'93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

[69rrvert]

I guess I will introduce myself first. My name is Steven and I live in Angleton, Texas (35 miles south of Houston). I have been married to my beautiful bride for 18 years now and have been blessed with two wonderful (most of the time) kids (8 and 11) and I enjoy the great outdoors (fishing, hunting, shooting, geocahing) and spending time with my family. Now that everyone knows all about me, this is what I am starting. I just purchased this '93 Sea Ray 200-BR on 4/30/2010. It is a great looking boat from the outside, just do not look over the edge to the inside. The interior is pretty much trashed. The floor and stringers are rotten and the seats are a thing of the past. It is pretty much a shell with the controls and engine. My first objective was to try and get the motor running but I hit the brick wall right out of the gate. I was told that it was started about 3 months ago. I put a battery in it to try and start it, but nothing. The motor was very tight. I looked down the carb and the intake has a lot of rust in it (water). Not good. I poured a bottle of Marvel's Mystery Oil down the carb and let it set overnight in hopes of getting it lossened up. The engine finally turned over but only in small amounts. Things loosened up and it spins pretty good now. I gave it a shot of starting fluid and it did try to start. I pulled the carb to rebuild it and that is where I found the first brick wall. It was totally corroded and pitted from water sitting in it. I was definatly not started three months ago. Maybe three years ago. I let the carb soak in parts cleaner and the cleaner would not touch the corrosion. I figured what the heck I can't hurt the carb any more than it already is, so I tossed in the sand blasting cabinet and went to work. It cleaned up good but the damage from the pitting was already done. Clicked on E-bay and I have another carb coming (I hope). I guess I will get started tomorrow on removing all of the wood and surveying the damage. It may be next year, but I hope to have in the water (on top) some day. I just finished Jay's (friscoboater) thread and will be refering to it alot. I'm hoping that it will fit in my garage on those dollies without me having to move the Road Runner to my parents house since it's getting nice outside and time to drive the bird. That's it for now and I hope the rest of my post are not this long. Please be patient with me because I will probably have a gazillion questions. Here are some pics. Thanks, Steven

 

[69rrvert]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

Ok' I know what you are thinking. That's not a bad looking boat. Well, here are the interior pics. Please someone, tell me it will make waves again some day. Thanks, Steven

 

[MTribe08]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

Ahh... its not that bad No really, I don't think its going to be as bad as you think.

My boat and your boat are VERY similar in the setup. I have a 95 21' Monterey that I just did a restore similar to what you are getting into. Jay(FriscoBoater)has an awesome thread, with a ton of great info that you have found already. Might want to run through my thread as well, since the layouts of our boats are really similar. Might find a few things to take from it as well. The link to my thread is at the bottom of this post.

Once you get all that old wood ripped out and the hull cleaned up, in will go back together in no time with the help around here.

Good luck

 

[ezmobee]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

Nice looking boat. Definitely worth the effort to fix up. My only concern so far is you throwing money at what may be a bad motor. But I guess you gotta do what you gotta do to see if it will run. I hope the drive is good. Neglected I/O's $care the crap out me.

 

[69rrvert]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

My only concern so far is you throwing money at what may be a bad motor. But I guess you gotta do what you gotta do to see if it will run.

Here are some pics of the carb. It's pretty much toast. The person I bought the "Sea Hag" from is a co-worker. I do know that he was using the boat up until about 1.5 years ago. He decided to rip out the interior and this is how far he was able to get. I worked last night so it may be slow going today on the floor demolition. I plan on pulling the engine regardless if it runs or not and freshen it up. I can do that myself except for any machine work it may need. I just recently got rid of a 383 stroker motor that I had waiting to assemble but never had anything to put it in. Wish I could have seen what was coming down the pipe. I guess I will go outside and get started. Ill take pics of the progress. It's going to be bruital out there in the sun. Thanks, Steven

Before the blaster:

After the blaster but the damage is already done:

 

