Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

[Kevoz]

Hello everyone, I am, of course, a noob to this site and boating. A few years ago my son bought an old carcas of a boat, a 1988 Glasstream Regatta 19.5' Cuddy Cabin. The first thing he did was to strip all, I mean all, the interior out of it and start reupostering everything. He tore all the carpeting out of the Cuddy cabin and the dash out of it before I even got to see it, you see, he lives 4.5 hours away from me and now needs help to finish it. I have joined your group to garner you experience and knowledge to maybe help solve the problems that have arizen. I need ideas about finishing the ceiling in the cuddy cabin, and, some way to help me restore the wiring that is in such dire need of repair, the dash wiring is hopeless, I really need a manual of somekind, (suggestions please) to help me with the wiring mess that I am left to undo. I am an accomplished fabricator with metals and fiberglass, and am government qualified as an electrician, but dealing mostly with classic motorcycle fab lately, I just need someones nudge in the right direction. I have planned several trips to help with the project in the future. The hull has already been repainted, beautifully if I might add, so, that is not a problem. I have had the engine running (4.3 Vortec, I/O, Merc) but there are some circuits to sort out. I have no idea about all the necessary circuits that are needed, i.e., trim, bilge, vent, etc...

thanks for listening and wish us luck.
cheers,
Kevo

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

Welcome to iboats!!

Okay let me see if I can relieve some of the angst

Electrical section has some basic wiring diagrams http://forums.iboats.com/forumdisplay.php?f=23

We have manuals available on-line for DL here and they are labeled ADULTS ONLY !! http://forums.iboats.com/forumdisplay.php?f=21 you should be able to find the manual for your motor which includes some wiring diagrams too.

Finishing the ceiling in a cuddy....... depends on what you want to use......paint, carpet or vinyl. Carpet and vinyl get glued on with a good adhesive.

Take a look around and you will see we have every restoration from the simple to the seriously complex!

Once again....Welcome!

 

[bigredinohio]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

Just stopping in to welcome you to iboats and to wish you luck.

 

[Kevoz]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

Thanks for the quick replies! and the links! I will check them out for sure! I plan either white marine vinyl or carpet for the ceiling, it has a popup hatch in the ceiling, so, I was wondering if I would need to make several pieces, covered in vinyl, then glue them in place.....
cheers,
Kevo

 

[Kevoz]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

The boat made it here after a 5hr road trip from Indy. It now sits in my backyard with all the seats, carpets, interior pieces, etc. stored under a tarp near my outbuilding. The heat is horrible so I will have to take it hour by hour and not die. The first things include the start/run wiring with the engine. We have had it running in the past and see this as a small issue, but, the wiring has been altered since the new dash has been created and not properly wired yet. I will take some pics along the way. I have to build a tent of sorts so I can get some relief from heat and to keep out the rain. We have a new cover but don't want to have to remove/replace it each and every day. Wish me luck and thanks to all the boating God's who have created this path for me to follow!
cheers,
Kevo

 

[Kevoz]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

Been in the boat for a look, reset the breaker on the engine and almost lit it up with smoke under the dash, pulled the wiring from keystart switch and disconnected battery, had grnd hooked to the start switch..
Another note, when engaging the trans/throttle forward, no throttle given to carb, when moved backward, carb gets fuel..are cables easily installed opposite? When we had the engine started last year, this was notably backward and the drive unit responded likewise, reversed...thoughts, hints? I have had to take a break and come inside since it is currently 104.7 in the shade here, seem to be leaking profusely from all areas of my body..lol..
thanks in advance,
Kevo, a.k.a. Boat NuuB!

 

[Kevoz]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

Figured out aforementioned troubles and whilst finishing up all the wiring redo's around the engine, trim and battery areas decided to fire up the engine to make sure I hadn't created any problems. Last week I had to remove both of the engine mounts to replace the freeze plugs behind them to stop the leaking. Today when I started the engine I found 2 more leaks, one is in a hose and easily repaired and the other is a drip from the rear of the port side head when running. I hope this could be just a fouled head gasket due to improper winterizing but of course, is probably a cracked something. Just a drip, mind you, I still plan on getting it to a body of water to see if it is worth my while. Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[Kevoz]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

Ok folks, I have been busy as a one legged cat (blah, blah, blah).......The time has come to finish the wiring under the dash, got a new 6sw/ waterproof panel mounted under the dash and have cleaned up the dash with an AL panel to cover the unnecessary holes there and mounted a new ign switch and a horn button. Have a 12vdc acc plug to mount under dash too. While reinstalling the teleflex rack and pinion back in the dash, I noticed there is quite a bit of slop in it. Is there a way to take some of this out or is it a wear out situation? I have not taken it apart yet to take a look see, just looking for a heads up from some one who knows. I dont want to take it back down but I guess I will have to, aargh!
cheers,
Kevo

btw, hope to have it on the water this coming weekend, wish me luck!, er, good luck that is....

