Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project

[madgadget]

For the gallery of pics you can look here lol:

http://www.edsworld.co.uk/projects/165gto/1/

This boat was purchased last year towards the end of the summer for about ?500 ~ $8-900 Its structurally fine, however the interior, although its been redone at some point is poor. It also had steering controls but nothing else:

The trailer appeared fine, with no known issues. (at that point!!)

So the first thing we did was hunt down an engine. The plan was to get something decent and not something that we would want to upgrade later. So looking through for sale listings came up with this:

What a monster!!

...

 

[madgadget]

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project

So then it was lifted and lowered onto the boat:

All the connections where then made (notice the engine offset, I was told by an old chap who used to race these kind of things we should do this, however I have since learned that I am not so sure, but it seemed to go fine:

So then the internal wiring and fitting out was done:

The next thing was to find a fuel tank. I wanted the biggest one I could physically get in the boat. I was under the impression that all the heavy weight should be at the back and it never occurred to me to use the front space which was plenty to mount the tank so we then cut room to make the tank fit:

Battery moved and connections made:

The glass would then be repaired later.. It was after I we had done all this that I discovered I boats lol doh....

Anyway...

We ended up with this

which I was not happy with but we wanted to get out and testing the boat that weekend.

...

 

[madgadget]

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project

Finally I added some wiring for the bulge pump and also nav lights and fitted a fuel gauge:

The following day we took it out for the very first time and infact our very first experience in a speed boat (or any for that matter)

The main points, we didn't sink and it was damn fast hahaha.

 

[madgadget]

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project

So the trailer had now been driven about 150 miles since the boat was picked up on the way back from the first outing the suspension on both sides collapsed on the motorway. This wasn't a major problem in itself only that as a result the tyres rubbed on the arches on each side. I didn't notice until I saw smoke coming of the wheels and pulled over to inspect!!!!! The only way around this was to bend the arches up to stop them touching. I then made my way home very slowly and the next thing was to rebuild the trailer...

Old VS new

New parts fitted

And even better a spare just in case:

So the boat then went out a further 4 times with crazy adventures and steep learning curve on each one. But its so much fun and highly addictive.
Nothing else fell apart so really now my attention is to sorting the boat interior now the weather is better which is what I have been doing now

...

 

[madgadget]

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project

You know when crazy ideas strike you.. well I decided to have a go at putting a new interior in my fletcher gto, I borrowed a sewing machine of my mum (thanks mum!) read the instructions on how it works (!!) and this is my progress so far:

I started with the rear bench seat...

Did the little bit that goes in first as that looked easy enough:

Then I started on the rear part of the seat. This has had 5 hours work done on it in total now. Its so fiddly and im not exactly expert...

First of all I stripped it and tried to work out a way to measure. I couldn't use any of the old stuff to go on as it was so badly aged and out of shape. The black lines on the foam show my datum lines etc..

Then after a lot of work I had something like this:

Then I worked out the sides and top:

 

[madgadget]

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project

Then I put the back in on that began to pull it all into shape:

So that bit is almost done. I need to do some repairs to the seat frame before I can stick it all in place, but its prob about 80-90% there. Not too bad I thought from not having used a sowing machine since I was 14 in textiles at school hahaha.. Then I need to do the base that should be easy in comparison and then the two front seats. I am just hoping I have enough material. I have already covered the panels in side the boat, and need to do the dash too match but then away we go. I cant wait hopefully I'll be done in about a week.

Oh heres some little close up bits too:

And if your still following this, that is where I am at now lol

 

[madgadget]

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project - DIY Interior!

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project - DIY Interior!

So next to do was the base, which looked like this at first:

Then I decided the layout by throwing scraps etc over it.

Then the main bits were measured and sewed down the middle:

Then I marked up and pinned on an edging strip:

Then finally it was all sewed together:

What I need to do now is make a few repars to the seat supports bases etc and then I can pull it tight and staple it all into one piece.

Thats pretty much the rear bench seat done however. I also don't think I have enough materal to do the two front ones either, going to have to get more - damn!

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project - DIY Interior!

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project - DIY Interior!

