1972 Checkmate MX-15 Rebuild

[mr300z87]

Nice progress!!! Cant believe it time to pull boat out, feels like we just put them in.

 

[zool]

Nice progress!!! Cant believe it time to pull boat out, feels like we just put them in.

Thanks Mike, Yeah I know, the short season here sucks. The dancer is still at the slip, I did clean everything out tho, so its ready to come out. The CC is coming out this week, its colder at the lake than at the shore right now.

 

[zool]

I started placing everything and quickly remembered how tight the areas will be with regard to the fuel fill and tank placement. I put down some neoprene strips on the tank cradle and set it in, also installed the separator. I have Moeller tank straps, but have to figure out how to use them with the clear span box channel needed over the tank. At 1st it looked like I had plenty of access to pump maintenance, but realized the tank needs to be about 6 inches further back, to allow for the fill hose to bend to the filler cap in the boat cap next to the splash well. So im gonna have to put the cap back on straps above the hull and raise/lower it to get everything placed correctly.





The box channel can go in front of the fill inlet, but i may have to reposition the separator or change the nipple configuration.

 

[zool]

While staring at it for a while, I think the easiest way to secure the tank will be to not use the straps, but counter sink a flat top screw on each end of the box channel, and secure the tank that way.

One problem solved

 

[mr300z87]

Mine is still in also, we are planning one last night on her this weekend. Friday Phil Lesh and Friends concert in Port Chester NY and then Saturday night on the boat should be a good weekend. She will be coming out at the end of the month. Looking forward to seeing your engine progress during the cold season.

 

[zool]

Mine is still in also, we are planning one last night on her this weekend. Friday Phil Lesh and Friends concert in Port Chester NY and then Saturday night on the boat should be a good weekend. She will be coming out at the end of the month. Looking forward to seeing your engine progress during the cold season.

I give it a 50/50 chance the Chrysler works and ends up on the transom, otherwise ill shop for a merc 115-150.
I plan to do the cockpit upholstery on the SR this winter too, and a dash redo, so ill be plenty busy this winter, but at least mostly inside work.

I should be at the boat now chilling, the weather is great right now!

 

[todhunter]

I think the countersunk screws in the channel is a good solution - at least you won't have to go on/off/on/off/on with the cap! Being my first boating season, I also can't believe it's almost over! I'm hoping to get the boat out this weekend, and maaaaybe get it out once more in November, but I can't see being able to boat much more than that.

 

[zool]

I think the countersunk screws in the channel is a good solution - at least you won't have to go on/off/on/off/on with the cap! Being my first boating season, I also can't believe it's almost over! I'm hoping to get the boat out this weekend, and maaaaybe get it out once more in November, but I can't see being able to boat much more than that.

I dont know how the weather is down by you Tod, but up here, they thread the needle between catching the late Bluefin tuna bite in oct/nov, and avoid the inboard engine block freeze come mid December/Jan.

Me and my brother used to share an outboard whaler, and every season he's wait me out to see who would pull it. One year I did it in January and had to chop ice in the salt water just to get it to the ramp lol. He's a stubborn taurus.

 

[zool]

Ok so I repositioned the tank back where it needs to be. The brace still works out between the fill tube and shutoff.



Pump maintenance will only require unscrewing the brace, and sliding the tank a little forward.



As for the hull cap, I spent some time putting square pegs in round holes. Ill have to mix some thickened resin with shredded cloth to fill in the back side, somewhat matching the chopper gun job underneath the cap.

The old fuel fill hole on the bow.


The old radio or glove box opening


The switch holes and steering holes


The steering hole may or may not need to be filled, Ill see what it needs when I order the new steering system and wheel. The speedo and tach hole is good, I have the new gauge set and checked the opening size.

For the top side ill sand down the wood fillers, fill with the resin and shreds, then dish them out and laminate a new skin over the top, then fair.

Suddenly the color topcoats are looking farther away again as the weather window starts to close.

 

[kcassells]

Is that metal to metal on the tank?

 

[zool]

Is that metal to metal on the tank?

I have neoprene for between the tank and brace, and between the tank and cradle. I bought a roll of 1" x 1/8" so i have a bunch of it for anywhere. Nothing is secured in yet till the cap is above.

 

[todhunter]

I dont know how the weather is down by you Tod, but up here, they thread the needle between catching the late Bluefin tuna bite in oct/nov, and avoid the inboard engine block freeze come mid December/Jan.

Me and my brother used to share an outboard whaler, and every season he's wait me out to see who would pull it. One year I did it in January and had to chop ice in the salt water just to get it to the ramp lol. He's a stubborn taurus.

I'm in TN, and it sounds like yall are much tougher boaters than we are, haha. For me, winter is the time to get out the small plastic boats and paddle the steep whitewater creeks that only flow that time of year.

 

[Willyclay]

... had to chop ice in the salt water just to get it to the ramp lol.

Did the same thing in November in Georgia once. The fishing was great!

 

[zool]

I fitted the hull back in place today. Its not buttoned up yet cuz im still working out the fuel connections. The replacement rivets came in so im hoping to get everything sorted out and then seal it up. The shoebox joint lined up just as before.







Im gonna relocate the fuel fill cap directly over the tank fill tube for simplicity, its only like a 1 foot distance between cap and tank so bending the 1 1/2 fill line isnt really doable.

 

[zool]

I started knocking out some of the tasks needed to secure the cap. I drilled out the garboard hole thru the transom wood, sealed up the hole with thickened epoxy, and installed the pump base after removing the tank for a bit. I also drilled out the overboard hull fitting on the port side.



Ill remove the fitting before paint. I also filled in the backside of the hull cap holes im not using anymore. I needed clamps on the aft corners to hold the cap tight while I used about a half dozen stainless screws on each side of the splashwell, the rest of the cap will use 3/16 stainless rivets like the factory used. There are a few hardware pieces on the bow I have to install before buttoning it up, due to access issues way up in the bow (IE: my fat ass cant get all the way under to secure afterwards ) Ill just tape those off when painting.


Now i can glass in the transom cap over the splashwell like it was. i temporarily set the rub rail in place to make sure the screws and rivets dont interfere with the rail screws.



I had to cut out this section of the cap when removing it, so ill glass the whole area back in. I plan to use a jackplate so new holes will be in order anyway.

 

[zool]

I grabbed whatever warm weather windows lately and managed tp base fill all the unwanted holes.








Ill try to finish them when/if weather permits, its going into the 20's at night this coming week...

 

[zool]

I guess it's time to get this rig ready for paint. I put a final coat of awlfair on the hole block outs today, so I can sand it tomorrow. Then I have to glass the splashwell back to the transom. I want to get some primer on and do a final fairing.

 

[kcassells]

Very nice. About time you got busy.

 

[zool]

Very nice. About time you got busy.

After just putting a fresh coat of bottom paint on the 330, sanding and fairing don't seem so bad

 

[zool]

Yesterday I screwed in a piece of pvc trim board along the transom/splashwell edge, and filled with thickened epoxy. Ill have to shape that a little to match the contour of the mount area. I'm gonna use a jack plate, so its just cosmetic.





I also sanded most of the filled in areas. Will do a fair coat with 3m compound, when close to priming, because it cures in like half an hour.

With all the rain we had, the skeeters are everywhere, so Im waiting for them to chill out.


Tomorrow morning i'm planning on bring the Sundancer over to the slip. I need to remove and get the starboard carb off and rebuilt, it's spitting fuel out the exhaust, but the Admiral won't wait any longer, so Ill do that work at the dock.