Thanks for posting your project. Fun to follow along!!
Thanks for posting your project. Fun to follow along!!
You are welcome BigRedMidewest! I always enjoyed and benefited from seeing others restoration threads so I figured I should return the favor.
Now that most of the bilge area was finished, it was time to tackle the rats nest under the console. I wanted to get all the gauges working and see what needed to be replaced. I eventually want to redo the entire switch panel and gauges, but for now I'm just goin to try to get everything working. Most of the lights have been disconnected to the gauges, and the tach and speedo are not working at all. Laying upside down trying to wire all these gauges was not fun. I disconnected everything, cleaned up terminals, replaced most connections, and made new jumper wires to hook the backlights back up to the gauges. I also re-did all the connections to the wiring harness while I was at it. At first sight, all these wires are intimidating and look like college calculus. After studying how everything works and mapping out my wiring, It is actually much simpler than it appeared. I learned a ton and now know how everything on this boat is wired because I did it myself. I did not take pics of this entire process but here are a few....
Back of switch panel
IMG_7189 (1).jpg
Removing wires, taking pics of everything as I go just in case I needed help rewiring.
IMG_7192 (1).jpgIMG_7190.jpgIMG_7191.jpg
Back of all the gauges
IMG_7373.jpgIMG_6283.jpgIMG_6280.jpgIMG_7371.jpg
Got all the backlights working and a bulb or two replaced. Got everything mounted and back in the dash. As soon as I can get back on the water I can see what gauges are still not working and what I need to replace.
I was really happy to get these working again... it really made it feel like the boat was coming back to life and in her former glory. I also really liked the look of these old worn out and faded gauges....Adds a little nostalgia!
IMG_7460.jpgIMG_7456.jpgIMG_7457.jpgIMG_7458.jpg
Last edited by CoachClark; 12-08-2023 at 11:19 AM.
I had saved a little cash and received a retention bonus from work last Christmas.....so I splurged and bought two Garmin 12" units on Bass Pro's Black Friday Sale. It pained me to spend that kind of money, but If I can eventually get live scope and catch a few fish I will feel better about it! lol.
They have been sitting in the closet since then...waiting to be installed. Finally got them wired in and networked together and mounted on the mount. I have never owned any graph of this caliber, and didn't think I ever could. Still don't know how to use it...but I planned to learn when I get time on the water.
I debated on different mounts for a while for the graphs. Up front, I found a good deal on ebay with this Dek It mount. I wanted to be able to add a recess foot tray in the future, so I went with one that will accommodate.
On the console, mounting the graph directly to the console resulted in having to look behind the steering wheel to see the graph. I wanted to raise it a little and still be able to see...but I had a hard time finding a mount to do such. Finally found a 2" mount made by Boat Logix. I can still see over the graph when driving, but it raised it enough to get most of it above the steering wheel. Time will tell, but I think I will be happy with it
IMG_4982 (1).jpgIMG_8343 (1).jpgIMG_7702 (1).jpgIMG_7703 (1).jpgIMG_9284 (1).jpg
Last edited by CoachClark; 12-08-2023 at 01:38 PM.
Time for some Addi Bug Pics! Finally had time to make a quick trip and run the boat to test my wiring job. We ran the boat and found out the tach and speedometer do not work. Good news is everything else did including bilge pumps, aerators, electronics etc.
I made a few casts and caught a Bass, Addison and I's very first fish together! Great memory and hopefully the first of many! We snapped a pic or two and her Mimi got one made into a canvas to hang on the wall at the lake house.
IMG_7731 (1).jpgIMG_7729 (1).jpgIMG_7549 (1).jpgIMG_7654 (1).jpg
Last edited by CoachClark; 12-08-2023 at 01:39 PM.
Cutie!
Brings back memories for sure.....And they can't take them from you.
Love the pics of Addi !!
Fast forward to the 4th of July. We head to the lake house with the wife's family. I am excited to FINALLY get to use the boat like I have always dreamed of...a weekend at the lake house making memories. Couldn't wait to take the kids tubing, fishing, enjoying boat rides etc...and as most of my Lake trips go, it turned into a circus.
Start the first day off with not 1, but 2 blowouts! Apparently when I added air to the tires they were old and dry rotted and couldn't handle the proper air pressure. Looks like I'm buying a new set of tires! I'll save you the long story, but we wasted over half the next two days driving back and forth to Modica Bro's trying to get new tires put on. Changing tires in 110 degree heat of summer isn't my idea of fun.
IMG_8611.jpg
New tires are on now, So we take my brother in law and his family tubing. After the first few take offs, It seems the boat is stuggling a little to get on plane. We tube for a little while and the next time I take off, she bogs down and won't get up at all. Here we go again! We putt back to the ramp and get the boat loaded up and head back to the lake house and i am frustrated again.
Then it gets even better. I pull in to the lake house and notice that my middle boat seat is missing. Great! I had been meaning to re-fasten the seats as I noticed the board they were mounted to was rotten and the screws were coming out...looks like I should have done it earlier. I guess it caught wind on the ride home and blew out of the boat on the ride home.
IMG_8371.jpg
Last edited by CoachClark; 12-28-2023 at 10:46 PM.
At this point, the Wife isn't convinced I got a good deal on the boat anymore lol and tells me I should sell it. I explain that if I had a $100k Rig like everyone else, we wouldn't have these problems.
