1997 Sea Ray 175

[Marc Peternell]

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to my project page.

I've purchased a gutted out 1997 Sea Ray 175 and intent on restoring it. I have a 1987, 19', Glasstream that I will be using as a 'donor' boat.

In this thread, hopefully you will see me:

1. Build an engine hoist out of wood
2. Transfer a 1987 transom assembly into a 1997 boat
3. Transfer a 1987 Mercruiser 3.0 liter engine into a 1997 boat
4. Transfer steering, tilt/trim motor, and other misc assessories from the 1987 boat to the 1997 boat.
5. Build an interior for the project boat (this won't be pretty, I'm no professional upholster)
6. Ramble about my project
7. Bleed, bruise, work hard, sweat, laugh, and hopefully not cry.

I hope you all join me in my project.

-Marc Peternell

 

[Marc Peternell]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

For starters. I've had my 1987 Glasstream for years. It has been a wonderful boat and the 3.0 liter has been very reliable. It has been to lakes all around Florida, its been to Georgia, has been to Key West, and pretty much everywhere around Tampa Bay. About 7 years ago, I replaced the original, 1987, 3.0 liter engine with a used 1989 3.0 liter engine. The 1987 engine had a cracked block, blown head gasket, cracked head, and burnt valve... And, it was still running! (but, you know something is wrong when you get passed by a riverboat type dinner cruise boat that is powered by a paddle wheel!) So, I really like the 3.0 liter motor. I did the swap myself, so I should be able to do the swap this time around too.

I purchased the 1997 Sea Ray for very cheap, so I figured for a little bit of money and a lot of my time, I can upgrade from a 1987 to a 1997 boat. I like the design of the 1997 better because it has the rounded windshield and built in swim platform.

Before proceeding with this project, I thoroughly checked out the 3.0. It has great compression, a new starter (thank you DB electrical), and a new fuel pump.

 

[fat fanny]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

I will be on board ! I used to own a 96 175 five series. It was a great rig that served me well for over 12 yrs. Just sold it this last spring due to a custody battle for my Grandaughter.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

Welcome to iBoats!

We LOVE pics. They help us us help you. A Free Photobucket account is the best way to post them on to the forum. Once you have the uploaded to PB use the IMG Code to copy and paste into iBoats.

Looking forward to seeing your project!

 

[pckeen]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

Welcome to iboats - sounds like a great winter project. Keep updating us as it progresses, and good luck with the motor swap. If you still have the old 3.0 liter, consider parting it out on ebay to make a little extra $$$ to fund the project.

 

[Marc Peternell]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

Ok, here is my first photo. This is one of the Sea Ray 175 after I first bought it a few months ago. Unfortunately, I left it in a "dollar a day" storage and, someone gutted, my pretty much gutted boat. Notice how it does have a windshield and drivers side dash and instruments.

Those were stolen. Believe it or not, the thieves were after metal. They broke the windshield to steal the aluminum frame. What is that worth? $5 at a metal recycle facility? They have no idea what they could've sold it for online.

Anyway, here is what it did look like:

 

[Marc Peternell]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

After a lot of deliberation, and frustration because another windshield and dash alone will cost me more than what I already have in the boat, I decided to press on with the project. I was able to find another drivers side dash with instruments and another glove box door from a salvage yard in Georgia, Lanier Marine. They are mailing me the used dash and glove box lid (who steals a glove box lid, right?) Heck, the thieves stole the aluminum brackets off of the rotted out seats that were in the boat. Crazy. So, other than the windshield and a few other smaller items, I should be able to use everything else from the donor boat.

Anyway. I cleaned out all of the broken glass and debris left in the Sea Ray and am moving on.

Here are some photos of it now. I thought it was gutted before, now it is really gutted! It is just a shell.

 

[Marc Peternell]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

Here is a photo of the donor boat and the project boat side by side.

 

[Marc Peternell]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

And a few more of the project boat.

 

[Marc Peternell]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

And a few more.

 

[Marc Peternell]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

Well, that is my introduction. Thank you everyone that already replied. I appreciate anyone following this and offering advise.

I do have another boat, a 1996 24' Four Winns Horizon. I love it, but I'm enjoying the idea of taking on this smaller, easier to trailer, better on gas boat. My two-foot-itus turned into wanting something 2' smaller than the 19' bowrider. It seems like there are a lot of late 1990's boats out there these days that are projects. I had a tough time finding something smaller than 18' that had an I/O mercruiser. The brochure for the Sea Ray 175 says that it is 18'2". So, I'm really only going 1' smaller than the 1987 Glasstream that is 19'2". The Sea Ray seems much lighter though and isn't as tall. I always thought that the Glasstream had a pretty deep V on it. I've been in some rough stuff in it and never had a wave come over the bow.

