1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

[lil buggy]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

did you check out your bellows? i bet one of them is a little brittle, and it was cold which didn't help any.
too bad about the video, plenty of time to redeem yourself there. looking forward to it for sure

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Congratulations CC!! Mission accomplished! Boat looks great. I haven't made Thunder in a few years, but that was probably the single best fireworks show I've ever seen. Even beats the tar outta' Disney!

Thanks man, appreciate it.
The mission is accomplished but the war is not over. I will get this boat complete maybe,lol

Thunder has gotten better and better every year for the last few years. From six mile down is a no wake zone even after the fireworks are over. The LE has alot of boats out there now along with lots of coast gaurd and wildlife management etc. They have been doing a great job of controlling boat traffic. Its truly been a pleasure to go down the last few years. When the weather is nice, more crowded, but still a great time. you should try it one more time.

I stayed at the back of the pack this year and was ahead of the pack when I left. The last time I went which was two years ago, the weather was perfect, the crown was thicker, I was right under the bridge, Waited 20 minutes after fireworks were over and everyone was in front of me going up river, easy as pie.

Happy to report that I survived more then a handful of stupid...... Did I mention I've stood on the edge of the down river side of Wolf Creek Dam? So yeah, survived plenty of stoopiid! But the 1 time on the Ohio for Thunder was enough...

Lashed a few canoes together but only on a lake. The camp was the only users on a small impoundment.

Glad everybody had a good weekend! Esp those fortunate enough to SPLASH!

Have a great week.

You have a great week also. Same as above, you should give thunder another chance . the fireworks are one of a kind and worth the trip.

After all of the horror stories about thunder idiots I had all but decided not to go before finding out I would be out of town that weekend anyhow.... now seeing and hearing from friends who were out there, what a non issue the traffic was I am quite sick over not being there.... oh well, maybe next year,.... I'm happy for you tho Budd. Really glad to hear of your successful trip.

Yeah, would have been perfect in your big cruiser. Good to here from you smoke. Next year we will raft up!

did you check out your bellows? i bet one of them is a little brittle, and it was cold which didn't help any.
too bad about the video, plenty of time to redeem yourself there. looking forward to it for sure

i thought the bellows looked fine and have no idea where the water is coming from, but I know my boat and the bilge ran more than uaual. I will put her in this week and check for leaks. I didn't concern myself to much with it since when I opened up the bilge I couldn't see any running in water. Will take a closer look and I also didn't torque the bolts down on the driveshaft to specs. so......... I will do that before dropping it again.

Videos a coming.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Yeah, would have been perfect in your big cruiser. Good to here from you smoke. Next year we will raft up!

It's a DATE!

lol

mebbe we can get lotsogals along for the ride too

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

It's a DATE!

lol

mebbe we can get lotsogals along for the ride too

Lol, sounds like a plan man! Maybe if its nasty and cold we will just hang on your boat and make mine one big beer cooler. Just fill her up with ice and turn on the leds!

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Hey guys, if you haven't seen it already. here is a link on the led lights I started. just wanted to put all the info in one place. I will continue to update here though on upgrades to the lighting.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=544182

Been doing some small projects on the boat, just buttoning things up really. Got another couple coat of varnish on the cabin entry trim today. also 1 hour caulked the bow pulpit to the fiberglass surround it sits in. Nice and clean look and now completely water proof. No water should be able to get on any part but the surface now.

Also started the waxing process below the rubrail today. I am going over the hull with some woody's wax restore compound first. It is just a smooting compound, nothing agressive. then hitting it with the Woody's Tripple XXX Wax. The tripple XXX goes on easy and then you have to wipe it off before it dries. says its good for six months, not that my boat will go that long without rewaxing, but last year I found this stuff was great at the waterline to keep scum off the sides.

Just starting but here are some pics. I will be doing everything below the rub rail first. I can do some of the top stuff while on the water.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Heres some progress shots of the river deck/dock project. Drove 8 posts down into the mud the other day 7 feet!

