Biting off more than I can chew summer project.

[tackleshep]

Ok so I thought I'd start with the before thread of my insanity. To preface the situation my boat is on an inland lake in a covered marina. The boat does not have a trailer and the marina charges $600 to take a boat out and put it back in for repairs. I have the opportunity to use a friends triple axel trailer to take the boat out but only for a few days. That coupled with my wife being bedridden after a surgery and my folks taking my to young kids for all of next week. Therefore I have a very unique and rare occassion not only to get my boat pulled but also to have four nights to work on it without the normal schedule of kids and wife. So on my list to accomplish Mon-Thursday next week is:

1. Sunday night pull boat.
2. Monday morning pull prop from port side and drive it 70 miles to a prop shop to have a significant bend in one arm refinished. (they can do it in 3 days if I bring it in on Monday).
3. Sand the bottom paint above and around the water line as it was stained with a cleaner and while the paint is good it looks like crap.
4. Tape off the line and touch up paint around the entire boat.
5. Clean entire boat with the Polyglow pre-treatment removing all stains, wax, and scratches.
6. Remove 3300SCR emblems.
7. Remove the green (obnoxious and scratched) pin strip from around the entire boat.
8. Buff out the discoloration (minor) from pin stripe.
9. Remove the decals from the back of that boat and prep the surface.(in pics you will notice that my transom port side door has a bad crack in the bottom left hand corner. It has been glued back very well but replacing the door proved to be harder than I thought so.......
10. Re-apply the new graphics being made this week at my buddies shop in a black/purple diamond pattern with shadow to the starboard side. Port of lake perry will be centered through the bottom.
11. Custom make a "Power Cat" (Kansas State University Logo) that matches the name and at the same time covers the annoying scratch.
12. marina fiberglass shop on Tuesday should be fixing the hole in swim platform. (been waiting 3 months for that)
13. Apply polyglow multiple times to entire boat.
14. Apply purchased polyglow stainless treatment to all rails.
15. Replace all dash lights with red led bulbs.
16. Replace anchor light with superbright led clears.
17. Replace nav lights with red/green leds.
18. Replace all cockpit lights with leds.
19. Install new DC plug inside of starboard side transom cabinet for easy access for toys.
20. Have local mechanic meet me on hilltop to drain drives, change oil, lube boat, change genny impeller, adjust throttles, lube drives, put prop back on and whatever else he thinks needs done that he can do out of the sight of our marina who doesn't like losing the business although he is 70% cheaper.
21. Put back on fixed prop.
22. Splash Boat
23. Collapse

[seapuppy]

WOW!!...don't drink any beer till it's all done or you'll never get it finished....

let us know how it works out...

is there anyone here on the forum that lives close by that would be willing to help him out???..

I don't want to read his obit's in the general forum...


hope your wife heals soon from surgery....

SP

[ss3964spd]

You said you have 4 nights?

What are you going to do with the other 3?

Seriously though - how best to put this....... Oh, oh - I know. You, sir, are nuts!

Hate to be a nay-sayer but maybe if you had 4 solid days you could get all that done. Example, when I removed the previous registration numbers from my boat they left a ghost from where they were. I spent at least 2 hours trying to compound the ghosts out and still wasn't able to completely remove them. I'm afraid you'll suffer the same fate when you try to buff out the pin stripe and lettering. It's simply going to take longer than you think.

You might want to have a contingency plan incase your prop isn't finished on time. You might also consider taking in both props so they end up "matching".

Maybe just me, but I'd break down the list between things that must be done while on the hard vs. what can be done while floating.

That is one ambitious list to knock off in 4 evenings.

Dan

[Warpa1]

I tend to agree with the above, that is one huge amount to be done there if done properly. The 'ghosting' cant always be got rid of, colour fades and no amount of machine buffing will match old and new. Have come across this too many times debadging cars and trucks.

20. Have local mechanic meet me on hilltop to drain drives, change oil, lube boat, change genny impeller, adjust throttles, lube drives, put prop back on and whatever else he thinks needs done that he can do out of the sight of our marina who doesn't like losing the business although he is 70% cheaper.

Hope that all goes to plan too, from experience it never goes to plan, he either wont have a minor part or will come across something else that needs doing...its a pain in the butt!

[tackleshep]

I'm all over the contingency plans. My biggest concern is actually just getting her out of water, makes me nervous as hell. The decal and sticker removal won't be a cake walk but since my best friend owns a sign shop having some good tools will make a difference. I've tested a small spot with the pin stripe and the shadow is not bad at all, if it is that bad I'll put one back on. The decals on the back are under a year old and mostly on the plastic so those will be a piece of cake.

The prop shop in our area is awesome. I have talked to them twice with the assurance of a two day turnaround so that doesn't worry me.