Just be real careful with that big of an engine, a full fuel cell, and two people on the bench seat, the stern will have close to 800 lbs in it. Coming to a quick stop could yield a pretty good roller over the transom and right into the back of the boat. Also at speed if you hit a decent size wake/wave the front would be light and want to come up. Make sure the transom is solid and the deck/stringers are not rotted at all, if they are in question at all you are rolling the dice with safety. I'm not saying they ARE bad but just make sure. The transom especially, since you have done a bit of cutting of the splashwell already.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project - DIY Interior!

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project - DIY Interior!

Nice work on those seats.

I would find a way to move that gas tank up front. I mounted one under the bow of my closed bow boat and it worked great in shifting weight forward http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/Boat Project/DSCF1927.jpg

 

[madgadget]

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project - DIY Interior!

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project - DIY Interior!

Cheers for the comments,

Just to clarify the fuel tank is being moved to the front, I have tested it and it fits, I just didn't know that was the norm at the time, or I would have done that at first. If you look at the very first pic It fits great behind that middle area in the dash.

All the back glass will be repaired and made better than new. The boat has already had about 15hours use with that engine on it and no issues or any indications what so ever arose (no cracking etc), so I'm confident about that side of things. Also had a GPS speed of 50mph, and a range of about 90 miles with that 91 litre tank (without cutting it too fine)

I picked up a stainless steel staple gun etc today so the base of the seat is now done and I'm going to do some work on the others over the weekend

 

[madgadget]

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project - DIY Interior!

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project - DIY Interior!

This short video shows the engine running and the fuel tank in its new home.

The video may take a while to load its 26 megs and in MP4 format.

click here

 

[madgadget]

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project - DIY Interior!

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project - DIY Interior!

Loads done since my last post.

All the holes presumably left from an old cover were filled, the rear fibreglass behind the rear seat was properly attached back now that the fuel tank has been moved to the front. Its nice and strong too.
A wheel arch on the trailer was repaired.
The rectifier on the engine was replaced and that should now work.
Some strange trim rab/fins things on the engine were removed as I have heard bad things about those.
I rewired the cabling around the back of the boat and battery and added an automatic bilge pump switch (that is not possible to turn off, so that its always 'primed', just in case). I also moved the bilge pump outlet further back so that it would enable a straight piece of hose with only one elbow from the pump and also keeping it shorter. It should in theory allow for a greater flow from the pump.
I replaced the 8awg starter cables for more suitable 4awg ones.
The fuel tank was moved to the front with a larger ID fuel hose was going back to the engine just to ensure there will be enough fuel flow and the fuel filler was moved to the bow of the boat and the old one glassed over and filled. It now fills much better as the pipe run is straight and down hill as it should be.
I had previously temporarily tried positioning some speakers at the sides of the rear seat but it used valuable space and didn't look that great or sound too good for that matter. So I scrapped that idea and have placed them beneath the rear seat facing forwards where they work much better.
I also have fitted a 'sub' (!!) in the front passenger foot well like I saw on one of the fletchers at the NEC boat show.

I think that was pretty much it really. I need to finish the interior which I'll do more to this week and I also need to get the cosmetic paint etc stuff finished too. I am considering building a new windscreen and frame, now that I have figured out how to weld alu (woo!!!) As the one on it doesn't look very pretty. But I can't justify the cost of all the materials yet.

Anyway onto some pics:

For the gallery: http://www.edsworld.co.uk/projects/165gto/2/index.html

Rear bit back in place

Neat cables = reliable cables I hope

And finally a video of the first 2010 shakedown test:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7Xk38Xj3P8

As a side note I also now have a kneeboard, two person tow-able ring and ropes etc... Roll on the summer!!!

 

[madgadget]

Re: Fletcher Bravo 165 GTO restore project

Well this boat has come on along way since I last posted here. It would be easier to just show some pics.

I have resprayed the top half of the hull. I have restored the dash, completed all the interior except the front seats, it now has a depth finder, chart-plotter, decent radio/sub complete nav lights, etc....

oh and I have a little video to show too

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/9333/jokaturacingwavelengtho.mp4

This is my fletcher vs a lovely new Monterey 214 with the 4.3 volvo engine. I recently went on a 110 mile trip around an island of the UK called the Isle of Wight, which is where this video was filmed.