Started on the restoration of my 1985 Champion. First comes the trailer rebuild. The trailer was not in the best shape. It had a bad axel spindle, wrong length leaf spring on one side and bent up fenders. thought I would post some pics of the progress so far. All new axel, springs, hardware and fenders. Next the trailer will be painted gloss black with black rims as the boat is going to red and black color scheme. Then all new bunks, wiring, side steps, winch and rollers.
Looks great! Can't wait to see future progress!
Keep up the excellent work!
Trailer is complete.I will eventually get some new rims and tires but will wait until the boat is done.
Very nice!
Well, with some extra time on my hands, I started the tear down of the 85 184 champ. So far every time I take something off it shows me the idea of a complete rebuild using Coosa was the right decision. I am planning on having it down to just the hull shell by the end of April. this should put me in good shape to get it put back together by the end of summer. i will be updating often during the next month or so. As you see in the Pics the Costco Canopy worked great for hoisting the Front of the cap while the cherry picker took the majority of the weight in the back. I am sure OSHA would not approve, but a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do! LOL. with the cap off I recorded all the measurements of the floor in the back compartment. On the cap the front live well is going to be removed as the deck extension in the center will be the new rod locker. I plan on making some layout changes as to incorporate a built in cooler/live well heat ex-changer. i am also thinking of moving the batteries to a recess battery compartment in the center front of the rod locker to off set the weight distribution change of the motor on a jack plate. maybe just the 2 or 3 batteries for the trolling motor and leave the 2 small main start batteries in the back. i will have to do some figuring out of the weight distribution changes that will take place on this rebuild. i know the Coosa for transom. stringers and floor will weigh a little less than the plywood that is coming out did. the deck extension i plan on building in fiber glass with fiberglass hatch cover will put some weight back in. Has anyone had to experiment with weight changes in a rebuild? any help or advise with this is greatly appreciated as this is my first rebuild of a fiberglass boat.
You will know exactly what your riding on when finished. I have one going on too. The aft bilge area is the worst due to lamination over lamination. Wish peeling the layers off was easier.
The underside of the top cap doesn't look to bad. I'd tear out the wood in the nose and replace it with coosa as well and put and aluminum plate in the area of where the TM bolts will go.
The hulls road hard and put away wet but should clean up nice.
Coosa is 40% lighter than wood. By the time you lay glass and resin down it should be a few pounds lighter. I didn't notice much of a difference when I had mine done.
I am doing my 89 20 SCR and planning a lot of the same thing. Reconfiguring the lay out and fiberglassing the deck extension and resulting compartments. Keep us posted. Its a long road but in my opinion, the ChampioNs are so worth it.
Now I will agree with MMosher too. The under-wood on that top cap I'd do. In my case I have to because I swear a 500 pound guy stood on it, but It will also give you the opportunity to know 1) its been done 2) eliminate any extra TM holes too. and 3) the plate will really shore it up and give it extra strength.
1988 Basscat Pantera 2 / 1988 Mariner 200 #0B348072 / 1986 Mercury Blackmax 200 #0B116913
US Navy veteran
just like yesterday, found more proof I am making the right choices. got the rest of the deck up and found the starboard side stringer was completely rotted out 4FT back from the bow. multiple rotted spots in the decking. water in all the foam compartments. got most of the foam out. used an ice scrapper shovel to remove foam, that made quick work of it. looking forward to getting the stringers and transom out over the next week.
What a project ! Apparently you have a future vision of the finished job. I hope it goes well. If I had a place to try this I might like it for an interesting challenge. I do hope though at the proper point you will restore as much of the flotation as possible. When you are done you will have a solid rig.
GETFISHED !!!
I’m glad some people can do this I don’t think I have the talent to do so.
I have made some good progress in the last two weeks. Transom wood is out, stringers are out. Removing the transom was not to bad, but the stringers were not fun. When I first cut the stringers they were tough going with the sawzall. the wood was incredibly wet and would just jam up any blade i tried. once i cut them 2/3 of the way down i had to use a roto-hammer on just hammer with a dull chisel bit. the roto-hammer made things a lot easier. It was able to get under the wood and break the peanut butter bond to the hull with no hull damage. it also made things easier t\on removing the transom wood. i will keep updating as often as i can.
Glad you know what you're doing... Dan
Impressed by your ambition and staying positive and seeing the light at the end of the job. Most of us would throw in the towel
what kind of freaks me out about the pic is how much foam exists and for someone like me with a boat that is 20 years old.... how likely most of my foam is waterlogged. It's amazing how much foam there is... on the base of hull... i didn't realize that... my guess is that is why my boat feels so heavy and takes my 110 trolling motor some 'umpf' to get my boat moving in a direction....Originally Posted by RPCfish
i have a foam spa top and i know how if that foam gets waterlogged... its a gonner
That's a lot of work. Looking good.
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