Goldcup101's 1997 Ski Nautique Project

[Goldcup101]

Hi Jeff, Would you mind me asking you a couple of questions please? I've been lurking on the forum for a while but am thinking about taking the plunge and buying your boat's doppelganger in the UK! A 1997 TSC1 with same colours.

Like yours a short while ago, its going to need some work which is fine by me but I obviously want to be armed with as much info as possible. If you (or any other forum experts) have a few minutes, I'd really appreciate knowing:
What the colour scheme and colours are called and how easy is it to match the teal (and cream?) coloured gel coats. It will be more than a sand and polish job.
Same engine too - is it easy enough to maintain and set up the Holley Carbs and would 1800 hours on the clock concern you?
I'd fit the skins myself, I'm a pretty handy with staple guns, but what is the realistic cost of a full set, preferably in the original style.
Whilst I love the SeaDek, I'll probably need to go for carpet due to cost - any idea how much/cost carpet I'd need and what grade?

Your restoration thread is inspiring and I've convinced myself that this is an achievable project that is unlikley to have any massive surprises - I'm told the engines are strong and the hull will come up ok. Any advice greatly appreciated!
Many thanks all,
Calum

[NautiqueJeff]

What the colour scheme and colours are called and how easy is it to match the teal (and cream?) coloured gel coats. It will be more than a sand and polish job.

On mine, the colors are as follows:

Top stripe is ZEPHYR
Bottom Stripe is GREEN
Hull/Deck are NEUTRAL (NOT SIlver Cloud)

These are the official Correct Craft color names. Spectrum Gelcoat uses the same color names. That's where my new gelcoat came from.

Same engine too - is it easy enough to maintain and set up the Holley Carbs and would 1800 hours on the clock concern you?

Mine had 1,900 on it when I bought it and it ran fine. The carburetor was dripping fuel and flooding the engine, but other than that it was all good. I would not be concerned.

I'd fit the skins myself, I'm a pretty handy with staple guns, but what is the realistic cost of a full set, preferably in the original style.

Total MSRP on my skins from Christine's was about $2,200 USD plus shipping at the time that I ordered. I am not sure if pricing has changed since then.

Whilst I love the SeaDek, I'll probably need to go for carpet due to cost - any idea how much/cost carpet I'd need and what grade?

The proper carpet is 36 OZ Zephyr color carpet. I am not sure on the cost, but it would be much less expensive than SeaDek.

Your restoration thread is inspiring and I've convinced myself that this is an achievable project that is unlikley to have any massive surprises - I'm told the engines are strong and the hull will come up ok. Any advice greatly appreciated!

Thank you! It has been a fun project, and I can't wait to get mine on the water!

[Goldcup101]

Thanks Jeff,
I'm banking on it needing a carb rebuild minimum and possibly more - I don't really have the opportunity to compression check the cylinders. Your original carpet looks grey rather than beige but could just be the photo. Here's an idea of what I'd be taking on. Plenty to do and I can see it getting expensive. Does all this look familiar?
Transmission is new (15 hours ago) by the way.

[NautiqueJeff]

That's definitely not an original back seat (base, cushions, or backrest). I wish mine had PerfectPass like yours does though!

[Goldcup101]

Ah, neither it is. That's a bit of a worry - anyone have any idea where to find a seat base and back for this model of boat? I guess I could copy the frame out of marine ply and cover it then buy the cushions from Christines or similar supplier. Presumably a full set of skins would include ones for the absent rear seat so I would need to source one somehow. I'm in the US all the time so can search the nation for one!
Perfect pass is a handy addition. Also has a fat sac but I'd probably rip that out. Along with the tower possibly.
Have made an offer for the boat; will post on here if the project is go.
Thanks for the tips Jeff

[Goldcup101]

Well, looks like we've gpt a project on our hands! Paid the equivalent of $3200 for it but it's going to need a lot of time and a fair bit of expenditure I should think.
Interior needs gutting. New skins throughout and new carpet.

Engine has 1800 hours so will need some work probably. I'm expecting at least a carb rebuild, maybe new rings (can't get compression values until October delivery) or, at worst, an engine rebuild.
Hull also needs a bit of work and, oddly, it's sitting on a Mastercraft Sport Star 19 trailer. All said though, I'm looking forward to returning an amzing boat to its former glory.

Teak platform looking a bit sorry for itself but I'm sure will come up beautifully.

A few issues where I'd welcome some advice:
1. Muffler was knackered and replaced recently by straight through exhausts. Has anyone got any idea exactly what muffler is required and would you bother replacing it?
2. As Jeff has pointed out, the rear seat isn't original and is going straight in the bin. There's an aftermarket fat sac underneath that will probably have to go the same way. If anyone is selling an original rear seat (base, cushions and backrest), I'd love to hear from you. Any other suggestions for sourcing a seat gratefully received!
3.. On a similar note, the observers seat cushion doesn't look original either. Looking for one of those too!
4. Spectrum gelcoats only seem to supply zephyr, green and natural gelcoats in gallon quantities. Any idea where I could source smaller quantities?
5.. Would you leave the waketower on the boat or dispose of it?
6. Engine looks like the standard one to me ??? but with Perfect Pass which is a plus. Transmission was replaced with a new one around 15 hours ago.
7. If anyone has any advice then I'd be very grateful!!!

