(='_'=)

thanx! i have heard about spraying a clear coating to protect it, but i didnt knew about those holes.... ill see if i can find that wax then... the plan for this weekend is to paint the inside of the boat, as well as the keel... we decided to paint the keel instead of wrapping it, since the wrap would tear very fast.... we will only wrap the sides and the back of the boat.... so, today and tomorrow we will gather the painting supplies, and finish sanding the old paint... we will have to repair some holes and spots where the fiberglass is damaged.... can we use regular bondo?? because there are places where i dont think normal fiberglass resin would work... hopefully by sunday we will have everything painted, we plan on applying primer on saturday and paint on sunday... so maybe next week we will begin with the storage spaces.... do you see a problem in cutting the current storage like this?? this is for the skis to fit under the rods in the locker... would we have any structural problems if we cut like that?? we plan on using a dremel to cut this and the console....

i didnt know that about the wraps Nitrofreak, thanx!! we were thinking about applying a transparent coating to the wrap, to protect it even more.... do you think this would cover the pin holes?? or would we have the problem even with the coating?? because i am like you, im not lazy but dont care for doing any extra work if its not needed.... and yes, a little time on the winch will get me a boat wrap almost for free.... i already have the diagrams in my head, i just have to check if they actually work as i think they should....

oh, i had never heard about that lake... i have only been fishing since last year, so i only know local lakes... we are thinking about a fishing trip to Sinaloa by the end of this year, but still have not decided on the location yet.... i will take a look at that lake, maybe thats what we are looking for.... good luck!!! make sure to post your fishing report!!

i dont know what Baccarac is, but if you are in Chihuahua let me know!! we can go fishing there, at least for an afternoon or something... but, im not in the border.. the border Mexico/US is Juarez on this side, El Paso TX on the other side... im 3 hours south of Juarez, in Chihuahua city....

yes, Tecate was the choice for that day.. the lake is a really small lake near my home, in Chihuahua, Mexico.... its 15 minutes from home, and it is so small, you dont even need the big motor, sometimes we only use the trolling motor.... since its so small, most people dont realize there are bass in there... maybe not really big ones, but since its close i can go after work, and i have gotten fish a little more than 2 pounds in there.... and whats best, only once i have ever seen another bass boat in the lake... during weekends, by noon there may be several ski boats, but early in the morning or during weekdays, i have the lake for myself....

thanx 00 mod... yesterday i got a pretty good deal on the wraps... a friend of mine has a decal shop... most of his customers are public transport busses, so he has big printers... my friend owns a jeep, and once we went wheeling last year, he lost his winch controller... i told him i could install an in-cab controller on his jeep, he only had to buy the materials, which are really cheap, just some cable and a couple switches... but we never did, he knows nothing about mechanics or electric equipment.... so yesterday i asked him for a quote on the wraps for my boat, and he said that if i made him a winch controller, he would do the wraps.... im even tempted to buy an original controller for $150, but i will check first if i can get the parts on an electric store locally.... i have seen some crane controller carcasses that could work... so, i will only have to get some materials and a couple hours of labor and i will have my boat wrapped for free... and just because 00 mod asked for it, here´s a pic from one of the ski trips to the local lake, with the girl i posted on first page....

here´s a picture of a boat they are selling in my city.... the wraps were put on the same place i want to have mine done.... what do you think?? they dont wrap the keel area, so i would have to paint that area and then have the declas match the color.... for $300 i think they are great, 10 times cheapr than what i have seen in the US.... maybe not such a great job, but i dont complain, what do you think??

hahahaha, thanx Freak!! have a great holiday too!! my target date for finishing the boat 100% is June 23, thats when the fishing season opens here where i live... i dont know if i will make it though...

thanx nitrofreak... this weekend ill see if i can find the marine plywood, or a proper coating for regular plywood... and i will also begin sanding everything for painting, as well as change a bad fuel hose.... it should be a fun weekend.....

thanx!! i had tought about putting a mount in the original deck, and another one on the new deck, to add stability... but maybe that is overwill and you are right, i just have to cut a hole on the new deck, which will provide a tight fit on the seat pole, and mount the standard plate on the original deck.... the poles are 1 1/2" right?? and yes, i plan on using wooden 2 x 1 1/2s for the bracing, and 1/2" plywood (marine, if i can find it) for the deck... i thought about using 3/4 plywood but since its a really small deck, and it will be braced on all the outisde edge, the perimeter of the cut for the trolling motor´s controller, and the perimeter of the current storage spaced, i think 1/2" would be fine.... what do you think??

