Manatee Rebuild 1976

[Damifudo]

Hello,

Well due to an accident at the house were our Mazda ( that had a defective parking brake) rolled into our 1976 Manatee and sent rolling down the hill into our kids Caprice Classic driving the 115 Merc thru the transom, I am doing a restoration project. The boat was totaled according to the insurance company. I grew up on this boat and learned to water ski on it. I didnt want to send her to the dump. I couldnt afford a new boat so I decided to roll up the sleeves and rebuild her. I had already replaced the floor about 6 years earlier and I know it was solid. Any boat I could afford to replace it with, I would have no idea how the floor or transom condition would be so better to rebuild her. The lower unit was trashed but the power head was good. The motor being down when it hit the car and the curb pushed it thru the transom. She would need a major rebuild but I found a boat guy to give me a hand rebuilding it in my garage. Well I would be giving him a hand to rebuild her. I will post more pics and story later.

You can see how far it rolled down the hill It started from where I am standing Behind our suburban.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

As bad as it sounds, I can't imagine anything that wouldn't be fixable. Probably not even THAT much more work than your standard transom job.

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

You can see where the motor actually punched thru the transome. We cut the motor well off the boat and dug out the old transome from the inside boat. Installed 2 peaces of 3/4 inch plywood and epoxed everything back in place. We took the time to cut out the Plywood for the motor mounting holes so they could be filled in with Marine tex so when we drilled for the engine mounts it would be through the marine tex and not the plywood. I had stainless caps made to go over the transom to seal it and dress it up.

Here we just installed the Motor well back on the boat and started to repair the outer skin from the damage of the motor/

You have to look close to see where we cut the deck off for the transom repair. I think it came back together pretty good and when its all painted I think you will have to look hard to see where she was cut.

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Well today is paint day. I have sanded and sanded and sanded some more and I think she is ready to get her first coat of Perfection red. I am waiting for the weather to clear a little and I hope for calm winds. I am a little concerned about the roll and tip of a boat that has so many ridges but my paint guy says it will be fine. This boat has been ugly orange since day one. 1976 but the wife hates the orange even though I had the only orange boat on the chesapeke bay around here. You could spot her for miles. Now that my kids will be taking her out I still want her to be easy to see from a distance. I am very excited to see the new color on her. This has been a long slow process and another 150 dollars yesterday at the boat store.

Can you buy just the rubber inserts for rub rail? If so where? I would like to get about 12 feet.

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Looks great man.

 

[bear_69cuda]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

check iboats store for rub rail insert...

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Well we sanded for another 3 hours and put down our first coat of Perfection red. Rolled and tipped and all I can say is Wow! What a difference it made on this boat. I used a guy that had painted allot of boats before but I was his helper and learned so much about painting a boat. The one think I learned when you think it is sanded good enough. Its probably not. 18 feet felt like sanding 118 ft. The gloss in this boat is incredible. Pictures soon to follow. I really liked how the perfection covered and my only wish is that we mixed the whole qt and it only took 1/2 a qt. to cover the 18 ft boat. I could have done two coats on one qt. I alread ordered another qt. We refrigerated the 1/2 qt left but I doubt we wil be able to use it for the second qt. Anyone have exp in using left over perfection a few days later that was already mixed?

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

First coat of Perfection and now some more sanding before the second coat.

The deck with Brightside off white and then a bright white with the non skid to give it a two tone.

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

I have a few questions from the boat restore people on the board. What is your experience with Anchor Rollers?

2. Railing looks old and needs to be brightened up some. what should I use?

3. Engine install. STS prop are they stainless? It is painted black. The motor has some paint pealing what should I do for that?

4 What can I use for a stereo with an ipod only I dont want a radio and such. I just want to be able to hook in an ipod for music to an amp with speakers.

This board is great I am learning so much. Thanks for your answers

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

4 What can I use for a stereo with an ipod only I dont want a radio and such. I just want to be able to hook in an ipod for music to an amp with speakers.

Forgive me if this suggestion is more low rent than you're looking for but I have this and it is surprising awesome and water resistant http://www.target.com/Jensen-Shower-Radio-iPod-Dock/dp/B0016BQEC0

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

I would like to mount a anchor roller on the font of this boat. Does anyone have experience on a anchor roller? Do you have pictures you can share?

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Coat one of the perfection is done and today was spent wet sanding. I sanded the whole boat with 320 and did it all wet. I am waiting for good weather for coat number 2. I cant wait to start putting this thing back together. What should I use to polish the aluminum rails on the boat? This all is very new to me. I want to make it look good when I am done. I have all winter to get it back together so I want to make some changes to make her even better than before the accident.

Thanks for any light you can shed on the issues at hand.

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

The second coat of Perfection. It went very well today I love how this paint tips out. Lots of gloss. This boat looks better than new. I am so glad to be on the other side of sanding. We have to do the boot stripe yet and I think I am going to change the bottom paint from red to Black. I am not sure what bottom paint to use. Anyone have any experience with a good Black Bottom paint. This boat sits most of its life ona trailer. I am thinking a good abliative paint?

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

2nd coat of paint came out awsome. I am very impressed with the perfection in a roll and tip.
The paint has such a deep gloss to it.

 

[BobsGlasstream]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Damifudo,
That paint looks awesome.
I'm still in the tear down stage on my boat and I have decided to change the graphics while in the process. I haven't decided on how or what yet but I really like the way your's is going. It really looks great in the pic's.
Keep up the great work. I will be following your thread.
Bob

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Hey whats that big beautiful Johnson doing over there ----->

 

[Josh P]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Damifudo did you thin the perfection any and what primer did you use if any? restoring my searay right now will be painting come spring. Looking at using perfection all around cause my boat is trailered as well, i've seen people on here use perfection as a bottom paint since its trailered cause i've read some antifouling paints dont work after like 2 weeks of being outta the water don't know if its true, but ima try perfection see what happens. good luck

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Hey whats that big beautiful Johnson doing over there ----->

" thats what she said "

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Damifudo did you thin the perfection any and what primer did you use if any? restoring my searay right now will be painting come spring. Looking at using perfection all around cause my boat is trailered as well, i've seen people on here use perfection as a bottom paint since its trailered cause i've read some antifouling paints dont work after like 2 weeks of being outta the water don't know if its true, but ima try perfection see what happens. good luck

Yes we used the recommended primer. We also used the thinner 2333 and thined it it to about the consistance of milk. We are not using it below the water line. I will be painting the bottom of the boat with Black Bottom paint. I am so happy with the paint job. It looks awsome. The read is so glossy I cant wait to see this boat in the water when we are done. The reason we painted it red is my kids will be using this boat in a few years and we will be able to spot it on the water for miles.

 

[vegasphotoman]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Looking awsome

Im a bit worried your transom repairs might not hold up...we fixed some crazing on a gel coat and it cracked on its own in 1 day ...you had fiberglass broken through...much more serious

would hate to see ya paint it and go through all your troubles and hav it crack on ya in a month or less

..is there any fiberglass cloth hiding behind that fairing work? just wondering....