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  1. 8

    View of unloaded trailer with pickups

    I tow with a Ram which has tow mirrors. It also has a very nice backup camera so no need to put the tailgate down. I still rely on my mirrors and I key off my spare tire mounted to the side of the trailer. So my very simple advice…move the spare tire mount so you can catch it in the side mirror.
  2. 8

    Inherited boat, how bad is this?

    You have up to this point what I assume is $0 purchase price. And you know the history of the boat. So you invest $3-5k into it and you know it’s solid and has family ties. Now, let’s say you pass this boat on and instead invest that $3-5k into a used boat. After first launch you find out the...
  3. 8

    Bed liner for fiberglass hull

    Bedliner? I wouldn’t but that’s just me…I don’t like unplanned swimming events. Soft floor, no bilge? I wouldn’t even launch it till it was properly repaired. If you want to see structure of the boat, check out this YouTube’r… Not saying he did it right, as I don’t agree with some of the...
  4. 8

    1983 Blue Fin 16’ Resto

    Yeah sides are getting painted with Pettit Ez Poxy. Gotta get the adhesive off as I can feel the ridge left from it. Gonna get some Xylene, a couple respirator cartridges, and some chem resistant gloves to see where that gets me. Plan B is to have a mobile media blaster swing by and get the...
  5. 8

    1983 Blue Fin 16’ Resto

    I heard it somewhere that it’s good luck to sacrifice a tool to the boat building gods. I present my 3/8 drill bit. Snapped when I was trying to enlarge the slot to take a 3/8” buttonhead bolt. It really hurt when the drill kicked my hand into the wheel hub. Probably going to have a bruise...
  6. 8

    1983 Blue Fin 16’ Resto

    While I could do that, my goal is to have this as easy to launch and retrieve as possible for my sons. It’s the main reason there’s a set of Boat Buckles waiting to go on the trailer. My thought process is as my sons get older and want to go camping on their own…and drag a boat with them…that...
  7. 8

    1983 Blue Fin 16’ Resto

    Yeah. They’re being replaced with flip-up cleats. Retro-mod to use the car scene lingo. Bow eye is old school small. Still attached and functional, just small. So modern big hooks eat up realestate quickly. Need to purchase a bow safety strap to use…chain is old/rusted and the spring hook is...
  8. 8

    1983 Blue Fin 16’ Resto

    Tried out a couple different pedestal heights at Sportsman’s Warehouse. Settled on 13” fixed height. Also tested seats. High backs are good for the cockpit and mid are good for the rear bench that will pull out and convert the bow and stern to casting seats….much like modern fish & ski boats do...
  9. 8

    1983 Blue Fin 16’ Resto

    Yeah Ryerson is the biggy. Onlinemetals looks promising too. Smaller sheets would be ok but the longer angles may be an issue. May have to resort to Home Depot for those.
  10. 8

    1983 Blue Fin 16’ Resto

    Near Buffalo NY. I may have to do this in small pieces. Those I can find online somewhat reasonable.
  11. 8

    1983 Blue Fin 16’ Resto

    Measured 3x, templated 2x, and cut once. It helped I had the very ends for the profile. Don’t worry…I have the floors, casting platform, face both consoles, both inside consoles, side beauty panels, and rear bench all to build. Lots of opportunities to expand my vocabulary ;) Anyone got a...
  12. 8

    Opinions on this welded aluminum hull

    I’ve seen those lines before…on brand new Trackers. Hadn’t even been sold yet, factory fresh. If it was a rental, I’d be running away. I’ve seen the “care” the exhibit while renting. Bumper boats anyone?
  13. 8

    1983 Blue Fin 16’ Resto

    Researched the sku on the mystery white plastic flooring. PVC sheet from Home Depot. 1/2” thick at nearly $100 a sheet. Yeah that’s coming out next. Whenever it stops raining…just had a thunderstorm roll through.
  14. 8

    1983 Blue Fin 16’ Resto

    Call it coat 4…Just trying to use up the paint mix I have. I honestly didn’t mix that much up as I had a feeling I was going to be in this exact spot…too much paint, too little to paint. Thinking I stop here for the day, let it sit and then sand to knock down the grain.
  15. 8

    1983 Blue Fin 16’ Resto

    I thought about it I truly did. Qt of Spar was $30. Tack in everything else and it’d be cheaper to use a runny polyester or epoxy….and that ain’t saving much. Split the difference…1:1 Mineral Spirits and Rustoleum Oil Based. I have 3 very liberal coats on it right now. Letting that all soak in...
  16. 8

    1983 Blue Fin 16’ Resto

    It fits! First cut. Bow support is first piece of new lumber going in. BCX plywood. Now the question…how to seal it so it can be top coated with EZ Poxy. Need to do some reading… I will say it’s going back together with ss hardware where standard hardware was. Need to check my rivet supply...
  17. 8

    1983 Blue Fin 16’ Resto

    And answer to the side wings. Foam on bottom piece between the two AND foam on the diagonal that connects to the front window. Gawd awful finger paint came off in chunks and sander took care of the rest getting it smooth. Set one side and the edges in etching primer. Pondering what to do...
  18. 8

    MS Office alternative

    Libre Office is very robust and rather easy to switch to. Will read/write in all the current Office formats…docx, xlsx, pptx. You can set it to save in Office formats by default. That’ll cover Word, Excel, Powerpoint. I’ve yet to find an alternative to Outlook. Way back when, I used Outlook...
  19. 8

    1983 Blue Fin 16’ Resto

    3” tubing cap came in so installed that. It’s the little things that keep the progress going. Flipped the first window section over, re-masked it, and shot it in its first coat of clear. Will do another coat tomorrow. Went looking in the window department for weather stripping and may have...
  20. 8

    1983 Blue Fin 16’ Resto

    So based off weight alone…. AI says a 1983 90hp 2 stroke could weigh between 260-305lbs Honda 90 would weigh 359 per specs. 75 uses same block so same weight. Honda 60 clocks in at 239. Yamaha 90 clocks in at 353. Same for the 75. Yamaha 70 clocks in at 253. Suzuki 90 is 344. Same for the...
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