1960 14' Seaking

[thefairlaneman]

Re: 1960 14' Seaking

Here is a picture of the floor I made. The wooden slats a strudy and alow water to drain past them. Cheap to make using treated wood that is stained and then sealed with varnish.

 

[Free Bird]

Re: 1960 14' Seaking

Great job. Just found this thread. When you were asking about using a motorcycle battery to power the lights, won't you need a battery designed to discharge/recharge - a deep cycle battery? Maybe you can use a power wheel chair battery?

 

[mdgpl]

Re: 1960 14' Seaking

After doing some research, I found that the boat came new with two "flashlight" cases for batteries. Behind the dash, there are two clips that hold the battery case for the bow light, and on the transome, the odd clip I saw was 1/2 a bracket for the running/anchor light.

Then, when taking off the "jewelry" on the bow for prepping to paint, I found one of the flashlight cases wedged into the foam in the bow.

Does anyone have one of these old battery cases they want to part with? I have one that I plan to clean up and wire for the bow, but I need one for the transom holder.

 

[mdgpl]

Re: 1960 14' Seaking

The week has been a nighmare for painting. I'm not sure what changed, but I could not lay down a top coat of paint on anything!

Look at this... After the paint sits for 10-15 minutes, it wrinkles up
On this motor cover, it was particularly bad. I sanded it all off and started over, wrinkled. Sanded and tried again with a new can of primer followed by a new can of top coat and eveything was fine. Same thin happened on the bow. I've stripped it down 3 times this week, and painted 4. the last coat I put on tonight went down nice...

I have no idea what it is. Looked like solvent or paint stripper had been applied but none have been used. I can't figure out what caused it, or why it stopped happening. I've used the same process I used on the entire project; Scape, Sand, wipe down with dry cotton cloth, 2 prime coats, 3 top coats, each about 2 hrs apart. The only think I can think of is that I got some old or bad paint. Hopefully when I look at in the AM its all the paint is still laying flat. I've got about 2x more time in painting the bow as I do the entire hull.

So, here is my list of tasks to complete this project:

1. One more top coat of paint on the bow
2. Wire up and re-install bow light
3. Re-install bow cleat
4. Paint and re-install anchor rope brackets / line and pulley on bow
5. Clean and re-install windsheild
6. Find rear battery holder and wire to running/achor light
7. 2-3 top coats of varnish on plank seats
8. Decide if I'm going to recover and re-install swivel seats.
9. Strip and paint trailer rims
10. Final cleanup and store.

I'm really trying to wrap it up this weekend as its taking up a car space in the garage, and I keep the other care out when painting. Its snowing 6-8" here in MN tonight and its getting old to scrape windows every morning before work.

 

[mdgpl]

Re: 1960 14' Seaking

I finally got the bow down without the paint "crinkling up"
I still don't know what I did different, but "3rd time's a charm" as they say
Here's a shot of the bow with all her jewelry back on.

And a shot of the seats after the 3rd coat of UV varnish. The dash turned out good as well.

 

[mdgpl]

Re: 1960 14' Seaking Completed

Re: 1960 14' Seaking Completed

Thanks to all for your input along the way, on this thread and on the engine thread. Its been a fun project. Too bad that the lake is frozen solid and I won't be able to take her out for a spin for at least 4 to 5 months.

Thinks I learned / tips to pass along:
1) Save yourself a lot of time when tuning up an old engine. Just go buy new points, coils, plugs, and wires. Even if they look good, you'll save your self a ton of time in the long run.
2) Keep the garage above 70, and set the paint (if you rattle can) on a heat register in the house. The warmer paint goes on very smooth / at least as smooth as you are going to get a rattle can paint job. If I had to do it over, I would go buy a paint gun and HF vs the rattle cans.
3) Knee pads. I'm older and wish I could find the good set of jelly pads... time to clearn the garage.

Anyway, here's a before and after shot:
Before:

After:

Things to do before spring
1) find a 2nd 3gal gas can. That way you know to head back after 1/2 the gas is gone.
2) I might recover the clamp on swivel seats in red or white. They are a little small, but they have charcter.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1960 14' Seaking Completed

Re: 1960 14' Seaking Completed

Boat looks awesome! Nice work.

 

[tgp***]

Re: 1960 14' Seaking

Nicely done. Cool boat. We like lots of pictures.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1960 14' Seaking

That's it!!! You're officially kicked out of the Ugly Boat Club! You will have to hang out with those OTHER guys now!!!

Nice Job!!!!

I'm just sayin...

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1960 14' Seaking

Very nice work on the Sea King. Looks like a brand-new boat and your style looks vintage even though it is custom.

Did you use a kerosene heater in the garage? I've been told that what you experienced could be from kerosene residue getting on the painting surface.

Do you have some more photos of the seats?

Looking forward to a splash video in 4-5 months

 

[mdgpl]

Re: 1960 14' Seaking

Here is a pic of the seats that came in the boat.
I'm not sure if they were new with the boat. They remind me of "stadium seats".

The garage has a natural gas forced air furnace. The only thin I can think of is that some of the shop rags I have got contanimated.

Thanks to all for the complements.

Mitch

 

[mdgpl]

Re: 1960 14' Seaking

Finally back at the boat project. Been working a lot and no garage time. Anyway, I took the seats apart and recovered them in red vinyl. Sanded down the steel frames, primed and top coated coated. I will get them back together in the AM since their no work on 12/24! I'll post pictures when they are installed.

 

[mdgpl]

Re: 1960 14' Seaking

That was a quick. The seat frames were dry this AM. I got the new vinyl sewed and attached to the boards before going to bed last night. I got some new hardware this am to attach with, stainless vs the old std steal rusty stuff.
Here's a picture of the seats mounted in the boat.

Well, thats' about it till spring for this project when we can splash her in. Thanks to all for the comments along the way.

 

[mdgpl]

Re: 1960 14' Seaking

OK, so here's the rest of the story.

Been married to my bride for 30 years in just a couple of months. While she is my best friend, next in line is by brother-in-law Jeff. We both have cruiser type boats we keep on the Mississippi just south of Minneapolis (where unfortuneately the water is frozen solid 7 months of the year).

Anyway, we live on the boats in ths summer. Everyone seems to have a small boat to just zip around in the back channels with on Sat and Sun am or to run to the local watering hole for jerk chicken on Sat night. Jeff has been looking for a boat just like this for 5+ years. We've looked at lots of them, but they are all trashed. At times, he has the spare change scratched together to get one, but the cost and time to restore one has never been an option.

So, when I saw this boat earlier this summer, I figured I'd just pick it up, hide it from him, and when I could work on it. He only lives a mile a way, so at times, there was some pretty quick movement in the driveway, shutting down doors, etc. I even papered the windows in the garage so when we walked by, he couldn't see in. I've locked the doors, and even turned the handle around in our mud room that heads out the garage and locked it too! There has been more than a few times where he as given me crap about home maintennace because the gararge door is broken, or my car is sitting out in the snow and I tell him the kids have the garaged messed up.

Anyway, Jeff, if you reading this, there is a new toy for you in my garage. Merry Christmas. Looking for foward to a ride some Sat AM on the river.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1960 14' Seaking

Looking forward to hearing his reaction!

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1960 14' Seaking

How cool is that!!! Awesome!

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1960 14' Seaking

Very nice of you to hook up Jeff with a restored Starcraft

He will love the rig I'm sure, and she looks ready to hit the water

Love the creativity with changing the locks and covering the windows.