1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

[southkogs]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

^^^^Thanks. I wish I could say that it was all my handiwork, but it pretty much came that way and I just had to clean it up. 2nd owner let it sit in the water too much, but the original owner must have rocked it to sleep at night.

I'm not going to tear into the platform until later this summer (or fall). And with your expert advice, I'll fix what I got and decide if I'll finish or oil it (probably oil - we use it TONS: kids, dogs, etc.).

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Got the starboard side bow trim cut, profiled and installed today. Waiting on some lights to get here. Already have the rgb controller and remote, so just need the lights and then I will be on my way to varnishing.

Took a couple pics today of when i started to install around the main curved part. If anyone is interested in doing this with teak, this is what it will look like as you install.

Like I posted earlier, i predrilled with a countersink bit every 6 inches marked outward on each piece 6 inches on center. Then 4 inches in from each end and 1 1/2 from the 4 inches is a second screw at the seams. I added a third screw to the seam areas today because it was being a pita to get the end bent down for a good transition to the next piece.

Anyway, here you can see the piece is up in the air on the bow end, but already screwed at the joint end. I work one screw at a time when predrilling the fiberglass to accept the screw in the right location.

Section bent in and screwed.

Finished starboard side

Looking from the bow. Will stand out more when varnished. I sprayed it down with water to try and get a good pic,lol It should all be a rich darker color after it is varnished like the bow pulpit.

If I did this again on a boat, I would start with the long pieces at the bow and work my way back. The last piece is only like 2 1/2 feet and it was a bear to get in but I eventually kicked its azz! lol I broke one piece trying to walk it in and bend it. Still have some adjusting/sanding to do, but think it went pretty well considering I didn't steam or pre-wet the wood at all.

 

[Pmccraney]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Awesome job, bud....Again!

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Awesome job, bud....Again!

Thanks man, I appreciate it

Guys, I have cut the white lights I had in half and installed them in both sides temperarily. The light will eventually go furthur forward.

I seemed to have taken my good camera for a ride at 80mph on the bumper of my truck,grrrr. so really bad phone pics is what you get until I can get enough funds to replace the camera.


Here are some shots of both sides lit. I figure I will be able to light the boat up for the 4th of july with red,white and blue!!!!!!!!!! Ohh yeah!

 

[lil buggy]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

sweet.
great work!
can't wait to see all the colors

that red white and blue will be awesome. cant wait.

 

[southkogs]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

AMAZING!! That is crazy lookin', I love it!

Just for kicks, stick a small Star Trek Starfleet logo on the side of the deckhouse.

Seriously, It's gonna' be a show stopper on the water at night.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

sweet.
great work!
can't wait to see all the colors

that red white and blue will be awesome. cant wait.

Same here, should be fun to play with different light combos. Think all the same color is going to look cool to when I can tweek the brightness also. Think it looks sick from the bow, really love seeing the lines of the hull lit.

AMAZING!! That is crazy lookin', I love it!

Just for kicks, stick a small Star Trek Starfleet logo on the side of the deckhouse.

Seriously, It's gonna' be a show stopper on the water at night.

Thanks man, What I like is where the transition is at the steps, the steps basically stop the light cold. Should definately be interesting to say the least once all done. The Local law inforcement here instead of bothering me, has only stopped to take pics in the past. So I think I will be ok there also.

really think it will be fun on the holidays when different colors are the theme. Hell, I can even do purple and yellow for easter,lmao Green and red for christmas, the list goes on,lol

 

[eclipse196]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

That is great work. I just love the outcome of your hard work. I am in the process of doing a complete rebuild of a 20' Wellcraft. When I begin to get discouraged and overwhelmed, I just start looking though the rebuild section. Really great work you have done. Absolutely love the lighting!

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

That is great work. I just love the outcome of your hard work. I am in the process of doing a complete rebuild of a 20' Wellcraft. When I begin to get discouraged and overwhelmed, I just start looking though the rebuild section. Really great work you have done. Absolutely love the lighting!

Thankyou sir, I have really enjoyed working on her. Kinda my way of unwinding,lol I know, kinda weird, but I have boats running through my veins I guess. Happy that I can inspire others along the way. Good luck on your restore project. Wellcraft made a good boat and there nice hulls. Have you started a rebuild thread?

