Building and Maintaining your boat...

[rvrpig]

How many of you guys have either built, rebuilt, or maintain your own boat. Do you enjoy it?
Do you get a special satisfaction from doing it yourself?

[mike37]

my kid dose the maintenance on the boat
and service the motor and out drive
he like to do it I dont

[ratso]

I own a boat shop and over the years have rebuilt my own and also quite a few for others. You can catch my latest project at riverratlife in JBB's World. It's under the topic "Mirage"

[Tom Brown]

Ratso is all about the service.

[rvrpig]

I love to rebuild my own boats...done two so far.
Its just hard to do them and find a place to keep them all :D
I am torn on my next one....i wnat to build a 28 foot pontoon DIVING boat.
But i could also rebuild my brothers 74' Hallet flatbottom....
Choices... Choices :confused:

[Misogynist]

I completely restored my boat... From a new dash and gauges, to complete wiring. Then in the engine compartment I went through everything from pulley to propellor. Took years and I learned a lot... LIKE WHO NOT TO TAKE YOUR BOAT TO AND PAY TO HAVE IT DONE AND THEN HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN YOURSELF....... :sqeyes:

[rvrpig]

I own a boat shop and over the years have rebuilt my own and also quite a few for others. You can catch my latest project at riverratlife in JBB's World. It's under the topic "Mirage"
Saw the project and it looks sweet...very aggresive.
I just wish I had the resources you do when I work on mine...working in the elements sucks and takes up too much time.

[ratso]

I completely restored my boat... From a new dash and gauges, to complete wiring. Then in the engine compartment I went through everything from pulley to propellor. Took years and I learned a lot... LIKE WHO NOT TO TAKE YOUR BOAT TO AND PAY TO HAVE IT DONE AND THEN HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN YOURSELF....... :sqeyes:
Misogynist...we aren't talking about RC boats... :D

[DogHouse]

I do a lot of my own work, engine, rigging, etc. I have Larry's do the machine work and sometimes assembly when I'm lazy or don't have time. Haven't gotten into the guts of an outdrive yet but probably will some day. I enjoy doing the work if I have the time and definitely take some pride in the fact that my engine combo is my own creation and somewhat unique. Last boat I rigged and assembled from a bare hull. On the current boat, I'm only to blame for the motor, plumbing, and stereo.
-Brian

[mike37]

I love to rebuild my own boats...done two so far.
Its just hard to do them and find a place to keep them all :D
I am torn on my next one....i wnat to build a 28 foot pontoon DIVING boat.
But i could also rebuild my brothers 74' Hallet flatbottom....
Choices... Choices :confused:
go with the hallet much nicer than a pontoon

[Misogynist]

Misogynist...we aren't talking about RC boats... :D
Damn.... all this time I thought I had you guys fooled... yep... the rubber band rotted out on my wind-up............ :220v:

[ratso]

A buddy of mine has an older Hallet...I need to find those pics...great boats.

[rvrpig]

It would be a much nice boat when done....But ALOT more expensive to build.
It already has a 454 but i would have to rebuild, polish, debur, and paint the motor as well as resand the whole boat down...fix the stress cracks and have it custom painted. I have that Tim Taylor problem. Do it to the max or not at all.

[rvrpig]

A buddy of mine has an older Hallet...I need to find those pics...great boats.
This one with hopped up cam and a preditor carb does 90 on gps...NEEDS a whirlaway bad though.

[ratso]

We just re-worked the 454 in my Stryker...only running mid to upper 70's with it, but it's a 21 footer.
I have a friend with a 20 ft Glastron Intimidator, hasn't opened it up since the rebuild and the blower, but looking at the 90's with it.

[rvrpig]

ya the Hallett is a 17 footer.

[Tom Brown]

We just re-worked the 454 in my Stryker...only running mid to upper 70's with it, but it's a 21 footer.
I have a friend with a 20 ft Glastron Intimidator, hasn't opened it up since the rebuild and the blower, but looking at the 90's with it.
Hey Ratso, how about hitting him up for putting some pics and details on CarlsonSpeed.com?

[ratso]

Hey Ratso, how about hitting him up for putting some pics and details on CarlsonSpeed.com?
I'll do that Tom... We are re-doing his clear coat this winter. I'll get some pics together... :D

[Krazy K]

When we got our brand-new Charger in 1977, my dad bought the hull, engine and jetpump installed. He did everything else himself. Just like the '68 Delta Flatbottom he bought brand new. I myself, bought a used boat and am just starting to restore it.

