Boat project coming to an end...pics inside!
 

I found the boat on this website about 2 months ago and my girlfriend and I left baton rouge louisiana july 4 to go all the way to tampa to pick it up. I bought the boat from an interior shop that had redone all the interior in the boat and cuddy. We were nervous driving so far for a boat that we had only seen a few pictures of, but when we got there we were pleased at how nice the interior and over all condition of the boat was in. It needed some tlc, but there was a nice foundation to start with. The boat had no motor in it, but came with one to use as a core or rebuild. We made the drive back with no major issues (trailer has seen better days...LOL) Then the cleaning started!!! The bilge was a WRECK with an inch of grease and grime!!! At that point I noticed the port side motor mounts lag bolts were loose in the stringer so I started checking every thing for rot or moisture!! Thankfully it was only that port motor mount and not all the stringers and transom. It was nervous as to what I would find, but all checked out fine. I ended up cutting an 18" section of cap off the top of the port stringer were the motor mount was to properly fix the problem. I again got lucky and only had about a 1 foot section of rot and it only went down 4" into the stringer (total height is 8"). I chipped out any questionable material and went back with douglas fir and epoxy resin to fill in the void in a manner I researched online and through a few boat builders. Then laided 5 layers of fiberglass mat and woven material. Finishing the bilge with white west marine bilge paint.

With the foundation all complete I was ready for the motor I had built the day we got back from picking up the boat. The motor is a 4 bolt main 454 that I had built with new crank, pistons, rods, rebuilt peanut heads with stainless valves, custom cam and a dual plane high rise manifold and all new acc. like starter, water pump, sea water pump, etc etc. Only thing I did reuse was the power steering pump and it seems to be working ok. Nothing fancy to get it running, but I have a blower motor in the works for a winter project.

Tons and tons of work went into cleaning and intalling the motor. Since there was no motor in the boat when I bought it I had a fun time figure out all the wiring, but to my suprise it was all complete. I did rewire the whole boats lighting while waiting on the motor to be finished. I went back with all led lighting through out the boat.

Well its no skater or 42 fountain, but it is my first power boat and I'm sure it won't be the last as I am already looking for a motorless 29 fountain fever to build next summer...LOL

Here are some of the pics and or first weekend out on the boat having a AWESOME time!!!!! We did our first poker run this past sat. and it was GREAT and will be doing more for sure!!!!

boat the day we picked it up. I'm not a football fan so it will get repainted in the coming months, but it works for now.
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/647ff3ca.jpg

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/8e816fec.jpg

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/740d0178.jpg

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/55569a8b.jpg

Nice! any NEW engine compartment pics with the new engine? Good luck.

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/a4bc8793.jpg

windows out getting tint and painted some of the interior to try and update the look a bit
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/a0b053e5.jpg

flush mount cleats instead of the factory above deck style
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/59fbb0b4.jpg

low water pickup I made in a pinch because of corrision issue in the outdrive. Thanks to the advice from members of this site!!!
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/6e36bc62.jpg

bilge area after stringer fix and paint. Had some dirt and grime in there because we were cleaning something else and it ran down there...LOL
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/50c2e0c7.jpg

first start up video
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...h_b63a6364.jpg

And now for the good pics!!!! The boat finished and the interior in!!! Plus some bonus pics of all the fun we've just started to have with the boat...LOL!!!!!!

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/1abf91f2.jpg

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/398c314b.jpg

My girlfriend with the boat after having lunch on the river a few days ago.
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/96d1f6db.jpg

I am a huge Bucs fan. Support the team, but that wrap might be a bit much.
Good luck with the project.

first poker run and shirt to prove it...LOL
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/2e2ec6e7.jpg

fun day on the boat
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/1a48523a.jpg

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/0fa8906f.jpg

I want to thank all the members who have helped with all my questions along the way. There have been quite a few!! Also to the guys I've bought stuff from and helped with fast shipping so I could get the boat done before summer being over. I still have a few issues that need to be worked out like trim not working at speed and trying to find the right prop, but its on the water and thats what matters!! The trim I found out is a leaking pressure line.

I don't have any motor pics, but I will get some and post them.

heres a pic of cuddy before all the led stip lighting and new led light in the front of the cuddy. Again I'm not a football fan so will find a way to get rid of the football in there, but its not so bad! Its all new and clean so thats a plus!!!!!
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/39e25d10.jpg

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/eb2f64ca.jpg

Heading back from a FULL day on the water!!
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/...9/c8196542.jpg

In the last two weekends (fri, sat and sunday) we've already logged 35 hours on the new motor so we are getting some use out of the boat.

Even though I live and boat in saints territory I only had a hand full of who dat comments due to the buc wrap. It doesn't bother me because the wrap isn't effecting my fun so all is well!! For the most part people have been thumbs up due to the skulls I guess?? I think most people don't even see the buccanneers on the front...???


