New member first ski nautique

[wayoutthere]

Thank you, it's coming along slow and steady, emphasis on slow. It looks more and more like shooting gel over the interior is going to happen.
they didnt sand down the bilge at the factory and my idea is to add non skid so i dont have to sand either.
looks like there is enough original behind the seat back that can be cut off and sent in to fgci to get matched.
figure the dog box will need sanding so no additive there but the back seat except the center step will have to knocked down so it doesnt rip open the cushions.

the idea for all the seats is to buy throw cushions, cut the foam to fit and have my buddy cover them in similar material with flaps so snaps can be added, this way the cushions can come out to be washed hung on a line etc plus the boat can still be used even if the cushions are in for a re cover.

medium grit is what i'm thinking

[wayoutthere]

All ground, all cut, 2 layers ovelapping 1700 ready to go.
rain and brutal heat are holding up getting glassed in.

started getting engine dog box/floor hatch up to speed.
shooting for glassing the floor down early as thursday.

[wayoutthere]

Drain holes outboard stringers at front of engine hatch, looks like they bedded down and bonded together good, 2 layers of 1708 should seal them up.
dog box top was foam and soft, have ply cut to go on top.

[SilentSeven]

Getting there! Looks nice. Thanks for the updates!

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[wayoutthere]

Thank you, its moving ahead but slow.
Just got a fresh 5 of resin so the other bucket has to get used up, things generally go better when theres a crunch, otherwise i over analyze over prep and try to make all conditions ideal, so its my fault the boat has only come this far.

So all the side projects are full speed to use up the resin.
everything looks good for a 0700 start on the floor friday portside, saturday starb side, sunday tie in the centers @ footrest and rear seat toekick.

[wayoutthere]

As usual, behind schedule and not exactly to plan but it's getting there

[SilentSeven]

Makes me appreciate the art (and effort) of boat building....

[wayoutthere]

Cut out and re bed shaft log or shim strut, those are my options.
Hacks, whatever was the drug of choice back in 79 was the boys on the floor at correct craft must have been all hooped up because they hacked this thing together.

when i took it apart the strut was shimmed and the hull was all hacked up in the strut bed, the more research the more it all looked factory.
the bed for the shaft log is all goofied up all in line, and i thought they ran aground, hit a stump or fell off the trailer.

the engine flywheel housing was close to the hull and i thought well if the prop wasnt 2 inches out of the strut there would be the elevation for the engine and no need for the shim.

when i say shim i really mean hacked up bent hunk of aluminum.

today i go to mock up the engine mount so the dog box can get glassed, nope shaft is hitting something in the log.
big hunk of whatever they used to glue it down before glassing over, no prob clean it out and keep going, nope the shaft hits the log.

closer look, oh ! The hacks didnt get the shaft log down flush on the hull so its tilted up plus crooked and off center.

Answered all the why did they do this questions

HACKS, if i was mr. Nautique and seen what my qc guys were letting out the door i would've asked who is the stupidest guy on the floor right now? Point him out to me,
call him over, hey dummy come here. Your my new qc guy, see that ? Dont ever let that go out the door again or you'll be replaced by the next dummest guy on he floor.

have to think, where they hacking boats together?
Were they making work what they had?
Without the shim and prop sticking way out will there be enough elevation so the engine doesnt hit the boat?
without the shim, will the engine mounts adjust down enough?

2 degrees over 40 odd inches of shaft is a **** of alot.

spent time grinding flat the strut so it didnt rock on the kitchen counter, then ground the hull so it didnt rock there either, nice flat mating surfaces.

[SilentSeven]

Nowwwww this makes more sense. Didn't realize how off / hacked the original alignments are.

Yeah...I now see why you are correcting all this and doing it how it should have been done in the first place.

Wonder how many came like this or if you just have a 'friday quitting time boat'.

[wayoutthere]

Some reading last nite and found out its common place to shim the strut at the factory and usually done during repairs later in life, washers, plates, etc to get it done.
repair ok, but at the factory is un acceptable, the boats' fresh, the parts are new, castings can't be that bad, just bed the log down after alignment is achieved not before the engine is even in the boat, or make a dam jig so its w/ in spec.
meanwhile keep plugging, use up the resin, have an idea to locate that engine mount, off to lowes

[wayoutthere]

That should go in and help get the engine mount located with a 1/2 inch between the prop and strut.
12 degrees is 5/16 further ahead than 15 degrees ;

so since the gel and some glass was removed from the front of the strut bed its got more shaft angle
Whatever happens with the log and strut shim the prop should still clear, and if the engine has to be bumped back i can live with a little too much gap between the engine box and pylon.

[wayoutthere]

Be ready for edges and final fit tomorrow

[Timr71]

It's gonna look great. Nice work!

[wayoutthere]

Thank you,

dont know how nice it'll be, gel needs a ton of prep before and sanding after so leaning towards gel where neccessary and tuff coat or similar everywhere else.
glass is far enough along to start thinking about that and would appreciate opinions.

utilitarian, cup holders, stereo, cement mixer tough is end goal

[wayoutthere]

Swim platform and rear seat edges done, 1st coat of gel on front seat mold.