Topic: The boat restore , the project, the nightmare, and wheew when its done (Read 14600 times)

Bassinkorea · « **Reply #25 on:** February 02, 2009, 05:22:33 AM »

Here's the other photo that was missing a ]

Great progress NRG, I'm looking forward to seeing more photos

NRG · « **Reply #26 on:** February 02, 2009, 05:47:38 AM »

Quote from: Bassinkorea on February 02, 2009, 05:22:33 AM

Here's the other photo that was missing a ]

Great progress NRG, I'm looking forward to seeing more photos

OOPS !

I fixed it though

Sig Equinox · « **Reply #27 on:** February 02, 2009, 06:09:53 AM »

Sorry to hear your were laid off.Being from Chattanooga and seeing what you are doing on your boat you must have been in the boat biz. I heard that they shut down a bunch of plants in Knoxville.I am in the boat biz (Yachts 150' +) and was laid off end of year 08 and have alot of people i know from Hatteras and Sea Ray that lost their job.I'm still looking down here and nothings happening.

Nice job on the boat.The Hydra Sports looks like the same console and configuration as my 85 Stratos V-T Rocket i rebuilt.In Bass and Walleye boats this month there is a editorial on rebuiding old boats and they had showed a Hydra Sports.

NRG · « **Reply #28 on:** February 02, 2009, 07:51:13 AM »

Quote from: Sig Equinox on February 02, 2009, 06:09:53 AM

Sorry to hear your were laid off.Being from Chattanooga and seeing what you are doing on your boat you must have been in the boat biz. I heard that they shut down a bunch of plants in Knoxville.I am in the boat biz (Yachts 150' +) and was laid off end of year 08 and have alot of people i know from Hatteras and Sea Ray that lost their job.I'm still looking down here and nothings happening.

Nice job on the boat.The Hydra Sports looks like the same console and configuration as my 85 Stratos V-T Rocket i rebuilt.In Bass and Walleye boats this month there is a editorial on rebuiding old boats and they had showed a Hydra Sports.

Nope not it the boat biz

Ive done about everything else, mainly Computer Tech in the last 15yrs , last 2.5 worked as assembly tech for resistance welding manufacture ( T.J. Snow Co, ) building and repair of robotic welding cells , spot welders, press welders, butt welders.

My grandfather had a antiques , repair, restoration business, did that off and on for years, Ive always been one to take stuff apart to see how it works, and usually was better after I put back together than was in the first place

Ive also been a butcher

For fun other than boat work and fishing, I make sculpture, balsa and hardwood crank baits ,and other artsy fartsy stuff

This is about boat 7 that I have redone for myself, and this one will be the best one Ive ever done ( most bling and finish work ), at the moment fundage to do all I want to do has been hit hard, so some things on the to do list will have to wait.
Right now just getting the glass work finished up , painted, carpet, seats recovered and mounted and the motor mounted and water ready is the most important so I can go fishin.

I still need to find the cash for the primer, and clear coat 100-200 and spray booth rental, $50

The whole state has been hit hard in the boat buis. I have friends in the buis, Tn Trailer here has closed until March, tons of others have closed till march or drastically reduced staff at all the boat manufactures here in TN.
Only the strongest leanest will survive. If I thought I could make money doing this I would do it for others. there is only one shop left here in Chattanooga that does glass work over the last 15 yrs the rest have retired.

Sig Equinox · « **Reply #29 on:** February 02, 2009, 09:39:48 AM »

NRG,

I was moments away from moving from South Florida and heading to Vonore TN.and working at the Christensen plant.I ended up becoming a Grandpa and changed things.It all worked out as the housing market just started to go south and if i had moved out i am sure i would have been one at the new Christensen plant to be let go.At least i am in the area that i have worked in the biz for 28 years and when it picks up will be one of a lucky few to get back in the boat biz.

I'm letting God run the show and sitting back finally enjoing it.Amazing what a little grandbaby will do for ones mind.

I loved your project and have memories of me tearing the old Stratos apart.

