16' Nescher ski boat complete restore- SPLASHED!!

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Today I finished up all the wiring I could. I still need the radio and to figure out where the battery, and charger go to finish them. I also need the seats (which the controls mount to) so I can wire up the control wiring / tach harness. I added the daisy chains to the instrument power, instrument grounds, and switch grounds today. I also added the new buss ground and tied the light grounds into it. I'm not sure if you will be able to tell much from the pictures! Hope those labels get here soon while I remember what all this stuff is! By the way Skinny Chicken, we travel!

I know this will bring a feeling of deep down warmth in Mick.....here are some fender pictures!

Sniff sniff....very emotional huh?

Here is a close up of the stripe.

Now I'm off to figure out what I need to round up next week to keep things going!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Thanks for the thoughts Mick...I'm not to worried about the weight, after all if you have two guys up front you are looking at 400 or more. It would just come out of the hole faster if I had more of the weight up front. Guess I will have to move the ice chest up there huh? LOL!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Oh on the fenders, I plan on electrifying them ....that should have everyone trained after the first weekend....no this isn't a step! That is what the big steps are for!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Well West Marine called and my rub rail is in.....so I have to head up to T-town to pick it up this weekend. Tonight I moved Max from my garage to the shop. I know how sentimental you guys are.....so I thought I would post a picture of the young couple!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Good news the steering came in today and looks to be the right lenght! I got home late tonight.....and had to pack for my lake trip tomorrow, but I still got it put in.

Bailey, the tank is a permanent tank...as for filling it will have a thru hull filler. That was a big challenge, finding one with the filler in the right place. Tonight I figured out that west marine's picture is of the wrong tank....and the filler is in the middle not the end. I'm not really liking where it will fall in the boat, so I'm back to square one.

As for the tank in the back, who really knows till you try it? Every boat is different, and this one seems to have been set up for removable tanks in the back. I can't find anything that would indicate it had a built in tank. David K's Infinity that was similar had a rear tank, also all the outboard I have owned had rear tanks. That being said the front tank might be the way to go, just depends on how the boat handles. I was planning on having her mostly together before sea trials, but I'm thinking of just getting Max on, the seats then put her in the water with a removable tank. I was thinking tonight I could take a couple of sand bags that I could simulate the weight of the fuel with....move them around and see how she handles. What do you guys think? The tank location will have an impact on where I put carpet and where I don't, so I would like to figure that out before the carpet goes in.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend, I'm headed to pick up the rub rail in the AM.....then spend the day at the lake doing spring chores!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Thanks for the thoughts Bailey, I like having someone present the other side of the "ball"! If you need a job in architecture let me know, I respect people who can tell me I'm wrong! I'm starting to lean towards the tank in the front. I guess once I have her in the water we will have some direction. I did get the rub rail picked up..hopefully we can get it on tomorrow night or maybe Tuesday night. I'm really worried about bending it around the corners on the stern....guess we'll see The lake was great by the way....Ahhh...Miss Morgan is going to love this playground!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Well tonight was successful and frustrating at the same time. David K and I got the front section on no problem....went on smoothly.

Then we worked on the one of the back sections. The back corner not only bends....but the angle relative to the hull changes from 90 to about 45 degrees. That means the top of the rub rail has to compress or the bottom has to stretch. We beat, twisted and wrenched on it for about 30 minutes. We both came to the conclusion that it was futile and we need a new approach. David suggested making a jig and heating the rub rail. About that time the storms started heading our way. He went home and I went to the house to see if I needed to head to the cellar! I had some golf ball size hail and some wind damage......time to pick up tree branches....but that was it. Of course the power got knocked out, so no jig building. I did put Max on, didn't need power for that.

