found a project...Duratech 17' Sportboat

[nevadany]

A 1966 Duratech 17' Sportboat with a 1973 evingrude 65hp sitting on a 1993 EZ loader trailer. Hull doesn't look to have a dent in it, but it looks pretty bad, especially with the paint peeling in spots. the trailer need help...and the motor needs to be gone through and repainted. Speaking of which, does anyone know where i can get a decal set for that motor?

Anyway, I plan to strip the boat completely, repaint and set it up as a center console. So far, all i've gotten done is to get the boat indoors and start taking out the floor bracing. The thing has a 36 gallon tank that i have to remove to beable to pull the motor.

DW

 

[starcrafter65]

Re: found a project...Duratech 17' Sportboat

I looked at a duratech..there is a good website http://www.duratechboats.com/. Click on the contact link on it and tell JoeMan what you have...he will have all the information, brochures, etc...he is the official Duratech man!!

Good luck! Looks like a cool (and cold) boat!!

 

[Luhrs28]

Re: found a project...Duratech 17' Sportboat

I don't understand why it appears to have a 2nd deck about 8-10" above the stringers. Did some previous owner add the top deck? I'm just wondering if a high center of gravity is going to be a concern.

I love the bow/side railing though!

 

[nevadany]

Re: found a project...Duratech 17' Sportboat

I don't understand why it appears to have a 2nd deck about 8-10" above the stringers. Did some previous owner add the top deck? I'm just wondering if a high center of gravity is going to be a concern.

I love the bow/side railing though!

The railing is what i think makes this boat really cool! The boat was originally an almost all open platform.

As far as the deck, it was raised from the stringers about 6" in the front to accomodate storage under it and there was also a live well. It was raised about 8" in the back to fit the 36 gallon tank under the floor. On top of that there is about a 1" height difference between the two...and i an still wondering why there is a 15" gap in the middle between them. The guy i got it from said it was pretty stable set up that way.Even original there was a step in the floor...about 3" i think.

Doesn't matter tho...i am taking everything out and when i put the new floor in, it will be as low as possible and i will build up where i need to to make the floor level.

I emailed Joe at the Duratech site a week or so ago, but haven't heard back from him. My buddy and I have our Duratech S-13's on the Duratech site.

DW

 

[ezmobee]

Re: found a project...Duratech 17' Sportboat

Very cool hull. I will be watching to see what you do with it.

There are lots of Evinrude decal sets on ebay. 65 is kinda an oddball HP so you may have to email a couple sellers with nice 60 or 70HP decal sets and see if they can change the numbers for you.

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: found a project...Duratech 17' Sportboat

I've purchased decals from these guys before also.....http://www.outboarddecals.com/ There are a lot of options out there.

 

[nevadany]

Re: found a project...Duratech 17' Sportboat

Very cool hull. I will be watching to see what you do with it.

There are lots of Evinrude decal sets on ebay. 65 is kinda an oddball HP so you may have to email a couple sellers with nice 60 or 70HP decal sets and see if they can change the numbers for you.

Thanks I will check ebay out...i did look for original covers on there, but not decal sets....i will also try the outboard decals site that Cadwelder suggested.

It looks like the decals on this motor are pretty simple. The HP rating is raised just like "EVINRUDE" is, so i don't need to worry about finding those. What i need to do is strip the black paint off and repaint it using the original scheme...same with the lower. I have a line on a 1993 Johnson 70hp that i plan to repower the boat with, but i want to get this motor close to it's former glory because i might end up selling it later this year.

.

It's going to be a slow project for me, but i will take pictures as i go and post them. I am trying to get as much done as i can before the middle of March...at that point this project will come to a screaching halt for at least 3-4 months, and it will be a trickle after that....got a boy coming in mind March!

Thanks,
DW

 

[bonz_d]

Re: found a project...Duratech 17' Sportboat

Looks like it will be a nice open fising platform. 1st one I've seen. Your work space makes me jealous. Wish I had as much room!

 

[nevadany]

Re: found a project...Duratech 17' Sportboat

Looks like it will be a nice open fising platform. 1st one I've seen. Your work space makes me jealous. Wish I had as much room!

I am fortunate that my friend has a big barn and lets me store and work on my boat in.

DW

 

[nevadany]

Re: found a project...Duratech 17' Sportboat

It's been a while since I've posted on this thread, so I figured it was time to do a quick update. As mentioned before, this is a SLOW moving project...I only get about 2 hours into it every other week...sometimes less. However, I will have it in the water by mid to late summer to do test runs and to work any bugs out. It wont have all the bells & whistles on it, but I can add those later...

What I can say I have accomplished, is that I now have all the major components gathered and I am getting getting started with assembly...still have a ways to go though!

-I've stripped the paint off the hull (still needs some clean up and the inside still needs to be douched, painted & sealed in spots)
-bow floor reinforced with framing for floor
-Cut the floor pieces (3/4" PT ply-to be sealed with polyester resin)
-Designed and built the console (almost done)
-Located and bought a suitable trailer
-located a newer motor with power T&T (the 60hp Johnson in the background actually has a 70hp power head)

The console (very rough right now) will be sanded, edges/corners rounded and fiber glassed. I rough fit the face of it with steering helm & wheel and controls last night to make sure the set up is OK. I like it however, I just need to get a new steering wheel! I've got some gauges and a switch panel i need to figure out where to put.

And we can't forget the bow rail!

DW