New to forum

[47pilot]

Hello, everyone. I have been browsing these forums, mostly of the completed restorations, and must say I am amazed at some of the projects. Wish there were more to look at. I have gotten some excellent insight and ideas here so far.

I took ownership today of a 1982 16' aluminum Almar Jetline, with 210 original hours. I have had absolutely zero luck finding any internet information on older Almar boats, but they seem to be the better aluminum boats here in AK, apparently because they are fully welded and use 3/16 aluminum. Its not in bad shape at all; engine compression (2.3 Ford) is within 5 psi on all 4, and jet pump (Hamilton s.s. 750) took about $400 in labor. I plan to replace the floor, seats, rewire it, and make a few other cosmetic improvements. I hear the popular thing to do here is put turbocharged V-6's and three stage pumps in them (which makes them go about 50-60 mph.) BTW, I picked the whole thing up for $5000, which apparently is a very reasonable price for something like this.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: New to forum

never seen one. but looks like an extremely well built boat.

 

[jcsercsa]

Re: New to forum

Hi there , Welcome !!!

She looks really cool !! Would love to see the inside!!! John

 

[Andy in NY]

Re: New to forum

that is a pretty cool lookin boat!

 

[fishseeker]

Re: New to forum

Almar boats,Tacoma Wa. Recently the factory was making North River Boats. North River was caught moving inventory around to make things look better for the banks and was forced to shut down. See alot of Almars on the rivers in WA.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: New to forum

There are a few jet boater's here and plenty of aluminum boat enthusiasts. That is pretty thick aluminum..... is it all welded? How is the cap attached?

 

[47pilot]

Re: New to forum

Hi there , Welcome !!!

She looks really cool !! Would love to see the inside!!! John

I will take more pics once I get her home. Still at the shop getting jet pump maintenance.

 

[47pilot]

Re: New to forum

There are a few jet boater's here and plenty of aluminum boat enthusiasts. That is pretty thick aluminum..... is it all welded? How is the cap attached?

Every seam is dual welded on this boat. Tank is a 31 gallon, inside the bow. Its overall pretty heavy, but very tough.

 

[redfury]

Re: New to forum

kinda ugly, but kinda cool in its own right . I wouldn't pass it up if it were handed to me though

I bet that cap is welded on. What are your plans with the floor? There is a company up here that builds really heavy duty boats and they use diamond plate for their floors....can't remember the name of the boat off hand though...build like an aluminum outhouse though!

 

[47pilot]

Re: New to forum

kinda ugly, but kinda cool in its own right . I wouldn't pass it up if it were handed to me though

I bet that cap is welded on. What are your plans with the floor? There is a company up here that builds really heavy duty boats and they use diamond plate for their floors....can't remember the name of the boat off hand though...build like an aluminum outhouse though!

It is ugly, but more of a prehistoric gunboat ugly. The rivers here are pretty shallow and unforgiving, and the weather is only genuinely boat friendly for a few months out of the year, so I guess it's a product of its environment? Boating here is a far stretch from the Arizona lakes that I came from. 90% of the boaters here use their boats strictly for hunting moose. They actually put enclosed canopies and heaters in them for the few weeks before the rivers freeze solid.

For the floor, I assume it is plywood, but I have yet to get the boat home and take a good look at it. If it is plywood, I plan to epoxy coat some 3/4" and use a textured vinyl type sheet coating or bed liner on the surface.

My ultimate plans would be to put a fuel injected V-6 in it. There would be no better conversation piece down the road in the lower 48 than a rare, ugly, yet highly polished aluminum hull like that, shooting across a lake at 55 mph, or pulling a wakeboarder. These hulls are pretty well known to last forever, as long as you're not trying to ride them down waterfalls.

If it'll plane within 3 seconds, has enough room for me and a lady to sleep comfortably in, is fully paid for, and will last forever with proper maintenance, I don't foresee having much need for anything else in the distant future.

 

[fishseeker]

Re: New to forum

I keep thinking on your boat and I think thats the first one I've seen with the raised front deck, most have a lowered fishing deck up in the pointy end. Does It look as though it was worked on. Not saying I don't like it, just say ain't never seen one like yours!

 

[Boss Hawg]

Re: New to forum

Dam- We did'nt have anything looked that stout in the runnin water of 'Nam

 

[47pilot]

Re: New to forum

Ok. Mechanic cleaned up the jet pump and impeller, and told me he got it to the minimum factory allowable impeller clearance (currently at .300, max tolerance is .800) and repaired a bushing. Got the boat home, and Climbed in it. Sat inside it in my driveway for 2 hours. Looked around, assessed. Sprayed some Simple green on the console. Gauges cleaned up nice. Floor is plywood. Great condition. No soft spots anywhere. Don't think I will need to replace it for a long time, may just recover it in a sturdy vinyl. Engine is extremely clean. Otherwise, a screw missing here or there, and needs new engine cover upholstry. Looked under the bow. This boat is **************** SOLID. I can tell this is not a mass produced boat. Almost looks homebuilt, but measured perfectly. I will post some good pics tomorrow of the structure and the welding.

Made a list of stuff to buy: mainly some aluminum polish, and need some new stickers for the registration, life jackets, fire extinguisher, basic stuff, ect. Later end up at Sportsmans Warehouse, and low and behold!, they have the new seats I wanted, and yet only in the 2 color combinations I was interested in. Decide on gray/charcoal over the gray/navy. Bought a pair of helm seats in a high back and the troller seat in a low back.

Wow...They have a working display of chart plotters, and an Eagle FishElite 642c on sale for $365. Glad I did my research on those. Smoking deal. So I guess the hummingbird fish finder, already on the console, will move to the back troller seat, and the new Eagle will go up on the console. Debated on a trolling motor, but their selection was poor; I need at least 50 lb troller. Bought the seats, chart plotter, a boat cover, and found out I also had a 5% military discount as well . Never even got the damn aluminum polish.

I will take pics tomorrow before I do anything, and start an official thread, showing the progress from start to whenever. I'll link it from here.

BTW, thanks for everyone's input in this forum. I have learned so much in the last few weeks from some of the great posts here.

 

[redfury]

Re: New to forum

since it already has wiper blades, you should build a hard top for it!

 

[47pilot]

Re: New to forum

Link to new thread, as promised.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=332731