180 SS New to the Forums.

[BWR1953]

Good stuff! :encouragement:

 

[Watermann]

Fabrication is the way to go :thumb:

 

[classiccat]

Much cheaper and made in the U.S.A.! :thumb:

Carpet, throw pillows... the only thing missing is a crackling fire and you'll be all set for date night in the SC !

 

[DirtyHarry83]

Thanks guys

Much cheaper and made in the U.S.A.! :thumb:

Carpet, throw pillows... the only thing missing is a crackling fire and you'll be all set for date night in the SC !

Haha.

My girls sit up there and play with their toys while I mutter and pace planning the next part of the project.

I cannot wait to finish the boat so I can take the girls out.

 

[Candutch]

Nice work on the mount for the vhf. You may know this already but make sure you mount the antenna at least 3 feet away from the radio. I read that too late in the instructions and will have to move mine and cover the giant holes I drilled for it.

 

[Fizzlesticks]

Nice write-up and pics. I have a Mariner 180 I'll be posting soon so it's nice to see something similar being done.

 

[DirtyHarry83]

Nice work on the mount for the vhf. You may know this already but make sure you mount the antenna at least 3 feet away from the radio. I read that too late in the instructions and will have to move mine and cover the giant holes I drilled for it.

Yeah, I read about that and thought. "Well crap. Where do I mount this turkey?" Then I had an idea. A wonderful, awful idea... I'll use the gunnel on the other side of the boat and run the antenna line under the casting deck. Muwahahahahahahahahaha :lol:

Nice write-up and pics. I have a Mariner 180 I'll be posting soon so it's nice to see something similar being done.

I look forward to checking out your project.

 

[DirtyHarry83]

Not much done lately. Just a little bit of here and there.

I mounted the controls. I should call the boat fuzzy with all of this carpet. Maybe Old Gray Gossamer (Looney Toons)

I am not regretting the carpet. Stealth boat.

More progress on the dash.

 

[DirtyHarry83]

Haha, my battery tray in the background of the second image. I also added that recently.

I went to place it into the location that it belongs and the dog on thing was too small!

Then I remembered that the previous owner used galvanized steel decking L brackets to support the tray.

So, then I had to go back to the drawling board. How am I going to mount this dog on thing? *snap of the fingers* IDEA!

I had some spare aluminum u-channel prefabbed by momma Starcraft that I didn't need to reuse. I know what you're probably thinking. "Uh oh Harry, you probably shouldn't have done that." Relax, I am a trained garage boat builder. I've got everything under control. Besides I didn't reuse this area the same.

A little hammering and a little bending.

That leads to this mounting.

Another angle.

My fuel hose from the fuel tank conveniently fits in the spare gap!

I'll add some trim to the edges surrounding the battery tray. This should keep any spilling water from heading directly at this location. At least that's the justification for not mounting this PRIOR to installing the floor. :facepalm:

 

[DirtyHarry83]

I pretested a battery placement. It looked pretty good. I'll have to get a picture.

 

[BWR1953]

... I should call the boat fuzzy with all of this carpet. Maybe Old Gray Gossamer (Looney Toons)...

 

[DirtyHarry83]

I like the the look. Maybe I should get a decal made and name the boat "Old Gray Gossamer"

 

[DirtyHarry83]

Back on the wagon. I feel like this is turning into a perpetuating circumstance of "What else can I add to this boat."

New hatches

Funny thing is, this picture reminded me to order a hatch to add to my engine well for boat plug access.

I am currently stripping old carpet off of the under engine space. I also have to rebuild the side console storage (glove box? in a boat?). I have some ideas on how to mount it as it didn't previously have mounting holds from the console above and I've forgotten how it was mounted previously. Not that it matters. I've cooked up a plan.

I finished installing the lights.

They are wired and work but in my use of the stern light, after confirming contact and light. I turned off the switch, and then pulled the light but the cheap plug pulled the pins with it. *sigh*. So, I shoved the pins back into the socket. I am going to epoxy those pins into the plug. I'll fix them!

I think they look pretty good.

Also seeing the picture of the anchor light plug, I cooked up an idea from those two pieces of mahogany underlayment.

I am going to build my own transom saver, I bought a white cutting board and some JB weld plastic epoxy. It will be a two plate build. One used as a mount for the sacrificial/replaceable transducer mounting plate. No holes through my transom.

Hope this is the year I take it out and get the boat in the water.

 

[Watermann]

Oh yeah, looking like you'll get her on the water in the near future. Nice work, looking like a new boat once again :thumb:

I noticed you have the center cleat on the bow but I didn't notice if there were bow line chocks which are a must to make that center cleat usable.

 

[DirtyHarry83]

Oh yeah, looking like you'll get her on the water in the near future. Nice work, looking like a new boat once again :thumb:

I noticed you have the center cleat on the bow but I didn't notice if there were bow line chocks which are a must to make that center cleat usable.

Thanks for the information. I have to search for the two I purchased a while back. It's in a bag somewhere in my garage. I have a shelf full of boat parts.

I worked a little last night on refinishing the ski locker and a dash box cover.

Before

After

Ski Locker top

Installed

I need to redo the work inside the locker. I'll show that later when completed. This is where I will store the boat bumpers and dock lines.

 

[DirtyHarry83]

I worked on her a bit this morning. I made some adjustments to the dash.
I added the hardware to the glove box cover. I should have some pictures later of the work.

I am trying to keep to the mantra of at least 15 minutes a day.

I've also come up with some further ideas for padding around the gunnels and consoles at the bow area. I wanted to go with vinyl but again I am trying to avoid heat. I'll wait to give up the information with some photos and some more thinking on that topic.

 

[DirtyHarry83]

Here is the dash now.

 

[DirtyHarry83]

More to come on the project. I am making a list of what really needs to be done before I put the boat in the water. I am working on a few of them now and I hope to have the pictures posted tomorrow of an update.

The list helps me remember what I wanted to focus on to get done. :laugh:

I have a kicker bracket and kicker motor but I may hold off on the install as I just want to use the boat.

 

[Watermann]

You're on track for some time on the water, teak is so nice to work with, did you use teak oil or spar on it? :encouragement:

hey it looks like your trolling motor is being pampered :lol:

 

[DirtyHarry83]

hey it looks like your trolling motor is being pampered :lol:

Ha-ha yeah! Trying to get it ready for the season.

For the wood I added a walnut deck stain. I tested it out on a small piece, let it sit for a few months to confirm it wouldn't harm anything and I felt it came out really nice. I'll use this stain through the rest of the boat.

I have some plans to add wood in a few more areas too.

This morning I mounted the fish finder and Marine VHF brackets. I made the access holes for the pwr/transducer wires. I also made the holes with the mounting finishes for the antenna wiring and the power leads for the VHF.

The silly nonsense was having to pull the windshield to mount these units.

Lastly I still plan to mount a marine compass too.

I'll mount the antenna on the opposite side of the boat on the gunnel. The radio needs to be at least 3 feet from these antennas.