I thought about it a little more, and think I might be better off making relief cuts and welding it back together. I talked to my friend Don who restores antique cars (mostly steam powered) and he thought that would be the way to go. His shop makes a GM plant look like a backyard shop.....everyone should have 8 or 9 welders right? Anyhow I maybe trying my hand at stainless welding.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Thanks for the comments Jay and Fat Fanny. As for the ski storage, that revolves around the gas tank debate...focusing on the rub rail for right now. I actually had dreams last night about how I was going to get the rigid ***** thing to bend and roll at the same time around the corner...... Tonight I used a couple of helpers....oxygen and acetylene...amazing what a couple thousand degrees can do to make stainless steel more co-operative! First I built a jig shaped like the corner of the boat (or close to it). I then took the rub rail, heated it, then bent it around the jig.....re-heated and beat the top down, creating the "roll". After a couple of rounds it fit.

After that I took it back off and wet sanded the hammer marks off the rub rail....then went finer and finer to 1500. I finished it up with a buffer and some rubbing compound. It has a few minor imperfections, but nothing noticeable considering I hit it 50 or so times with a hammer!

I'm hoping to get David K to give me a hand tomorrow night with the other side. I'm also 6" short on each side of Max....so I need to order a 6' stick to finish things up.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Donkey, you guys really don't like that steering wheel do you! Well it will get upgrade, but probably next winter. Right now I'm just trying to finish....speaking of spending lots of money, the seats are done! I stopped by the bank today to get the gold bar to pay for them....but it was worth it....I'm just hoping my color selections were right. We should find out tomorrow!

Thanks for the comments on the rub rail. Mick, thanks for the comment...I'm lucky enough to have spent years tinkering with things....learning mostly what not to do! I have learned a lot from this project....now I know what not to do on the next one!

No work on the rub rail tonight, but I did get some work done on the trailer. Mick I thought of you when I figured this out.....I went to lengths to label the fenders and the plywood that attached to them....then during painting I forget to relabel them So when I put them on, I spent 30 minute measure to make sure I got them on correctly.....last night I put the carpet on one of he plywood pieces that was labeled "left".....didn't fit on the left side, but sort of did on the right side That was when I figured it was quitting time for the night! So tonight I took them off, put them on the correct sides, and mounted the plywood pieces. It was a lot of work to slope the fenders, but I think it paid off.

Tomorrow I hope to pick up the seats, unless its pouring down rain. I really need to spend a night cleaning, took me 20 minutes to find a utility knife tonight, turns out it was where it was supposed to be.....not in one of my piles around Miss Morgan!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

MountaineerMiner, glad to hear I can be inspiring, lol! Your project is coming along nicely. I find I work best when I take my time and don't force things....some time off is a good thing!

As always Bob, thanks....your work is excellent. I'm always interested to hear your thoughts.

I thought about her signature briefly but got side tracked Mick, but that sounds like a good idea....hmm need to figure out where to put it.....We could scan it in at the office and have it cut from vinyl..... Hmmm just getting her to sign it would be awesome....don't see that happening unless you have some contacts! I'm sure the carpet will come in handy, there is always some jack bleeeeeeep that doesn't seem to know what no wake means!

thanks SCCA Vette, I'll PM you the place where I bought it.

I'm just glad Miss Morgan wasn't at lake Thunderbird (also know as dirty-bird or thunder-chicken by us locals). Its a small lake south of OKC and east of Norman.

http://www.newsok.com/article/3460726?searched=lake%20thunderbird%20marina&custom_click=search

The video makes me want to store Miss Morgan and Max in my cellar!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Thanks guys. I think the effects of heating varies with the alloy of the stainless. Well got the seats today, ran home and put one of them in to see what it looked like. I can't wait to get the carpet in!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Here are a couple of shots of the seats setting in Miss Morgan. I'm planning on running carpet up the sides of the bases. I'm toying with the idea of spraying bed liner on the exposed wood on the insides of the seat frames. My paint guys can tint it to any color I want. I could match the silver and continue the theme, what do you guys think? I could also hit it with epoxy again and spray it with a hammer tone paint, but it wouldn't be as durable.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

no that takes the fun out of it!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

