came trolling to see if you had posted any more on the bullet...man I bet when this thing finally hits the water I'll hear you hauling ass out of the marina from our house LOL...we need to get together soon and shoot the chit and maybe down a few cold ones!!! and keep it up...it is a cig so its worth ever penny right??? lol

can only hope you will here it. will be like my warning (casey is out today) yes we do need to catch up. will be doen this weekend for chris's wedding and to check and see if the high water messed up our bulkhead and dock.

https://youtu.be/5gEtp50hqA0 https://youtu.be/5gEtp50hqA0

That's were it sits today

I am 1.5 years into my Café restoration, I know what you are going through. It takes a long time when your the only one doing all the work. that's where I am at plus I work 2 jobs. keep hammering away.

Was going to wait till it was all done but.... think it's time. Will be doing this a few times of big issues we ran into and how it was fixed. This should help explain part of the long build and why stuff was done.

Will start with the tanks. The boat sat under a cover for 6 months with the floor open while the builge was getting sanded down, more glass added and smoothed out. Was asked can I pull the tanks just to look at them? Sure, and tanks were good but we did coat them. Now the rest was shot. Apparently before purchasing the boat it was neglected. The floor has been removed and never sealed back up at some point before I got it. So after sitting opened up covered up in Louisiana heat it's still had about 30 gallons of water under the tanks which in turn delaminated the glass and rotted the coring. Well I am neck deep at this point and has to be fixed or i loose out on the whole boat. It was fixed using coosa for the bulk heads front , back and the divider. Tanks are sitting on solid foam tube and then foam filled under and around the sides as should be.

http://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...psonejyxaz.jpg
http://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...psmyffyd37.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...pst50fput2.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...psp56ub3ax.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...psfwfbq39m.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...pstpkho2nh.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...psygj5oyue.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...pszk5tjgpj.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps0ylayhrk.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps3xjh98ny.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...pscgugqefd.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...psejt7knur.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...psxgpew1rd.jpg

Keep up the good work! Looks like you are making progress. Just kidnap Carter after the poker run and don't let him loose until its finished:evilb:

Looking good! Keep up the good work!

I am at the end of my rope with it.

Pulled the plug on the build today. Not sure how I feel doing it but it's time..

After all this? I know it's very frustrating and seemingly never ending but you've done an amazing job not skipping over anything. Really hat to see it come to an end here. But I get it, I've pulled the plug before.

reading threads like this make me want to never buy a boat again!

+1

I hate it also. just not feeling it anymore.not saying its getting parted out or sold off. just going to box it up and put it way.

no one has any idea how bad I want to here it start up. have only heard the motors from video of the dyno. can still be talked into finishing it but will have to see.

I don't blame you one bit. Been there many times, but I guess I'm too damn patient and trod along like an elephant. It's like my will was stronger and more persistent than the boat's will was to defeat me.

The next set of pictures are what happens when you have 30gal of water and a bulk head that is rotted from it. Also just a very strange junction of bulkhead,cabin and cockpit door happing all at one time and 3 piece trying to join that are all being held by a no good bulkhead.

You will see the hole that was a crack. It was cut out till all the busted or bad glass was gone. Made a huge mess and the door way was gone by the end of that. Well has to be fixed. Started off by bonding the sepret piece to together. (Why they were not to start with idk) so now the bulkhead,cabin and cockpit are one not 3! From that point a door casing had to be mad from scratch as you can see from the hole. Again no wood was added just coosa and glass to the buddle think coosa front bulk head. (Had room to add a extra 3/4" board to the front and back bulk heads from the post above. After the now casing was made it was had rolled in gelcote the sand smooth for a seamless finish. Also got under the cabin liner and added glass help strengthen the bond tothe stringers and the cabin floor. No stone unturned was the plan from the start. "Let's make it better then cigarette did" doing all this helped remove all the teak or coverings on the doorway.

http://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...psjf0ovrxd.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...psiaxqmbqx.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...psa252ekur.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...psmkjepize.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...psobba2sei.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...pszb3b7yhf.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps8jl1uqs9.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...pszut0sphb.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...psnaxnqy5c.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...pssf8xwecy.jpg
http://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...psqynurtdh.jpg
http://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...psobba2sei.jpg

You sir are relentless. I wish I had 1/10th of your determination. I hope you finish your boat. Once the bodywork is done, the shiny noisy stuff goes in. Keep the faith bud.

Very nice work!!! You are getting closer and closer! The hardest and dirty part is mostly behind you!!! So get in this finishing part just adding what is missing, to a pace that wont get you tired of doing it, and you ll be done!
But yes, lots of work! Been there done that... and im about to start another similar project! A long term project!

I used to put my engines in a "time out" corner, cover them up with blankets when I got frustrated with the work and money being put out. Told myself a few times that i`m taking a summer off to give myself a break .. never lasted more than 2 weeks , I`d be right back at it with renewed motivation.
It` s a sickness

Fully
Accurate
Statement

It's even worse when the sickness won't let you stop thinking about the depth of the issue so on the way to dinner you stop, turn around, go back home and go back in to see what or how bad.....
It's amazing more of us don't take the long walk off a short pier.

