1986 Champion 184 Deck extension and re-carpet

[cart7]

I've been wanting to do this for a couple years and now I'm finally getting around to it. It's a 184DC that was formerly a fish and ski. The previous owner got rid of the lounge seats and put flat carpeted lids on. I'm looking to raise the deck and storage areas a little bit to give more more depth for storage along with adding an insert. I lost all my previous boat pictures in a computer restore but here's what I'm working with.







I'll post more photo's as the project moves along. The front livewell is going as I want the pedestal base moved back some. The windshields are getting replaced as well.

[ProcraftMike]

Looks like a great boat to work on!!

[Ol JohnnyBoy]

I'll be following this restore. I have a fish and ski that I'm modifying to make it more "fisher-friendly" as well and plan to raise my front deck like you. Good luck and don't forget to post pics.

[callyer]

I'm watching as well... I do like my fish n ski, but would like to make a removeable platform extension that would help out when going out without the little ones!!

[jseasor]

that shouldnt be a hard deck extension at all really. best advice i can give you is to use non treated wood, 2x4's and plywood. coat the whole deck after built with fiberglass resin mix in hardner and a little acetone to make it thinner to spread. let it dry. add another coat. spray paint flat black or something. do the same with your plywood, except don't paint. use the can's of the spray in bedliner stuff whcih you can get at walmart. mine has been in some serious downpour's no signs of ever getting wet so far, wood wise.

[cart7]

Step one was the front deck. I've layered a 1/2" piece of treated ply.





I'm flush mounting the Pro Control tray. I got the idea from jTomlin's recarpet job on his Triton



I've also flush mounted the pedestal base as well. I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to handle that yet.
Unfortunately I woke up this morning to snow.

Looks like I'll get the kerosene heater out. The boat won't fit in the garage, too wide, so the garage door is closed down to the top of the boat.


Modified by cart7 at 8:14 AM 11/30/2008

[ChampioNman]

Kind of wondering why you added the plywood to the front deck? Is it soft? I'm studying this process as I'm going to start my retrofit on my 201 FNS.

[cart7]

Nope, not soft, hard as a rock actually.

Well, for starters I moved the Pro control tray back 3" and the pedestal back 6" from their previous positions. I wanted a little more leg room up front and my initial position of the Pro control tray was a little to close to the pedestal if I wanted to put a sit down fishing seat in vs the butt seat.

That left me with a lot of uncovered holes along with the live well which I'm covering over. I could've glassed in fill pieces of plywood flush with the deck but I wanted to add a hair more height up front to tie in with the new raised decking in back.

Besides, it's also giving me a nice clean surface to work from.

[ChampioNman]

Gotcha!

[Ol JohnnyBoy]

Are you just going to cover your livewell up front and not use it or do you plan to use it? Looking good so far.

[cart7]

Covered over. In fact, I moved the pedestal base back and it's now about 3/4 over the top of the old livewell.

I never really used that livewell. Tried using it as a cooler and it was way too big and not insulated enough. I needed a little more legroom up front, that cooler is no loss really.

[cart7]

Day 2. Didn't get as much done as I'd hoped. Kerosene heater ran out of fuel and it got too cold in the garage to work without a heavy coat on. Got the rod boxes framed in. I tacked everything in then took it all out to paint and seal the pieces. I had hoped to have the insert framed but it was just too cold. I'm resting all the 2x4's on the rod box tops.





Where's the global warming when you need it?

[Ol JohnnyBoy]

Lookin' good Cart.

[cwadams]

I would like to see how you carpet the lids (top and wrapped underneath) and still stay flush with the deck. Not sure what to do?

Looks like good work you are doing!!

I am attempting the same....
http://www.bbcboards.net...age=2

[callyer]

You didn't freeze to death did you?????? If it is too cold, you can come down here and work on it in my driveway!!! just bring some sun screen

[cart7]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by callyer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You didn't freeze to death did you?????? If it is too cold, you can come down here and work on it in my driveway!!! just bring some sun screen </TD></TR></TABLE>

I parked the boat to start this after my last tournament in October and it's been cold every weekend since!

It's not even so much the cold but the resins and carpet glues will never setup properly and with it this cold and the garage door properly opened it never does warm up enough for that too happen.

[cart7]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by cwadams &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I would like to see how you carpet the lids (top and wrapped underneath) and still stay flush with the deck. Not sure what to do?

Looks like good work you are doing!!

I am attempting the same....
http://www.bbcboards.net...age=2</TD></TR></TABLE>

This is also a concern of mine as well.
After I overwrap the carpet on the lids, I'll be shaving the carpet right down to a stub. I've alotted about a 1/4" for this in lid height vs. deck height. I'll do some test fits with this before I start permanently attaching stuff.

[arjone01]

That's what I did, just used a set of clippers to cut it down to the nub, sets level with everything else.

[cart7]

It's been awhile. Took some time off for the holidays.

All my structural pieces are painted and sealed. I got most of the upper decking put in. Just a few pieces framing a storage/step up left. I had hoped to finish today and at least get compartment lids measured and cut but it's just too doggone cold out today.
Color match was tough. I took a livewell lid into Lowes but their reader kept getting thrown off by all the flake so I did a best guess and bought Black Cherry. Obviously the boats black cherry is quite a bit different.

Looking towards the console fronts.



Looking towards the front deck.

[homexcellence]

Looking good! I also will be watching closely, as I have the exact same project for my 91 ranger 485V. I am curious to see how you make your lids and seal them from water. That is the part I am suck on. Good luck looks good so far!