Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

[SnowHunter]

Sooooooooo...call me crazy, but I saw a deal I couldn't pass up....

16ft (approx) Sea Ray 160 (Was advertised as a Bayliner, but, it aint)
Sat for the last 8 months in some guys backyard, so he wanted to get rid of it. Thankfully I found it Cost less then 1 tire for my truck Including the tilt trailer! So.. I'm feelin like I got a helluva deal! Trailer needs tires, paint, rewiring, and I'm thinkin bout different bunks...but it works great for now!!!

So, I picked it up last night. Got there late due to traffic. Kids were munching happily on some McD's, and I was listenin to some tunes.... Get there, and talk to the guy. Real nice, wanted to buy my truck! LOL!

Got hooked up, signed the bill of sale, paid the man. Well, chains were too short. no biggie, left em unhooked and tied up. Wiring didn't match, YIKES! Tied that up, and beelined for the parts store. Nervous as heck driving within the city limits and no trailer lights, so I ran with the 4ways till I saw the Auto Zone, and zoomed on in.

Got in, got the right plug and some electrical tape. Buy this time, its about 9:30pm, dark, so I just wanted to get home. Got all the wires connected (colors were right) and I had running lights, but no left blinker. The right blinker set off the trailer flashers! Oh well, at least I had running lights!

Get on the road. Have I mentioned I HATE single axle trailers? I dunno HOW yall tow on em. They drive me nuts! So unstable. Anyways...we got home fine Boat intact, kids snoring, Snowy's nerves not so much :redface:

So I'll be doin this one and the Bayliner together

next post...pics!

 

[SnowHunter]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

I'm really diggin this speedo...

 

[SnowHunter]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

Now for the ugly...
I felt the soft floor with I got in to look around..picked me up a Skil saw and took a look..

Wet foam... YUK!!! So out came the floor

Soaked stringers, yummmy. So me n the kids started some demo! Always fun!

To my horror....

standing water...delicious!

 

[SnowHunter]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

So we got the part down the center closes to the bilge area cleaned out and this is what it looked like

Smells absolutely wonderful!!!

The stringers look like they were bedded in something, and everything was glassed in really well. The issue, was that there were holes ALL over the floor!!! I counted about a dozen, and they'd not been patched or covered...

The good thing, is with the standing water, there's no thru the hull leak, so yay for that!

The transom SEEMS solid, from some poking around, but I can't tell for sure. We're gonna get the top taken off soon, since it'll make it easier to get under the bow.

Speakin of that...it seems there's more then likely a carpenter ant colony in there...joy joy

Another question, the fiberglass under the foam feels like its suspended over something, like there's a void under there... any of yall know what it could be? I haven't cut into it yet. With the standing water, I thought it'd be better to keep it contained for now.

 

[boatflipper]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

Very nice deal for sure!!
Ya never can have too many projects It keeps ya out of trouble
I can't help you with your 'suspended fiberglass' question...
I had a closed bow very similar to that one, only mine was a 'Sthern'. I regret getting rid of it but oh well...
Good luck with the new addition to the family!!

 

[SnowHunter]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

Thanks boatflipper!!!

Hubby LOVEs this boat He wants to do this n that to it... I gave him "THE LOOK" and said NO STOP HALT CEASE!!!!! This boat is gonna be old skool...hence the retro

This foam is a PITA though...no where near as easy as the Bayliners was

 

[BobsGlasstream]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

Hmmmmmm,
And to think they call me crazy. :redface:
Nice little boat. Looks like a lot more work too.
Seems someone really has the bug.
Have fun.
Bob

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

Well now wait a minute snow! That isn't made out of aluminum! And... there isn't a Starcraft emblem on there either! What are we going to do with you!~

Hey she looks like a sweet ride though! Cool lines!

Have fun!!

 

[SnowHunter]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

Hmmmmmm,
And to think they call me crazy. :redface:
Nice little boat. Looks like a lot more work too.
Seems someone really has the bug.
Have fun.
Bob

I know...I've done lost what lil sanity I have left :redface:
Gonna be a lot of work, but I think I'm up for the challenge

Well now wait a minute snow! That isn't made out of aluminum! And... there isn't a Starcraft emblem on there either! What are we going to do with you!~

Hey she looks like a sweet ride though! Cool lines!

Have fun!!