 

[lil buggy]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

looking good,
i bet it's more relaxing workin on her now that you got one under your belt. all the small things can take up a ton of time, but certainly enjoyable. your hull is looking great man, if i didn't see it with my own eyes i would never guess all that bottom paint was caked on there.

as far as the deck goes, did you get it dredged out yet? i guess i'm just worried that if they go down 5 ft that you'll only have a 2 ft bite,,,
ohh nevermind i think i figured out the ones you sunk,,lol. coming along nicely there

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

looking good,
i bet it's more relaxing workin on her now that you got one under your belt. all the small things can take up a ton of time, but certainly enjoyable. your hull is looking great man, if i didn't see it with my own eyes i would never guess all that bottom paint was caked on there.

as far as the deck goes, did you get it dredged out yet? i guess i'm just worried that if they go down 5 ft that you'll only have a 2 ft bite,,,
ohh nevermind i think i figured out the ones you sunk,,lol. coming along nicely there

Thought I would relax a little after thunder, but I'm addicted to making my boat better!! ADDICTED I SAY!!! :facepalm:Just can't help myself. Its really something to see the vision all starting to come together.

The bottom paint was a mile stone, but now I want the whole boat to shine like never before. She looked so good the other night when pulling her out all lit up. But she still isn't detailed and I have a interior to do also.

The docks did get dredged, they have to come back and do a little more,but it should be good to go by derby.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Finished the starboard side today. has come a long way from having scratches and bottom paint on her. Can't wait to get the rest of the boat shined upp like this in and out.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Also hit the teak again around the bow and the cabin entry trim. Lost count on how many coats I am up to at this point, will just keep coating until it looks like glass. the starboard side bow trim is very close. Didn't get any day pics but you may be able to tell in a couple of these.

You can see in this pic, the interior is next!

Got some pretty cool pics with the camera on a different setting tonite. Can't wait for all these areas to be waxed up also.

Here is the seafoam green I was talking about. Very cool color next to the teak.

Lava,lol

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Got some pretty cool pics with the camera on a different setting tonite. Lava, lol

Carp, you should digitally offer this as a boat or CC nut 11 X 17 OR bigger print for sale....

If I had a CC man cave thing going on, this would be on the wall!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Looks great. That faded vinyl makes me stabby.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

This 1 may even be better in looking back:facepalm:

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Here is a couple more I liked.

I'm a huge fan of this orange color as well.

And I am stoked that I decided to go all the way to the front with the trim/lights. Cool how it shines down up there.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Carp, you should digitally offer this as a boat or CC nut 11 X 17 OR bigger print for sale....

If I had a CC man cave thing going on, this would be on the wall!

Thanks JB, I think my camera is going to explode,lol I finally found a setting that does well on my camera. There are so many cool pics. Can't wait to get overhead shots on the water like in my sg.

Looks great. That faded vinyl makes me stabby.

Thanks EZ, Yeah, I'm torqued about it. I use the best protectant and the rest of the vinyl is fine on the bolster pads. The gray color literally looks like the sun has burnt it up to the point that it is crusty. have no idea what to do other than change color there, but we will see what my vinyl guy has to say when I take him the boat and ask him what is the one thing on the boat that looks like shizzat! I am torqued! I need to ask our resident vinyl expert here on iboats what they think. I will take closeups tomarrow. I have never seen any vinyle do what this has done and it wasn't cheap.

This 1 may even be better in looking back:facepalm:

Look again,lol

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Nah, it's the 2 I reposted.

It's the total composition, and then add the oddly weird & interesting 'reverb' quality to the reflected light, and the general hue the light imparts to the sides of the hull & cabin walls. The 'reverb' light effect is not unlike a slow shutter-speed photo of cars moving through the shot at night w/ their lights on. Those photos are both very well done. The slightly off kilter angle of the photos & the ethereal quality to the lights reflecting back & forth off both sides of the gangway, go hand in hand to make them outstanding photos worthy of a frame.

Go down to the St James art show this October, you'll see photos of all kinds of 'regular' stuff lit & shot in interesting ways. Several of these lights shots would fit in with many of those. If you like photography at all, google: ghost project one.