PS as you know it's never done.It's been 11 years and getting ready to do a spiff up of the ole girl.I have pictures of it in the Stratos gallery.
http://www.ultimatebass.com/bass-fishing-gallery/thumbnails.php?album=lastupby&uid=3020

NRG · « **Reply #30 on:** February 07, 2009, 05:12:54 PM »

Feb 7 2009 68 degrees!

Today I glassed 1st layer on cap that covers transom, did some repair work, fixed some cracks on top cap from previous owner slamming into dock , and a few holes I made getting the top loose, I have one more layer tomorrow to do on cap on transom, and glass the top to the floor, and I'm done.. then onto sanding, and paint prep.

here is what gel coat looked like pack in 1987 when I removed the dash pad

NRG · « **Reply #31 on:** February 08, 2009, 06:12:47 PM »

Well the transom is completely done now, top glassed to floor, and also fixed a crack on front deck I found about 6 inches long , under the last piece of carpet I removed from the front deck.
I also hooked up a 6 gallon gas tank to the motor, and fired it up .. cranked right up Varoom Varoom

.. then bogged down and died , it cranked right back up , same thing .. carbs need cleaned, though I'm not surprised.

And also had water out of the tell tail hole .. good sign

Thats it for today!

JayPea2006 · « **Reply #32 on:** February 08, 2009, 06:23:18 PM »

Man, how cool. Wsh I had the patience and space to do something like that. Great job, can't wait to see the finished deal! Keep the pics coming!

The Bassmeister · « **Reply #33 on:** February 08, 2009, 07:39:16 PM »

Great job NRG, can't wait for the next update. It's pretty cool that you can do all that yourself. I would be afraid to even attempt it. You ought to think about career change, that is truly awesome!

NRG · « **Reply #34 on:** February 08, 2009, 07:52:34 PM »

Quote from: The Bassmeister on February 08, 2009, 07:39:16 PM

Great job NRG, can't wait for the next update. It's pretty cool that you can do all that yourself. I would be afraid to even attempt it. You ought to think about career change, that is truly awesome!

If you can get me boats to do , Id be happy to change careers and do this for a livin!
As a matter of fact right now any job would be ok as long as it pays enuff .. been unemployed since Jan 7, and I doubt that many are spending money on boat repairs or restores the way things are.

But if anyone in the Chattanooga, TN region wants it done Im here!! well as soon as my boat is done

But the folks that can pay for it probably would just go buy new boat, its very labor intensive to restore a boat.. cost to do a 17ft boat if I had to pay to get this done would be 4000 - 5000 maybe more , but still cheaper than new boat! including the paint , upholstery or new seats.
Transom replacement on most bass boats is 800 -1200.

NRG · « **Reply #35 on:** February 09, 2009, 04:35:07 PM »

Did some more work today , thought previous owner had put on clear coat too thick in passengers side rear corner and half up the side. ... but nooo as it urns out that area has been repaired at some time.
Gel coat is what is was really thick and not done right at all, cracked and chipping.

I dont know if the person or shop who did the repair got it too hot ( too much harder ) or didn't clean under it properly and sand properly or what ? I put some remove-all on that area .. and remove-all bucket looked at me and laughed

So I whipped out the out grinder and D.A. and went to town on it .. there was body putty under parts of the area, and while sanding got back done to original gel coat and flake, so apparently was a repair of some sort.. just really crappy work.

But now the crazing, stress cracks , and chips are now gone.. had to go down to glass on alot of the area to get rid of the mess, gonna have to get some poly fill, to fill pin holes, before priming.

But some one did still ut on some kind of clear coat on part of it you can see brush strokes up front around casting deck , and its flaking off like dead skin

Its gonna take more sanding than I anticipated before ready for primer now

Oh well its gonna be slick when done!

NRG · « **Reply #36 on:** August 07, 2009, 10:00:44 PM »

OK Guys and Gals its been a long time since Ive made any progress on this Project ..
But where near the finish Line now.

all those who started following my boat project from Sept thru Sometime in Febuary when I last posted a real update .. over the last 2 weeks or so Ive made great progress... Im close to done maybe another 2 weeks Ill actually have it in the water

Ive bought a new steering wheel

to go with the newly remade boat, and have new carpet

Here is the pics

The Motor .. bought it for 400 maybe 350 cant remember .. I had been in salt the steering arm was shot rusted so thin was dangerous, I found a whole mid section for 100 bucks, found a tilt trim motor for 100 the old motor didnt have trim/tilt does now..
The old motor was turquoise blue sorta color yuck!! and peeling!