Thanks!!

I know!! All I could think was...'I said not another fiberglass' and here I am with another glass boat....:redface:

They're (Starcrafts) not quite as abundant down here as up yonder.

 

[ts]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

Hey Snow, that boat may be fiberglass, but it does have some really nice lines to it.

Looking forward to both resto threads!

 

[SnowHunter]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

Hey Snow, that boat may be fiberglass, but it does have some really nice lines to it.

Looking forward to both resto threads!

Thanks TS! Yeah, I'm really diggin the lines!!!

I did find out the stringers were done with dimensional lumber... is this normal for all old Sea Rays or is it possible someone else was under there before me? *shrug* Thought it was interesting to see that. There's no way it was plywood of any sort.

 

[HopeSheFloats]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

OOOoooo thats gonna be sweet...put a starcraft emblem on her and fool em all

 

[SnowHunter]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

OOOoooo thats gonna be sweet...put a starcraft emblem on her and fool em all

Don't laugh, I'd thought bout it! LMAO!!!!!

Yall wanna see bout what she's gonna look like when I'm done? I found one just like 'er on CL last night. Man oh man...talk about sweeeeeeeeeeet!!!!!

So I am torn on something.....

The stringers in there now are dimentional lumber. They're solid, but wet beyond saving. They held up MUCH better then wet plywood. Has me thinkin bout using dimensional lumber for the stringers *shrug* I plan on makin sure everything is well glassed and sealed off. I did read the thread on dimensional vs ply. Seems to be a toss up for either, really. *shrug* Of course the transom will be ply, no doubt bout that, but the stringers could be solid pieces of dimensional lumber, less prone to flexing...

I dunno...like I said... a toss up really...

 

[ts]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

Don't laugh, I'd thought bout it! LMAO!!!!!

Yall wanna see bout what she's gonna look like when I'm done? I found one just like 'er on CL last night. Man oh man...talk about sweeeeeeeeeeet!!!!!

So I am torn on something.....


I dunno...like I said... a toss up really...

Snow, by hook or by crook, read Hugo's book before making any decisions. It will give you all kinds of ideas on what works, what doesn't, and why. He is all about how to do it once, and do it right. We're talking excellent details down to how to best do fillets, what materials, and even what shape.

Cheers,

TS

 

[mrdjflores]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

I'm really diggin this speedo...

that speedo is so cool....would be well worth blasting and re-chroming

 

[SnowHunter]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

that speedo is so cool....would be well worth blasting and re-chroming

Yup... looked online to try and find others like it, no luck there..Definetly gonna do what I can to reuse this gauge!!

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

So we got the part down the center closes to the bilge area cleaned out and this is what it looked like
The stringers look like they were bedded in something, and everything was glassed in really well. The issue, was that there were holes ALL over the floor!!! I counted about a dozen, and they'd not been patched or covered...

These are probably Sea Ray's famous foam holes. Part of their construction process involves cutting 1 inch round holes in the deck in places and injecting foam under decks.

The glue or sealant they use to plug the holes afterward cracks and becomes brittle within some number of years, and can disintegrate entirely, leaving a whole bunch of open holes in the worst possible locations

Another question, the fiberglass under the foam feels like its suspended over something, like there's a void under there... any of yall know what it could be? I haven't cut into it yet. With the standing water, I thought it'd be better to keep it contained for now.

The Sea Ray's I've dug into have sometimes had a layer of fiberglass under the foam under decks, but over a piece of plywood over more foam and then the hull in places where they wanted a flat bilge. No voids in mine except where the wood had completely gone away due to rot.

Erik

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

I'm really diggin this speedo...

I'm really diggin that speedo too...Aqua Meter made it huh, wonder if they are still in business

It's got the perfect range of speed for a little runabout as well. Should tie the whole rig together once she's all prettied up

Good luck with boat #2...and we will keep a spot open in the Starcraft club for you.

 

[mrdjflores]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

would be interesting if you can separate the gauge from that bezel, and put in a new gauge that still has some classic appearance to it..

 

[tdrudd87]

Re: Sea Ray 160 Retro Resto

Very cool boat! It seems like sea rays have a distinctive entry angle on the bow. Handrails on a boat this size are pretty slick looking too!

Love to see you drop in on my resto sometime, I got lucky and had no foam!

Terry