Manatee Rebuild 1976

[HookMaster]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Thanks for your input. I will look into it and try it on a sample piece to see how it turns out. I want a nice high gloss finish when I am complete. I am hopeing for some warm weather so I can do some wood work and things dry properly. Its always nice to have the winter to do big projects like this but then it is so limiting by the weather and the temps.

I will post up more Pictures but there just has not been allot of progress lately I am sad to report. I have been in just material gathering mode. Money is tight with all the bills comming from Christmas so I have to get a little bit here and there to not upset the apple cart at home.

Most of us guys have to fly under the wife's radar of how much your spending on this project. Boat restore never seems to get put into the family budget. If I could just buy the things I need at a horse store it would be so much easier to get the money I need to finish this project. LOL

Done any more on the project..........??

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Not done yet working on some wood work for the interior here at home till all this snow is gone. I am bought some rough mahagany from the mill and I am doing the interior in that. I am not a good wood worker so it is slow going. I will get some new pictures up when there is some good progress. It was too cold to get into winter work in Maryland this year. 40 inches of snow I was in the snow removal business by now choice of my own. LOL

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

The weather warmed to 50 and the snow is melting. I clean up the garage and sold a few things to get money flowing again for the project. My neighbor came over to help me round the edges with his router table. The the sanding began again. Sanding Sanding Sanding! I employed some help from my daughter.

The new mahagany look as apose to the old covered in in fake wood stuff the boat came with.

Today will be starting to coat the wood in spar varnish. They say the need 9 coats of good varnish with sanding between each coat. When will the sanding stop?????

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Ok I have been doing alot of reserch on finishes and I want to know if anyone had used this? http://www.bristolfinish.com/marine_use_EXT.htm

It seems that it would go on much easier and faster. I am thinking that even though it is more expensive in the begining that it would be cheaper in the long run.

If I use any Spar Varnish keeping my garage this spring above 50 for a while is going to be very hard to do and expensive with electric heaters.

I always have a hard time with what product would be best to use.

I am open to advise and experience.

 

[HookMaster]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Sounds like a winner and should be what you need........I think it is similar to a good grade cabinet laquer that dries quickly. Glad you are getting back on the project. It will look great back on the water !

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Lots of progress made on the boat today. The mahogany is finished and I must say looks great. I ended up with Flagship spar varnish. It should be easy to sand and maintain since it is a large flat piece and can easly be removed and sanded in the garage. Wow did that bit of wood dress up the old girl. I clamped it in place to just get an idea how it looks and wow she looks great!

I picked up 6 yards of vinyl for the other pieces yesterday. I am staying with the white red and black thats on the outside for the inside. I will get pictures up soon. The top rails are now finished mahagany. The sides carpeting will now be a red and the bottom pieces will be black vinyl. The floor remains a light tan carpet and the seats will remain saddle brown leather.

Today the fuel lines where ran with a new water seperator installed so I will be able to run the main fuel tanks and two remote tanks as needed giving me a 30 gal capacity. I hope to have enough to keep me fishing all day without worry.

Most of the wirring was completed including a new bilge float switch run hot off the battery now switching for auto. I cant imagine a time that if the switch told the pump to come on I woudlnt want it to pump? I never understood having to turn the pump on to automatic? Save battery ? I think not keep that boat floating!!

I filled all the old unused screw holes and no day would be complete without a bunch of sanding.

This week I hope to get the rest of the bow compartment wood sanded and finished in a red stained mahogany like the stern piece. I hope to get all the vinyl pieces wrapped. Then when the capet comes in I can get that installed quickly.

I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I hope it is not a train.

 

[HookMaster]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Sounds like you'll be on the water soon ! Are you sure you want to mess it up by fishing in it ? I hope to be out flounder fishing in a week or so here on the Ches. bay ocean side. They should start coming in about now. What do you fish for up there ?

http://s271.photobucket.com/albums/jj139/H-CONTR/Fishing 2008/?action=view&current=12-23-2008.flv

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...authkey=Gv1sRgCKDMsMuyxKjDsgE&feat=directlink
Up here we will be fishing for these.

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Here is the pictures of the latest progress as promised.

Finished Mahogany

Mounting in the boat

I think it came out pretty awsome!

Fuel filter mounted.

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

That wood gives your boat a great flare. It really looks great. Now get a little woodgrain on that outboard and you will have a matching set. Seriously, very nice work.

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

I cant put wood grain on the Big Johnson.

EDIT

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

I cant put wood grain on the Big Johnson.

EDIT

I love it. Great video. But who says you can't put wood or your big ole Johnson?
http://www.stripeman.com/woodgrain-decal.htm

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Ok the interior has new piant where all the new vinyl is going. The new carpet & glue came in today from Cabelas. All the new stainless screws are on order and should be here in a couple days. I need to run all the wires again for the depth finder and speed sensor. New carpet on the sides and install new flooring carpet then seats and The rest of the stuff. Two or three good days and I will be heading to the Mechanic to get the engine looked over and a new water pump.

I am going to be scared to roll her off the trailer when I am done. I wonder where I should get insurance for this new 1976 boat? I guess I will need to get a survey because they dont want to give me anything but liabilty for an old 1976 boat.

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

My boat is 76 model as well. I have no problem getting insurance but all I was interested in was theft. But I need to get the whole works. 350 a year for me. I think it's a bit steep.

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

spring is here and the weather has warmed enough to pull her out of the garage to do some work outside today. With my son comming home this weekend I hope to get more done this weekend. Its time to get focused and get this project finished up. I completed the wirring the other night and today I started to install the carpet. Gas Tanks, Seats, Front and rear pannels. Things are getting there now the end is in site. I can almost put down the sander.

 

[HookMaster]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Looks like your getting close......... Good job - Lot's to be proud of ! What kind of seating are you putting in ? I had to lift up my front lounge seat bases 3-1/2" because the side gunnwales are so tall. I think the bases had a 10" high box. Anyway, hope you post some pics of it on launch day..............Congrat's ......Don

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Lookin' real sharp!

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Hookmaster, Thank you for following this build your boat has given me so much incentive. Your the master as far as I am concerned I am just trying to give this old boat, since I have had it from 1976, a new life and something my kids would be proud to be seen in. I think it has aged me some when a friend of mine said it was looking like a classic. It was a new run about when got it. Now a classic? whats that make me other than old. LOL Seats I had replaced a few years ago and they are in good shape. I didnt want to have to replace them. I know what you mean by the Boxes being short. I had to get them custom made for the high sided manatee but thats what makes this boat so comfortable. You sit up much higher in it than alot of boats. The seats are a saddle leather looking vinyl. Thats the main reason for the finished wood so it would not clash with the seats.

ezmobe, I hope you will get to see the boat first hand when we are done and meet up on the susquehana and you take me up above the dam. I never been above the dam and I am excited to have someone take me for a look that knows the area. I grew up in Perryville so Know the flats very well and my parents have a place on the Northeast river at Carpenters point. I know them flats too well. LOL

 

[HookMaster]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

Thanks for the compliment but I am still learning as are all of us resto nuts ! You think you might be a classic ? Well, since I came into this world in 1944, that would make me an antique and I ain't gettin' any younger................. Plan to flounder fish the Ches. Bay Bridge Monday on a day off. In the Manatee of course ! Don

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Manatee Rebuild 1976

ezmobee, I hope you will get to see the boat first hand when we are done and meet up on the Susquehanna and you take me up above the dam. I never been above the dam and I am excited to have someone take me for a look that knows the area. I grew up in Perryville so Know the flats very well and my parents have a place on the Northeast river at Carpenters point. I know them flats too well. LOL

No problem!