I swapped the motor and foot over to new mid section, and replaced the water pump while in the process, and sanded the whole motor, and primed part of it .. more work to be done on motor later..

I havent been able to touch the boat since about the 2nd week of March too busy fixing every one elses boat.. its been slow lately so I jumped back on mine..

I finished all the glass work ( cosmetic ) and filled pin holes etc .. then sanded and prepped to paint, this eve I primed it with epoxy, lil wet sand in the am , and I will spray the base and clear..
Pics to follow after paint done

Till next time
Later

Bassinkorea · « **Reply #37 on:** August 07, 2009, 10:50:30 PM »

You know, I was actually thinking about this re-build a few weeks ago. Glad you got around to getting some more work done and thanks for posting these photos.

It's coming on great

blake711 · « **Reply #38 on:** August 08, 2009, 08:22:38 AM »

I had never seen this thread. Pretty amazing to read the whole thing at once. This is great you are a real craftsman.

NRG · « **Reply #39 on:** August 08, 2009, 08:38:45 PM »

Paint finished .. have to wait till Monday after clear dries to get better pics

Bassinkorea · « **Reply #40 on:** August 08, 2009, 08:48:00 PM »

Cool, looking forward to Monday, but it's looking good

Do you have your own paint shop??

NRG · « **Reply #41 on:** August 08, 2009, 08:54:08 PM »

Quote from: Bassinkorea on August 08, 2009, 08:48:00 PM

Cool, looking forward to Monday, but it's looking good

Do you have your own paint shop??

Im the owner operator of North River Boat Restoration, I opened in March , had so many boats couldn't get to mine until the last couple weeks, and being new money was tight took a while to come up with all the carpet paint etc to finish

blake711 · « **Reply #42 on:** August 09, 2009, 02:18:21 PM »

what type of paint are you using? Is marine paint than automotive?

NRG · « **Reply #43 on:** August 09, 2009, 03:16:04 PM »

Quote from: blake711 on August 09, 2009, 02:18:21 PM

what type of paint are you using? Is marine paint than automotive?

Automotive urethane, it will last just as long as the urethane marine paints, at least in Freshwater.

NRG · « **Reply #44 on:** August 09, 2009, 03:20:32 PM »

Here is a couple pics in the sun .. couldn't wait till Monday

Ron Fogelson · « **Reply #45 on:** August 09, 2009, 10:00:11 PM »

You have brought that boat a long way, thank very much for posting all the photos so we can see how it should be done!

kickinbass · « **Reply #46 on:** August 10, 2009, 08:34:38 AM »

I have been watching this thread also and its neat to see how its coming along. Nice worK!

NRG · « **Reply #47 on:** August 10, 2009, 11:26:19 PM »

Picked up new steering wheel and gauges today, my stering wheel is the black trimmed one, its a isotta carbon fiber, I got on ebay for 25 bucks new in box, retails for 189 elsewhere on the net.
The Guages are Faria gauges paid 129 shipped another ebay bargain, retails for about 400 for the set.
I love a bargain lol ..
I also color sanded the top of the boat today .. tomorrow gonna buff that out.

Ron Fogelson · « **Reply #48 on:** August 11, 2009, 12:16:36 AM »

Quote from: NRG on August 10, 2009, 11:26:19 PM

I also color sanded the top of the boat today .. tomorrow gonna buff that out.

What is color sanding?

NRG · « **Reply #49 on:** August 11, 2009, 06:01:43 AM »

Color sanding is sanding the clear coat with 1000 - 2000 grit wet sand paper, until the clear coat is smooth as glass, really makes the color POP out at ya .. also removes the orange peel that occurs when spraying clear coats, the more coats of clear the worse the orange peel effect becomes.

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Author Topic: The boat restore , the project, the nightmare, and wheew when its done (Read 14600 times)