My Rotten Lady

[Bayou Dave]

I'm a sucker for wood but...It can be a PITA on a Boat. Maintenance and upkeep!!!! I like both looks so not much help from me!!!

I'm a sucker for wood also. With all the teak you have now what is 5 more minutes of maintenance? To me, no big deal at all. But, your boat. Go whichever way pleases YOU.

 

[kramerpage]

Thanks for your input guys..LOL I guess... I like the gel coat cause I did it myself (with your help) I guess and I'm proud of it...I kind of like taking care of the teak. The way I do it, its only annual. I don't use Teak Oil since it only lasts a week or so.

I need to figure out how I am going to hang this on the bulkhead. Before there was a aluminum bracket that was internal that the steering helm mounted on. I cannot use that system with the wood console. Its getting kinda heavy now with all the glass and gel on it. Now the helm will be mounted to the console itself with the Teleflex bezel kit which I ordered on ebay

To access the electrical system you would pull the wheel off. Loosen two 1/4 -20 6 inch screws on the back side of the bulkhead and then it would hinge down.

Im thinking of cutting a huge access rectangle hole behind the console on the bulkhead. Like 12 x 19 inch. This will give me access to make electrical changes without removing the console. I will cover the hole with white vinyl and snaps.

Im thinking an aluminum cleat at the top and two 1/4 - 20 bolts on the sides going through the bulk head. I guess there are several ways to hang it but I have to start wrapping my head around how Im actually going to do it.

 

[kramerpage]

Im thinking I need to start thinking about a shelter for the boat so I can work on her in the spring. Like a garage in a box or something since weather always dictates if you can work that day. Like a 12 x 26 shelterlogic canopy. Any experience? The area has high winds since its all flat farm land?

 

[kramerpage]

Well I got two more coats on the console. The last one having wax in it. I'm happy with the look of it. Now I'm trying to engineer a new helm support. The Teleflex bracket I purchased required a 3 1/4 inch hole to be cut. I did not feel the substrate would be strong enough with that much material missing since the gauge cluster cutout surrounds it on 3 sides. So now the energy will be transferred to the bulkhead instead of the wood on the console.
I still need to figure out a mounting system for the console to the bulkhead and also create access by removing some of the bulkhead for rear access to the console.

Here's a few pics of the process.

 

[Woodonglass]

Hey, the console looks SAWEEET!!!!!

 

[kramerpage]

Well thank you. That means alot comming from you. Thanks for your patience with me.

 

[Woodonglass]

Hey man, you did all the work, I just observed and prodded. Don't sell yourself short. You've done some very good work!!!! I'm just and Old Dumb Okie Watchin all you guys do the work!!!!

 

[kramerpage]

This project is now OVER Budget. I have used up 100% of the money that was allocated to the project. I am thinking that I am at 50% of what I am going to need to get to completion. As a project manager I should be fired. With that said, I believe it will cost 2.5 times the cost of the original budget. Just sayin....

 

[Woodonglass]

That's why I always call it "Guess-ti-mating"!!!! With these old Boats, and especially the first go round', it's darn near impossible to know what to expect for labor, material etc. You're gunna use way more resin than you need, take lot's longer thinkin, frettin, and doin!!! It's kinda like havin kids. The first one gets watched like a hawk. By the time the 3rd one hits the ground, you KNOW they're pretty much unbreakable and just get on with it. Try to keep doin' a little work on her no matter how little it is and she'll get done eventually.

 

[kramerpage]

Lol well said. I raised 6 kids. I believe alot of this is brought on by myself. Such as the steering console. That's not in the budget. I guess you get sucked into wanting to fix everything.

Thinking, frettin, and doin!!!?Your a gas....

 

[kramerpage]

So I've been thinking, frettin, and some doing. Love it. The steering console is finally finished and has been tested.
I mounted all gauges and switches and sealed with resin. I removed the Speedometer and installed a stereo in the same hole.
Worked on looming wiring.
The Bluetooth radio is a nice add and sounds great.
Now I got to get in the boat and cut hand holes in the bulkhead and mount it up.

I may have over built it a tad. The original was very light and this one is a tank. Just a tad....

 

[gm280]

So I've been thinking, frettin, and some doing. Love it. The steering console is finally finished and has been tested.
I mounted all gauges and switches and sealed with resin. I removed the Speedometer and installed a stereo in the same hole.
Worked on looming wiring.
The Bluetooth radio is a nice add and sounds great.
Now I got to get in the boat and cut hand holes in the bulkhead and mount it up.

I may have over built it a tad. The original was very light and this one is a tank. Just a tad....

Yes some times we do get carried away with building things. We want it to be solid and forget it has to fit in a certain space as well. But solid construction is a good thing...until you have to move it around. :facepalm:

 

[kramerpage]

Well I am trying to figure out a way to get the boat in my back yard so I can spend more time on it. The area between my house and cedar fence is 110 inches and the boat is 108 inches. I also have to figure out how Im going to swing it around once I get it back there. The tongue clears my outdoor ac unit by 3 inches but if I just pull the tongue the back of the boat will take out the cedar fence.

So Im looking into a set of four car skates for the trailer tired and laying down 5/8 odf board so I can move directly sideways. The overall trailer length is 26.5 feet.

If I figure this out it will same me a 30 to 40 minute drive each way which would be countless hours and hundreds of gallons of gas.
Plus I can go out after work with my coffee and do whatever whenever I want. That would really kick things into high gear.

I have a 35 x 20 poured concrete patio that would be wonderful with 2 20 amp electrical circuits.

Funny thing is it was my wife that said "Why don't you just put it in the back on the patio"?

So I certainly cannot back up 30 plus feet never moving more than an inch either way so I think a couple guys to manage the 4 x 8 sheets of wood and the car skates I may be able to pull it off.

I did purchase a canopy for the work.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

A good neighbor and some strategically pulled fence panels would be easier.

 

[kramerpage]

A good neighbor and some strategically pulled fence panels would be easier.

Hello TDF
. I own the fence. The panels are on their side. Post on my side. Post in concrete. Here is a pic;

 

[Davetowz]

drop a message if you need help moving it in.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

if I just pull the tongue the back of the boat will take out the cedar fence.

I was thinking it would give you enough room to account for tail swing and let you make the corner. Now seeing the pics I'd be thinking of dropping the chainlink and coming in from the back. That would hinge on the post spacing though.

Your shed doesn't help either so the car/furniture dolly idea may be your only choice.

What does access from the other side of the house look like?

 

[kramerpage]

No access on other side or rear really since its a plowed field.

 

[Bayou Dave]

If you put a hitch on the front of your truck it will make it a lot easier to maneuver the boat. I did that as I have to go between 2 brick posts and then around a tree to get it where I want it.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

The legality of use relies on the good neighbor part,

If the field is farm land (farmers get equipment in some how) you can find the owner and ask permission. County assessor websites sometimes have maps with lot searches that will give you an owners name, otherwise it's just asking around.

If it's city, county, state land then it may be a no permission no way.

That said so long as it fits between the posts drop the chain link mesh, roll it up out of the way, pull the top rail, and back it in with the truck



The other option I see is to bring it in head (tongue) first, spin it, and back it onto the pad.





That is where you may need to pull a fence panel (not sure which one) to gain some tail swing room, but I bet if you start bringing the tongue over gradually and hug the AC unit the tracking physics of a trailer will let you make the swing into the yard w/o taking the fence out.