1988 Stingray SVB 192 Restoration

[Gator1996]

Man, if I had known that all that typing and picture posting would garner this much interest, I wouldn't have wasted my time. Not one comment. In fact the last comment was in January of '13 by my buddy yachtdr. WTH?

Is my project that uninteresting or is it just so bad no one wants to hurt my feelings? Inquiring minds!!

 

[Tnstratofam]

Gator I just read through your thread, and I think you did an amazing job. I'm sure others will agree the whole boat turned out nice. Glad to see another craft from the 80's resurrected. I have two 80's models in my fleet, and even though they're a little long in the tooth we love them just the same. Again great job. Please finish posting I for one need the inspiration, as well as the knowledge.

 

[Woodonglass]

I remember this boat!!! Glad to see you're on the Water!!! Since you've got her "Splashed", you get one of these....

 

[Gator1996]

Thanks tnstratofam and WOG. Always nice to be noticed.

WOG your thread was the first one I found when I decided I wanted a boat but didn't want to pay retail. It was you and then Frisco that made me pull the trigger.

Now that the project is almost done, it will go to my son when he graduates college and I will build myself something from the ground up.

 

[Woodonglass]

Check your PM

 

[Gator1996]

Response sent WOG. I think...no indication that it was sent but I clicked post. Let me know if you don't get it.

 

[DPManley]

I just read the thread start to finish. Great job! About your sewing skills - you seem to be a perfectionist so do what you want, but the seats look fantastic. Most of us resort to throwing some store bought junk that obviously was never intended to go in the boat we have. You have color matched comfort that clearly was made to fit. If my family were climbing into that boat, they would all be in awe. My iboats trained eye might be able to tell you made the cushions (only maybe), but only pure envy would be the result.
Some other notes:
quick postings seem to be on again, off again. I posted one question and got 5 answers that day. Next question took a week - but great info. If it took WOG a few days for the congrats, you know it was not for lack of caring.
Your documentation - list materials with cost, pictures to show why decisions were made, etc. - are a great help to those of us not yet into our projects.

And the result: it looks like a new boat. The color scheme was more than most would try, but well worth the effort. Way back when you were not sure if you would replace the transom, I thought this would be a so-so project. You took it well above the top-notch bar. Your fiberglass inside was good, the hull was inspirational and the interior finish is where it goes over the top.

Kind of a gushy post I know, but this may kick start my stalled project. Thanks for the post and good sailing.

Dave M

 

[Gator1996]

Thanks for the kind words Dave. Much appreciated. Good luck on your project.

 

[understeer]

Even though you started the project years ago, it has given me some insight now on my up coming project. I just picked up the same boat a couple of months ago. My plan was to repaint and reupholster. Although I don't plan on going into the detail you have, I have already read the thread and bookmarked the page for future use. It was interesting to see the time span and stages of your project, as well as you talking to yourself.

 

[southkogs]

Welcome aboard understeer:

Please read over our forum rules (link below) - it's agains the rules to post in a topic that's inactive over 90 days unless you're the original poster. Though if you want to start a new topic (with pictures, 'cuz we like 'em), you can link back to this one as reference.

Thanks!

 

[Gator1996]

Hello Understeer.
Thanks for looking in on my thread. It was definitely a big project. It would have gone a lot faster if I had outsourced the gel as I originally intended. It was a great learning experience though. I have since built a square stern canoe Gheenoe style for fishing when I'm alone. Only took a couple of months to tear out the guts, re-glass the hull, install false floors, drainage, decks etc. I am going to flip her and lay down new gel on it this spring. Its a fun ride, floats in a few inches of water and I can launch it anywhere as it only weighs 120 lbs with the four horse Mercury. Point is, the knowledge you get from this site and actually doing the work is pretty valuable.

It was kind of frustrating that I spent some time answering myself on my posts. I think that there is relatively little interest in that model boat, either too new or some are just stingray snobs. Maybe I wasn't that interesting. In any case, if any one got some good info out of it I'm glad. It really is a good thing to get your own thoughts organized like keeping a journal would be.

Have you started your project? I haven't been on the site for a while, but would definitely subscribe to a thread of yours. I do know every inch of that boat but would definitely not qualify as an expert on what you have planned. I have some good insight on gel but not automotive or epoxy style paints. I also can discuss interior, I learned a ton from my own mistakes but no one would connect my work to any "expert." Good luck and thanks again for taking a look.