The bottom paint and polyglow is my time concern. I'm going to hire some help to do the initial wash and scrub with the pre-poly during the day so I can concentrate on the rest. Luckily the bottom paint is not a complete job but a touch up so it won't be impossible.

Since I'm usually maintaining a boat while entertaining a 2 year old and a 5 year old; four evenings with nothing is actually like 3 straight months before I had kids.....so with some good planning and execution I'm ready to hit it.

[tackleshep]

Originally Posted by Warpa1

I tend to agree with the above, that is one huge amount to be done there if done properly. The 'ghosting' cant always be got rid of, colour fades and no amount of machine buffing will match old and new. Have come across this too many times debadging cars and trucks.

20. Have local mechanic meet me on hilltop to drain drives, change oil, lube boat, change genny impeller, adjust throttles, lube drives, put prop back on and whatever else he thinks needs done that he can do out of the sight of our marina who doesn't like losing the business although he is 70% cheaper.

Hope that all goes to plan too, from experience it never goes to plan, he either wont have a minor part or will come across something else that needs doing...its a pain in the butt!

What might help on this guy is this: The "local mechanic" was the head mercruiser certified tech at our local boat house/ largest four winns dealer around place. They went out of business two years ago and he went to work for himself. Insured, equipped, and I will have two local part shops within a short drive as well.

[ss3964spd]

Originally Posted by tackleshep

Since I'm usually maintaining a boat while entertaining a 2 year old and a 5 year old; four evenings with nothing is actually like 3 straight months before I had kids.....so with some good planning and execution I'm ready to hit it.

LOL - so very true, I sure remember those days and actually miss them sometimes. But only sometimes.

$600.00 for a haul seems just a wee bit excessive from what I've read but it seems they've got you by the, um, straps.

Best of luck with the list! I have to guess there will be at least one good story at the end of those 4 days.

Dan

[tackleshep]

Yeah welcome to small lake boating. We have two marina's and I actually moved to the reasonable one. They charge $8.75 a foot both ways to pull a boat, they don't have a yard trailer so they are always using the straps and crane to pull a boat. It's just plain rediculous. Luckily I have a buddy with a similar sized boat who bought a triple axle trailer so he could take his out in the winter. I've offered him cash and he's refused which is nice. We've actually had discussions between 3 or 4 of us to find and buy a used trailer just to keep on the grounds. Hell saving the pull charge usually pays for the item your needing to fix.

The good news for all of this is short of the prop not getting done the boat could be splashed without any of the other work being done. Might look like crap but not entering into a discussion of not having an operable boat.....so not to worried. Other than prop, drive oil, and touch up of bottom paint the rest "could" be done on the water just not as easy. The hour intensive project will be the entire boat cleaning and bottom paint....I'll hit that the first two nights and go from there. All the interior, lighting, and additions will probably be done on the water......but we will see.......I want to get started now but just can't until Sunday.

[Bella Sera 3300SCR]

Originally Posted by ss3964spd

when I removed the previous registration numbers from my boat they left a ghost from where they were. I spent at least 2 hours trying to compound the ghosts out and still wasn't able to completely remove them. I'm afraid you'll suffer the same fate when you try to buff out the pin stripe and lettering. It's simply going to take longer than you think.

Dan

tackleshep,

One word of advise....Set achievable goals. If you want a shoddy job with your poliglow, don't worry you'll get it IF, that is IF you don't prepare it properly. Using this product will only yield it's true potential and your future happiness, IF (there's that word again) you set enough time aside to properly prepare it and apply it.

Regarding the Ghosting, I was faced wtih the same thing when I removed the old raised oem 3300scr letters from the boat. The good news here is the Poliox (like barkeepers friend type stuff) will work if you scrub the area in the direction of the letters. And for that matter, all of the boat, Don't scrub it in circles but instead like you were sanding wood in one direction bow to stern. For that reason explain to the Gal that will wash the boat exactily what to do.

Just for your information, It took me and my two sons (19-22) a full day to scrub the boat with poliprep and poliox enough to get rid of all the staines on the boat. Then another two days with my boys to seal it. Soooooooo.....

Again set achiveable goals.........

Bella Sera 3300SCR

[shrew]

I gotta agree with the above. Halfway through the post, I said "There is no way". Not nights only. I completely agree with Bella. Set achievable goals. I would break that list into mechanical and cosmetic. Then break the mechanical into what can be done in the water and what needs to be done before you relaunch.

This can all be done after you relaunch:

15. Replace all dash lights with red led bulbs.
16. Replace anchor light with superbright led clears.
17. Replace nav lights with red/green leds.
18. Replace all cockpit lights with leds.
19. Install new DC plug inside of starboard side transom cabinet for easy access for toys.