^^^We could have some really nice second homes, a Viking, or 10 swimsuit models for what we burn on these things.....

Casey - I hope you find some motivation, $$$ windfall, or move on to a project that will bring you satisfaction. It's never fun to be defeated, but we wouldn't think anything less of you if you threw in the towel. Of course we want to see you complete it, but it's not fun when you are in that position.

I scrapped the body of a '72 GTO 400 4-speed that my dad and I had started when I was 13. It was thrown in the corner, neglected, and one day we just hauled it to the scrap pile. To be honest, it was such a relief when we did. If only not to have to look at it anymore. I still have the pars for it, and maybe one day.... Was the only project I had ever given up on. $40K+ to restore a $20K car. .....sounds familiar......

Sorry to hear this Casey. Your doing such a nice job on your Cig. See you at the Ticfaw 200

Was this the original 50/50 boat? I know ive asked you, but dont remember your answer.... Ive been in positions where Ive felt like "dumping" a boat just to get it out of my sight. Ive taken years off from boating, and said Id never buy one again.....but then again, Ive never had to do work even close to what you've done. I admire your enthusiasm and appriciate your drive to conquer this hellish project. I say pack it away and eventually you will feel fresh and ready to kick its azz again! Best of luck!

Yes it's the 50/50 boat. Knew it needed some stuff when I bought it. There was just so much more covered up. It's all fixed now, only thing more would have been lifting the cap off but that wasn't nessary. Went in throug the cabin and Checked everything. It's 100% fixed and was done by a shop . it was over my head and didn't know how to fix it right. they did a great job on it.

I hope you get the itch and finish it. My little cabin project has me very nervous, ( and I am not doing the work) I can't imagine going through the whole boat.

Sorry to hear all of the issues. Don't give up after so much work. When I was converting my bullet to outboards my back went out while installing the outboards. Just finished in time to get surgery and be laid up for a year. Thank goodness I finished the boat because as soon as the doctor released me the first trip out was worth it all. It was balls to the wall and was like being in heaven on the seas. Keep the faith.

Always sorry to hear about people feeling down on something they love. I hope you can maybe store the boat for a few months, take a step back and enjoy some free time with family and friends before getting back into the resto.

I'm a bit of an outsider on OSO but I enjoy following many of the real life stories. You come over as a decent straight shooter working solo on a project that keeps getting bigger. Reading through the way you've tackled jobs, you set extremely high standards and that's why some of the small things are big issues. I hope you can get back into it because if completed to your perfectionist level, it will be one helluva boat you can be very proud of.

Good luck mate with whatever you do.

Jon

I like nice work and non sugar coated explanations. Boat had issues, don't know who knew about it all. So better to say and show.


It's at shop getting finished. That was a short lived "I am putting it away". Hopefully will have it back in a month or two. Going to skimp on having the updated interior. Going to just recover what's there now to save some $$$ also going to cut the sound system for now also. Will just put what ever to fill the spot in the side panels an

Great to hear its going to be finished. Who needs a sound system when your going to be listening to those big blocks. Music to your ears !!!

X a million!

I'm always dumbfounded how people spend huge $$$ (like 10k and often a lot more) on a sound system. Who the Hell are they entertaining......? The people on the boat or the people on the shore?

No offense to people with big sound systems, my hearing isn't great so a big sound is absolutely the bottom of the list on a boat.

RR

Save the sound system cash for fuel. If you want to hear loud music; park next to somebody that is carrying all that extra weight in their boat.

Hell of a project! It all looks great! Glad to hear your going to get it finished up.

Good to hear Casey.

At least you haven't gone thru 4 engines in 20 hours..... "It could always be worse"

Coming along.

http://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps4l5zlfqb.jpg
http://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...pspfw7jvnp.jpg
http://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...psxzqeqfox.jpghttp://i902.photobucket.com/albums/a...pslak9hevu.jpg

Pulled apart the seats last night and was surprised to fined no rot in the wood it was all glassed nicely. Even the exposed wood on the botom was ok. Going to change that out to coosa and get them recovered.

looks good, hey if you plan on a composite give these guys a shout and ask for Bryan sometimes they have an over run or odd batch bin that you might find a workable deal in. Pretty much same as Coosa but a bit more cost friendly.

http://spaceagesynthetics.com/

Thanks. Yeah don't need a whole sheet.

I thought it was agreed way back when to never type the word 'Coosa' again, lol. Good info Dave!

I just read this post from page 1 in a sitting and am glad you are keeping on. That boat looks fantastic. I hope that one day I will be able to afford a Cigarette that has the attention to detail that you are putting into it. A Cig is on my wish list and while it might be a while till i can pony up the coin, I love reading these posts and watching you guys work your magic on them. Great job.

Thanks. On getting a bigger boat....sold a 25 Baja took that money bought this one. Didn't think it was going to be this much in fixing it. Knew it had a few issues 10k or so. But once the motor was not right and all the extra unplanned glass work and all new wires. Then gutted it form bow to Stern. Strech that over 4+ years it's not that bad lol but not good.