25' Aerotek Center Console/ Cuddy Refit

[Islandbrah]

Ok, here goes nothing. I purchased an Areotek Powerboats Inc 25' Center console with a cuddy. Similar setup to a Scarab Sport or Donzi. I got the hull 6 months ago and fished and dove it for the summer and fall. Since the temps have dropped to below 70 ( I live in SWFL and don't "have" to fish in the cold) I decided to re deck and reconfigure the layout to make it more useful for my purposes. I got the hull in Naples for cheap and had a windshield made here locally. The center console will be extended upwards so I can put a porta pottie inside for my daughter. A Taco Neptune t-top is going on her. I have decided to rip out the floor because the previous idiots ( no one said you had to be smart to own a boat) drilled holes in the balsa cored floor and didn't seal anything properly. I have assorted pics I will post and keep up with my progress. Last week I removed the 2001 Yamaha 250 from the non flotation steel outboard bracket and purchased a flotation style single mount for 400 bux, that prompted the refit. I will be adding in floor fish holds and 2 SCUBA tank storage holds. The transom bench will be removed and a pass thru will be cut to ease the diving operations as well as a live well installed. Alot of glass and ingenuity will be required to complete. I am shooting for A $1500 budget. Naysayers can just mosey along as not to leave urine in my Corn Flakes. I have seen many boat projects on this forum that I wouldn't begin because the hulls are worthless old terds to begin with but you know this one is my turd and I like the way it smells. I applaud any one who tries with what they have and know money stops alot of dreams. This should be a fairly easy project to complete after my leg heals from breaking it the day after I removed the bracket and motor. DAMN YOU MU
RPHY! Guess I better rally all the freeloading fishin friends I have. The boat is named the Silver Hornet (after Cleseau's pimp mobile in the Pink Panther) but my pals can just call her Sweat Equity. So here we go. I do need to know how to add my images directly inline with my font I don't want to "attach" them like little thumbnails at the end of each post so that's my first question I guess.

 

[drewpster]

Re: 25' Aerotek Center Console/ Cuddy Refit

I am axious to see this one. Especally the transom pass through part of the refit. There should be some challenges there. I would love to do the same thing to my little cruiser. But I bet I would have to redesgn the whole aft portion of the boat to make it work.

The easiest way I have found to add pics here is to use Photobucket as a picture diary of both of my boats progress. Then it is a simple process of linking the pictures directly here.

As I stated before I really look forward to seeing this one get done.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 25' Aerotek Center Console/ Cuddy Refit

I'm with drewpster on this one, can't wait to see some photos. Sounds like you've got a great attitude and a solid plan.

I agree to use photobucket and then paste the image code into iboats text box directly, just make sure to resize in case the photos are too big.

Sorry to hear that murphy showed his ugly head, I'm concerned about taking my outboard off for the same reason and my free-loading fishing buddies are hard to track down this time of year, a few beers usually gets their attention though.

Good luck with the project

 

[jspano]

Re: 25' Aerotek Center Console/ Cuddy Refit

Yo - Brah

good luck with the bad wheel!
yes definitly need pics.
this place is alot like some mags. we read the articles but love the pictures.

good luck​

 

[Islandbrah]

Re: 25' Aerotek Center Console/ Cuddy Refit

Oops, technical difficulty.....
http://s1017.photobucket.com/albums/af297/daislandbrah/Aerotek Refit/
Try that.

 

[boatflipper]

Re: 25' Aerotek Center Console/ Cuddy Refit

Your pics did not come through
Make sure you are using the forum-formatted url.

 

[boatflipper]

Re: 25' Aerotek Center Console/ Cuddy Refit

I think we were typin at the same time
Boat looks great! Can't wait to see your plans in action!
Good luck!

 

[Islandbrah]

Re: 25' Aerotek Center Console/ Cuddy Refit

Just got back from the VA and teh doc said both leg bones are broken no weight for 8-12 weeks, but what do they know. I am going to devise a way to get hoppin on this boat. We'll see. Thanks for the encouragement guys. It'll definitely happen,

 

[sprintst]

Re: 25' Aerotek Center Console/ Cuddy Refit

That's toughing it out alright.

Make sure you take time to heal or you'll end up with bent legs like a those little people

PS. No offense to any little people out there as the reference was for illustration purposes only.

 

[Islandbrah]

Re: 25' Aerotek Center Console/ Cuddy Refit

HAHA Yes Little ones no offense please he was merely visualizing for us all. So I built wheelchair ramps with a buddy so I can make it into the garage. The console looks like the only thing I will be able to work on for the time being so when the temp goes back above 65 I will go outside. The plan is to extend the console upward, cut the windshield down the same amount, and make it porta pottie friendly.

 

[jspano]

Re: 25' Aerotek Center Console/ Cuddy Refit

[/IMG]


have you figured out the photos yet

 

[Islandbrah]

Re: 25' Aerotek Center Console/ Cuddy Refit

Before extending the console we cut the top off so I could reuse the cap for the windshield.

Used 5/8 ply because it is going to be covered in fiberglass.

After roughing in the 15" extension. Gotta fix some of my buddy's cut/ Want it done right must do it myself.

 

[Islandbrah]

Re: 25' Aerotek Center Console/ Cuddy Refit

Since I figured out how to do the photo thing I am going to fill up the page Here are some before pics and the first of the demo.

In the Keys diving one last time

Exterior finished the first time minus the fiberglass pulpit.

The front seating area

From my roof looking into the cockpit

The electronics box that will be converted into a livewell liner

 

[Islandbrah]

Re: 25' Aerotek Center Console/ Cuddy Refit

Here are 6 more...lol. picture limits..bah who needs em

Removing the floor. might as well redo the whole thing rather than 1/2 *** it

No that's not last nights spaghetti its the old wiring.

New platform and engine bracket. Bracket is a 10 deg pitch and transom is 15, gotta make a spacer out of glass layered in a wedge to push out bottom to make platform correct.....unless there is a better way out there....

I will try to do more work but until I get my hard cast I won't be messing with too heavy of things in case i drop it on my leg. Right now I am planning for floor materials and contemplating reworking the t-top to integrate into my new console as that is how the new fancy boats are.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 25' Aerotek Center Console/ Cuddy Refit

Looks great! Would you mind resizing your pics to 640x480? You can do it right on photobucket with a single click.

 

[Islandbrah]

Re: 25' Aerotek Center Console/ Cuddy Refit

Sure. I just figured out how to stick em up here.

 

[Islandbrah]

Re: 25' Aerotek Center Console/ Cuddy Refit

So yesterday a friend and I made a mold out of old formica counter top. I figured my transom angle and the bracket angle...off by 5. to create a 5 deg wedge out of layered glass I had to determine the length of the triangle sides with only 1 known side length (19.25) and the deg difference (5 deg). Thank goodness for that masters degree...lol. Shim sides are 19.25x1.63x19.3. Created the glass dam by layering mat and roving. Waited for it to kick. Boy it got hot. I wasn't patient with this step. To properly layer glass this thick I should have laid 3 layers waited for it to kick up and layer more, repeat. Since this piece is only acting like a huge angled washer I didn't really care. It is going to be feathered in on the transom hopefully this weekend. Once the bracket and outboard are re attached to the boat I will be able to move faster on the refit especially with this broken leg.

note one side is extremely smooth. This face is going against the bracket and the rougher side will get abraded and glassed to the hull. "Custom" fit.