sanding on the transom finished today, and my daughter ripped out the old carpet and she got on the grinder to remove all the old contact cement.

I know it looks almost the same every time I put up photos but there really is a difference

I am towing it to a friends shop tomorrow and will get the paint done.  Oh yeah, I went down to the boat yard where the wife works, "they had taken the motor out of the truck and put it on a stand this morning" and I sanded the lower end down ready for paint as well.  I know its all a bit anal







P.S. It's raining here and nice and cool. And remember, I don't have a real job so the past 16 days have been full days on the boat

[boatsdickson]

Congrats to her.....

Can you be too anal when projecting?

My lady says yes, but the medication says otherwise... 

[seaweb11]

So boatsdickson, with a name like that we must have something in common?

[Joel]

Looking good.  I've got a '69 Starcraft 16-footer I'm itching to dig into as soon as funds and time allow.  It needs new stringers, floor and transom.