Hoping next week I can get started back on this project. Spent all day at the VA hospital hooked to an IV and insulin drip. Went in for normal 6 month checkup and ended up in ER - they thought I was on a verge of a stroke. Looking forward to finishing this boat up, still need more wiring (putting in a LOT of led lighting). I did get some LED lighting from BlueWater to insert into my rub rails.
Been a long time since I updated on my boat rebuild. Got 99.5% done now except I'm really disappointed with how TIGHT my lids are on the rear deck. I mean its HORRIBLE how tight they are. I used 20oz carpet and now I'm to the point of saying screw it and remove the carpet and start over. Yeah the carpet looks good, but what good is it if I have to use tools to get my lids open. I've sanded down the edges and even that didn't help enough. I'm thinking now of removing the carpet, remove the lids/rivets, fill the holes, resand and this time KNOW where the holes are once I've aligned the lids properly.
I don't recall reading anyone on this forum saying anything about how hard it was to reattach the lids when its darn near impossible to get nuts/screws started unless they got kids with patience and tiny hands/fingers. Having fat fingers isn't so fun. But I'm glad I got the electrical done and I'm ready to go fishing with just a tad little more work. I'm really thinking of going vinyl flooring. Even though of doing a mix of carpet and vinyl, like vinyl on the lids (weird - I know). I did sand down the carpet on the edges/lips of the lids but its still not good enough, hence my thought of going vinyl.
If you got suggestions (even criticism I'm open to it LOL). I'll have some photos up here as soon as I get them uploaded to photobucket. Its been a long road.
Oh and I gave up on trying to make a new switch panel from plexiglass, that was a pain, so went with wood panel instead and gave it several coats of paint. This is the backside of it, without the switch.
Front side without the ignition switch, labels and before detail sand/paint. Later on I changed to newer style contura IV caps.
added a stereo so I can listen to golden oldies rock&roll while fishing is slow (or ROCKING)
red wire is just for testing.
Last edited by Wildcat Dude; 03-03-2013 at 11:26 PM.
Oh and here's the new style switch caps I changed to.
and added some BlueWater LED for nav's up front in addition to some new attwood LED Nav fixtures. In fact I added a bunch of LED's everywhere in the boat lockers, livewell and bilge area as well as ambers on the deck for night fishing. Added docking lights too.
switch panel with led micro light lighting it up so I can see the switches at night.
put in new gauges, modified the dash panel to add a 12v plugin, added new steering gear and steering wheel
ignore any loose wiring you see as I was still wiring, its all bundled up/wrapped and hidden now.
Yep, motor runs, been a year since I fired it up.
20130206_172344.mp4 Video by policek9trainer | Photobucket
Full rear view of boat after I finally got it mostly done, at least its ready for fishing even though I'm not happy with my carpet job on the lids. I still need to paint the motor and buff/polish the boat to make it really look good.
Wildcat Dude,
My lids were also tight due to the thickness of the nap. I put some heat from a heat gun on the edge and the nap shrunk down, Be careful, it works fast. Do a test piece first.
Larry
Wildcat, I've heard a trick or two about the doors. I redid my carpet as well and I'll admit I'm not looking forward to re doing it. As you said the dagnabit screws are hard to get an angle on sometimes! But regarding your carpet thickness, take a beard trimmer and trim the sides down at variable lengths until they fit just right. Sounds like an odd way of doing it, but way better than taking it apart again! Just get a small guard and go at it!
Yeah, I've tried the heat gun and shrunk it down, but still not good enough. I now wished I had gone the way of the vinyl flooring that's on some new boats. But my boat is all done except for painting the motor and some touch up's here and there and polishing it out. Funny thing was, BPS gave me a credit card so I went to the Nashville BPS store to get a new 90 4 stroke (didn't want Optimax motors). Low and behold, not a single 4 stroke in the 75 to 115 class. So went to lunch with my former co-workers (retired from city of Smyrna TN) and they asked me what I thought my Nitro was worth. I came back with about 6 grand since I've got all new seats, new carpet, new batteries, new on board 3 bank charger, new LED lights throughout the deck, lockers, livewell, console etc, new Faria Gold gauges, new switch panel (custom made), new bilge blower, new horn, new LED lights on the trailer, new winch, new jack, new steering wheel, new wiring harness, new steering gear, new bilge and auto bilge, new fuel/water separater with new fuel lines, new LED backup lamps on the trailer (really lights up in the dark now) with a 1990 Johnson 115 2 stroke that runs really well with a SS prop, seats have adjustable seat pedestals (power pedestals) and the list goes on. I'd probably settle for less but I'd want to see plenty of cash
So they said, sell it and get a new boat. So I went back and looked at 3 boats in the showroom. Then looked at the Tracker Pro 175TF and liked how it had 2 livewells and an additional 3 pedestal mounting locations, extra one on the bow and 2 inside the main deck area so plenty of flexibility on seating locations. I'd love to get another seat but I've grown to hate the locking pedestals cause being old, with no feeling in the feet, I can't tell when I unlocked it so I can pull up on it. In a way I hate to see all that work I've put into that boat and just turn around and sell it, but no need for 2 bass boats
Last edited by Wildcat Dude; 05-04-2013 at 03:17 PM.
Wow the boat is really looking great, its hard to let go of something you work so hard on, hopefully you get the money you're looking for. good luck!
yep, I agree and I still need to paint the lower half of the motor to make it match to the upper half and do wet sanding and buffing to make her shine for the next owner but it should help with getting what I'm wanting for it.
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