After over a year of dry dock (my garage), this 1977 Century Arabian finally gets wet!
Thanks to my friend Seagrunt for the help along the way. Also thanks to the forum community - I've asked a few questions myself but I really spent hours and hours trolling these boards for some wisdom. I still learned the hard way a few times.
Special thanks to Charlie, my 3 (and now 4) year old that was out there with me every week - usually until his bed time. He is the only 3 year old I know tha can use a drill (without a bit - wink wink) and a multimeter (checks continuity for me). I never knew a kid that liked to work like Charlie does.
I bought it out of Indiana in 2008 and I knew I had some work to do. With 300 hours on the merc 260 (HP, that is - its a chevy 350 underneath), I thought - how bad can it be? I brought it to Charleston SC and the more I dug into the floor, the more wet foam and rotton wood I found. You know how projects go - once you get started, you can't do it half way because, what's the point? Man, I wish I had more "before" pics.
From the Hull up. I took it down to the stringers (which looked good under the glass) and built a new floor, glassed and foamed. The rot went all the way up to the captain seats. Also, I jacked up the motor, removed the rusty motor mounts and the rotton wood under them. I replaced the skids under the motor mounts by building fiberglass shells and then filling with Seacast (yucky stuff but very strong).
Seating. I liked the old front seats except the headrests had to go. I sent the seats to be recovered. Then I built the back bench seat and pushed it back about 8 inches for more room (my apologies to the purists - I did not always stick with the original). Then the kitty cat deck was built a bit smaller. Bench and deck sent to upholsterers.
Paint. It had been painted before (rough) so I sanded it down down down to the gelcoat. I primed it twice, wet sanding between. Then Interlux Brightsides roll and tip and roll and tip and roll and tip. Finsh turned out nice once I learned to time the operation and stay ahead of the tacky surface.
Chrome and stainless. All removed and polished / cleaned, including ss rubrail and windshield.
Wood. I built new foredeck, back bench, side steps, floor hold covers, dash, glovebox and some other wood accents out of Ipe wood. Very nice alternative to teak. Keep it oiled and it stays beautiful (wear respirator when working with Ipe - the dust is a bad irritant).
Windshield. I shortened up the side windows so I was not so surrounded by so much glass. Now I can put my arm on the gunnel as I drive.
I've replaced the stern drive impeller and I am glad I did - several of the blades looked pretty bad. After I did, the engine temp dropped 25 degrees. I re-aligned the motor (needed to because I replaced the motor mounts).
I turned the key a month or so ago and I had a short somewhere - dang. I found that the oil pressure gauge was shorted through (how does that happen?) and then...still no start. Then I traced it down to the neutral safety switch in the remote throttle shifter. Then, it started great after a ear being dead.
We took it out two weekends ago for some very short and easy runs up Hobcaw creek. So far so good. The Blue Angles were in town last weekend and we opened it up on the Charleston Harbor and it does great!
Again - thanks to everyone that gave me a lot of help - whether you are aware you did or not! Thanks.
Thanks to my friend Seagrunt for the help along the way. Also thanks to the forum community - I've asked a few questions myself but I really spent hours and hours trolling these boards for some wisdom. I still learned the hard way a few times.
Special thanks to Charlie, my 3 (and now 4) year old that was out there with me every week - usually until his bed time. He is the only 3 year old I know tha can use a drill (without a bit - wink wink) and a multimeter (checks continuity for me). I never knew a kid that liked to work like Charlie does.
I bought it out of Indiana in 2008 and I knew I had some work to do. With 300 hours on the merc 260 (HP, that is - its a chevy 350 underneath), I thought - how bad can it be? I brought it to Charleston SC and the more I dug into the floor, the more wet foam and rotton wood I found. You know how projects go - once you get started, you can't do it half way because, what's the point? Man, I wish I had more "before" pics.
From the Hull up. I took it down to the stringers (which looked good under the glass) and built a new floor, glassed and foamed. The rot went all the way up to the captain seats. Also, I jacked up the motor, removed the rusty motor mounts and the rotton wood under them. I replaced the skids under the motor mounts by building fiberglass shells and then filling with Seacast (yucky stuff but very strong).
Seating. I liked the old front seats except the headrests had to go. I sent the seats to be recovered. Then I built the back bench seat and pushed it back about 8 inches for more room (my apologies to the purists - I did not always stick with the original). Then the kitty cat deck was built a bit smaller. Bench and deck sent to upholsterers.
Paint. It had been painted before (rough) so I sanded it down down down to the gelcoat. I primed it twice, wet sanding between. Then Interlux Brightsides roll and tip and roll and tip and roll and tip. Finsh turned out nice once I learned to time the operation and stay ahead of the tacky surface.
Chrome and stainless. All removed and polished / cleaned, including ss rubrail and windshield.
Wood. I built new foredeck, back bench, side steps, floor hold covers, dash, glovebox and some other wood accents out of Ipe wood. Very nice alternative to teak. Keep it oiled and it stays beautiful (wear respirator when working with Ipe - the dust is a bad irritant).
Windshield. I shortened up the side windows so I was not so surrounded by so much glass. Now I can put my arm on the gunnel as I drive.
I've replaced the stern drive impeller and I am glad I did - several of the blades looked pretty bad. After I did, the engine temp dropped 25 degrees. I re-aligned the motor (needed to because I replaced the motor mounts).
I turned the key a month or so ago and I had a short somewhere - dang. I found that the oil pressure gauge was shorted through (how does that happen?) and then...still no start. Then I traced it down to the neutral safety switch in the remote throttle shifter. Then, it started great after a ear being dead.
We took it out two weekends ago for some very short and easy runs up Hobcaw creek. So far so good. The Blue Angles were in town last weekend and we opened it up on the Charleston Harbor and it does great!
Again - thanks to everyone that gave me a lot of help - whether you are aware you did or not! Thanks.
