1990 Sea Nymph FM160B Restoration

[Frey0357]

Completely excited about my 1990 FM160B Sea Nymph Fishing Machine!

Sold my 1985 Sea Nymph 14r that I completed and fished for a few years (my 2 boys are growing and getting bigger!), and with that money I bought this.....See pics

Now I knew that the transom was soft and in need of repair, but before I rebuilt that I applied the "band aid" and bolted on a chunk of aluminum stock to tighted up the transom and allow me and my boys to fish out of the boat for this first summer. Glad I did that, I got to know the boat, and understand what changes I might want to make, etc....

The Evinrude 60hp VRO is still completely in tact and running great! The boat runs about 32-34 MPH really scoots across the water when its calm! I do plan to disconnect the VRO system and pre-mix the gas myself, so I dont have to worry about engine failure.

My winter project:
-Remove the outboard, rebuild transom
-Small tweaks to interior, clean it up a bit
-Fix or possible remove the live well (dont use this...)
-Check foam and flooring, seems a little soft in some areas
-Consider painting or cleaning up the exterior, kinda beat up from PO (dock rash, or something)

This is going to likely take me the entire winter, as family takes precidence over boat projects.....(although there are times when.....just kidding )

There are some incredible boat rebuilds on this site, and I plan to use some of your great ideas. If you have suggestions please help!

I will continue to post pics and provide insights to my project, but I may be slow.....lol

 

[drpepper68]

You really dont use the live well? I was just thinking about adding one to my boat but maybe I'll rethink that if people really dont use them much. Do you use downriggers? I'm rigging them up on my boat now. I know how excited you are, I'm doing some upgrades and restoration on my four winns as well... new gauges, dash, etc.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[drpepper68]

Ooh I'm now a "Seaman Apprentice"... I'm excited.

 

[Frey0357]

Hello Dr. Pepper, ya I am hooked on this boat project! I personally dont use the livewell in my boat, my sons and I always return our fish to the lake from where they came.... Maybe that will change some day when we decide to have a big fish fry or something.....Since I already have one in my boat, I may keep it - I guess time will tell.

I dont have downriggers today, but would like to do this in the future! I have been on charters before and fished with them, it was fun a totally different method of fishing. I like it tho...

 

[Rick Stephens]

I quit with the livewell too. I keep a lot of fish though, I just rebuilt to have an icebox well instead. With the salmon we fish the most for, icing them is the best way to keep them.

I almost bought a Nymph a couple years ago with a 90 horse on the back. Wife put her foot down after the tryout run. Not many places to hide from the weather on that deck. Great for fishing though.


Downriggers are sweet!

 

[Frey0357]

Rick the icebox makes sense when fishing for salmon. I dont think I will be on any big water with my boat for just the reason you mentioned!

Downriggers are sweet, I cant wait until my project is complete and I have some of my own! I have a lot of work to do before then....:joyous:

Frey

 

[Rick Stephens]

No Title

Rick the icebox makes sense when fishing for salmon. I dont think I will be on any big water with my boat for just the reason you mentioned!

Downriggers are sweet, I cant wait until my project is complete and I have some of my own! I have a lot of work to do before then....:joyous:

Frey

Frey,

The weather I spoke of was 90HP induced. There is no where on a bass boat to hide from the wind and spray. My wife was NOT impressed.

On the other hand, she dearly loves to nest up front on our open bow F&S. It wasn't originally an F&S, pure bottom line IO 'ski' boat. But I'm getting old enough to know I won't have a boat full of kids, so I decked the bow and stuck in a live well, later I ripped that out and reinstalled with a couple inches of closed foam around a lidded plastic well box. Right down the middle of the bow. Still a flat deck up front and I can stick a chair up there or best of all, while I spend hours hunting the right depth, color, scent and presentation, the wife loves to build a nest up there and curl up with a good book. I can run out canvas in a couple minutes if it gets too sunny or rains, and if I close the passthrough window and stick a cover over the hole beneath it (or snap on the bow cover) we can cruise at full speed with no wind in the seats. Mind you, boat only seats three, not 8 now. But great tradeoff for a grumpy fisherman.

Downriggers are a blast. Need really good electronics to enjoy them fullest. I really like the Big Jon brand stuff. Great quality. When you get ready to go there you'll find a number of great brands and sales. Believe it or not I started with my first downrigger was that tiny Canon clamp on installed on the oar post of a 2 person cataraft with an electric trolling motor. THAT was fun.

 

[Frey0357]

Rick,
Thanks for clarifying! Your response was great, 90HP induced....:lol:

Your have outfitted your boat very nicely with that deck up front, and perhaps just as important you have made a "resting" place for the misses! My wife loves that fact that I take my boys out fishing, she doesnt have any interest in going with us.....that may change with the recent findings regarding my restoration!

More to come soon on that!

Frey

 

[Frey0357]

So the saga continues as I dig deeper on the SN Fishing Machine!

I have read many restorations from this fantastic site which has helped to point me in the right direction. I like the boat very much, and the layout is great for the fishing that we do, but this restoration has turned into a major overhaul!

Yep, I have pulled up the "Soft" floor that I spoke about in an earlier post and found foam, lots of foam! Now not as much as has been found in some restorations, but none the less lots of it everywhere. Sea Nymph did make an attempt to channel the foam to the rear of the boat and away from the center of the vessel, but it did find its way there in some places.

The foam appears to be very dry on top and about 90% through it, BUT at the bottom it is soaked! In a short time I have developed a hatred for this spray in foam! LOL, my opinion is that it does not belong on an aluminum boat unless there is a way for it to allow water to pass by it AND allow it to dry out if it does get wet.

I have pulled out probably 100lbs. or so already, and many large garbage bags of the stuff!

