1974 Chieftain 25 "Adventurer" Restoration

IslandExplorer

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
460
That's lookin good with paint on it!!!
Thanks, I couldn't stand looking at the old carpet glue and random unpainted wood pieces anymore so figured some more battleship grey oughta clean things up a bit! Didn't bother stripping the last bit of glue down to bare aluminum bc I'll probably add carpet back to those areas later on. Hopefully I'll have the cockpit deck and engine room floor done today.
 

IslandExplorer

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
460
Uncovered for first time in a while. First time standing fully upright on the deck and getting a better feel for console height and all. With this raised floor- bow visibility is excellent! Especially compared to before.IMG_20230730_100508.jpgIMG_20230730_100749.jpgIMG_20230730_100804.jpgIMG_20230730_101029.jpgIMG_20230730_101045__01.jpg Not bad, can almost see the casting on the tip of the bow! The pulpit I will be adding for the anchor and windlass will probably be just visible. I think this will be great for the shallow and narrow areas I commonly navigate through. Time to get the transom sealed in and finish the cockpit deck!
 

IslandExplorer

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Oct 21, 2019
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460
Had to pull the other tarp and take a peak. Can't Wait for her to get her voice box back...🎶IMG_20230730_105631.jpg
 

IslandExplorer

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
460
Looking good! Deck looks amazing! And I love that steering wheel!
Thanks, I'm loving the look too! I still can't get used to how open it feels compared to what I'm used to. That steering wheel I have had since I was a little kid. Was in a big old abandoned wooden cabin boat that I used to climb into and hangout in. I got to remove and keep it just before it was taken away and always hoped to use it someday. Thinking this is just the type of rough and ready boat for that wheel!
 

IslandExplorer

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Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
460
Looking good! Deck looks amazing! And I love that steering wheel!
Thanks, I'm loving the look too! I still can't get used to how open it feels compared to what I'm used to. That steering wheel I have had since I was a little kid. Was in a big old abandoned wooden cabin boat that I used to climb into and hangout in. I got to remove and keep it just before it was taken away and always hoped to use it someday. Thinking this is just the type of rough and ready boat for that wheel!
 

Moserkr

Chief Officer + Starmada Splash Of The Year 2021
Joined
Nov 23, 2020
Messages
869
Looks great but man that deck is tall. Not worried about falling overboard? Putting a railing around it or something?
 

IslandExplorer

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
460
Looks great but man that deck is tall. Not worried about falling overboard? Putting a railing around it or something?
Oh I definitely am, I bought a bunch of nice tubular aluminum railing a few months ago from the scrap yard specifically for this Chieftain Highboy plan. I actually just started propping a few pieces up last night to see how it looked, if height feels right, etc. Rails are exactly 3' high to top edge as-is, which seems pretty good. Not sure if I will be mounting them on the top edge or outside of the raised edge thing though... My rear engine hatch is full deck width (about 76"x41") so I am keeping any obstructions away that could prevent that from opening fully. In this picture the verticals are inside the raised edge just for demonstration but they would stop hatch from opening if they were mounted like that.IMG_20230802_105012.jpg
 

IslandExplorer

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Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
460
Finger injury slowing me down some but I'm still cranking away full steam on this thing as best I can. All through bolts (other than outdrive) are 5200 sealed and tightened down with #10 x 1 1/4 SS screws on the inside. The crappy 5200 tube burst while I was trying to get it to flow so I used it all up with a scraper sealing the top edge of the transom for an additional layer of water protection. Port gas tank bed finally got it's neoprene strips and both tanks are now fully flushed and very firmly secured in place.
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IslandExplorer

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Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
460
Vertically tied in two triple beam junctions that are in the front two corners of the little engine room area with some 2x2x1/8 angle. This needed to be done before I could tie the top of the beams into the gunwales and transom cap area while also making an edge for the rear deck/engine hatch to rest on.
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Moserkr

Chief Officer + Starmada Splash Of The Year 2021
Joined
Nov 23, 2020
Messages
869
I figured you had a plan for the height. Looks good! I like the “highboy” name.
 