Thanks again everyone for all the help!!!

looking good,Congrats,All that matters is your on the water enjoying it.:drink:

Congrats! Good lookin' crew you got there.

LOL....just saw in the painted dash pick I have that sqaure gauge painted red...LOL!!!!! It looked to be some kind of depth gauge and was faded to hell and back and the screen was cracked. I was going to put a gauge cover in the spot but it left a big square whole so I just painted it and stuck it back in the panel until I can figure something better out to put there. It looks like chit, but believe me it looked worse before...I am embarrassed about that pic, but what the hell. Like I said earlier this isn't a new fountain, skater or mega high dollar boat.

I forgot I also took the gas tank out and had it cleaned and replaced all the fuel lines and vents in the boat.


Feel free to point out anything I may need to address.

Congrats and great work!!!!

Looks like you all are enjoying it so keep it up!!!!

I think the crew makes the boat look better.

Who ever took the motor OUT did it the Hard Way. Un bolting the mounts & Belhousing from the Bock. There is No harder way.

After doing putting it togethor I think your right! That's how it was when I got it. There is a TON of work that went into this boat!!! Many many days and nights my girlfriend and I worked on this boat to get it done in a timely fashion!! I really pushed to get it done so we could use it for the remaining of the summer. Last year I bought an offshore center console at the end of the summer and we got stuck fishing offshore in the winter which turns out to be good tuna fishing but horrible weather patterns!!!! We got beat up everytime but caught tons of fish!

I'm so glad it's done and running. A couple times I was ready to turn in the towel as it was a major pain in the a$$, but the last two weeks have made it all worth it!!!!

Nice looking boat. Great looking crew! Try and keep them that way and do everybody a favor and dont run with ANYONE on the hatch cover. Good Luck and be safe.

Great that you dug in, kept at it and got it going.....awesome

what kind of boat is that anyway???

The swim platform makes it look like a Formula?

1989 baja 235 force. One thing I really like is the cockpit size. My friends boats all seem to have very tight cockpit areas.

We really love it. We have 3 maybe 4 dinner runs already planned for this week.

I remember when that boat was sold....You got it done quickly. Congrats on the hard work and enjoy!

Congrats on your first boat . . . . . you may not know this but it will be the first of many :D. Resistance is futile! Just smile and let the sport take over your life you wont be sorry lol.


nice boat, looks like it came together pretty good. Enjoy! :cool:

nice job! smokin hot *****es too.....! I too bought one of these boats and i loved it. It too was my first powerboat. Goodluck!

Nice job and enjoy.

Thanks for all the comments. We did work like crazy people to get it done. We left baton rouge at 10pm on 4th of july and the dually never shut off until we pulled up at the boat at 9:30 the next morning. We did all the paper work, looked over the boat and were on our way home with in two hours. Drove straight back home with no stops and then the work began. It was right at 30 days when the boat was ready to start and thats when we started working through what seemed never ending bugs. I had bought parts from all over and didn't have anything to go off of so it caused for fitment issues etc. Once running the main thing was a heat issue and thats when I found out about the corrision in the bravo outdrive right at the plastic housing on the inside of the boat. 20 minutes later after making a low water pickup and trying to figure out the best place to put it we were ready to try it once again. All was fixed after that. We drove 30 minutes to the boat launch everyday after work to try the boat out and finally got it. Went back to the shop and installed the interior and nothing but gas stations and good times since!!!

and who says no one is getting into performance boating!

Pretty sure I saw you this weekend..... Welcome to the water. If you need anything around BR in the power boat world I maybe able to help you out Ive been around for a while.

Nate

Thanks! It was probably us as we were out friday, sat and sunday from 9am to 11pm all three days. It was nice to pull up at the prop stop and be allowed to park at the dock. LOL First time we went there I pulled up in my offshore boat which has a tuna/cobia tower on it (we felt out of place) and when I went to pull up at the dock they turned us away and said that dock side parking was reserved for speed boats. I dropped the girls off and had to park in the river and take the boat taxi to the dock. I felt like an out cast of society. We still laugh about it though.

that's cool but I don't have to much good to say about Prop Stop. You can have my Dock spot there Ill never go back.

No Point to go there when there's BRB

I've heard that a couple times the last couple weeks. Whats been the problem? There burgers and worm buckets are good!

My complaint with brb is that there food service is slow as hell!!!!! We waited on sunday for 35 minutes for an order of fried pickles. Finally, I asked how much longer and they said they hadn't even started them yet and did I want my money back. I said yes and we went to the prop stop. Last weekend same thing. I waited 35 minutes for 3 hamburgers. Both times it was on sunday when they weren't very busy. Either way both will still get my money.