Offshoreonly.com - 1978 Sleekcraft Aristocrat Budget Build Thread

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Hahaha, that photoshop photo is AWESOME

Very cool project. Nice work!

Quote:

Originally Posted by 27daytona (Post 3158960)

The aristocrat tunnel was my 1st boat with a 200 Johnson outboard. I had a great time in that boat, of course I was 30 years younger and it did carry many breasts safely. I boated on the Mississippi out of Dubuque, Iowa at that time. Nice project. Doug

Mine also! I had 1978 with a 175 Johnson. Good boat. Great job you are doing!
Steve

Lookie what I found:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...8/CIMG0121.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...8/CIMG0122.jpg

Fully jacketed polished stainless Stellings brand headers. Retail is over $7k on these guys. Nifty.

Looked like you had a good share of work... Gotta love having good helpers... Looks like its coming together good for ya!
Jr.

Some updated photos. Got delayed due to girlfriend/car accident stuff. Interior is all painted. Carpet is in, but not glued yet, nor does it have the access panels cut out yet.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...8/CIMG0210.jpg
Engine will be coming together this weekend. Have so many cool parts for it.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...8/CIMG0213.jpg
Carpet was pulled out of a dumpster behind a Sherwin Williams. Free= awesome.

Does anybody have any ideas for securing the gas tanks? They were originally glassed into the boat, but that looked like ****. Definitely up for some new ideas, so please chime in!

Did a nice Job.Want another one of them.I got one but it has a full rear deck not open like yours don't know the model.I want to sell it ,needs redone.Asking 1000.00 on a trailer Also have a sleekcraft runner bottom jet drag boat needs redone. Thanks John NICE JOB I PASSED THOSE HEADERS UP I SHOULD HAVE GOT THEM,If you want to sell them let me know.

You got a good looking assistant. I am surprised there went my comments about her and less about the boat :evilb:

Anyway.....I think I would build some upholstery panels that would go in front of the tanks or have a custom one built to go under the seat. I have a 21' Tahiti jet and I put my tank under the back seat. The tank will hold 38 gallons! Some pics of the tank can be seen at the link below.

Looking good though!!

...Jim

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/d...74-tahiti.html

How would an upholstery panel secure the tank to the floor? I have dual tanks, 20 gallons each, that sit next to the engine area, outside of the tunnels.

There are numerous ways to secure fuel tanks in a boat. All of them rely to some degree on gravity being your friend and generally holding the tank(s) down. That said, one has to remember that your hull takes a bit of a beating and thus moves and flexes. You need to take that into account when mounting a tank.

Most mounting methods involve holding the tank down into some sort of well in the hull - generally between stringers. Many tanks have welded on tabs that one then sucures to the stringers. (Make sure to seal the holes to prevent rot.) In my boat, the center section of the floor actually hold the tank down after it's foamed in place.

Speaking of foam, a common menthod of partially securing a tank is high expansion foam underneath and on the sides. Of course one also needs to secure the tank from coming up - which involves what I mentioned above.

Several things to remember about foam though. One, you won't need as much as you think because the stuff does expand. Second, think about what you want under the tank before you get too far. For instance, do you want an open passage for bilge water? Finally, make sure no portion of your tank makes "hard contact" with your hull. That's a leak waiting to happen.

Hope that helps.