Where do you guys start on a new project!

[lucid484]

Wow as some of you know I got a great boat from a friend and plan on doing a complete refit (deck hardware,top to bottom paint,rewiring,replacing all the guages on the dash, recapeting,and rebuilding the blown engine)...I know the engine is the priority as the boat needs mostly some cosmetic stuff...but ill work on that throughout the winter.

but with all these "little" project i want to start doing on my money pit is there a good place to start!?!?! lol starting to feel the overwhelmed sensation haha

 

[zach103]

Re: Where do you guys start on a new project!

td has a great plan . he says to think of all the things you need to dol. break it all down into little projects and make a list. . me i usually start with the deck and hull first. than when i don't feel like putting a ton of effort into it ill do stuff like electrical or work on the motor.

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: Where do you guys start on a new project!

If you spend time around marina's, boatyards or even looking at boat ads on the internet, you will find a bunch of boats that have been sitting completely torn apart for years. Most of these end up as junk. In my opinion the reason for this is simple. People tend to tear everything apart at once, then get overwhelmed, and loose interest. I'm a pretty simple person, I like to feel some sense of reward for my efforts. I would suggest doing what is necessary to make this a running boat first, then tackle the rest of the project as time permits. Get the mechanicals done right, see how much time that takes, and take the boat out for a test run or two. You'll feel a sense of accomplishment, feel rewarded for your efforts, and ready to tackle the next projects on the list.

 

[marine4003]

Re: Where do you guys start on a new project!

Wow as some of you know I got a great boat from a friend and plan on doing a complete refit (deck hardware,top to bottom paint,rewiring,replacing all the guages on the dash, recapeting,and rebuilding the blown engine)...I know the engine is the priority as the boat needs mostly some cosmetic stuff...but ill work on that throughout the winter.

but with all these "little" project i want to start doing on my money pit is there a good place to start!?!?! lol starting to feel the overwhelmed sensation haha[/QUOTE]

Lots of little projects,so your "chipping away " at the big picture...First thing i do is figure a budget,how much will i put into the boat add 20% and start there. Lots of projects get started and never finished because it seems like a ton of money gets spent and there's not much progress,frustrating. Also , i started another "company" restoring boats,this allowed me to open an account with a marine supplier who sells directly to the industry,i saved a stupid amount of money,like 50% off retail,and these jobs can get expensive,just restoring a little Boston Whaler i have over $2500 invested. So - make a financial plan..price out everything you will need to complete the job..soup to nuts,this way half way thru your not broke and give up..Theirs a saying in SCUBA : Plan a dive..Dive a plan. Good Luck.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Where do you guys start on a new project!

as Zach 103, said, i like to think it out as too what i want the finished product to be. then i break the project into small projects, this way you do not get discouraged, and can see progress.

1st you need to get the boat safe, and the motor running. then you can apply the lipstick and eyeshadow.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Where do you guys start on a new project!

I agree with Waterone and TD. Make the mechanicals your first priority. That may be tougher to do in the off season though. On our boat, before doing any of the hull or interior work we got the motor running 100%. Took it out for a test run sitting on lawn chairs. (The boat ran so well it knocked one of us off of said lawn chair when accelerating ) Then we brought it home and put in an interior. We ran it like that for a season and then painted the exterior prior to the second season.

 

[fixb52s]

Re: Where do you guys start on a new project!

First: Make a "plan of attack" list that spells out everything that needs to be done. Give the boat a detailed inspection, and write down everything you see/find. Then assign/schedule out these different tasks. Don't start a task until the previous one is completed.

I would suggest the first thing you tackle is ensure the engine/drive is mechanically sound! Get it rebuilt/running and ensure it does what is is suppose to do (drive working, steering working, power tilt, wiring, etc).

Once this done, hull work should be done. Most restorations will do the deck/stringers/transom work. If this is required, then tackle it in steps. There are a lot of restorations here that will guide you, but don't bite off more than you can chew.

With the hull solid, then get to those other projects one at a time. Eventually, the list you made at the beginning will disappear.

As stated by waterone1, you see a lot of boats that get torn up, only to be scrapped later. Most of the time, interest was lost due to the huge amount of work and time required. And yes, it does take a lot of time and money. Breaking it up makes it less overwhelming.

One other important item when tearing the boat down: Take a lot of photos, and take the time to bag/tag parts. Store these parts together in a location where they will not be moved around. A lot of restorations take more time than needed because people lose parts and forget where things go.​

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Where do you guys start on a new project!

Follow the TD plan...take it in little chunks. Works well. I followed this protocol on my current resto project. Got it just how I want it...took almost a year. Then I put power on the transom, lake tested it, made a few mods to the trailer and now I have it bare-bones again just for painting. I figure I'll have it painted by the time winter sets in...then I park it in the garage and refit it as winter goes by...ready to re-launch in spring.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Where do you guys start on a new project!

do it in steps, also allows you to shop parts need. but have the parts by the time you get to the next step. nothing pizzez me off more, than not having what i need, when i need it. also accumulate the tools, air compression, shop vac, angle grinder, circular saw. mask, goggles, tyvek suit.