This hull is my dream boat, but boy do I have my work cut out for me. I will put all of the projects big and small right here. Right now I'm tackling a bunch of the small stuff.
One of the first things was getting some rod holders in so I could troll for pelagics. Got it done last week. Used a 2" hole saw bit to get through the gunnel and made sure to f@ck up the gel coat along the way just so people know for sure I was there.
(https://i.imgur.com/tM9dQ21h.jpeg)
Put a G10 fiberglass plate on the bottom that my buddy Chris helped cut with his circular saw. It already felt pretty solid with just washers but that made it great.
(https://i.imgur.com/chN6yVih.jpeg)
There are a zillion holes in this thing to the point where I think the old owner was just doing it for weight reduction. I can't even fathom what they were trying to do here.
(https://i.imgur.com/0qXvsaCh.jpeg)
Also random sh!t that never got removed, like this. There are 3 wires that were cut short on the backside so it seems like a toggle switch but it's seized and doesn't move. The flat heads are corroded to hell so it will be awful to remove and then I'll just have a hole in the gunnel, so I might leave it. Or I could remove it and put a cool sticker over it...
(https://i.imgur.com/TRin8erh.jpeg)
The cleats are a bit corroded but they will hold for a while. Medium term project.
I still need to wrap my head around the electrical work on the boat, which is not my forte. I also need to capitalize on this space a bit more as it's one of only 4 hatches. Just need to find the less flammable things to put in there.
(https://i.imgur.com/YlcHCiVh.jpeg)
I like the rail but it could use some more reinforcement. Also pictured here are two of too many fenders on the boat (6). I am replacing all 6 of this style with 2 EVA foam ones which are smaller, more modern looking, and can double as a seat cushion. The black 4 prong thing on the rail in the middle is a downrigge ball holder which the previous owner said he never used because it was too far forward. Why it was ever put near the bow is beyond me.
(https://i.imgur.com/tOiR05Zh.jpeg)
Console is interesting but needs work. FF is old. It works, but doesn't give me a temp reading as far as I can tell. It was also on the fritz this weekend, though did work on day 2. I replaced the broken compass for my own slightly less broken compass for now. Maybe make room the FF level for my phone so I can have my phone up with Navionics. the steering wheel is a bit low so I'm going to try a suicide knob first, but might put a spacer under the wheel.
(https://i.imgur.com/oSg4xd4h.jpeg)
I find these chairs not very god looking, but it is surprisingly comfortable. It sits a bit low, though. I would like to eventually build a box for storage under the seat. Chris was saying I should build the box a bit long going astern so my mate can sit behind me and monitor the rods. Not a bad idea, though the dimensions are a bit tight.
(https://i.imgur.com/BXoDQjvh.jpeg)
I removed a bunch of grommet fasteners for tarps today that were phillips heads, though some are pretty seized and I'm gonna have to go back through with Corrosion X or something. I'm going to fill those and some other holes wit h bondo short strand fiberglass putty once I watch a video on how to do that.
(https://i.imgur.com/eJLZZcph.jpeg)
Then there are these. Idk wtf I'm gonna do about them yet.
(https://i.imgur.com/6llkTMph.jpeg)
The hatches never got their hinges fully assembled because previous owners realized the hatch runs right into the gunnel as you open it. The latch holes are 1" and 3/4" which don't really fit the universal 2" latches and are gonna be awkward to keep drilling out with a 2" bit for those. But, I need to do something about them, because these corners are the only wet part of the boat.
(https://i.imgur.com/JcTebihh.jpeg)
Need to put carpet on the side bunks still, and more likely hard plastic type stuff on the floor bunks.
(https://i.imgur.com/KkLH1MEh.jpeg)
I do like this boat though, one picture of admiring instead of bitching. Op! Just kidding. Those little corners to hold a cooler need to come off. That bow floor either needs to be reinforced with coosa or removed and totally redone, but I won't be standing up there myself.
(https://i.imgur.com/yuPtULUh.jpeg)
I wanna put horizontal rod/gaff storage on at least one side of the hull. I was originally thinking something like a putty adhesive and a DIY plastic hook hold system, but Chris said I should really fiberglass it in.
