1998 Ski Nautique

[Scooter G]

Love that sound!
Good job

[kjkohne10]

Any luck on the new windshield? Any chance you still have the oversized one that I could buy? I have a glass and aluminum guy willing to revamp an oversized window so long as it works with the standard hinges.

[NautiqueJeff]

All of the replacement cables came in today -- steering, throttle, and transmission.

Also picked up a new breather hose and throttle knob.

Now I just have to find the time to install this stuff...

[Emmett@Norman]

If you need to pull measurements off the stock Python engine cover let me know. I have one in Denver you're more than welcome to come and take a look at.

Denver of the East of course.

[NautiqueJeff]

Excellent! I may take you up on that. This is the second Python Ski Nautique in Denver that I am aware of!

[NautiqueJeff]

Got this one into the PN microshop before the rain hit earlier this week. I have the cables for it, and now I can install them, even in the rain. I am trying to pick up a parts boat that has a donor windshield tomorrow. If I can get it, I'll have this thing on the water very soon!

[Scooter G]

What, you got a line on a windshield for old "one eye" already?
Score, that didn't take you long!

"PN Microshop", I like it.

[NautiqueJeff]

Well, the "parts boat" ended up being the 1996 Ski Nautique Open Bow that I am now going to restore, so I went to Tennessee today and bought a windshield from a guy there. I was lucky enough to find a guy parting out a 1997 Ski Nautique, so I bought the windshield for this boat, and the swim platform for the 2000 Sport Nautique that I am picking up in Florida next week.

The new windshield needs to be pulled apart and powder coated, so I'll break it down tomorrow.

[Scooter G]

Good score!
How many miles you have on that Excursion now with all your "windshield" time?
Our neighbors finally parted with theirs, I think it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 350,000 miles, and actually still running like a beast.

[NautiqueJeff]

I'm at 405,000 I believe. That Excursion has been very good to me.

[NautiqueJeff]

Got the windshield all broken down and ready for powder coat tonight. Hopefully I can get it over there this week.

[NautiqueJeff]

Got some time this evening to work on this boat in the PN microshop. My son helped me (OK, he actually did all of the hard parts) change the steering cable. It took almost my full strength to turn the wheel before we started. It was the worst cable I have ever felt.

We got the old one out and the new one in, but this is the filthiest boat I have ever worked on. It looks like someone dumped five gallons of dirty oil in the bilge. EVERYTHING is coated in grease/oil. That made for a fun time changing out that cable. The steering is perfect now. One-finger-smooth.

I also changed out the impeller. The old one was pretty bad. I am glad I didn't try to run it.

Next, we'll be changing out the throttle and transmission cables. Those should be much easier. Both of those are very stiff too.

Then we'll pressure wash the bilge (and maybe the carpet), put the rest of the interior in, install the windshield, and use the boat the way it is for the rest of the summer. We'll pull it all apart again to buff it all out this winter.

[SilentSeven]

I'm with you...I don't like a greasy bilge. Smells bad and just makes everything nasty. Anytime I'm doing a bilge area job, I make sure to douse the area with Spray Nine and rinse thoroughly with a hose.

That forward tranny seal is infamous for failing....think that's the source of the oil?

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

[NautiqueJeff]

Maybe. I'll get it all cleaned up and we'll see if there is a leak somewhere. I think this boat had some water in it at some point, so hopefully it is just left over from that.

[NautiqueJeff]

This boat has just been sitting for the past month. Boats that I am keeping are always last on the list...

I am planning to take it over to the world-famous BBC here in Mooresville, NC today. There is more room there for me to work on it, and with the 2001 Ski Nautique out of the way, there is room for this boat there now.

I still need to replace the shift and throttle cables, I need to reinstall the raw water pump (it is still off from when I replaced the impeller), and I need to install the windsheild. I may run the buffer over the dash before I reinstall the windshield, so I don't have to take it off again this winter when I restore the rest of the gelcoat.

Looking forward to having this boat at the dock, especially since I had to let go of the 2023 PN G23 so early this year.