here is yesterday´s progress.... i made a cardboard template of the front deck... since i am raising it 2", the trolling motor pedal gets flush with the new deck without having to cut the original deck... only a part of the pedal´s mechanism is higher than the deck, but the pedal itself is flush.... and here it is mounted on the boat... is is too high?? there is only like 2" from the new deck to the top of the boat... would this be a problem??

thanx nitrofreak!! i think i get the idea... however, i dont know what a plunge router is... do you have a pic? remember, english is my second language, so i dont know some technical words.... one question... most of the chair posts are 1 1/2", right?? because the ones i had were about 3", really big and ugly....

now, how do i remove about 3/16 of fiberglass material?? i can do it with the wood no problem, but with the fiberglass i have no idea....

actually i was thinking about using 2 metal plates to sandwich the fiberglass deck... on the front deck, i am raising it 2 inches, so i think i am going to install the base on the plywood floor of the new deck, and another metal plate on the bottom part of the fiberglass of the current deck, with 2" bracing underneath, and tightne it all with 2 1/2" bolts.... and on the rear deck, use a metal plate below the deck as well... i think i am fabricating these so i might as well do them onger than 7" to maximize the contact area....

thanx nitrofreak!! i wasnt sure you just placed the base under the carpet like that.... is the base only 1/16?? i was thinking more like 3/8 or so....

hey. i have one question regarding the fishing seats.... my boat had these ugly and tall pedestal mounts that can be seen here... when i removed the seats, the pedestals would always be there in the way.... so, i want to install recessed pedestal mounts, so when im not using the fishing seats, the decks will be flat.... i have seen some boats have these, where, without the seat, all you see is a hole in the carpet... thats what im looking for: but all i have been able to find is something like this, where, if you remove the seat, you still have the big stainless steel square..... do you know where to find it or how to do it?? im thinking about using the system i pictured with the big SS square, and just put the carpet on top of that, but i dont think thats the proper way of doing it....

oooh ok, i have to attach a hose to the pedal tray.... ok, ill see what i can do, thank you!!

yesterday i was feeling sick so i couldnt work much in the boat, i just sketched the lower frame and one of the storage spaces and the cooler place.... i have some big pieces of cardboard from which i will cut the templates today, and hopefully by the weekend i will begin building the frames...

so, i have to attach a hose from the flotation chamber to the bilge area?? and where in the flotation chamber should i put it?? what if i try to seal it with fiberglass?? would this work??

yes i saw you made yours with plywood... we are going to get some fiberglass to repair some parts of the boat, i was thinking about doing it with that, or having a local shop bend me some sheet metal.... now i have a question.... what do you do if a wave enters the boat?? i mean, wont the flotation chamber will be filled with water through that hole?? does the chamber has a drain?? or should i cut the hole and then perfectly seal it to prevent water from coming it??

i think i will Shawn!! even though i have never seen one in person, i have read its a nice thing to have, and since i am restoring the boat, i figured out i could do that upgrade as well.... i saw you have it in one of your boats, how does it compares with not having it? is it really that good?

i get it... i dont think it handles much weight, but ill check it and if we decide to cut, we will reinforce it on the inside with the wood as you mention....

i just suscribed to your thread to see the progress... i liked your console, i think i will try to cut mine like that... it would give more leg room and give it a nice look... do you think it would harm something if i cut it like this with a dremel??

suscribed!!

hey shawn!! what are you doing to your boat?? mine hasnt seen the water this year yet =( but hopefully it will be soon... here is a rough diagram i drew yesterday on sketchup... its very basic but gives the idea... first, the boat as it is right now... now, remember i mentioned a permanent storage area and a removeable one?? this is where the permanent storage would be.... you can see the bracing on the perimeter of the deck... this will be to raise the deck 2", making it flush with the front livewell, which right now is a bit higher.... the drawings are not complete, just to give a general idea.... between the deck and the livewell i plan on putting an ice chest, a friend suggets making it permanent, but i think i would rather just leave a space and insert my current ice chest there... what do you think?? yesterday i bought some cardboard to begin cutting the pieces and see if it will actually work and look as im thinking... another question came to my mind today... how do you fix the deck to the boat?? should i use a metal angle and screw one leg to the wood block and the other one to the floor of the boat?? or how do you do it?? thanx! this is how i plan on bracing the rod locker... i think it could be strong enough, using 2x2 for all the supports...