(https://i.imgur.com/TwDJuVGh.jpeg)
Trying to sell the Honda 8hp kicker outboard that came with it so I cleaned the carb. PITA but it runs good now and ready for a new owner.
(https://i.imgur.com/AGrtpNuh.jpeg)
After fishing it, the fuel line had a crack, so I have a fresh fuel line now to install tomorrow. I think there's a male connector installed into the boat right here so I can just take the primer bulb kit and cut it shorter on the one end.
(https://i.imgur.com/mk3LUN8h.jpeg)
Chris installed these rod holders onto the rail overnight while it was at his house. Very generous and a great touch.
(https://i.imgur.com/NlMGTiqh.jpeg)
The nonskid currently on the DIY side floors was made for shoes, not barefoot. I will redo that eventually. But I didn't slip.
(https://i.imgur.com/HVGkDkQh.jpeg)
That looks almost exactly like my "Square Boma" project. Tackle some of the cheaper and easier things first because once you are at the end game and put a coat of paint inside, it's going to make that baby dazzle!
Thanks for the post as it's bringing back a lot of old memories of the Boma. I probably have a few things for your boat in my garage. I'll look for a few things and send you pics if you want any of them.
Things are coming along. Got the 12 gallon tank, changed the leaking fuel line.
I decided it's time to get to the trailer bunks. I'm going to put slides on the bottom and carpet on the sides. The bottom bunks are horizontal which changes the calculus a bit compared to most other boat trailers. The boat sticks to the trailer a lot already so instead of making that worse with carpet, I'm going to have 16"x5" slides on each side of the bunk where the keel touches.
(https://i.imgur.com/FXEQEv6h.jpeg)
The slides normally go with the direction of the boat going on and off the trailer so the minimal contact points had me concerned. However, the keels have protectors which helped me make the decision that slides shouldn't be any harm.
(https://i.imgur.com/XxRJveeh.jpeg)
There is a huge transom roller at the stern, roughly 7' wide and one piece. It doesn't roll due to immense corrosion though. Haven't figured out where I'll find replacement parts but I'll clean it up with some PB Blaster and a metal brush this week and see what happens. Probably not much!
(https://i.imgur.com/rIKgOhgh.jpeg)
I'm going to install the carpet on the side bunks Sunday and the slides will arrive October 2.
Vive El Concolor!
Looks like a fun project to get it dialed in to your liking. A little at a time and you will have your Dream Boat 8)
That thing is going to require some new P-Soul stickers when it's done!
Took off most of the accessories but one of the downrigger mounts was really on there good, with screws and probably 5200 sealant under the plate. The locking nuts were under the gunnel in an incredibly tight and awkward spot, but I was able to finagle them off and get the top plate off. Then this plate was sealed on there real good.
(https://i.imgur.com/R7P3OD0h.jpeg)
Worked the edges with a knife and finally popped it off.
(https://i.imgur.com/zsQdPCmh.jpeg)
Kept trimming the the sealant carefully off with the knife, and hit it with acetone a couple times to further break it down. Finally got it to a reasonable point then sanded it.
(https://i.imgur.com/f2xKY4oh.jpeg)
My next move is to finally start with the Bondo short strand fiberglass filler and patch up as many screw holes as I can. Probably a crime that I haven't gotten to that sooner.
It is also coming to my attention how many spider cracks in the gelcoat there are, so I've watched videos on how to fix that up. I will need to get a cordless rotary tool and dremmel out about 9 miles of spider cracks this winter. I wanna put rod holders where these downrigger mounts were, so I might practice the dremmeling next week on these spots.
I've got another Bongos trip on Saturday which will probably suck my energy dry, but Sunday does look good for a launch if I can rebound well enough.