Now I'm trying to figure out how I am going to replace a 30 year old boat seat and get something to match, Im out over $500 for tires, and wondering how much fixing my motor is going to cost...
Maybe this would fit if you took the back and hinges off , they have a console also
or like I did on my 190sx - take a piece of 1/8" alum sheet and put alum angle under it facing down and carpet it , making it step
24" Wide Boat Bench Seats (bassboatseats.com)
Sorry that happened , but
B= bust
O=out
A = another
T = thousand
2000 Bass Cat Cougar
2001 225 Optimax
It was a long shot, but I joined some local Sam Rayburn pages and made a post about losing my boat seat. Low and behold, 24 hours later a lady posted that she and her husband had seen it on the side of the road on their way home. She screenshot google maps and gave me the approximate location she saw it. By the this time it was dark and I wasn't sure even if I found it what condition it would be in. I grabbed a headlight and hopped in the truck and went looking. I pulled over on the side of the road, began walking, and couldn't believe what I saw about 10 feet behind my truck. My boat seat laying the tall grass! To top it off, I couldn't a scratch on it. The good Lord continues to take care of me!
IMG_8517.jpgIMG_8518.jpg
Last edited by CoachClark; 12-19-2023 at 01:49 PM.
Sorry Majatk! I wasn't quick enough to post. Thanks for the info it may help someone else who makes my mistake
The very next day I immediately went to lowes, found a piece of trim board that was the exact size I needed, even had one edge rounded off to give a more finished look. All I had to do was cut to length. I removed the seats, pulled the board and removed the cover. This board is what the seat hinges mount to. It was completely rotten.
Removed seats and Board
IMG_8622.jpg
Rotten wood. Removed the staples and pulled off the cover. Here are the remains.
IMG_8616.jpgIMG_8614.jpgIMG_8639.jpg
Re wrapped the new board and stapled the cover back on. Screwed it back down to seat base and got the seats re mounted. I predrilled a few new holes to mount the board and put new hinges on the seats while I was at it. Old ones were rusty and not matching.
IMG_8621.jpgIMG_8624.jpg
Lucky
It looks like your fuel tank may be under your seats?
Carful if it is with screws
2000 Bass Cat Cougar
2001 225 Optimax
Fast forward, I get the boat back in the shop and the mechanic finds out that my voltage regulators were bad. Ordered a new set from CDI electronics and he got them installed. He also verified that my Tach was not working so I got a new one ordered and installed. He told me he still thought I was going to be over propped, but we wouldn't know until I had a chance to run the boat and look at the tach.
Originally Posted by majatk
Fortunately no this model has a fuel tank that sits in the bilge and butts up to the transom. I believe there is a picture on page 1 of this thread that shows it.
I do have a question for the champ gurus though. My brothers old champion was an 1992 184 elite model and had stroage boxes underneath the seats. My model does not have any storage under the seats as seen in pictures above. I believe is is just void space underneath. Anybody cut holes in these and drop a box of some type in for storage? I really liked this space to put ropes, spare prop, buoys, tools etc.
Made another weekend trip to the lake to try and run the boat and check the tach and prop. Motor runs great with the new voltage regulators (fingers crossed). However, the tach only showed the motor to get up to about 4,800-5k rpm. I had the wife and kiddo with me again so it wasn't the best day to see what I could squeak out top speed, but I got up to about 52-55 mph max. I will try to find me a new prop and go from here. Boat came with a 4 blade trophy when I bought it. It was obviously not the correct prop for this boat but I don't know the backstory. Either way, headed in the right direction to getting everything dialed in.
New tach working.
IMG_9278.jpg
A few more pics of Addi Kate and her trip to the lake.
Driving the boat
IMG_5692.jpgIMG_5645.jpg
Bought Addi her first Rod and Reel! We practiced casting and walked the shore while the lake is down.
IMG_5655.jpgIMG_5653.jpgIMG_5684.jpgIMG_5663.jpg
Back at the dock for snack time. Cheeto Break and sunset!
IMG_5646 (3).jpgIMG_5642.jpgIMG_9289.jpg
Yes , I see you have the same gas tank as my 190sx in the rear, didn't click the pic of the ice chest , just saw the solid no storage pic under seats .
I since looked at your whole post
I `m pretty sure that the ridges on the deck btwn front lockers are the layers of the storage box in front , built with sides and a floor dropped in first and the rear ridge is the top cap glassed down to the plywood deck that runs thru the cockpit , just layers of the different sections overlaying each other . Thats the same way mine is but with different sections and different top cap , but our hulls are the same.
Awhile back I was looking thru old posts here of 190sx`s and saw where a guy cut out the area similar to yours on a SX and found it was a finished box , the SX has seat posts in that area for the rear seats so they can be removed and used w/ post on the decks .
If your serious about storage I`d take a large hole saw and cut a hole and look inside , worst that can happen is you find it full of drop foam and decide to do it anyway or not and put a piece of abs or something over the hole . I think there are some drain holes in the back corners next to the gunnel that on mine have hoses that are tied together under the live well that drain into the bilge . If you cut openings w/radiused corners like the ice box in the upper flat area you could trim it w/ clinch trim
Very cute little fisher girl
post # 20 of this thread
1997 190SX Transom and more finally! (bbcboards.net)
2000 Bass Cat Cougar
2001 225 Optimax
Reply With Quote
