Walk through on older style V-Drives??

[Center87]

Thanks for the video GW, the hatch looks great and I to will be getting my engine cover powder coated as well, pricing in the states for products is much different than Canada lol! I will post once further progress is made, the fabricator has my hatch and waiting for it to be fabricated.

[Center87]

Hi Everyone,
Here's the latest, The engine cover is being fabricated and i was able to trace the top for my Seadek order, this is the final proof,

[Canuck-Surfer]

Center87...I'm north of Toronto a few hours. A few thoughts here from a fellow Canadian...

1) When quoting Canadian prices here at PN, always mark them CAD so everyone knows you aren't quoting USD.

2) I assumed working with a local SeaDek dealer would be way more $$ than doing the mylar template gig direct with SeaDek USA for my project. It wasn't until the very last stage that I contacted a local SeaDek shop in Hamilton to compare. I was blown away. Mylar template purchase with no logos from SeaDek USA direct was $3500 USD, I install. Cost from local shop INSTALLED was $2200 CAD. Those prices were for an entire 96 Sport Nautique, but still, for comparision it proves a point...I was dead wrong to think dealing directly with SeaDek was going to be cheaper. Also, the local guy has the fancy scanning machine so no mylar was required at all.

3) I have had the exact same thing happen with fiberglass shops here. Our trades wages are so much higher than the US and fiberglass shops pretty much only to stringer repairs on older boats and insurance damage claims on newer boats. I'm in Muskoka and no shop wants or has much experience with any sort of modification or older boat modernization. I got quotes on having my direct drive Sport Nautique floor leveled and gelcoated, a project many have done here at PN. Of 5 shops I asked, 4 declined the project right out saying they weren't sure how to even go about such a project. The 1 shop that was grudgingly willing to attempt it (and only after I gave them links to PN threads on how to do it) quoted $6000 CAD ($4700-ish USD) and still questioned the old carpet glue in the fiberglass pores and the ability to get good lamination with leveling fairing compound. They said they would attempt but not warrant the project. Point being, just because a FG shop gives a crazy quote and says its hard doesn't mean it is. I am in the middle of doing the floor conversion myself and its honestly not that hard at all.

4) I agree with others here, the price you are paying for this mod is a bit nuts to me too, but to each his own. I will say this in your defence, the resale of this generation Nautique in Canada is insane right now, so you could still get your money out of it. (2007 Super Sport 210 in moderate condition sold down the street for $49k CAD ($38k USD) last week.

5) If its not too late, if I were you, I would buy a sheet of 1/2" or 3/8 Coosa, bolt it to existing hatch, router the edges and have a FG shop JUST spray the gelcoat on it for you. Then find a Okanagan SeaDek dealer to quote the pad. I think you could come in under $2k CAD that route and it would look great.

[Canuck-Surfer]

One other thing to note to everyone about those of us up here in Canada. Pure currency exchange is not 100% accurate in understanding our market. Even though a $50k CAD boat is really only $39k USD, the equivilent market value (groceries, salaries, cost of living) is more like $1 to $1. In other words, something that costs $50k in CAD here feels the same as $50k USD would to Americans even though currency conversion would say otherwise.

[Center87]

Hey Canuck - Surfer always good to hear from a fellow Canadian and thanks for all your input!

1) Yes my bad should always include CAD when talking pricing.

2) I'm not sure if going through a Seadek dealer would have been cheaper, its a lot of custom work and I've saved time dealing with them directly, the cost is 575USD (735 CAD and 75 CAN UPS) + template kit and UPS 200 CAD, I don't believe there is dealer close by in Vernon or Vancouver , B.C.

3) The engine cover is a focal point of the boat and I just didn't think I could do the job perfect and have it factory looking. I have never worked with fiberglass before and could really see myself messing it up lol! There were too many smooth rounded edges and of course the slight curve of the rear engine cover that has to match the same curves of the port and starboard lockers. I actually don't live full time where the boat is stored as well, so time is an issue for me.

4) I am in full agreement with putting in too much money in a boat that you would never get back, however I made the decision to keep the boat and use it for a while longer. It has low hours and in perfect shape. I decided to go with a Seadek over the engine cover as we are really getting in to wake surfing and it gets pretty slippery for the kids so for safety I decided it was worth it plus the vinyl wasn't going to last. I've also installed wake master ballast bags and using a mission wake gate. I have installed night lights and RGB lighting for all the speakers so we hope to get full use out of it.

5) The Coosa board is a great idea however again there was no assurance what the final bill would have been but a friend is a metal fabricator and is replicating the engine cover including powder coating for 2500 CAD or less so I decided to go with the sure thing and no surprises and he assures me the finish will be 100 percent factory, I will post more pics when Its completed!

[Center87]

Here is the engine cover unfinished, I will post another pic once it’s powder coated in white and the seadek should be here tomorrow.

[Center87]

[Smindustries]

Looks great.

[Center87]

Here’s the finished product , when I install it on the boat I’ll take more pics

[Stevemo14]

So what did it end up costing you?

[Center87]

The total cost was 3300 CAN , please note that delivery fees, duty and dollar conversions was all included for that price .

[Shonchez]

Looks great, definitely expensive project, but the value is subjective to each person, most importantly you. I love it, assuming this matches interior SeaDek as well?


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[JAppler]

The total cost was 3300 CAN , please note that delivery fees, duty and dollar conversions was all included for that price .

Wow, that’s a great idea... Was this aluminum or stainless, and what gauge did you use for the flat portion?


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[MN Ryan]

That's cool. Expensive, sure, but if it makes you happy, why not? I'm looking forward to seeing the completed project.

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[Center87]

Looks great, definitely expensive project, but the value is subjective to each person, most importantly you. I love it, assuming this matches interior SeaDek as well?


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Thank you ! Much appreciated, from a resell point of view it will add little value expect it
Might increase the selling features , again not buying a new boat anytime soon but with new underwater lights and speaker RGB lighting and this seadek hopefully will keep the surfing going into the sunset hours. There is no further seadek products on the boat however ther colors match beautiful so hopefully gives the factory look .