We get the boat in October so thread may go quiet until then. In the meantime I'll start to collect all the bits I know I'll need.

Photos of what we're taking on!!

Really pleased to have joined the Ski Nautique club! Regards, Calum

[JBird97Nautique]

Currently restoring this same boat. Trying to figure out the correct carpet to buy. What oz and color?

[srock]

Post up the progress. I love following these threads.

[NautiqueJeff]

While I may be wrong, I doubt we'll hear from Goldcup101. His last logon here was over six years ago.

[Goldcup101]

No, I'm still here, just been a bit dormant!
Boat is all finished; I'll do an update over next few days for anyone interested. Came up pretty well and going great!

[Goldcup101]

So here's how it started!

I bought the boat from Scotland but I live in France so I paid a guy to go and fetch it and take it to a Nautique dealer in middle England as they had an excellent upholsterer that they worked with. I had managed to get the original order ticket from Nautique and so have been able to trace the history. It was ordered without a back seat originally, which is why some genius had decided to knock one up by using that well know marine construction material; 4x2 timber.



The observer's seat wasn't original so we had a new one made and the whole boat completely re-upholstered. I was really pleased with the job they did and I tried to get it as close to factory as I could from photos I found in old brochures and the internet. We even managed to get the Correct Craft embroidery done.

I have never liked wake towers on ski boats so I took that off and sold it on eBay.









Obviously, with no seat frame (and a futile search to find one) I had to get them to make. frame which they made from ABS structural plastic. The cushion are removable and have storage underneath. I left a gap like the factory one so skis can slide rearwards on either side.


Other things that were becoming apparent:
The engine ran but badly. We decided to check the compression and then make decisions from there. More on that later.
The gelcoat was very badly oxidised. Ordered myself a DeWalt polisher and bottles of the 3M compound form the compound described as 'bottle of rocks' all the way through to the really fine ones.
US trailers can;'t be used in Europe so these boats were imported without trailers and then Euro compliant (UK compliant in this case) trailers were then teamed up with the boat later. In this case, I had a galvanised Mastercraft UK trailer that was looking a bit sorry for itself. The fibreglass wheel arches had long gone, probably smashed up in car parks, so that was going to need attention. The winch was seized. The brakes weren't working much. The wheels were a mess.
There was more to come but that was all that was obvious at this stage.

[gary s]

Interesting that it is noted on your build sheet the 1" list on it's water test, my 95 SS a list is noted as well. I'll bet it happens more than you think possible

[Goldcup101]

Engine stuff now.

Compression was good, it had just been unloved for a while. As I travel to the US frequently, getting parts was pretty easy. Can't remember everything but off the top of my head, Quick Fuel Carb, new belts, new plugs, flame arrestor & cover, new pulleys (billet, I was feeling bit vain), one new exhaust manifold (other was fine), new filters, gaskets for top end rebuild, valve grind kit, new hoses, new throttle cable.

Sorry photos are all jumbled up.

[Goldcup101]

The next instalment!

Swim platform was sound but needed sanding and restoration. It looked like it had never been done before so I took it easy and sanded as little as I could. Dismantling it made it easier to do and it came up pretty well.



The hull was badly oxidised but I bought a DeWalt rotary polisher and the obligatory set of 3M compounds and got to work.







I removed the windscreen, having already establishing that if I broke any glass, it was virtually irreplaceable. I was VERY careful. One regret is that as I couldn't find a powder coating place nearby, I just spray painted the aluminium surround. That was a mistake as it very quickly started to peel off as the cover tends to stick to it. When I get the time, I'll probably take the screen off again and get it powder coated properly.





The hull took a lot of work with reducing sandpaper and then the compounds but as others ahem promised, it does work wonders.




I'm lucky in my job that I travel to the states at least a couple of times a month so getting spare parts has always been pretty easy. Thankfully they still produce all the decals so I was able to pretty much restore it back to OEM although I think the original Nautique stickers on the rear sides were white but I preferred the black.




Many will know that the big 'SKI NAUTIQUE' decals on the sides are expensive but there was little choice but to take them rreally. I'd worked hard to get rid of the ghosting from the originals where they had protected the hull from fading but inevitable there was still some evidence if you looked hard. The answer was to make sure the new decals went in exactly the same place. I picked dup the technique from someone who had done this before; tape the entire decal to the hull along the top edge to ensure alignment then cut vertically down to separate each letter. This way, you can work on one letter at a time without risking them moving relative to each other. Time consuming but not too difficult.








I'll put all the trailer work etc up next for anyone interested when I have a bit more time!

[Scooter G]

That is freakin' incredible, nice job, night & day.
Hand lapping valves, man that's a blast from the past 4 decades ago, I think I still have blisters on my hands. Love the idea on bolt & parts organization. Cool build sheet, and the upholstery looks amazing. Gel turned out great. That is one crazy looking trailer jack. Looks much better without the tower. I guess you saw the vision, wow. You gave me motivation to start on my '74 Sea Ray, it's not nearly as rough of shape as your beginning. Thanks for sharing your efforts!
If you ever quit your day job, I'm sure Jeff has a spot for you, lol.

Edit: The landscape background in your pictures looks incredible!