Just acquired a 170 Horizon. Assembly required.

[chevymaher]

I still out here kickin.

I been sanding and buffing still. Tomorrows buff and the outside of the boat is complete. I got it all sanded and ready today. Then had to work some. Then finish the swim deck and move inside and do it.

I been shopping boat covers and a carport. The tent kind. Blue tarp is officially wasted now leaks like a sieve. Got to upgrade the boats housing soon.

Now that it is mostly buffed it is like a different boat now. It is eye candy to me.

 

[chevymaher]

Since the blue tarp is a pain and leaking now. And she isn't looking like junk like when I got it anymore. I broke down and ordered a regular full sized boat cover for her last night.

Weather change is killin me. I actually hate to see the boat leave here for the winter. It will only be 10 minutes away but I can't just look at it like i do now.

 

[Bayou Dave]

The carport idea is a good one. It won't keep you warm in the winter but will keep you and the boat dry. It is a lot easier to get in and out of the boat than removing the cover a million times. Here is mine with my previous boat.

 

[chevymaher]

I been getting extra work in I can see it happening. Just got to show the admiral it is in the best interest of the boat. Then it can stay home this winter and I can work on it more easily.

 

[chevymaher]

I smoozed the admiral last night. The carport tent is happening now. I just got to do one more small job so the amount of play money I got exceeds the amount I need for the tent. And I got a set of brakes coming to do. Boat cover has been shipped now. Soon The boat will be under a better cover with a good roof over it. I am going to use the blue tarps and make walls. That should keep her dry and snow free till I finish her.

Cockpit cover is in great shape and will last for years. It just needs sprayed with vinyl dye get rid of the faded nasty look. But I got to make a bow cover it is nasty shrunk stained and just generally falling apart. My buddy said bow covers are the whip for cool evenings in the boat to keep the cold air off your legs riding.

I couldn't do anything yesterday. I had some side jobs ate my work time up. But it is a necessary evil if I want the carport. Just glad the work was there.

I going to finish the buff and wax on the rear portion if the cap today. I know it is a waste of time but I cleaned and made the stainless prop look all pretty yesterday. Sure looks good in the trunk of the chevelle now LOL.

 

[Bayou Dave]

I smoozed the admiral last night. The carport tent is happening now. I just got to do one more small job so the amount of play money I got exceeds the amount I need for the tent. And I got a set of brakes coming to do. Boat cover has been shipped now. Soon The boat will be under a better cover with a good roof over it. I am going to use the blue tarps and make walls. That should keep her dry and snow free till I finish her.

Cockpit cover is in great shape and will last for years. It just needs sprayed with vinyl dye get rid of the faded nasty look. But I got to make a bow cover it is nasty shrunk stained and just generally falling apart. My buddy said bow covers are the whip for cool evenings in the boat to keep the cold air off your legs riding.

I couldn't do anything yesterday. I had some side jobs ate my work time up. But it is a necessary evil if I want the carport. Just glad the work was there.

I going to finish the buff and wax on the rear portion if the cap today. I know it is a waste of time but I cleaned and made the stainless prop look all pretty yesterday. Sure looks good in the trunk of the chevelle now LOL.

You mentioned tent. Are you getting a metal frame and using canvas for the roof? When I got mine I made sure it was tall enough for me to stand up in the boat and 4' longer, 4' wider than my boat.

 

[chevymaher]

You mentioned tent. Are you getting a metal frame and using canvas for the roof? When I got mine I made sure it was tall enough for me to stand up in the boat and 4' longer, 4' wider than my boat.

Yes that is the one. Inch something thick metal poles canvas top. I saw on You Tube just drill and screw the parts together when you put it up and they are pretty sturdy. As I mentioned I do side work. Well I got steel cable from doing garage doors I am going to use to anchor it instead of the rope they supply. Being a pack rat pays off sometimes.

This one is 20 foot long and 10 feet wide. You made me check tho good points. It is 6 foot sides and 9' tall center so I just went and stood in the boat and measured with a tape from the ground. Plenty of room to work under it. It is listed as a actual car port. Once the boat is finished I will arrange something else for the boat and the truck can inherit this one. For now I just want it out of the weather as much as possible.

