Capri 1750 Complete Restore :) & 9 Months to do it too!

[dezmond]

Hey Everyone. Been a loooooong summer so far... I was hoping that I would get my boat in the water this year after re doing the dash for my new gauges but decided I would look over it really good to see how everything else is. Decided that I should do a total REHAB on it. It would always have water in it and took forever to get it all out (I thought) after pulling the drain plug. Soooooooo I decided it is time to pull the deck and see what I got underneath. Yes I know it is a old Bayliner Capri 1750 Bowrider and yes, the factory did a poor job building them, etc. etc. etc. I picked this up for almost nothing with a Ford 2.3 a couple years back. Liked the design of the hull. It fits our family of 4 with no problems at all. I swapped the old Ford for my Mercruiser 120 and outdrive. The motor runs great. We did a bunch of work to it so I am not concerned with it at all.

My plan is the following....

Remove all the carpet
Remove floor, stringers, etc. and install all new
Check Transom (probably replace)
Pull Engine, clean and paint
Clean all outside of hull, sand and paint
Install new wiring where needed.
Install new custom console and dash
New upholstery everywhere
Fab new interior side panels and seats
New stereo system
Layout for more of a fishing boat (maybe integrated livewell somewhere)
More fun projects as time allows

I have all the electronics already so no worries there. Since it is August now, I have around 9 months to work on this project.. I figure if I budget approx. $500.00 / month for supplies I should be ok.

Where can you find a solid boat for $4500.00 nowadays? You can't. That is why I have decided to go this route.

I have an attached single car garage and the boat and trailer fit in perfectly so I will be able to have at her all Winter. I have a couple space heaters that will keep it warm when needed.

Going to use Eeeeeeeepoxy for this project. 1. to keep the smell down and 2. I like it better than Poly.

I made Static and model 1/2 size planes as well as Spinners for Home built planes at my previous job so I have some experience when it comes to shaping, laying glass etc.

I will be sure to take lot's of pics and maybe some videos along the way and post as much as I can. If there is anything I am missing, please let me know. And any advice I can offer I will for sure!!!

One more thing.... I want to remove the old console that is attached to the cap. I want to leave the cap on as I am pretty confident that I can get everything done with it in place and then I know I won't distort the hull as well. I was going to leave the boat on the trailer for this restore. Can I cut the console off??? Both driver and passenger sides will be re designed anyways. I just don't want to compromise the integrity of the hull if I take these off.

Thanks in advance This is going to be a fun ride!!!!!!!!

 

[chevymaher]

Good luck I be tagging along.

 

[dezmond]

Good luck I be tagging along.

Thanks Gonna be a blast to do. Actually looking forward to tearing into this project. My 14 year old son says he wants to help as well. Dad son tag team will be fun

Well made up a outdrive stand in 30 minutes with scrap 2x6's I had left over. Pulled the drive. Came off nice and easy..







Next on to the glass. Got everything off with no issues. The glass all slides together at the seams.. I sprayed a bit of WD40 before I started to pull everything off Made life a lot easier....





Now on to pulling interior panels, seats, etc. Then the carpet will be next. Hope to get that done today. See how it goes..

 

[dezmond]

Hey mrcotton. Not sure if you posted in the right topic

Anywho, Had a busy couple of days.. Got all the interior out, carpet pulled, cut the dash's out and now just need to tidy up and vacuum out the boat so I can get a bunch of refrence photos and measurements before I start to tear into the seats, bow, dog house support, etc. This weekend I hope to have everything ready so I can pull the engine and start to tear out the floor. So far so good












My Favorite Tool


OUT WITH THE DASH!!!!

 

[dezmond]

BTW, that is a pic of my son helping get the seat pedestal out.... He helps with smaller tasks for now

 

[chevymaher]

Well good to see your kickin azz and taking names. I wont be hearing from your lawyer will I? I am stealing your outdrive stand design looks so much stronger then the one i got. I got a bunch of 2X6's laying around from doing the bunkers on my trailer.

 

[dezmond]

Well good to see your kickin azz and taking names. I wont be hearing from your lawyer will I? I am stealing your outdrive stand design looks so much stronger then the one i got. I got a bunch of 2X6's laying around from doing the bunkers on my trailer.

Thanks chevymaher No problem at all with the stand. No design there. Just looked at some photos on here and whipped something up. If anything, I would add a couple of gussets to the uprights so they are a little stronger but I am happy with what I have. It's strong and does the job.

On a side note, I got the wire harness all out last night, Going to get the engine all disconnected this week and have it ready to pull this weekend. We have a lovely forklift at work and lot's of storage so I will be able to wrap the motor up and tuck it away for a couple of months in a clean area while I start to grrrrrrrrrind away

 

[Woodonglass]

WELCOME TOO....

