Did it twice. Once was a complete sand down and redo with 180 and a DA to get her smooth and them more 180 and swirl away. Took 4 days and could not move my arms right for weeks after.

Nice thing is once you get her swirled. A drill and scotch brite pad brings her right back to life in a day.

I would have went that route but under the number plate there was no swirls. I also thought about taking it to the truck stop and having it sprayed.

Finished Machine Swirl.

40ft @ 3700 =
i am enjoying this thread. Thank you

Very entertaining and interesting thread! Very cool old race boat that you are bringing back to life!

Watched this boat since I was a Kid. Never thought I would own it and be transforming it to the way it was 34 years later.

Glad your enjoying 31. I have had a lot of offshore projects. 89 38ft Scarab Excel that I ordered and picked out the paint job at the dealership I worked at and then bought it 12 years later. Two 30 ft. Scarabs, one race and one pleasure and took the deck off the hull of the race boat and stripped out the cabin and glassed solid back together instead of screws, Paint and power. Built a custom 28 Nordic heat with blower and nitros. My first, a new 1985 24ft. Checkmate Enforcer with a 260 Mercruiser and Alpha drive right out of High School. I put a nose cone on the drive and took off the wind shield and raced in GlOPRA. Boy I thought I had a race boat! Got Rookie of the year. One race on Lake Erie I finished 1st in my class and out of 24 boats I was one of twelve that finished out of twenty four boats entered because it was so rough I fit in between the waves and the other boats where stuffing and breaking up. That boat I paid new $1300.00 a foot. Those where the fun days and never once thought about gas prices! Out of all the boats and fun I had though I'm at the point where the RASCAL project that I am rebuilding now will be the last and the best.

Looks awesome. You are making incredible progress.

Thanks Andy. The problem with it at my shop is I cant get away from it. It's like having the old lady in the house with me.

Yes, I know how you feel! I'm also in the process of bringing back to life a very rare 28' Checkmate 2800SX outboard. The boat is the sister ship to the old Ashland Express race boat run by Checkmate's very own Bill Combs. Very few were built with the transom cut for outboard power and the cockpit moved aft. It gives the boat a very aggressive look and makes it appear longer than it is!