This MUST be done:

1. Sunday night pull boat.
2. Monday morning pull prop from port side and drive it 70 miles to a prop shop to have a significant bend in one arm refinished. (they can do it in 3 days if I bring it in on Monday).
12. marina fiberglass shop on Tuesday should be fixing the hole in swim platform. (been waiting 3 months for that)
20. Have local mechanic meet me on hilltop to drain drives, change oil, lube boat, change genny impeller, adjust throttles, lube drives, put prop back on and whatever else he thinks needs done that he can do out of the sight of our marina who doesn't like losing the business although he is 70% cheaper.
21. Put back on fixed prop.
22. Splash Boat


The rest is cosmetic. You can certainly attack some of it if you have the time. I would take it one project at a time to completion. Remove all the graphics and buff. See where you are. Once you start a project, like replacing graphics or in particular poliglow application, you're committed to completing that task. I truly wish you the best of luck. You did say you were working nights. Maybe you find that your wife's post op surgery is requiring more care than anticipated and you need to take a few days off from work to care for her.

[tackleshep]

First, thank you all for your words of encouragement and warnings. I also want to thank a couple of you who sent me private messages encouraging me to ask for help from the board. I know if I was in your areas I would get the help and for that I thank you. FYI: I am in Kansas which is a little bit of a commute for you big water folks.

The in water/ out of water contingencies are all noted. After some thought I've already started planning for this. I'm going to concentrate my immediate efforts on the bottom half of the boat. The water line bottom paint and the clean and poly of the bottom half of the boat are the two things that just can't be done in my slip. I have hired a co-worker (40 year old guy who needs some cash) to help me a couple nights and I know he's an attention to detail guy so thats going to help. Also for what it's worth I'm a self employed insurance agent so by evenings I really mean after lunch

The inside work might all be done before I pull her as your right that can be done anytime. I'm also going to start pulling the letters and pin striping while kids are sleeping on the boat this weekend to get a look at whats there so that should help. Ultimately if I can get the bottom paint and bottom half cleaned and glowed I'll be happy with the week, the rest will be bonus. I agree with Bella that I have to do that poly perfect and I'll love it for ever.

Thanks again to all, and I'll keep you posted. I've never taken her out of the water so the bulk of nervousness is just getting her out.....after that it's all elbow grease.

[ss3964spd]

Originally Posted by tackleshep

I've never taken her out of the water so the bulk of nervousness is just getting her out.....

I can understand that. I've seen some large boats being pulled and hanging in the straps, swinging back and forth, to and frow. It's all I can do to watch.

But, don't let THAT bother ya.

Good luck with the projects. Take photos - we love photos!

Dan

[tackleshep]

yeah were not strapping her, pulling her on a large trailer. So that should be fun.

[tackleshep]

Ok, so with a passing through mother who stopped by for a couple hours I escaped to the marina to do some prep work. In an hour I was able to use a heat gun and remove all of the graphics and emblems and clean her up with some acetone. I have decided that I am NOT removing the green pinstripe. I have now estimated that to be a entire day eating job and it doesn't look that bad.....so one thing off the list.

[SummerBreeze]

Tackleshep....Have you found replacement leds for the helm lighting and cockpit lighting. It looks like the Auqa-Signal series 33 is the closest refit to the series 20 nav light that we currently have. So, I've got that covered. I still don't have a refit idea for the stern light, or the instrument cluster lights or cockpit lights. Any links you found to replacement ideas would be awesome. I'm going to be at the boat for 6 days starting Thursday...a great opportunity to make some of these changes.

[Bella Sera 3300SCR]

Superbrightleds.com is where I bought all of mine, converted all of them at once which costs a small fortune,.....but what a difference! Night and day.

Bella Sera 3300SCR

[SummerBreeze]

Do you have to buy new housings as well, or just bulb and socket sets, and then rewire within existing housings?

[Bella Sera 3300SCR]

nope, Just the bulbs them selves they look funky but work fantastic!

Bella Sera 3300SCR

"There is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."
~Kenneth Graham .

[SummerBreeze]

Very cool. What a great idea. Did it work as well for the red/green nav lights and stern lights ? Guess i will run up to the marina to get the bulb sizes. Ive been anxious to make led switch.

[shrew]

Originally Posted by ss3964spd

I can understand that. I've seen some large boats being pulled and hanging in the straps, swinging back and forth, to and frow. It's all I can do to watch.

Try it when it's not a travel lift, but a crane holding a square frame that is holding the straps. Not only do you swing back and forth, but you spin and siwng in all kinds of weird ways. Now imagine yourself standing on the swim platform of the boat while this is going on. I had to check my shorts when it was done.


Keep plugging Tackleshep