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Did a little more work on the hull today, port side is wet sanded down and 3m compounded. No wax yet. Pretty happy with the results, will be real happy if the bottom comes out as well as this did.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

looking good Budd!

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

looking good Budd!

Thanks Smoke

 

[southkogs]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Skill and time ... I'm missing both :redface:

Hull looks great. I'd like to do that on mine in the next couple of years.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

All slicked up & glossy your rig is going to be reflective & glowing red, blue, green, purple, yellow or white??? UFO for sure. I wouldn't drift down near any of the locks on the Ohio. Or spend too long anchored off shore on the Indiana side, and definitely don't cruise down Fort Knox way after dark. Ya might take a few 'stray' rounds across/through the bow<<-- Not good..... Esp w/ an armored tank division so close

Your work w/ the teak is incredible! Well done!

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Skill and time ... I'm missing both :redface:

Hull looks great. I'd like to do that on mine in the next couple of years.

Thanks, It really doesn't take much time on the hull sides.

All slicked up & glossy your rig is going to be reflective & glowing red, blue, green, purple, yellow or white??? UFO for sure. I wouldn't drift down near any of the locks on the Ohio. Or spend too long anchored off shore on the Indiana side, and definitely don't cruise down Fort Knox way after dark. Ya might take a few 'stray' rounds across/through the bow<<-- Not good..... Esp w/ an armored tank division so close

Your work w/ the teak is incredible! Well done!

Lol, thankyou sir. More teak finishing to come.:facepalm:

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

Update! It was a beautiful day here today. managed to get a few hours on the boat. I am using whats called film disks on the bottom for sanding. Using my bosch rotary and 600 grit to start. This is what I accomplished in a couple hours today. No need to wet sand with these. I will use 600,800 and 1200, then 3m compound for the bottom. These disks will cut my sanding time way down and I won't get wet,lol

Also managed to find a Fujifilm Finepix f300EXR at a pawn shop today to replace the camera I left on the bumper the other day before going down the highway. Stole it for $100, brand new, looked like it had never been used, still had the plastic on it. Even has panooramic!! Ohh yeah. Looks like it takes good pictures.

Here is what I got sanded today with the rotary

Starting to get there.

Got the starboard side sanded to 1500 and 3m compounded. No wax yet.

 

[lil buggy]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

now there's some headway,
shortwork of it.
that was a sizeable chunk of the nasties you got done
good work!
will the shine come back with the finer grit?
are you gonna back the boat off a lil to get under the rollers?
great progress
i guess it's a good thing you didn't get them lights yet. huh

 

[lil buggy]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

not sure if i missed it
but whats that flag under the pulpit?

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

now there's some headway,
shortwork of it.
that was a sizeable chunk of the nasties you got done
good work!
will the shine come back with the finer grit?
are you gonna back the boat off a lil to get under the rollers?
great progress
i guess it's a good thing you didn't get them lights yet. huh

Yeah, I feel like I made really good progress in a short period of time. Should be just like the sides, the finer grits will shine her up and the compound will take care of any minor scratches that are left. Compound is sand paper and sand paper is compound the way I look at it. The finer you go, the nicer it will be. Of coarse on the fiberglass, you want to make sure you are not taking to much off.

The film discs are very smooth compared to sanding discs. Even the 600 seems like it is sanding smooth, but I have been advised that a rotary is not a good idea, guess we will see. can't afford to run out and but a $400 DA sander and compressor with enough umfff to push it.

The plan is to sand everything that I can get to, then hook the trailer to coupler on truck and then roll boat off trailer 3 feet. I will put my 3 ton jack with a 4x6 block under the stern keel just to take some weight off the trailer in the back.

The bottom really needs to be done during the day, doesn't mean I can't hook up some lights at night!

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1990 Chris Craft 254 Seahawk ( Refurb and upgrades)

not sure if i missed it
but whats that flag under the pulpit?

I think I have some red white and blue somewhere on every vehicle I have ever owned. Including the floating kind. When I saw this graphic sticker, I knew right where I wanted it. Its not seen alot, but its there. Its my BADASS EAGLE!

I have actually thought about having it made bigger to cover more of the bow, i will be adding a stainless steel plate to the bow eventually, so we shall see.