1988 Riviera Cruiser

hello I have been looking in here on and off for some time while sorting on my boat, but my first time in the dry dock section. I bought a older pontoon with the intentions of setting it up for night fishing. it has went well and now that its =gotten cold and I have pulled it off of the lake its time to finish up the rest of the rebuild. This summers list was to get it functional and get some fishing in and I did that included a full rewire new gages disconnest switch and a motor change, and a trailer rewire and new tires. When I bought it was a empty deck except for the consol that was junk and when it was pulled off of the marina, I did a deck expansion moved the fence all the way up. Right now its out having a custom cover made. After the first I will be starting in on the deck. First thing is a new back seat. Presently looking at the wise seats with plastic frames lighter than wood and should stand up better to mold that's the next step. Any one with experience with those. this is the just the start next is a custom rod bow that will hold 8 foot rods and live well and the front 8 feet of the boat will be kept clear for a 8 x 8 pop up tent. Will add pictures when the cover is done its made from Sunbrella and thier will be other pictures.

http://www.iboats.com/Deluxe-Pontoon-Rear-Group-A-Gray-Navy-Blue-Wise-Boat-Seats/dm/*******.116853477--**********.115433121--view_id.795576

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

Its moving at a snails pace. still is out having the cover made, but the new grill is ordered and the seats.

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

hi bud.....

what is the plan for the rod holders......are these going to be rocket launcher types...?

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

No, those are all ready installed. I worked these out these over several years of trial and error. Simple PVC pipe frames with strong spring loaded clamps from a hardware store to hold brooms behind a door, clamp the rod handle in place and never have lost a rod. They slip in and out of 2 bigger pieces of PVC mounted on the rails for easy storage and because I mostly night fish thier is a bait light under each one with the top half of the light lens blacked out so the light is directed down and not in your eyes. I find these easer to grab when you get a fish on. The ones in the pic have been in use for around 15 years and on 3 boats. This is how its set up for night fishing with a black light. All ready have the new console done and new captains chair is installed and the 8 x 10 bimni top that has extra bracing added to stop any side to side problems. Thought I would post a few pictures to show what's been done to this point.

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

Finley got my boat back from the upholstery shop where the cover was being made and also got the new seats and grill delivered so I can get started on the on finishing the planned deck. The dock cover came out real nice, I asked for snaps ever 6 inches or so to help support it during the winters and spread the strain of rain and snow and so on and yes it is a lot of snaps to put on and off but it will last longer. Finding a chap stick is on top of today's list and waxing the snaps. Once that's done it will be to remove the temporary boxes, battery and wiring and clear the back deck of temporary seats and rod box I made to get through the summer. Then assemble the seats and start the lay out. I will plan on making a new rod box that fits against the port side seat bottom that will be cut out and compartmentalized to allow up to 8 foot rod storage. The rod box its self will be made and upholstered for more seating, and while doing this I may shift the battery over to the port side seat box to off set the fuel tank weight I noticed this summer it has a slight lean to starboard side. The rail mounted grill will be a bit later because I will have to take it back to the shop to have the cover fitted around the mount and have a draw string bag made to cover the grill and I want to keep the boat dry right now. I got a new camera so I will get a few pictures, lololol got to have pictures.


the new dock cover 3 poles and big vents

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

I got a good bit done. Still have to put in the battery box,rewire it and the disconnect switch, fasten down the seats and flip 2 bimni brackets around. Should finish it up tomarrow.


old and new seat




old rod box that will be the next replacment

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

I ran into what I hope is a small problem or no problem. Just had a sumbrella cover made, and I should of but didn't have the new back seats installed and the seat backs are around 2 inches above the rails when it was made so it is a tight on the snaps. A first I though the pole was just up to high last night and it was getting cold so I stopped . Today I started in on moving the battery location to even up the weight a bit and when I went to put on the cover I realized that dropping the pole wasn't going to make much if any difference I was wondering if it will stretch out I over time. I can move the rail snaps up if I have to but don't really want to drill new holes.