[69rrvert]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

Ok, now I am procrastinating. Here are some pics of a recent family outing. I just finished putting a new floor in my fishing boat about 3 weeks ago and the kids have been driving me crazy yo take them fishing. The boat was only dry docked for about 3 years but it is back in service getting slimed. The first pics are my daughter Lauren with her 30" redfish. The other is our son Landon with his 21" redfish. After he caught, we pulled the poles up and blew up the tube for a little splash in the water. Thanks, Steven

Lauren's 30" Redfish. She was scared to touch so Landon helped her out:

Landon's 21" Redfish. He don't mind the slime:

Getting ready to burn up the San Bernard River:

 

[system-f]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

Please someone, tell me it will make waves again some day. Thanks, Steven

If you stick with it then it will make waves. My restore is still on going (interior) and I am using the boat every weekend.

 

[69rrvert]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

Well, the front seats and boxes are out of the boat. I had to use a hand saw to cut most of the foam out of the seats but it went pretty smooth. I used a jigsaw to rough cut everything out and then switched to my new toy, the Dremel Multi Max. Has anyone else used the Dremel to cut a close line in their boat. It really does a good job at making very smooth cuts in tight, hard to get in areas. I purchased it from Lowes for $99.00. I also purhased two different blades as well. The MM450 (half circle blade) and the MM440 (narrow straight blade). The MM450 does ok on wood but has a hard time with the fiberglass. The straight blade MM440, gets down to business. After the teeth are wore down and it is smooth, it still cuts. If your looking for something to cut in tights areas, I have to give a thumbs-up for the Dremel Multi Max. Here are a few pics of what I started with this morning and also a video of the Multi Max getting down to business. I still have a little bit more of the front box to remove but the sun has just about done me in. I think I will drag it down to the fire station and work indoors next time. Thanks, Steven

Dremel Multi Max video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We_cYtpiYHc

What I cut out this morning:

 

[Philip_G]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

that's a great boat and well worth the time it'll take to fix up, have fun with it!

 

[69rrvert]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

Ahh... its not that bad No really, I don't think its going to be as bad as you think.

My boat and your boat are VERY similar in the setup. I have a 95 21' Monterey that I just did a restore similar to what you are getting into. Jay(FriscoBoater)has an awesome thread, with a ton of great info that you have found already. Might want to run through my thread as well, since the layouts of our boats are really similar. Might find a few things to take from it as well. The link to my thread is at the bottom of this post.

Once you get all that old wood ripped out and the hull cleaned up, in will go back together in no time with the help around here.

Good luck

Thanks for the information. I'll definatly bookmark these threads and refer to them on numerous occasions I'm sure. Thanks, Steven

Note to self:

Wear pants and long sleaves when cutting fiberglass with power tools. This will help avoid the itching that comes afterwards.

 

[tdrudd87]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

Even better are tyvek painters suits. If you search around they are less than $10 at some parts houses. The glass cant get thru them, and then get thrown away, not washed with your clothes!

Man you make me miss TX! My grandpa had a place on Matagorda bay a few years ago, and before that we would fish galveston a few times a year in my dad's cc. Great memories!

Terry

 

[69rrvert]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

Man you make me miss TX! My grandpa had a place on Matagorda bay a few years ago, and before that we would fish galveston a few times a year in my dad's cc. Great memories! Terry

I am about 30 minutes from East Matagorda (Sargeant, Texas) I used to flounder there alot years ago. Now I pretty much do my floundering around San Luis Pass or Christmas Bay. Thanks, Steven

 

[clockwatcher]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

Steven,

+1 on the tool. I bought a Rockwell sonicrafter. It's basically the same thing, a copy of the Fien. Works like a champ. I ordered a bunch of blades, but liked the straight and half-round blades the best. I ripped through 1/8" roving like a hot knife through butter right up against the hull surface cutting out my stringers. It cut out a lot of extra grinding and kicked up far less dust than my grinder and sawzall. It helped to let the blade cool down between long cuts.

