1988 18 foot Ebbtide Campione Resto/Mod

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Peteco

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 12, 2009
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36
I bought this boat in the summer of 2009 and we have really had a blast on it. Next year I intend to buy a larger boat, but I'll keep this boat around too so we can have 2 boats at the lake. Plus, I need a project to work on. It's kind of an odd boat, I've never seen another one and it has really low gunwhales - seems almost like a bass boat.

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The carpet and upholstery are showing their age, and there are a few things we need changed on the boat. The gelcoat has gotten very badly faded, and one winter outside has softened the floor.

The transom is made from end-cut blocks of balsa, and I'm hoping that it will not need to be redone because of the complex curves. Time will tell. I do have a leak somewhere, I think it's through a motor mount bolt, back flow through the bilge pump outlet, and possibly through the old speedo pitot mounting screws. If that's the case, then I'm probably looking at some transom work.

The plan is:

Interior:

Tear out interior seats, side panels, carpet and floor.

Lay in new floor. I haven't yet decided whether to use styrofoam as my floor core and layup an epoxy and glass sandwich, or go with plywood and polyester resin. If I use foam, I'll need various hardpoints for seating, so it may pay to just go with ply. Stringers if needed.

Build up a new rear seat. The existing rear seat didn't get much use, because there was usually a tube and some towels back there, the seat was too low and too shallow, and was used as a step for hopping into and out of the water. The plan is to build an L-shaped bench seat behind the driver's seat. I considered back-to-back stock seats, but any I've looked at are too big for this boat and sit way too high. (This boat almost looks like a bass boat that they marketed as a ski boat) I might try to integrate some sort of folding bracket to hold our Scuba tanks.

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The passenger seat swivels and can face backward, and by not having a rear seat there the passenger has leg room plus there's a path for someone to get to that back deck.

Building the rear seat, I should relocate the battery which also sits on the starboard side. I'll either put it under the rear seat or move it to the port side of the boat in the back under the deck. Maybe I'll put the VRO oil tank under the seat or something. We'd like to have some additional storage so hatches where I can fit them.

Re-upholster the bowrider seat cushions and the two front seats. Probably in white/charcoal/yellow.

Install new carpet

Outside:
Repaint the boat white, charcoal, and yellow.

Engine
Replace the water pump
Replace the propeller shaft seal
Repaint the engine white
Fabricate some sort of connection or fairing for the hoses and cables to the engine, like newer engines use, which run all the wires, hoses etc inside a plastic plastic conduit to the boat.

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Other Items
Last year I replaced the gauges and rewired the dash, but the fuel gauge has never worked. I'm sure it's the sender so that's going to be replaced.
The tachometer doesn't work, and when I got the boat the panel wiring was kind of butchered. I need to sort that out.
Install new interior and exterior lighting.
Install a stereo.
Install various wood trim pieces.
Replace the 23 year old bilge pump.
Replace the glovebox, refinish the ski locker hatch, etc.
Finally, if I have the time I'm going to build a ladder and small platform on one side to replace the cruddy ladder that's on there now.

Once I get the boat into the water, I'll leave it at the marina for a week and redo the trailer. I'm hoping to be finished in time to have the boat out Memorial Day Weekend (famous last words, I know):rolleyes:
 

jonesg

Admiral
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
7,174
Re: 1988 18 foot Ebbtide Campione Resto/Mod

Sounds like it will turn out to be a gut job once you get into it a bit deeper.
Most of the stuff you listed are cosmetics, fit and finish type stuff.
I redid my transom with pourable composite a couple yrs ago and did ply stringers, it was an enjoyable project.
I went back wth two bilge pumps, one with an auto switch.
 

ezmobee

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
23,767
Re: 1988 18 foot Ebbtide Campione Resto/Mod

Yeah that's a really cool hull. Colors leave something to be desired and I don't think the teak works well on such a sleek modern looking boat. Heck of a motor too. Looks like a really fun rig and was probably ahead of it's time with the whole fish/ski thing.
 

Peteco

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 12, 2009
Messages
36
Re: 1988 18 foot Ebbtide Campione Resto/Mod

Yeah that's a really cool hull. Colors leave something to be desired and I don't think the teak works well on such a sleek modern looking boat. Heck of a motor too. Looks like a really fun rig and was probably ahead of it's time with the whole fish/ski thing.

That's a good point. I was considering getting some teak steps for the gunwhales, back near the ladder and adding some wood in various places, but I think chrome or white plastic would make it look a little more modern.

Especially if I go with white and yellow. I also considered a blue and yellow, similar to this:

I'm not sure what colors to use to make the boat look more modern and clean, rather than a kickback to the seventies.


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Yacht Dr.

Vice Admiral
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
5,581
Re: 1988 18 foot Ebbtide Campione Resto/Mod

I say.. Keep the Teak brother !

YD likes NO-ROT teak for cleats and ski locker lids :)

YD.
 

Peteco

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 12, 2009
Messages
36
Re: 1988 18 foot Ebbtide Campione Resto/Mod

Pics inbound tonight. Didn't get a ton of work done this weekend, I spent a full day sorting out the garage so I can work in it. I have lumber, metal, welders, tons of tools, camping equipment, etc in there and I had to build shelves to accomodate all the crap.

I managed to get all the bow seats torn out, the main seats torn out, and side panels. I see that they made hollow seat boxes for the seats and glued together pieces of 2x6 (which are in turn screwed to the floor) to hold the seats into place.

I am hoping to get the floor torn out tomorrow night, evaluate the stringers, and next weekend get the new floor in. I have 2 gallons of polyester resin ordered along with some 1.5oz CSM. Most of my composite work is with epoxy and cloth, so I don't know if I estimated high or low on resin consumption, other than hearing that CSM sucks resin like mad.

This of course gets changed if the transom isn't perfect, and I fear I am going to need to come up with something there. The core of the transom is end grain balsa, most likely due to the complex curves, and I would probably build it back in with plywood (that I somehow manage to laminate to the correct profile, or use foam or a pourable compound. I REALLY don't want to pull the cap off this boat if I can help it.

I also had to buy a new jigsaw since my old one disappeared.

I will pull the fuel tank tonight, I need to cut and work up a joint for the center support section so that in the future, pulling the tank doesn't require a lif of the cap.

I am still debating between my L-shaped seat mockup or a full "U" style seat, omitting the factory passenger seat. I see a lot of modern factory boats do this, with more or less a bench seat all around. Not sure if I have the room to justify that, besides the hull sides are pretty low if that matters. I would love to hear input on what sort of seating arrangement to work with in the back.
 

Rderrick121

Cadet
Joined
Oct 24, 2016
Messages
25
Any new pictures of the restore? I was also going to start the same thing with mine!
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
Any new pictures of the restore? I was also going to start the same thing with mine!

Over 3 years since the OP visited - Don't expect an answer. Start a new thread about your project - The best way to get the help you want.

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