 

[BobsGlasstream]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

Hello Kevoz,
Not sure how I missed this one but welcome. Would love to see pic's of your boat.
It sounds like you have most of your problems sorted out. Good luck on the splash down.
Take care
Bob

 

[NewEraBoating24]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

How the boat coming out i just got the same boat a month ago post some pic.

 

[Kevoz]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

The boat restoration has been slow since we have had record temps for weeks, still, like the trooper that I seem to think I am, (lol), I have managed a lot. It is almost ready to sit on the water, hopefully Saturday the 14th. I got the last (I thought) wiring done yesterday just to find that I had overlooked the bilge pump, so, I will have to get back in there and make it work again. It worked previously, I just didn't manage to get it wired when I was doing all the under dash re-wiring...I have changed the fluid in the lower unit, rewired most everything, thanks to all the links and helpful peeps here, made things from nothing (I am told I am good at this, haha), mucho upholstery work, fitting, wondering, creating, installing...this list is endless as I am sure the veteran boat owners here know. I have left the cabin alone for now, I have the wire in place for the lighting, but, after I restored the tiny little door and rebuilt/restored the bulkheads, I just literally shut the door on the cabin, hahaha....I have all the supplies for it and have the process finally in a corner of my brain, just waiting to see if I have to change the heads due to a drip from the corner of one of them..I dont want to get so far ahead of the owner's (my son) bankroll that , well, I am sure you get the picture.....
..I plan to take some more pics before the weekend, not sure how to post pics here, but, I will soon...
Again, I thank everyone who supplied me with links and information to help with this project and to once again reaffirm the reason why I like motorcycle restoration projects, they are far smaller and you can easily see the end in sight, lol..
cheers,

Kevin (Kevo) Ramsey

and btw, pics of your boat would be nice too...lol..

 

[Kevoz]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

OK, I promised some pics, you can now see what I started with. I tried to post pics to this site, just didnt work out so I posted them to imageshack, here goes:


Uploaded with ImageShack.us





more pics to follow,
cheers,
Kevo

 

[Kevoz]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

Next 6 pics:





Ok, thats enough of the old stuff, next set starts better looking pics...
cheers,
Kevo

 

[Kevoz]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

The next pics show the near finished project..I still have to restore the cabin, install a stereo and do about a thousand other things, as if it were mine....I have stopped at this point to put it on the water and see if it is worthy of continuing at this time. I have a fear of replacing a head due to a drip from a corner of one head. We shall see, at least it looks like a boat now, sorta...lol...






again, cheers,
Kevo

 

[Kevoz]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

You asked for them, lol:






yet again,
cheers,
Kevo

 

[Kevoz]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

Last ones till we see if she floats/runs/returns to the trailer on her own, hahaha.
Wish me luck, tomorrow morning she gets wet!

cheers,
Kevo

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

Good luck with splashing her!

 

[Kevoz]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

Well Folks, doesnt she look purdy? We launched her this am, and, the cables were initially installed backwards on the throttle, yes, I did that, then, the drip from the corner of the head turned out to be from above off of the exhaust manifold, no big deal, then, oil blowing out of the fill tube (wtf?)(lots of blowby press inside?), YES, then a white frothy oily mix is leaking from the front of the other head......I am now looking for a engine, 4.3, non Vortec.....Gotta wait till Mr. MoneyBags (my son) gets back from UnderGroundSound6 (no phone service) so I can break the good news to him....I am sure he will just love his LilMissMoneyPit now....But hey, she runs strong(only said to have 20 hrs on engine)(but I suspect that engine was cracked when he bought it due to the same oil patterns in bilge), planed out well, was reasonably fast for a V6 and was the smoothest ride inboard I have ever been in and everything I had done with exception of the throttle and shift cables(really had no clue here) was spot on...Got any good engine vendors in mind? I will probably be changing this too, EEEGADS, Hoped I was almost through....
anyway, Cheers,
Kevo

 

[Tony T.]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

Cool looking boat you got there Kevoz, hate to hear about the engine problems, hopefully you'll get her up and running soon.

Tony

 

[spudshaft]

Re: Boat project with my son, 1988 Glasstream Regatta

Sorry about the engine, but maybe this is a good time to put a v-8 in it? Heavy boat for a v-6. I THINK a 5.7/350 shares the same bolt pattern as a 4.3.