1986 Stratos 189V carpet job

[chillywillie]

Just finishing up the carpet job on the Stratos I recently picked up. Just a few more things to install on the main floor (hot foot, cup holder, drain covers, etc) and the interior is done:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/...hotos

Thanks to bassboatcarpets.com for the carpet kit itself and for the service/advice afterwards!

The side pics of the boat really don't do it justice as the outside is as clean as the inside is. Also, as you can see I'm working on the trailer as well - it had some pretty bad rusted areas from sitting for 20 years. So I've been sanding/priming/painting as well. I've got to redo the surge brake system, replace a couple of hubs, and replace the wood on the inside of the wheel wells.

All in all, I got to say I'm pretty happy of this 1986 Stratos - hard to believe it's 20 years old!

[JasonCajda]

Very nice job, sure looks good for 20 yrs.

[Javelin389]

Nice job on the carpet. That boat does look good for being 20yrs old.

[chillywillie]

Thanks guys! It's been a few years since I've had a boat. The last one before this was a 1996 Skeeter ZX190 pro boat that I purchased new in 1996. Had to sell it back in 2001 because I was too broke to even pay attention (now that's broke! ).

It's been a pretty straightforward project. I've got about 35-40 hours into it, but I din't have any helpers and I really, really took my time and was meticulous in my carpet cutting.

Here's what I've got in this boat so far:
boat: $2495 (bought from BBC sponsor Pro's Choice Marine, new powerhead a few years ago, and a new lower power pack installed at time of pickup)
taxes/title/reg: @ $200 in IL
carpet: $175 (bassboatcarpets.com 6x25 kit special)
carpet supplies: $50 (glue, etc)
tires: $120 (although I do have some Marathons and new rims on order)
other supplies: @ $100

Total: @ $3140 invested

By the time I rehab the surge brakes, and then have the engine once overed and the leaky trim seal fixed by the Bullet/Mercury dealer I know, I'll hopefully be at @ $3500 total invested. Which I think is a great deal for a great condition boat based on the prices I've been seeing for similar boats on EBay, BoatTrader, etc.

[Josh256v]

Awesome! I wish my 89 looked half as good. Carpet is in my near future, but what have you done to the outside to keep the gel in such good shape???

[chillywillie]

Actually I haven't done anything because I just bought the boat in Dec. The previous owner was an older gentleman who bought the boat as a new leftover in 1989. He kept the boat at Lake of the Ozarks but lived in the St. Louis area. So consequently the boat didn't get a whole lot of use.

I'm guessing the boat was kept on a covered lift which is why it stayed so clean, but the trailer just sat outside for nearly 20 years without much upkeep. The surge brake master cylinder is full of rust gunk, etc and the trailer had some bad surface rust spots.

I'm just trying to clean her up even more!

I should also mention that my 35-40 hours in the carpet job includes flush mounting the cockpit floor. The previous owner did a great job of replacing the flooring but failed to glass it in to the remaining lip of the original all the way around. So I layed fiberglass all the way around, sanded it smooth, and laid my carpet. That floor should be good to go for years to come.


Modified by chillywillie at 6:05 PM 2/9/2006

[HydraSport205]

Nice looking job, congrats it looks awesome.

[knowphish]

White-walled tires ????????????????????

[chillywillie]

Yeah, those white walled tires are what the original owner had on it. I added that photo to the album because it gives you an idea of the rust on the trailer and the rims, but it also shows you how nice the exterior of the boat is.

I was thinking about either adding some curb feelers or replacing the tires LOL! The tires were dry rotted (surprised I made the 3 hour drive home from the dealer) so I ordered 4 black (no lettering) tires that you see in my pics. The rims were also rusted pretty bad and I cleaned those up as well.

But I've also got a set of Goodyear Marathons and new rims on backorder from my buddy who manages a tire/car repair place.

Boat is just about finished after this weekend. I'm ordering my surge brake replacement system this morning. Get it installed, replace a few lights, and the boat is done!

[49er4life]

Great job

Great job!! I have a 86 champion are you a carpenter? I plan to recarpet my boat next winter look okay now,but could use some updating

[chillywillie]

Hah hah - not a carpenter although I wish I were that handy a lot of times.

I'm guessing you saw that wood on the floor next to the boat. 2 of my buddies are an electrician and plumber working mostly on new constructions. So they came over for the SuperBowl and brought me over some leftover wood from a build site.

Once the boat is done, I'm pulling it out of the garage, and using that wood to build in a workbench, shelving, etc. We just moved into the house last Sept and I haven't gotten around to getting my garage fixed up yet.

[cart7]

Bless you for getting rid of those white walls.