Sweet boat Joe you'll be back in the water in no time.

Thanks. The fiberglass & paint guy is supposed to send me pics as he works so I will post the progress. Lot of work getting done, having a couple dings fixed around the hull, re-glassing the exhaust tubes (started leaking in this year), repairing dings in transom, repairing crack in tuna door, repainting transom, new vinyl lettering on transom, new rudder bench (started to develop rot), new rudder bearings and hardware, repacking rudder stuffing boxes, repairing a soft spot in the foredeck from the inside (so there will be no pain repair required) and replacing the bottom 2' of the front tower legs and feet.

They tell me it will be done for my late March launch date...I sure hope so!

Not to mention some engine work I am doing myself and then touching up the bottom and putting on her second coat of polish for the new season...fun fun fun.

Progressing nicely. Exterior glass and paint work just about done. Should be going back outside and getting re-blocked tomorrow. Steering is apart and old rudder bench is out. New one is fabricated out of coosa board instead of plywood and ready to go back in.

Click on the pics for full sized images.

On her way back to dry dock.

Here is the latest update. Work on the soft spot in the foredeck and new tower legs begins this week...and we should have great weather for it!

New rudder bench installed (made out of coosa board instead of plywood), (not pictured - new studs and rudder packings), new rudder bearings and waiting on cylinder to be rebuilt before final reassembly.






Running gear cleaned and first coat of Interprotect on.

Nice to see the work progressing.
Great pics. Almost time to bloody
the deck.

Labor of love Joe.

Another productive day, intercoolers re-installed (after cleaning and pressure testing), couple new hoses, new impellers, second coat of barrier coat on running gear, bottom paint on running gear, zincs and got about one third of the bottom sanded. Also repaired a couple of blisters. They also got the rest of the steering hardware installed.










This is why you change impellers every year regardless of the number of hours you put on last year!

Joe, I'm looking for reinforced 2" hose - can you recommend somewhere in my area - Toms River? I used to get my hoses from Newark but I'm not wanting to drive up there.

Thanks.

Lacey Marine, if Dan doesn't have it in stock he can order it. I replaced all my engine hoses (raw water and coolant lines) three years ago, Dan got me all the hoses and clamps from 3/16" up to 4" that I needed for my project.

Moving right along...New front tower legs were installed this past week. I got the bottom sanded and two coats of paint as well as getting her washed and her spring coat of polish. And managed to snap a quick pic while going over the 35 Bridge of first sunrise of spring!

Just got the proof of the new name from the graphics place.

Happy Birthday Mom, miss you!

Looks good Joe, Finally a new name!

Yup, its been a long time coming. It goes on next week and with any luck I splash the end of next week.

The yard started on the soft spot on the front deck and it came with bad news and OK news. Bad news was the bad coring and rot was bigger than they thought and they found another section of rot where the wiper motor goes through just below the windshield. The OK news was it would only add about ten hours to the job.





This is from inside the salon lookup up at the ceiling. To the right it slopes upward and aft toward the windshield.




This is some of the balsa coring that was removed. It was very wet and the consistency of a very soggy mushroom.

I believe they are using coosa board for the new coring instead of replacing it with balsa.

Got an update today. All the bad/contaminated coring has been removed and they are starting to replace it with coosa board. The problem with the starboard wiper motor was a broken linkage part (thankfully Sam's Marine had one in stock) and the new name and registration numbers went on today. They should finish up the coring and fiberglass repair this week. Move on to the engine hatches and new deck supports next week and splash on the 9th!

lookin good there joe, name looks great!!

Well...some progress and some set backs. Got the wheels on, they finished the transom with barrier coat and I got the rest of the transom bottom painted. Also cleaned inside the through hull strainers and got them painted. The soft spot in the deck is just about done, looks like maybe another coat of cloth and they can button that up. The set back was the new name. I saw it for the first time in person yesterday. It looked great in the proofs and the pictures they sent but once you look at it up close the colors were all wrong, solid colors weren't solid and the gold varied from pale to dark yellow. I spoke with them this morning and they said they will redo it and make it right.

Looks great Joe, I ust sold an old 40 Viking with Cat 3208 in her. I feel your pain. Its such a good feeling when it is done.

Rich