Newbie Rebuild" 1988 Bluefin Sportsman 1900 w/ 100HP Merc

[Renderwurx]

I also made a pvc frame to sit atop the gunwales to support the boat cover. A couple times already i have went home to find the cover has become a liner for a swimming pool on wheels. lol If I store it outside in the winter this will help let the snow slide off. (Although I will more than likely rent a storage unit for the 3-4 months of winter.

 

[oldrem]

I also made a pvc frame to sit atop the gunwales to support the boat cover. A couple times already i have went home to find the cover has become a liner for a swimming pool on wheels. lol If I store it outside in the winter this will help let the snow slide off. (Although I will more than likely rent a storage unit for the 3-4 months of winter.

I hear you on the swimming pool. Been there - going to do the same later for 2 of my boats

 

[Renderwurx]

So many HOLES!!!! I was going to just buy a new sheet of aluminum for the nose cap... but it was like $80... so I opted to try and use the one that came with the boat. Used JBWeld to fill the hole and add some material and will sand them down almost flush. It doesn't have to be perfect because the textured non skid paint will hide a lot.

Hopefully I can get back to painting this weekend and if so... the rubrail can go back on!

 

[Renderwurx]

Well lookie here... Fedex brought me some shade!

 

[oldrem]

Sweet!

 

[Renderwurx]

Another decently productive weekend. Got the nose riveted on and the hardware positioned and drilled. I also painted the nose and front deck with the Skid-No-More but will have to get pics later. This allowed me to rivet the rub rail back on.... MAN how that one piece of trim really brings it all together.

 

[Renderwurx]

When running the wire for the nav light, I figured i'd show a pic of the under deck framing... Initially I wanted to make the frame completely from aluminum angle... but decided to use a couple 1x3 studs for part of it. Had to notch them out to accept the angle but it worked beautifully. Taking two angles and riveting them together gave me the perfect flat to seem the deck ply together, and provide the support.

need to add two crossbraces under the doubled ply where the pedestal seat mounts. It's rock solid now... but I will feel better with it tied together.

 

[Renderwurx]

Also got the sides of the boat carpeted. Mostly to dress it up and quiet the aluminum down a bit. Will mount rod racks with bungee straps in the recesses. Perhaps some cargo netting to hold tackle packs.

 

[Renderwurx]

Had a great shot from the second story... and thought "Why not?"

 

[oldrem]

Looking good!

 

[dougyc]

I'm new here and not sure of the protocol to ask a couple Blue Fin questions, and I don't want to side track your thread. Moderator please take appropriate action if necessary...

I have a 1985 16' Blue Fin Superhawk with a 90 HP Evinrude v4.

Back story:

The previous owner pulled the deck and installed 5/4 composite decking. It certainly adds some weights, but I sort of like it. I recently repositioned the live well which double as a riser for the captains seat. Like all other Blue Fin pictures I observed the hull (sub-decking) is divided into 3 sections the far left and far right are foamed and the center section is open. The fill and drain lines for the live well are running through the center un-foamed section of the space and now that I repositioned the live well I will have to pull the decking boards and hollow out some of the foam to run the live well lines through the far right portion that is foamed.

I do need to run the bilge more than I would like and need to perform a leak test to see if I need to address rivets, live well tubing or transom bolt holes or transducer screws.

With 14 gallons of fuel, the 90 HP Evinrude, and a 8 HP Yamaha kicker I think I'm a bit aft heavy. I porpoise quite a bit, and have issues planning out if I'm towing the kids in a tube (no issues without a tube behind). I checked for a bow mounted gas tank and I don't find any evidence of one historically.

I also have intermittent issue with trimming the motor in. Out will work, but trim in seems to not always work.

I'm considering reworking the boat to add more seating options a casting desk and better storage options. My questions below will influence how large of a project I get myself into.


1) As I read through the rebuild of these boats I observe everyone pulls the old foam, the question is why? Is it to improve water drainage flow and inspect the rivets, or a is there something else I'm missing?

2) Will adding a bow mounted tank even out weight distribution, and help with the proposing?

3) I know getting data on Blue Fin's is problematic, but does anyone know if all Superhawks had a bow mounted fuel tank?

4) I have to pull the trim switch apart and see if the issue is that simple, but any expert advice is welcome.

 

[Renderwurx]

1) Often times the foam is waterlogged, open cell foam. It's really not offering much flotation anymore, at least in my case. People are using closed cell foam to replace so that it doesn't waterlog again.

2) Yes and no. It will when the tank is full... but over time you will experience the tail getting heavier.

3) Not a clue... I did see a link on here somewhere that shows the "features" of a 1606 Superhawk and saying Ventilated Dual fuel tank compartment

4) It is likely either the switch or one of the relays.

Sounds like you should make a thread... as you move forward with your project, you are likely to run into other things you will want to ask about.

 

[dougyc]

Thank you, if and when I pull the 5/4 decking I'll be sure pull the old foam as well, for now the live well will be a cooler.

I created a new thread here, not sure if it's in the correct place or not. https://forums.iboats.com/new-content/33

The trim issue was a relay, someone along the way used gasket tack to keep the relay and connector seated, my guess is it gummed up the contact. When I swapped relays it started working, so I bought 2 new ones and added them to the boat tool box, just in case.

Do you remember where you got the ss recessed cup holders?

I have a couple questions on your bow tank, as I am pretty strongly considering an aftermarket one.

I understand there's a place for the filler neck and breather hole. I can see the filelr cover on your bow. I assume there is a sending unit. Am I correct that all that does is send a fuel level signal to a gauge?
And then you have a fuel line running to your outboard, where will you run it to be sure its never kinked?. Is the fuel pump in the outboard strong enough to pull fuel 16 or 18 feet to the motor? Where will you put the primer bulb?

 

[Renderwurx]

Your link was bad... the link to your thread is below. I have posted some answers there and sent a PM with links.

 

[Renderwurx]

The stern is almost complete. Drilled through the new transom for the pass through bolts, kicker motor mount, Tie down U-bolts, and the splashwell drain tubes. All are sealed with 3M-5200 with fender washers on the backs with nylock nuts... all SS.

 

[Renderwurx]

Last thing left in the back is to set the splashwell back in in order to put the last 2 bolts through the transom. like most older boats with rotten transoms... the stress tore the tabs off the brace. I used 1/8" aluminum angle to fashion new ones. It's raining today so I may not get the splashwell installed until Saturday. My goal is to get a preliminary splash in on Sunday!

 

[Frey0357]

Really coming along nicely!

Take pics of the splash....we all are looking forward to your success!

...Love those trim tabs

Frey

 

[oldrem]

Looks great!

 

[Renderwurx]

After working on the boat most of the bay... I finally got around to looking at the motor. It's an 88 Mercury 100. I ordered a compression tester, and after figuring out I had to short the neutral gear start wires together to get it to turn over... I was pleasantly surprised.

All 4 cylinders were approx. 105 cold. Definitely within 1 or 2 of each other. Warm (how the test should be ran) it should be 110-115... Can't complain about that at all!

If I get time tomorrow, I'll get some gas to it, clamp a water hose to it, and see what happens. It's been sitting for 6-7 years now so I suspect it'll take some carb cleaning, maybe a fuel pump rebuild, definitely a fuel filter. Crossing fingers.

 

[Renderwurx]

I intend on using the SkidNoMore on the lower deck, but for now... I laid some carpeting down to walk on and keep from getting the wood dirty/greasy.