I also found that Sea Nymph did not apply any sealer or protectant to the floor boards or hatch covers. The result of that is wood pulp everywhere because the boat has been wet for a long time and the wood has completely deteroriated to the point to where the foam is holding everything together! Well let me clarify, wet foam is holding everything together!:mad-new:

I didn'g take as many pics as I would have wanted but I did take a few and made a quick video.... It might help out someone else that it in denial that the spray in foam on their 15 year old boat is dry (like I was!....).

Pics and video coming on next post....

Frey

 

[Frey0357]

No Title

Pics of soaked spray in foam found in my boat....Cant get the video loaded for some reason.....says the file is too big, but its only 35 secs. or so.....I will keep trying!

 

[Frey0357]

While this project is well on its way, and somehow I am getting more done faster than I thought I would, I welcome any thoughts and recommendations that you may have! I know that there are many of you out there with experience with this type of "redo"....


Question:
Since I was able to remove most of the flooring (and I believe that I can remove all) without removing the metal bracing througout the boat, what are your thougts regarding replacing the flooring in smaller sections rather than large sections.....as long as I seal the new flooring that is going in?

I am too chicken to drill out perfectly good rivets that are not leaking in the hull to remove the bracing and replace the flooring with large pieces....

Frey

 

[fishin98]

Looks like a Great Project boat.....Get your boys involved some how during the rebuild, it will be something they will not forget. Having a nice FISHIN BOAT will give you and the boys years of GREAT memories!

 

[Frey0357]

Thx fishin...Yea my boys are involved. I continue to show them the progress and get them in it to aid in the removal of that lovely foam and rotten plywood....I think that they think I am crazy! "Dad, why dont you just go buy a new boat?" My response: good question! Buying a new boat would certainly be a solution that is too easy!

Frey

 

[DeepBlue2010]

My response would have been much different and has something to do with them making the payments on the new boat

Great project and for a wonderful purpose; fishing with your kids. Enjoy it, they grow fast. God bless

 

[fishin98]

Just back in from the back garage working on my project...90* out with high humidity....tooo darn hot....will wait till the end of October to start work again.

 

[bonz_d]

Question:
Since I was able to remove most of the flooring (and I believe that I can remove all) without removing the metal bracing througout the boat, what are your thougts regarding replacing the flooring in smaller sections rather than large sections.....as long as I seal the new flooring that is going in?

I am too chicken to drill out perfectly good rivets that are not leaking in the hull to remove the bracing and replace the flooring with large pieces....

Frey

I don't see a problem with this as I have done it in the past and will be doing it again when I put the new ply down in an Alumacraft.

I am also redoing a Sea Nymph at this time. It's a 1984 Pike Attacker 144. I also have to agree on some of the construction methods that were used on this boat too. When I pulled the transom ply out there was nothing sealed and many small rivets that were just joining two pcs of aluminum that also penetrated the transom plywood. The wood when it came out was dry though it was delaminating. It came out in one solid piece and didn't look too awful but then I left it outside along side some other stuff and it then rained. When I picked it up to move it and use as a template it immediately broke in half and was soaking wet from the rain.

I also see some of the same issues with the foam in this boat. A real joke as to the way it was installed. In the past I've done a Lund and am also working on an Alumacraft right now and the foam in those was much done better and still all dry.

I'll keep watching your progress.

 

[Frey0357]

My response would have been much different and has something to do with them making the payments on the new boat

Great project and for a wonderful purpose; fishing with your kids. Enjoy it, they grow fast. God bless

Well I didn't mention the payment part here, but that was part of the conversation...

Thanks for the kind words, they are certainly growing fast, besides they both really like to fish! Typically they are begging me to go!

Have a great day!

Frey

 

[Frey0357]

Just back in from the back garage working on my project...90* out with high humidity....tooo darn hot....will wait till the end of October to start work again.

Wow Fishin its perfect here today in Michigan, 70 and sunshine! Only non perfect part is that I am working, and not boating......

Take care and good luck in October!

Frey

 

[Frey0357]

Hey Bonz, you mentioned you were putting down new ply in your boat, are you planning on 1/2" ply or 3/4"? Just curious, the carp that I took out of my boat was 1/2", I think there will be plenty of support with my replacement foam (blue or pink sheet stuff cut to fit), but thougth I would ask your plans...

Thoughts?

Frey

 

[drpepper68]

Frey,

The weather I spoke of was 90HP induced. There is no where on a bass boat to hide from the wind and spray. My wife was NOT impressed.

On the other hand, she dearly loves to nest up front on our open bow F&S. It wasn't originally an F&S, pure bottom line IO 'ski' boat. But I'm getting old enough to know I won't have a boat full of kids, so I decked the bow and stuck in a live well, later I ripped that out and reinstalled with a couple inches of closed foam around a lidded plastic well box. Right down the middle of the bow. Still a flat deck up front and I can stick a chair up there or best of all, while I spend hours hunting the right depth, color, scent and presentation, the wife loves to build a nest up there and curl up with a good book. I can run out canvas in a couple minutes if it gets too sunny or rains, and if I close the passthrough window and stick a cover over the hole beneath it (or snap on the bow cover) we can cruise at full speed with no wind in the seats. Mind you, boat only seats three, not 8 now. But great tradeoff for a grumpy fisherman.

Downriggers are a blast. Need really good electronics to enjoy them fullest. I really like the Big Jon brand stuff. Great quality. When you get ready to go there you'll find a number of great brands and sales. Believe it or not I started with my first downrigger was that tiny Canon clamp on installed on the oar post of a 2 person cataraft with an electric trolling motor. THAT was fun.

Your setup looks almost just like mine Rick. I need a bimini top like that, I have the kind that snaps to the winshield only. I need to look at getting a kicker but would have no idea where to mount it with a stern drive.