Well, next up with be to build a hoist and set the engine into the Sea Ray. I'm making a "swing set" looking thing out of wood and will hoist the engine out with a come-along. I've done this before. Also used big trees before. I like the tree better!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

Uhmmm before you put the motor in, I'd highly recommend you do some inspections of the Transom and stringers on the boat. She's 16 years old and been somewhat abused. You want to make sure her sub-structure is good and solid before you start putting the mechanicals back in. Drill some core samples on the inside while you have her stripped down and everything is easily accessible. Finding a windshield will be problematic. They are not easily located.

 

[Marc Peternell]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

Thank you Woodonglass. I've already checked out the hull and it is solid. The floor is all fiberglass and is solid. I read somewhere that the stringers are fiberglass and that there is no wood below deck, but I don't know if that is true or not.

It will be a while before the boat is complete. I know that finding a windshield will be tough. There is a boat salvage yard not far from me that I will check out. I'm open for any ideas on what to do about the windshield, as long as it fits, I don't have to go back with an original Sea Ray 175 windshield.

 

[Sea Stomper]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

I'm open for any ideas on what to do about the windshield, as long as it fits, I don't have to go back with an original Sea Ray 175 windshield.

You could build a pilothouse type of setup, hopefully with asthetic value unless you are set on an open cockpit. I like my shelter from wind and sun. This is what I did to a 15 foot tri hull. Not having a windshield is actually a great opportunity to really make a custom setup. It's a positive for sure.

The thread for this is:
http://forums.iboats.com/boat-resto...1977-orrion-becoming-ocean-animal-599297.html

 

[fat fanny]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

It does in fact have a fiberglass deck shell and is almost ALMOST impossible for water to lay lang enough to rot the underlying structure. Mine stayed dry for over 10 yrs and the transom only has a 2'x3' pc of wood for the O/D so if there is any replacement work it should be minimal!

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

I would hit Dons in Clearwater or marine surplus in sarasota. however you are still going to pay a bit for a windshield assembly if you can find it.

 

[Marc Peternell]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

Sea Stomper - Did you build that? It looks great. i'm going to stay with more of the outside approach, but I love what you did with that pilothouse!

Fat Fanny - I'd thought I'd read that, but it didn't specifically say that it was a 1997. I checked the wood in the transom and it is great.

Question: Do transoms from outboard boats tend to go bad more often than transoms in I/O boats? It seems like most of the threads I've read show transom replacements in outboard boats.

Scott Danforth - those are exactly where I was going to look first. Hopefully I can find something at Don's Salvage. As I'd said, it doesn't have to be an exact windshield from Sea Ray 175, but if I can get something that is still curved, but fits close enough, I'd be happy. I've used some of the search engines that search all of craigslist and have found a couple of 175's that were being parted out, but I was too late and the windshields were gone. I need to find out if there are other windshields that would work so that can broaden my searches.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

unfortunately the windshields are made for each hull. while many are similar, I have not found that one made for a particular boat fits another. Although you may get lucky. you may want to check with Taylor Made as they are the original manufacturers of the SeaRay windows.

 

[Marc Peternell]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

Ok, here is my makeshift engine hoist. My plan was to spend the least amount of money as possible, but still be able to get the engine out. I really don't think that I would recommend doing this, but it worked great and was more sturdy than it looks. I did something like this before a when I changed the engine out in the 1987 boat.

My plan: Make something like a swingset.

Here is what I used:
1. I spent about $25 at the hardware store (Lowes) on Four 12' 2x4s and one 12' 2x6. Also got a couple of little aluminum bracket things that I didn't know existed, they weren't strong, but they helped line up the 2x6.

2. I already had some screws and other 2x4s at home to use as support braces

3. A come-a-long (I think the other name is a cable puller). I've had this for a while. I think I paid about $15 for it at Harbor Freight Tools. I don't trust it at all!!

Here are my photos:

 

[Marc Peternell]

Re: 1997 Sea Ray 175

That is what I thought would work, but it was not sturdy at all. You will see the finished product in a second. It has about 4 hodgepodge braces on it that actually sturdied it up very well.