Fish on.

 

[69rrvert]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

that's a great boat and well worth the time it'll take to fix up, have fun with it!

Thanks for the motivation. Hopefully I can stay with it and get it back in the water. Thanks, Steven

 

[lrcustom]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

Hey nice Sea Ray. Looks like one I was after from Lake Jackson. I have an 87 Sea Ray very much like yours and just up the street in Bryan/College Station. Welcome to iboats. This place will give you every thing you will need to know about what you need to know.
I have been away awhile from my project do to a back problem but I am now back to the project only lost a month of time. Your bow is just like mine. there were many issues with rebuilding. Mainly getting the consoles back into the correct position for the walk thru window. I see from your pics that the port side is sagging a lot. you will need to support both to each other and not from the floor as you will be removing that. Just passing on some wisdom from my mistake. I actually had to build a temp platform to reset these. it was double work. If you are removing the cap the issue will not be as difficult just clamp a 2x4 to both and lift it off. I am rebuilding with out removing the cap. Time, money and being alone will be the reason.
I really love the Sea Rays and have for many years. and this is my first one. Yours has really nice lines, curved windshield, and integral swim platform. Nice!. I hope to do some upgrades as I rebuild and the bow now roughed in has a larger forward platform for fishing. Since we are rebuilding makes sence to do what we need and I need fishing. By the way nice looking reds. I fish with my son in Port Arransas mostly specs in the fall. the rest of the year Lake Livingston for Stripes.
Any way nice Texas boat and I will be watching your progress and maybe get some ideas from you.

LR Custom

 

[69rrvert]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

Well, I bought a Craftsman 3" circular saw in hopes of making quick work around the perimeter of the floor, but mother nature had different plans. She decided to water the grass for me today and I welcome it. I am working days this weekend so maybe the grass will get lucky and get a nice soaking rain all weekend. On another note, it looks like I may have a deal on a 350 short block working. Supposedly it is a standard bore roller block that needs to be bored .030" over to clean up. He already has a new set of .030" pistons for it that need to be pressed on the rods. I'll have to wait and see if the engine pans out. Hopefully it will and I will be able to retire the 305. Thanks, Steven

This is the saw that I bought:
http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_12602_00910872000P

 

[lrcustom]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

Steven,
Go very carefully at the floor where the hull and floor meet. The hull is very close. I was going to get my decks out tonight also but the rain and then it rained. Hope tomorrow is better. I was planning on cutting with my circular about an inch inward from the joint with the depth at 1/2". hoping then to only have to fight just a 1" strip to seperate from the hull. I have been using an ocolating tool from Harbor Freight that has been very good at the tight work. Let us know if the 3" tool you got works good.

LR Custom

 

[69rrvert]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

I've been using the Dremel Multi Max oscillating saw for close, hard to get to areas. I am hoping that this small 3" saw will let me get a good easy cut about a 1/4" deep or so around the perimeter of the floor. that should be deep enough to get past the fiberglass and then I will use the Multi Max for a little more precision cutting. I am working this weekend, so it may be Monday before I get to try it out, then its back to nights on Tuesday. Have a good weekend everyone and thanks for the information. Thanks, Steven

 

[69rrvert]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

The new/used E-bay quadrajet arrived yesterday via USPS. It looked to be in pretty good shape when I pulled it apart this morning and installed the new rebuild kit. When I get home from work tonight, I will install it and see if the ole Sea Hag will wake up from her long sleep. If she don't, then I will just continue on with the plan and pull the engine to give access to the floor. I'll worry about waking her up later down the road when I start putting it back together. Thanks, Steven

 

[fat fanny]

Re: '93 Sea Ray 200-BR rebuild (stringers/floor/engine)

Vert like your rig similar to my 96 175 five series. Hey theres a great episode of muscle car on spike where rick rebult a quad and gives all the in's and outs of them you can access the episode on thier web site.