Ok, found a real find when I was sticking a phone system in a guys house, his wife offered me a boat if I could pull it out. Sure I grabbed it for free, with full titles. It is a 30' Midnight Express Center Console with 2 200HP Yamaha motors. The Hull is a 1987, hand layed fiberglass(Midnight Express has a wicked reputation of building insane DEA intercept, and drug boats), 300 gallon fuel, 2 live bait wells, and 1 large live well. The Yamaha's are 87's also, I am the 3rd owner, she has 410 hours on the hull and motors, but sat outside for 9 years under trees. Upon clean up found all electrical connections were rusted, so am reworking all switches, and such, have about 70% working now. The hull is in fantastic shape, one small scrape in side way above water line. The deck is in solid shape, no wood to rot, but the live wells had holes in them, not going to be fishing, so will close off I think. Due to the wonderful humid weather in Houston, the motors are a different story. Never worked on boats, but rebuild many cars, and motorcycles, so used thoose as a base line. Found the plugs to be still oil coated, good compresion. Rebuild the 3 pack carburators, and rebuild the fuel pumps. My relay packs for tilt/trim, and started are shot, rusted. So replaced tilt/trim relays with good electronic high energy relays, $5.00 each compared to 85 from Yamaha, was thinking about using a standard Ford starter relay for the Yamaha, since $9, compared to $85. Pulled the lower units, checked water pumps, and have ordered new bushing for the drive shaft on each. Fogged the engine agian, waiting for parts. Hope I did it right, did I miss anything on the engines to check?
We are going after some Brightside paint on the upper deck above the rub strip, and have power washed the inside, and am going after there anti-slip paint product for the deck and inside. Hoping for good weather this weekend to do the painting.
Strange thing is found ants running around on the top deck on the sides, but Midnight says they dont use wood on this product. They are inside the rub strip on the side, and are carpenter ants, but cant find any wood excpet for hatches, we ripped thoose out. Was thinking of just baiting them, and sealing the hole?
Hear are some pictures from the first week. Hoping to get it dropped in the water by april, and get some high speed gulf running down, prior owner says she cruises at 35, and top with thoose motors about 55, and he took it 80 miles offshore, fished for a whole day, and back the next day on the tanks. Would love to try her on some 5-6 foot swells, heard this hull cuts through it like butter. But for a FREE boat, what the hell.
We are going after some Brightside paint on the upper deck above the rub strip, and have power washed the inside, and am going after there anti-slip paint product for the deck and inside. Hoping for good weather this weekend to do the painting.
Strange thing is found ants running around on the top deck on the sides, but Midnight says they dont use wood on this product. They are inside the rub strip on the side, and are carpenter ants, but cant find any wood excpet for hatches, we ripped thoose out. Was thinking of just baiting them, and sealing the hole?
Hear are some pictures from the first week. Hoping to get it dropped in the water by april, and get some high speed gulf running down, prior owner says she cruises at 35, and top with thoose motors about 55, and he took it 80 miles offshore, fished for a whole day, and back the next day on the tanks. Would love to try her on some 5-6 foot swells, heard this hull cuts through it like butter. But for a FREE boat, what the hell.