IslandExplorer

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
460
Engine room floor has been made. Cautious of my first inboard and their maintenance access compared to outboards I am used to so planned it to be nice and open like this for easy access. Once engine is fully through its tuning and sea trials I likely will add removable divider walls to contain storage on each side.
Will be adding an aluminum piano hinge to the hatch rear edge as well as some stiffening supports in the center.IMG_20230801_184819.jpgIMG_20230801_184834__01__01__01.jpgIMG_20230801_184815.jpgIMG_20230801_191027.jpgIMG_20230801_191021.jpgIMG_20230801_190936.jpgIMG_20230801_232828.jpgIMG_20230802_105012.jpg
 

IslandExplorer

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Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
460
I figured you had a plan for the height. Looks good! I like the “highboy” name.
Me too! Although, to be honest I did not make it up.. You may know this but the old F250's had a 4x4 option with a higher ride height by that very name. Now don't get me wrong- I have a great appreciation for GM vehicles too, but in my heart I'm a Ford guy! So the high riding pushrod 302 powered Adventurer just seemed deserving lol
 

IslandExplorer

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Joined
Oct 21, 2019
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460
Thanks! I am actually working on the door sliding setup today and will post progress on that soon. I am pumped to get this thing closer to getting some more finishing touches like the door actually sliding, having window panes and a handle, counters, the helm being reattached, etc., etc. She's gettin there though!
 

IslandExplorer

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Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
460
Helm console is unfortunately pretty shot and morse control was barely supported by mossy old wood so had to disassemble and will be making a new mount for the gauges and all. Got the fuel and holding tank access hatch supports in, will likely add hinges to these.IMG_20230802_145526.jpgIMG_20230802_145537.jpgIMG_20230802_145543.jpgIMG_20230802_153229.jpgIMG_20230802_153225.jpgIMG_20230802_153247.jpgIMG_20230802_153238.jpgIMG_20230802_153235.jpgIMG_20230802_154147.jpgIMG_20230802_161047.jpgIMG_20230802_180120.jpg
As you can see in the picture above I have used some pressure treated wood in this boat which is normally a huge no-no for me but I am using it very sparingly and only as support strips in a couple critical areas and where it is not sealed against any aluminum like this little cross beam for the plywood floor seam.
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1975oday22

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 2, 2022
Messages
598
gotta replace your wall too..... what a rats nest of wires:) i love it. im glad to see your fabricating a new console...... if its anything like you have done already, im sure its gonna be great.....
 

IslandExplorer

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Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
460
gotta replace your wall too..... what a rats nest of wires:) i love it. im glad to see your fabricating a new console...... if its anything like you have done already, im sure its gonna be great.....
Thanks! I'm hoping it will turn out nice, thing is I haven't been able to picture how I want it to look now that it is a redesign... The wires really are a total rats nest but luckily there are pretty few so hoping it won't be too much trouble to sort out. The wall looks terrible from the outside but it is actually super dry and rock solid. I think both walls are solid oak but I'm not the best at identifying wood grain. Whatever it is it was been very rot resistant considering almost all the other wood was reduced to dirt! So I'm going to keep them. The port side interior side of the wall will be completely covered by the new sliding door and pocket wall or whatever it's called. The starboard one I want to try to show off its nice wood grain as it is the interior wall of the bathroom that I just expanded slightly for more room. I'm going to post some pictures of these recent developments next.
 

IslandExplorer

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Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
460
Sliding door construction pictures. Worked out great! Door glides open and closed nice and easy. Ended up being able to make the cabin doorway significantly wider with this mod. Cutting corner off the door was all it needed to get the extra sliding range for the wider doorway. Highly recommend this mod! Cost very little in parts and materials and feels really nice being able to make the door just go away when needed.
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