Going Back At it - Seacraft #2

[mbo1971]

Mike - best email for me is mbo at gmail dot com.

[gw204]

IMid-week i got a call from Andy Bloodsworth that my fuel tank was ready to be picked up. I can't speak highly enough of his work. I will post a few pics of the tank so you can see the quality of the welds. This tank is 3/16" and will hold 50 gallons of fuel.

Mike, does Andy have a website or can you forward me his contact info? I picked up a semi-project over the weekend that needs a new tank.

Thanks.

Brian

[mrobertson]

I've been lazy to update, and also lazy to take pictures.

I'm writing to you from the land of skinned up knuckles. There are few things i have ever attempted that i thought to myself, this probably wasn't worth it. I recently added something to that list..................rebuilding a trailer. Now sure, trailers are expensive. Nobody wants to shell out thousands of dollars for a new trailer. My 20 seacraft purchase came with a 1999 Load Rite galvanized trailer. When i bought the boat, i didn't really pay much attention to the trailer. So, after the fact i only realized that the trailer was in poor shape. The frame and axles are both very solid with very little rust at all. The springs were pretty much gone, alot of the U-bolts were rotting away, the hubs had drum brakes that were toast.

So - i have this great idea to replace all of these parts thinking to myself i can squeek by on the cheap. I ordered 4 new springs, 4 new hubs, LED lights, and various hardware from Eastern Marine. All of that was a $600 purchase by the time tax and shipping are factored in. The trailer originally had rollers on it that again were in poor shape. For the cost of replacing every roller, i assumed it would be cheaper to convert the trailer with bunks. I made my own bunks out of pressure treated 2x8x12 lumber. I glued and screwed 2 together, then covered with adhesive and outdoor carpeting. I also added bunk slicks to make the boat go on and off easier. That little project cost me about $200 - $250.

So now that i've spend upwards up $900, i then proceed to spend an entire day torching, cutting, grinding, cussing, and hammering all of the old stuff off the trailer. It wasn't terrible, but absolutely NONE of the bolts are you getting off with a wrench or socket. YOu are cutting every single bolt off.

Once all that was done, i spent a few hours putting all the new parts on and now i have a nice tandem that has been rebuilt. Hindsight i don't think it was worth the cost and effort. I could have sold the trailer as is for probably $1000 and put that towards something new. Oh well we live and learn.

Aside from that, i gave the boat a new bottom paint job, put the rub rail back on, and threw her back on the trailer.




All i really have left to do is hang the engine and rig it up. I've got some plumbing to take care of but thats no big deal. I'm not sure when i'll have the time, but again i hope to take a ride in this boat sometime in June.

-Mike

[mrobertson]

I've been doing little odds and ends to the boat as i've had time and been at my parents. This weekend we got blown out of a fishing trip in chincoteague. The water was chocolate milk and instead of wasting time, we just threw in the towel. I already had the hall pass, so i just stuck it out at my parents and turned a corner on this project.

People always ask if there's anything i'd do differently on the 23 restore. There is 1 thing. The batter switch is under the console, and very hard to get to. With the door on the side, you pretty much have to lay on the floor and reach in to turn it on/off. I changed that.

I bought a flush mount battery switch box. Mounted it right to the side of the console for very easy access :







I started carving up my brand new console. I still have 1 or 2 more things to add, but you get the general idea about what it's going to look like :





I also went ahead and unboxed my new yamaha 115 2 stroke. I went ahead and lined it up and bolted it to the transom :







I didn't take pictures, but all of the holes in the transom that were needed, i overdrilled and epoxied in a PVC "sleeve" to protect the wood. The transom is original and in good shape, i want to preserve it as long as i can. Likewise, i used an overkill amount of 5200 on my thru hull connections and motor bolts.

I also got some time to drop in my bilge pump (1500 GPH) and livewell plumbing. I need to get a couple of pieces of hose and then all of my plumbing will be complete.

I did as much of the wiring as i could in the console while it's out of the boat. I'm trying to make it so when i drop it in the boat it's pretty much plug and play. Hopefully one more good weekend and i'll be ready to splash!!!

Tight Lines

-Mike

[shoot-straight]

nice work mike. looks super nice. like you, my new to me privateer project came with an old trailer. i plan to just swap trailers with my skiff and pass the knuckle busting work to someone else! my privateer should be ready in another week or so- if the wx cooperates!

brett

[DaveHuz]

Mike, who is the mfr of the flush mount battery switch box? Looking at doing the same on my skiff.

[h2oboss]

Mike, as usuall beautiful work! Congrats....one for the ocena and one for the bay! You gonna install a power pole for shallow water assults? I hope to have my little skiff done in the next few weeks.....I got a good laugh out of your trailer troubles.....I just got done doing the same thing with the homemade trailer on my skiff.....fortunately, by cost was much less but it was still more work and cost than I anticipated.

Anthony

[mrobertson]

Mike, who is the mfr of the flush mount battery switch box?

SSI Custom Plastics - they are in Southern MD..........very expensive, but super nice people to deal with

http://www.ssicustomplastics.com/

Mike, as usuall beautiful work! Congrats....one for the ocena and one for the bay! You gonna install a power pole for shallow water assults? I hope to have my little skiff done in the next few weeks.....I got a good laugh out of your trailer troubles.....I just got done doing the same thing with the homemade trailer on my skiff.....fortunately, by cost was much less but it was still more work and cost than I anticipated.

Anthony

In my mind, i'd have this thing completely decked out. In reality, i'm running out of $$$$$$. I'm going to run the boat a little before settling on trim tabs, but i think with the lower HP engine i'm going to need them. I'd like to have a trolling motor of some sort, so.......bow mount, trolling tabs, engine mounted trolling motor?!?!?! Decisions Decisions...................i want structure scan as well.

The trailer situation is just a terrible deal. I mean, its knuckle busting work, but not hard. In my specific case, i spend close to $1000 to rebuild, when i could have probably found a very nice aluminum trailer for like $1500. Oh well, my trailer is solid and all new now except the frame............crap i still need a spare tire with wheel!!!

[Hillbilly Boater]

Mike, All that I can say is you do some seriously nice work, but when do you have time to fish?

[mrobertson]

Mike, All that I can say is you do some seriously nice work, but when do you have time to fish?

I set out to fish this past weekend. NE wind on ESVA made the water chocolate milk. Instead of fishing 3 days i came home after 1 day and worked on the boat. It's tough for sure and i'm trying to get this one done quickly. Come time to go offshore to make charlie bleed i'll forget all about working on boats. Just waiting for the right time my friend.