Thank you, Thank you, Thank youiboats forums kept me going for 3 years working on my boat and today I took it for its first outing in years, and the first ever for me.
a little history:
My neighbor had this boat sort of under a tarp in his driveway for years and never ever took it out. About 3 years ago they bought a 5th wheel trailer and F350 to pull it. One day i notice he's out tinkering on the boat with a friend and they get it running. I wander over and ask what's up and he tells me no room for the 5th wheel and the boat so he is selling the boat. We talk, we agree on a price, come to terms. Couple days later he comes over and tells me he can't sell the boat to me. Had it surveyed and the engine mounts, floor and transom are rotten. needs to be totally redone - the engine mounts had turned to mush and the glass had collapsed.
The boat is a 1969 K&C Thermoglass 17.5 ft bowrider trihull with 120hp GM 4cyl I/O and OMC leg. (I know, I know, I should have run from the OMC)
anyway, we renegotiated and the terms were much more in my favor (financially anyways) and I bought it anyway. Yanked the drive and motor, gutted the inside and over the next 2 years (working off and on) I redid the stringers, transom, engine mounts and floor. new wood and glass all around. Last fall i got the engine back in and the leg back on but it was too late in the season to hook up fuel lines and electrical to put it in the water. Well this year was it. did some final sealing up, hooked up steering, fuel, electric, new impeller in the leg. Had a couple hiccups (carb float sunk and some electrical gremlin in the ignition circuits) but today we put it in the water and went for a spin on the lake. It ran very well, as far as I can tell since I am new to boating.
But thanks to iboats forums I got a lot of answers to questions along the way - some I asked directly and some I just got by lurking. The boat is still pretty ugly at this point (no seats or refinements yet) but it is definitely a good solid runner and a keeper. I'm looking forward to some boating this fall and a good season next year.
now for payment, I only have 2 kids and I think in all fairness someone from the OMC forum and someone from Restoration and Building.....
pics will follow, I was so excited I forgot to take any - LOL!