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

Working on battery install now, It was on the starboard side same as the fuel tank and I noticed it has a slight lean to that side so I am moving it to the just off center on the portside and it needs a wire up grade. Planning on doing some over night camping on it and the admiral isn't happy with out her coffee in the morning. A 12 v pot draws 25 amps so I am going to a 8 ga wire that will hold 50 amps at 12 volts and it never hurts to have more capacity for later up grades. I routed the wires in at the top of the seat box so any rain cant get in that way and so I can wire tie them to the top of the box so anything in the box rattling around wont hit them. I will need ever bit of storage I can get.

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

Today I started in on making the live well tank. My plans include this tank in a large storage box so I can keep some bait or a fish or two. I have a 14 x 24 x 12 , 15 gallon stainless steel tank I made for another boat that used a suction cup aerator. This one will be a permanent install with both a aerator and a fresh water fill system. After laying out the holes I started out by drilling 4, 7/16 holes in the tank and them finished with 3/4 conduit knock out punches. I had forgotten how tuff stainless steel is to put holes in. I found a Attwood aerator kit complete with tubing, clamps, gaskets and even a screen. The fresh water system will be with a bilge pump mounted on the transom and tubing ran to the tank with the over flow going through a hole in the deck and the tank drain will also go through the deck. The tank drain is stainless steel sink drain with a rubber plug.

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

Every where you go you find those darned catfish people! LOL!

Great day in the Hton today, what did you get done??

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

Not much, have ben waiting on the upholstery shop to get the new boxes done and I did get them back, and now weather is the hold up so iI hope to get it finished up soon. I see your in hton , I keep the boat on beachfork and I sure need to get out and fish a bit lol

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

Finley caught a good day to work outside on the boat after 12 days of rain and snow and was able to finish up the rod box install. It is also seating.

the old rod box I made last summer to get by with



the new one before it was sent off to the upholsterer shop it has 2 sections one for rods and another for fold up camping chairs.



butted up against the plastic seat box with the cut out opening



inside view the gray area is the plastic seat box it will hold 8 foot rods



plastic seat box with the partitiotion

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

Had another beautiful day today it hit 55 again got the live well installed today it went along very well. I had all ready mounted the fill pump, fish finder transducer, speed/water temp probe and the wiring and hose and had that ran up to the approximate area. I went with a separate fill and aerator because I often make long runs up the lake and don't want to lose bait and if the water in the tank gets warm I can change it out any time.


here is where it will be sitting



the plumbing



wring in the fill pump and the aerator timer, I went with a timer to save battery power found a nice unit with a 30 second fixed on time with a 1 to 7 minute off time



The fill pump, speed/water temp probe and the transducer. I don't have a bracket welded on the back of my logs so I made a bracket to mount ever thing on the motor pod I am using a 9.9 so it should work fine.



Ever thing installed and I just had to test just to make sure the timer is working right. The lid for the box is back at the upholstery shop the guy did it backwards

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

Your doing a great job Hawker.

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

Wow! Looks like you sit and stare at your boat too. Lots of good ideas. I'm gonna steal that rod holder idea...kinda. Thanks for the info "neighbor". Ever fish stonewall?

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

Yea I have been the re a few times, but this summer I am planning a few trips to burnsville for monster cats.

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

Sorry I have been meaning to get back to this and post the finished up build. Ever thing came out real well and so far its all working out as planned.

New dock cover


Cover folded away, I ;left as 6 inch gap between the seat back and fence just to store it while out running.


the boat and deck


Consol


Made the search light with a spring loaded mount this to fold up and down for the cover.

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

And the last five.

Drivers shelf, cause you have to keep stuff handy made from PVC trim board.


Front shelf


new grill and a fold up table stored in brackets


throw pillow and swim ladder also hung in brackets


and the live well

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

MH Hawker said:

Yea I have been the re a few times, but this summer I am planning a few trips to burnsville for monster cats.

Click to expand...

Right down the road. I hope to go there next time I get a chance to go out. Boat is looking good!

Re: 1988 Riviera Cruiser

Been helping my grandfather restore his riviera cruiser for bluegill fishing do you have an ignition wiring diagram ? Wont start with the key