My neighbor in the back yard has had one of those for her jeep. I talked to her the other day and found out exactly which one she has.It has lasted 7 years so far. Winter snow, tornado winds the whole nine yards. I live in tornado alley so even if the tornado doesn't hit you it is still pretty intense winds some times. Rip 6 inch thick parts of trees off kind of stuff. But it is next to the house and that helps.

She don't even knock the snow off of hers and it survives. I had a old cheap flimsy cook tent out there a couple years I used for a paint booth for apinting smaller things. Till a heavy wet snow crushed it LOL.

Got the back buffed and waxed now. So after i eat my lunch into the bow section and start sand and buffing intrior gel coat and the window frame that is aluminum. That ought to shine up pretty nice.

 

[chevymaher]

No Title

Okay I been slacking in my duties on the boat porn. This gel coat deal takes a while. No pics of the back, now I can get some but........Anyway I been ridding the boat of the dreaded yellow and making it white again. The first example pic is what I am starting with. Not to bad looking till you start. In the second pic you can see how yellow it was as it curves into the seats.

Plan is sit in the bow section in the comfy seats and do what I can from there. No sense taking them out yet and being uncomfortable doing this. The snaps are a major pain in the rump getting them white up close.

Then once I have done as much as I can this way. Take it all out and do behind them. Basically the little corner to the seat because under the seat it will be perfect white still. I am just going through all gel coat in the interior you see this way for now. Very time consuming to do it right.

I did a test spot in the window frame. They gonna shine right up and look good once I get to them.

It is very cloudy and overcast today is why the pics are so dark.

 

[chevymaher]

Well the inevitable happened LOL. I got the heater in the boat working. Sanding block has steam coming off of it. There are frost warning near here. The fun is about to start.

 

[chevymaher]

I got the bow rider hall sanded but not buffed. The yellow don't like coming out for sure. But the big area is ready. After this it is all smaller stuff the dash and side rails. Once the interior in the bow section is out that be easy. It is perfect white underneath. Little inch lip to do is all.

I just ordered the car port for it. 11 feet wide 20 foot long. 6 foot sides with a 9 foot peak. I am going to cut up some rebar and put eyelets on the ends. Use them for anchors to put the cable to tie it down.

I got one more rain before this stuff gets here. Boat cover is on its way but I don't think it will get here by the rain. So I will use the new blue tarp. The last one lasted 6 months before it leaked a drop. The rolling it back to work on the boat everyday wore it out.

 

[chevymaher]

No Title

Got the buffing done. Then removed the bow section interior. The front most piece I already knew you couldn't get to it so I just gorrillaed it off. No harm no fould bad wood needed replaced anyway.

the ones against the windsheild had nuts on the back. 2 in the glove box and 2 up behind the instruments. Fairly simple.
Long side runners screwed in between the pleats like the side panels in the interior. But 2 came from the other side. Amazing nobody ever got stabbed by those huge screws inside the cushion.

I took a whiz wheel and cut them all off. One long runner had been off before they painted the wood and that side was cut off already. So 4 holding it be fine. It has been for however many years. The front pad I just cut those 2 off. I am thinking door panel X-Mas tree pins from a car for there. That pad can't come off without removing the side sections anyway. It isn't going anywhere.

Once I got the interior out. I took a piece of rebar cut it into 6 2 foot sections. Welded washers on them for the car port anchors.

Then I came upstairs it is one of those rare days we all here at the same time. So a little family time.

 

[Baylinerchuck]

Those panels in the bow are a bugger to remove. Luckily mine were still in decent shape in the Chap. Good progress. Keep it up!!

 

[chevymaher]

Thanks chuck. I am still working my tail off on her. Just different things now. I know I will be glad when the car port gets here. Now that she looks pretty and shiney. I am feeling the tree sap getting on her and that wont do.

Now that the weather is changing here. I got to run the silly shop vac all the time to get the leaves out of her.

I got the bow section to complete on the gel coat under the seats. Then sit in her and do the dash. And I never finished the swim deck. Then this non sense is done till spring. I look forward to just a wax for this stuff as maintenance.

Then I guess start looking at some of the interior parts see what wood needs replaced. I got a seat bottom falling apart from the hinge. Corner of the engine compartment needs some work. Bow section all of it needs replaced looked decent but the wood is bad and the vinyl is getting replaced. Only thing up there good was the flip up seats for the storage.