Been making some progress. It's tough to get momentum since the boat isn't at my house. I will add some more pictures soon as I will have lots of time this weekend, but here are some notes for the various sagas as of late:
- got a 4 blade prop, installed it, and had quite a bit of ventilation on the ride out into some chop. 2mph worse at all RPMs. I'm guessing I did 45 miles on 9 gallons over 6 hours, trolling most of the time. I removed the hydrofoil from the outboard because I hear a 4 blade AND a hydrofoil can be too much stern lift and/or drag. If it doesn't do better without the hydrofoil then I will be okay with the original setup of stock 3 blade plus hydrofoil, it wasn't terrible. 4 blades are advertised to get better low-mid range fuel economy and maneuverability, as well as stern lift, and I want more of all those things.
- the old VHF had horrendous reception, especially compared to my handheld, so I got a new unit and a new antenna as the wires were showing through their coats. New combo still had terrible reception, so I think I have some interference. I realized the wiring in the console is kind of a sh!t show, so I am finally studying the problem and researching. The coax cable was running through the same hole as the FF transducer and power cables, which might cause interference when they're running parallel next to each other? So I will drill an extra hole out of the console top.
- I finally pulled out the old fish finder to install the Garmin UHD64CV I had from the inflatable. That is another thing I am studying my wiring over. I'm not even going to bother snake the transducer through the wiring pipe because, as you will see, the previous owner probably positioned his wires and then glassed a chunk of PVC over the top of them to save time in the moment, and made it f@cking impossible to add or subtract wires in the future. I will also need to removed the old transducer mount and epoxy the screw holes shut, then install the new one, so the FF installation will have a bit of everything.
The nightmare under the console surface:
(https://i.imgur.com/U8ibEAjh.jpeg)
The console's panel:
(https://i.imgur.com/eMIaNJth.jpeg)
POV of the snaking pipe from the bilge compartment with the batteries:
(https://i.imgur.com/01sN8yJh.jpeg)
The batteries also have a few downrigger wires and things I could remove. I should clean this while I'm at it...
(https://i.imgur.com/WQXcH45h.jpeg)
- I also realized this week that my outboard is the first year of Yamahas (2006) that had NMEA compatibility, which for the uninitiated means I can buy a relatively affordable set of cables that will send all the live outboard data that I crave to my Garmin (RPM, trim, and most importantly fuel burn). If I can get to that ASAP, I can get a way more accurate fuel burn calculation on the 4 blade vs 3 blade props, and return the 4 blade if it isn't better on gas.
- There are leaks in the side floors, particularly on the port side, that will need addressing soon-ish. The tarp that the old owner gave to me with the boat was sh!t, and rain went right through it, and right through the floors as well. I parked on a hill after the rain and watched rain water seep from under the floor through a seam into the bilge compartment. I also see it when I don't simply spot clean the floors after fishing. I might try a short term fix and blow compressed air from the seam at at the bilge compartment, cover the deck with soapy water, and mark any leaks. Then go through and use Seal-All or something. I really don't want to buy a bunch of coosa and resin this winter. I will have more time, money, and ideas for a floor remodel and more at the end of 2027.
Here is the bilge compartment/sump. There was an unnecessary 4" plywood wall so I cut a channel so it would hold a little less water. I should put something in there to displace water up to the bilge pump as well.
(https://i.imgur.com/wOTQ2Xmh.jpeg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/bIsigBqh.jpeg)
I also learned to never use 0000 steel wool to clean the stainless steel or anything on the boat. It shedded and left little pube shavings everywhere, then got wet, and left tons of rusty pube stains ALL over the boat. I've gotten most off with rust remover but there are still a few tight spots on the console driving me crazy.
(https://i.imgur.com/PFper1Ch.jpeg)
- Lastly and absolutely leastly, I purchased a Scepter 12 gallon fuel tank that leaked at least a gallon of fuel into the backseat of my car, which took several years off my life on that first morning drive to work. Then I was stupid enough to move it from my car to the boat, where it leaked more fuel into that porous floor of mine! I exchanged that tank and its replacement also leaked. I returned that and got a Vevor tank, which has not leaked.
(https://i.imgur.com/iu2SG4Sh.jpeg)
One of the bigger things I've been putting off is sanding/restoring the gelcoat, then waxing. I honestly need to get to that ASAP because the boat is collecting smudges from projects like you wouldn't believe. It would be great if dirt just rolled off instead of made memories. Can't do much of anything with this rain for the next week.