2002 SANTE resto project

[t.franscioni]

I filled in the holes and sanded the bondo myself then handed it over to a powder coat shop who sandblasted the rest and re-powder coated it black. Cost was $200 to blast the tower and powder coat. I saved a hundred or so by filling the holes myself.

[t.franscioni]

2002 Super Air Canoe!!!

[t.franscioni]

So this is what started all this top deck removal, being able to remove and replace this old bow carpet. There is about 1/3" of foam sprayed over the fiberglass of the bow hull now that looks like it was then sanded semi smooth so the carpet could be glued over it. I'm thinking about scraping the foam off down to the bare fiberglass hull then gel coating the entire hull interior for seadeck.

[wakejunky]

It's projects like this that really show the quality of craftsmanship. I often question how they are the best quality built boats on the market and if so, how other boat manufacturers boats look when being worked on.

[DW SD]

I've been following along. Just want to say YOU SIR ARE A MAD MAN! I love what you are doing and that you are not intimidated to tear your boat down to its lowest common denominator! Thanks for the detailed and interesting photo expose!
I have been building hot rods from the frame up, but never considered that with a boat.

Any thoughts on installing new hard ballast tanks wherever there is room under the deck? My 210 is responding nicely to extra ballast for surfing and wake boarding. In the rear, I used bags on top of the original tanks. If I had the whole front and deck torn up, I'd probably add more built in or at least closely follow what the OEMs do with new boats.

Thanks again!

[t.franscioni]

I took all the hard tanks (both rear locker and the belly tank) out and am going to install two 400lb or 750lb bags for the rear lockers and had a custom made belly sac tailored to fill the entire belly ski locker which is calculated to give 495 lbs vs the stock belly tank at 380lbs I believe or maybe it was 320 stock I can't remeber. As for the area under the bow seats that I have exposed here my plan is to just use lead bags because it will allow me to stow 200 lbs worth of lead weight under the seats and still have some storage under there for an anchor and docking ropes and keep the battery location up front and little cooler that is built into the drivers side bow seat. I thought about making a custom bag for under the bow seats also but the amount of weight that I could get out of it would only be about 200lbs and between the lead bags and battery I can get more than that and still keep some storage room and the built in cooler.

[DW SD]

Not surprised to know you have already thought this through! Cool.
When do you start re-assembling?

[t.franscioni]

That's a question I've been asking myself for almost 3 years now... I suppose I will have to start soon because I've ran out of stuff to take apart on this boat.

[charlesml3]

You should consider painting the bilge before you put everything back in. I ran across a boat at a show once where someone had done that and it really looked great.

-Charles

[TRIP]

That's a question I've been asking myself for almost 3 years now... I suppose I will have to start soon because I've ran out of stuff to take apart on this boat.

Haha laughing... insane job mate. I'm sure it'll come out as one of the most desirable 210's around.

[Bevostein]

Wife? Xmas?.....You're still married after doing all that to your boat?

[t.franscioni]

Lol. Everything (my finances, my marriage, my sanity) is riding on whether or not I can get this boat all back together now.... My family has suggested I fill the hull with sand and turn it into a really cool sunken ship wreck sand box for the kids... the in laws suggest I use the tower for a nice work out chin up bar and towel rack. Yes I've been the laughing stock of the family.... But I'll show em!!! They'll see me in all my glory on the lake for the maiden voyage.... passing out life preservers to all the occupants because I forgot to put the plug in the boat.

[wakejunky]

You should try Revchem out in Lodi. I used them for my supplies on my boat project. Pricing is reasonable and most of the time better than online, very accommodating and will call can save you a ton in shipping if you pick up, especially when ordering anything large. Jason was my contact at 209-983-0236.

[t.franscioni]

Cool I'll look into them. Thanks. Sacs a bit of a drive for me but saving money is always worth a drive.

[t.franscioni]

So I think I have an answer to one of my previous questions of why the foam sprayed in the bow? I started chipping it off in and I uncovered some vertical stringers probably adding rigidity to the bow area and the foam may be for nautique to create a cost effective flat surface to glue the carpet too... that and/or additional floatation in the event the boat takes on water is my guess at why they foam areas like this... maybe sound damping too when the bow hits waves going down the lake? Either way I'm going to chip it all off and gel coat it.