Tidecraft v15 full restoration....have questions.

[Canaan]

Hello everyone. I have been lurking for awhile around here and finally decided to bite the bullet and restore my boat. Some of the restorations on here really inspired me.

This is an 80s model tidecraft v15 spitfire with a 70hp mercury. I bought it about 9yrs ago but it when the transom got weak it ended up just setting around. Today I started ripping everything out. As expected, I got into some wasp so I filled it full of spray and got back to work.

Got the outboard off, bumper rail off, drilled out all the rivets in the top cap, and started separating the top and bottom halves. That is where I ran into a problem. I can kinda pry the rim of the top cap up but the decks and seat areas seam to still be connected to the boat.

What is a good method to separate the rest of the cap? I plan to pull the cap tomorrow so any help fast would be great!!!

Plan to replace the transom and other wood with seacast. I will document this restoration as well as I can and post the progress.

Thanks for any help u can give.

 

[Canaan]

Re: Tidecraft v15 full restoration....have questions.

Well, I hope someone will chime in soon and help me out, but for now here are a few pics.



Got the outboard off, still not 100% sure what year it is. Maybe someone on here will know from the pic. The transom and stringers are WASTED!!!

Ripped out all the old wood from a replaced casting deck, and drilled out all the rivets on the top cap. As you can see in the pic of the bow...I can pry the cap up about that far all the way around pretty easily. But, the cap is held down somewhere else.

The part where the top cap met the sole had screws in it. I removed all of them also. The sole is rotten also, going to replace it too. You can see in the pic of the casting deck area where the cap meets the sole. That 'rim' is where the screws where.

The console area is completely loose from the floor now. Seems like the seat/livewell area is where it is holding on...Any pointers on getting them loose so I can pull the cap? Got a friend w/ a bucket truck coming this weekend to help me pull the cap.

Has anyone on here ever pull a tidecraft apart?

Thanks for any pointers you can give me.


EDIT:
Also, after pulling the outboard...I found that the steering, shift, and throttle cables are in good condition.
Hydrolic lines for the trim were good too. Likely replace them though.

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: Tidecraft v15 full restoration....have questions.

You'll find tabbing in the bilge area and also around the live wells.....you'll have to look close. If their is carpet anywhere it could be tabbed in there.

May also be epoxied at the transom......

CW

 

[Canaan]

Re: Tidecraft v15 full restoration....have questions.

You'll find tabbing in the bilge area and also around the live wells.....you'll have to look close. If their is carpet anywhere it could be tabbed in there.

May also be epoxied at the transom......

CW

Thanks for the help.

I will look around those areas for tabbing tomorrow morning.

My old TideCraft is at my dads house about 100miles south of where I live/work now, but I plan to go in every weekend to work on the boat. (My dad and grandfather where the guys in the pics I posted)
I bought this boat used when I was 16. That same summer I bought a '98 chevy silverado. Worked my *** off to get both of them, and had the boat on the water at least 3 days a week every summer for 5 or 6 years. Paid $1600 for the boat and motor originally.

I now work at a car audio shop and have some hands-on experience w/ fiberglass.

I'm off on monday's, so I have long weekends to work on the boat. Once I get the top cap off, I will know just how bad it will be. I'm preparing for the worst. Pretty sure everything is rotted.
But only time will tell.

Dropping the old Merc off to a guy this weekend also.

As they say...prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Tidecraft v15 full restoration....have questions.

Looks like you have a lot of work to get done, but it will be rewarding when you get her back in the water! You will be very happy with the seacast also. Let me know if you need any advise with it, its really pretty forgiving stuff.

 

[ncnjeremy]

Re: Tidecraft v15 full restoration....have questions.

I have a 1986 Tidecraft Wildfire. Im at the same point you are at. Took all the rivets out and pulled the carpet. There were screws in all along the sides under the carpet holding the cap on. I don't see anything else. Im looking so if you find anything let me know.

 

[ncnjeremy]

Re: Tidecraft v15 full restoration....have questions.

I actually found out what was holding mine. the main thing was around the sides with the silicone broke the seal and under the seats had to cut the seal. It was glassed in under the 3 seats.