No one has to know that you have the camera doing some of the heavy lifting, or that the LED's and boat polishing you've been doing are the real point of the show.

Art, it happens.....

Shoot Andgott a few of those pix in a PM, he maybe the resident artist, others too, and I'd be surprised if he doesn't have similar comments. Having some work down on the river would also afford some great opportunities to take some amazing photos of the most regular & mundane things that either float by or are piloted up/down the river. The people, the crafts, the carp & floatsam the Ohio is so infamous for......

Well, carp, next thing you know, I'll be trying to talk you into a commercial sewing machine to stitch you're own vinyl. <<-- This happens too around these parts:facepalm:

 

[lil buggy]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

that red is rockin, agreed the color all the way to the front is kick butt. with the added shine she is glowing like never before. that punkin is fire, and i agree w jb lots of those shots would sell quickly at a festival.

above all else, I agree you've jumped a catagory here,
old catagory boatistry

new one floatasm
sweet work Budd

 

[klab010]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

CC...wow you have done some very nice work...but just out of curiosity Man- what do you do for a living, cause between the work on the boat and the posts- it sure seems like a full time job. I am envious!

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Nah, it's the 2 I reposted.

It's the total composition, and then add the oddly weird & interesting 'reverb' quality to the reflected light, and the general hue the light imparts to the sides of the hull & cabin walls. The 'reverb' light effect is not unlike a slow shutter-speed photo of cars moving through the shot at night w/ their lights on. Those photos are both very well done. The slightly off kilter angle of the photos & the ethereal quality to the lights reflecting back & forth off both sides of the gangway, go hand in hand to make them outstanding photos worthy of a frame.

Go down to the St James art show this October, you'll see photos of all kinds of 'regular' stuff lit & shot in interesting ways. Several of these lights shots would fit in with many of those. If you like photography at all, google: ghost project one.

No one has to know that you have the camera doing some of the heavy lifting, or that the LED's and boat polishing you've been doing are the real point of the show.

Art, it happens.....

Shoot Andgott a few of those pix in a PM, he maybe the resident artist, others too, and I'd be surprised if he doesn't have similar comments. Having some work down on the river would also afford some great opportunities to take some amazing photos of the most regular & mundane things that either float by or are piloted up/down the river. The people, the crafts, the carp & floatsam the Ohio is so infamous for......

Well, carp, next thing you know, I'll be trying to talk you into a commercial sewing machine to stitch you're own vinyl. <<-- This happens too around these parts:facepalm:

I like photography when it is automatic,lol No really, I have many shots you would probably like. I get what your saying about the pics, light plays lots of tricks when shot right and at different speeds. I just have a simple digital camera, nothing special.

I will see what the vinyle guy has to say, sewing is not my fortiete. I would rather leave that to someone that will make them right. The vinyl guy did a great job on them, I just think he got some bad vinyl, we'll see. Problem is the guy has split from his parner/wife and has really had a rough go, so I doubt he will be backing up his work.

that red is rockin, agreed the color all the way to the front is kick butt. with the added shine she is glowing like never before. that punkin is fire, and i agree w jb lots of those shots would sell quickly at a festival.

above all else, I agree you've jumped a catagory here,
old catagory boatistry

new one floatasm
sweet work Budd

Thanks man, floatasm,lol

CC...wow you have done some very nice work...but just out of curiosity Man- what do you do for a living, cause between the work on the boat and the posts- it sure seems like a full time job. I am envious!

Thankyou sir, and welcome to the thread. I'm a remodeling contractor by day and boat beautifier by night/weekends/days off. lol It is a full time job, but not for much longer.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Just an update. Got the mud palms for the new anchor, these are just suppose to help stick quiker in soft mud, which is ninty percent of what I deal with around here. Anchor looks better with them installed I think.

Mud palm.

Anchor with mud palms installed. Makes it fit much better also against the pulpit, going to put a rubber strip under the front edge of the pulpit to keep it from shifting any side to side while underway. Should keep it nice and tight.