My original goal for a splash was next summer when I got her. That was before I knew I had to rebuild the hull. I think I can get to use it middle of the summer if I keep this pace up. Just had to start getting up at 4 in the morning and work alot harder than I planned to.

It is like the one guys signature says. We are all born of the sea. But only some return to it. Or something along those lines. I wasn't planning to get a boat Yet. It just kinda happened. I had to many other half completed projects. But now that she is here. Oh I hear the call of the sea. I hear the Siren's call in the worst way. All other projects got put on the back burner with out prejudice .I keep hearing the Led Zepplin song I listened to during swim practice as a kid. Deep blue Sea in once of the verses.

I took the bait hook line and sinker. People tell me I will use it a few times and it will sit. I don't think so I am literally going to wear this old girl back out. Like anything else I play with. I got my ears out for spare parts. I know i am going to need them. And if you don't need it you find it cheap. If you got to have it now you pay.

I scan craigslist for the elusive mythical free boats now. I can strip parts off of before I scrap them. Here if it is a boat it is worth good money rotted POS or not.

 

[chevymaher]

I have been working away from home so nothing boat wise was getting done. It was raining. I had a new tarp on it so no leaks.

New boat cover is close according to tracking so next day or 2 it will be here.

I have been gathering things for the upcoming carport assembly. I got a hand crank hoist that is nice enough to donate its cable for this. It has more than enough. One leg of this thing will be on a hill/grade next to the corner of the house. So soon/today I will be enjoying digging a hole for that. Enjoying tree roots all the way there.

The new tarp is so big I had to wrap it under the trailer. It is a pain but it works. It isn't supposed to rain for a week so I will get that thing off of her today and fold it up and put it away. So I can go back to sanding the bow section.

Weather is quickly approaching freezing temps in the morning. It about made it today. Get the car port up. Use the blue tarps for sides. And break out that big kerosine heater to work in there.

So I guess I have been doing boat stuff. Just this time it is getting it inside something.

 

[chevymaher]

Well I was dealing with a different kind of transom today. Surveying transom. Dealing with surveying the ground where this carport is going. Make sure it fits. And I don't back into it getting out of the garage. Centering the boat inside where it will be. Making the ground the legs sit on level. Making sure I can get in and out of the boat easily. Had to miss the drain pipe digging for the one leg. Got it dug out so the carport sits level.

Went and picked up the cable rope clips for the tie downs. Bunch of zip ties. So today was squares stakes and lines, levels and measurements. Took the blue tarp off so I can get in the boat. It isn't supposed to rain again till the carport and cover arrive. Maybe tomorrow I can actually work on the boat again.

Weather is changing fast here now. I was working in a coat today. One thing nice is this will keep the leaves and maple seeds off of her. Those things leave marks when they get wet.

Still making progress just a different kind today.

 

[Bayou Dave]

Any progress is good progress.

 

[chevymaher]

No Title

Yes it is.

​it is X-mas for me today. Everything is arriving.

Boat cover came I got it on. Now I am sweating the car port that is out for delivery.

I am sure I will be gone doing the life thing when it arrives. I can carry the 100lb package to the back when I get home tonight. Until then wifey can stand guard over it in the front yard.

But I am tickled it will be here. I can get it up before the rain this week end.

I been putting tools up all morning. Put the glassing supplies up so they are good when I need them. Preparing the work area for the next/winter phase of work.

To me it sure looks nice with it on. Not like the POS I drug in here with the blue tarp over it. Looks like it belongs there now.

 

[chevymaher]

No Title

I did what i had to do. Then I was a driven man. I wanted this thing up.

I drilled and screwed every joint. Got it in place.

I will do the cable tie downs tomorrow. It isn't going to get wet again.

 

[Baylinerchuck]

Wow man!! Absolutely loved the post about the call of the sea. You got it bad man!! Like me, lol. Awesome progress on the peripheral projects. She sure looks good sitting there under a roof with a cover. Very nice!!

 

[Mad Props]

I have the same tent/carport (on loan from the in laws)... they asked if i wanted to hang on to it for a while but i was worried about snow on it... do you think it will hold up? If so, maybe I'll take them up on their offer and replace the tarp in the spring if needed.