The windshield will have to wait along with the steering wheel...you guys are worse than a hottie on a date...."hey lets get this really expensive wine along with the lobster and steak..." I'm planning on telling my accountant about this project in 20 years or so...he will just laugh then...."you spent how much back then? On that old boat!" Speaking of spending I took the day off and went in search of odds and ends parts. I came up with the idea of getting a piece of stainless to trim up the carpet on the seats at the top. Naturally the local supplier was out of stock....but I should get it Tuesday. So that kind of thew a wrench in the gears on finish the seats. The throttle / shifter cables are ordered and I spent about an hour tweaking the mount for the controls. I was planning on putting carpet on it, but I have extra vinyl from the seats left over....think I will just cover it in that. It should look pretty sharp!

After spending most of the day rounding up "stuff"....mostly looking for stuff, I got to the shop and started on step one...then realized that I need some stainless bolts I didn't pick up.....back to Ace, got the bolts.....got to the truck, remembered some other bolts I needed....headed back in.... the girl at the register said something along the lines of "didn't take long for you to make it back here........" Anyhow I finally got rolling about 5. Most of it was fitting the seats and controls. I also built up the bilge with some duraglass so that it is almost flush with the bottom of the drain tube (thanks again Bankfisher). Tomorrow I'm going to glass it, just to have a smooth surface. I finished up the night by using west systems Six-10 epoxy to glue down the clip angle cleats that will secure the seat to the deck. I want to minimize the screws into the new floor....don't want any water in there after all that work! I talked with West Systems and they said it would work fine....I also did some calcs on thermal expansion of the glass and aluminum, shouldn't be an issue as short as the pieces are.

I also made some brackets to support the steering cable and throttle / shifter cables. Tomorrow I'm planning on trying to tie up loose ends on the wiring and other details. I hope everyone is having a great Friday night!

Oh yeah Mick, just send me a check and I will get started on the seats....

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Thanks Guys.....I e-mailed the guy about the sleek Hmm may need to sell the searay soon and add on to the shop!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Thanks Netmatrix, I want to see her together too! Hopefully tomorrow I will get the shifter cables...tonight David K and I heated and beat the other section of rub rail around the transom. It came out really good, unfortunatly I'm 6" short on one side and 3" short on the other Oh well I can get a 6' piece shipped via UPS. Big Matt also put on Max's stickers! Looks very sexy! If all goes well splash down should be early next week!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Just a refrence shot....almost the same angle...wow she has come a long way!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Yeah this is the fun part.....almost done and I can look back at all the pictures and justify all the time and money! I can't wait to ease her into gear...then shove the throttle to WOT! That will be a rush for sure! The hard part will be putting her in....then puttering around testing things out, checking out how she handles ect....

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Thanks, it is really starting to feel like a boat! Tonight (despite the squirrels best efforts) I hooked up all of Max's controls....the steering cable went pretty easy, but hooking up the shifter cable to the control was a chore. The instructions read something like, "position shifter in neutral to access retainer and remove". The "retainer" lock nut, that you can barely get to with an open end wrench.....so after about an hour I got it put together. After that everything went pretty smoothly.

I was tempted to pull her outside and fire up Max, but I need to spend sometime checking over the electrical system....ohming things out....and tying off some "loose ends" that go to things that aren't installed yet. Hopefully after splashing her, I will have the tank issue figured out. That should allow me to get the interior finished up and the swim platforms built.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore

Thanks Mick, I was just wondering where you have been!

Net Matrix, I'm guessing 50 is the best she will do from the prop calculator, maybe a little less.

I didn't get much done tonight other than figure out I may need NASA to install this depth finder! I did get some graphics for the sleekcraft logo from a graphic artist I know. I sent him one of Vegas's photos to work from. I wish I still had the cast aluminum ones, but they are long gone.....I'm guessing the idiot who spray painted her took them off! What do you guys think? I just printed it out on bond paper and taped it on. The final version will be printed on vinyl that matches the pinstripe I put on the fenders.

I'm trying to stock up on parts for the big weekend push.....