Not sure if you've read the Sticky section on the forum

https://forums.iboats.com/forum/boa...-sc-bare-hull-rebuild?p=10265391#post10265391

but It has a LOT of helpful info on everything you're getting ready to undertake. I'd highly recommend you read and study the information posted there and ask a LOT of questions. One of the most important things now is to take a LOT of Pics and a lot of measurements of the boat so you can reference them on the "Go Back". Father/Son Projects are the BEST!!!

 

[dezmond]

Thanks Woodonglass!!! I have been reading up tons on your recommended posts and a bunch of builds as well.

Tonight went good. Got everything disconnected from the engine and she is ready to be pulled out when I bring it to work. Just have to pull the motor mount bolts... Looking forward to getting it out... Then removing the rear seat boxes, and front bow seat boxes. I think I will try my hand at the reciprocating saw on this one. Seems it would go a lot quicker. The multi tool does work nice as you can get pretty flush but I think I will be going through more blades..

As for the floor. Is it best to use a Circular saw set to the depth of the floor and slice away? Along the sides set at an angle so I don't cut through the hull?

Last question... It looks like my transom is only wood in the center section on the back of the boat. I plan to attempt to pull the inner skin off and take out the old plywood and replace. I have not done this part before. My First boat (a Silverline) I dug out the rotten wood and poured SeaCast. This one will be a wood replacement. Can any of you offer some tips, links, etc on taking out the old transom and putting in new??? See attached pick



Thanks in advance everyone!!

 

[Woodonglass]

For the deck Circ Saw works well and a Osicallating multi tools works good on the edges. Just remember this IF you slice thru the hull it is NOT a big deal and a very easy fix. Best way to remove transom is with the circular say too. Set it just shy of the thickness of the wood and then cut a 2" grid pattern. You'll be amazed how easy it is to knock the 2" blocks off with a hammer and chisel

 

[dezmond]

Opinions and suggestions please

Since I now have the motor pulled and I am ready to start to cut out the floor, strings, transom, etc.... Can I leave the hull on the trailer or should I take it off to do the work? I left the cap on as you can see in my previous pics above. I am not sure if it being on a roller trailer is ok or not.

Any help is much appreciated

Thanks everyone!

 

[dezmond]

Also if you think it needs to come off, what is my best way of blocking it?

 

[Scott Danforth]

I made blocking on my trailer to support the hull on my Avanti. that way I could roll the whole thing out of the shop to grind in the driveway and not make a mess of my garage.

 

[Woodonglass]

Roller Trailers are NOT ideal for hull support. I'd either build blocking as stated, or build a cradle. To get her off tie her off to a tree and pull her off. 4 buddies should be able to lift her onto a cradle

 

[dezmond]

Been busy getting photos, measurements, etc. Will be building my boat cradle/stand this weekend so I can pull the hull off the trailer and properly support it to do the work on the hull. Will post a bunch of pics shortly.

Thanks guys for the help so far! I am sure I will have lot's of questions in the near future once I dig into this thing.

 

[chevymaher]

Pics Now.

 

[dezmond]

Hey guys. PB question. I plan to use eeeeeepoxy for my build. Are there any good recipes for epoxy pb? Maybe I didn’t look hard enough?

Thanks

 

[mickyryan]

i'm sure Kc or wood will be along and give ya it

 

[dezmond]

Hey Everyone.. Sorry for the delay but here are some more pics for ya

Been busy with work.. Working 6 days a week, usually 10 hour days... Busy busy busy.. But I did get some time to pull some more out of the boat....



Motor pulled out Was a easy one man job with this machine!





And back home to get tucked back into the garage for more work.....




Aaaaaaaand back at the transom to get the assembly out....



The boy is a great help. He is much smaller and fits in areas where I don't



And it's out!!! This was a funny one from the boy tonight.... "Look Dad! The Sword In The Stone" lol....




Yes the transom is rotted. But I figured that already for the age of the boat.. Don't mind pulling it apart and replacing with new. Not sure what way I will go yet though... This is a smaller transom over my silverline when I poured SeaCast. Maybe thinking of doing SeaCast again. But not too sure. If I did I would do one solid pour and re cut my keyhole after?? I still have the plywood idea kicking around.. Guess I have tie to think about it. Will probably do Plywood since I never did it before. Might as well try something new

Anywho, will be getting the rest of the plumbing out tomorrow and empty the gastank and fill up the Lawnmower gas cans. Will let you know what's in there.

Night All

 

[dezmond]

08-07-2018 Update

Well got a fair bit done Sunday. Had a few hours to work on the boat. Removed most of the stuff from the rear. Found lot's of wet and rotten wood.



Don't really understand why they would put foam up high above the waterline in these side boxes??? Sound? Structure?







The foam was pretty dry until I got to around the bottom 2/3's then it started to feel wet. Not discolored but wet.



Found this under a piece of thin plywood at the back corner under one of the seats that was put down with silicone?

More pics to come...