[BADBLOWN572]

I built my boat myself. I had a hand in every aspect. I was the one that did ALL of the rigging myself, designed everything, made all of the judgment calls, assisted in building the motor, etc... There was not one aspect that I did not have a direct hand it. That is the only way for me to do it. I am a perfectionist to the max and no matter what, I will pick any boat apart (not by choice, but by habbit). I was lucky though, I had all of the tools at my disposal and that is what I did on a daily basis for 5 years. I rigged boats. Since I was able to do it, I did and I am extremely happy with the results. I ended up with exactly what I wanted, a truly custom, one of a kind, boat. Since mine was completed, I did quite a few other boats including River Dave's 10' Schiada. If I am into the project and it is something different, I really enjoy it. When I am doing it for a customer that I don't know, and is stock, I don't have much pleasure doing it. It is routine and, in a way, boring. I have done so many it has turned into a job and I don't have the same passion as when I first started rigging boats. Not so if it is challenging or complicated.

[rvrpig]

U might be able to answer this Badblown since u are in the business. where is a good place to find a newer style hull (doesnt matter if new or used). i want another project that is not too much of a basket case but is very cheap. preferable a cat u hull design...bigger the better.

[Dribble]

I maintain my own boat. I get satisfaction out of not having to deal with boat shops and their schedules as well as the hundreds of $$$ I save.

[Craig]

Hey rvrpig, I bebuilt my old jetboat from the bare hull up, quite a learning experience for my first "***boat" :jawdrop: I did a write up for it on my web site, here's a link rebuild (http://www.justanothertoy.com/JETBOAT.HTM)
Also did a lot of work on my Sportcat, but that's another story on the site ;)

[Cheap Thrills]

Oh Yeh I like to build all my toys .
It's all about the Cheap Thrills :cool:
C.T. :wink:

[jackpunx]

I built my boat myself. I had a hand in every aspect. I was the one that did ALL of the rigging myself, designed everything, made all of the judgment calls, assisted in building the motor, etc... There was not one aspect that I did not have a direct hand it. That is the only way for me to do it. I am a perfectionist to the max and no matter what, I will pick any boat apart (not by choice, but by habbit). I was lucky though, I had all of the tools at my disposal and that is what I did on a daily basis for 5 years. I rigged boats. Since I was able to do it, I did and I am extremely happy with the results. I ended up with exactly what I wanted, a truly custom, one of a kind, boat. Since mine was completed, I did quite a few other boats including River Dave's 10' Schiada. If I am into the project and it is something different, I really enjoy it. When I am doing it for a customer that I don't know, and is stock, I don't have much pleasure doing it. It is routine and, in a way, boring. I have done so many it has turned into a job and I don't have the same passion as when I first started rigging boats. Not so if it is challenging or complicated.
Note to self.. BB572 is good to have around.. :D

[Racer277]

Note to self.. BB572 is good to have around.. :D
And last I saw he had a hottie under each arm! :D :D :D

[jackpunx]

And last I saw he had a hottie under each arm! :D :D :D
Nahhh.. .lol .. that was me and Dave :D which reminds me.. BB572.. you need some new deodorant ..lol

[BADBLOWN572]

U might be able to answer this Badblown since u are in the business. where is a good place to find a newer style hull (doesnt matter if new or used). i want another project that is not too much of a basket case but is very cheap. preferable a cat u hull design...bigger the better.
That is a tough one to answer for a couple of reasons. 1) you need to define very cheap & 2) most manufacturers will not let a blank hull out of their shop unrigged. There are a couple of reasons for #2. Most manufacturers are extremely concerned about quality. If they do it themselves, they have a hand in quality control versus if you do it. They are always afraid that you will do it and make a mistake which will reflect negatively on them. Also, people are concerned about splashing. Blank hulls are easy to splash so they do not look favorably on selling them.
I have the feeling that you are honestly going in the wrong direction if you want to be cheap. There is no such thing as a cheap new boat or blank hull. Right now fiberglass is very expensive, and overhead will kill you. I am thinking that if you are looking for a blank 25' cat hull (for example) you are looking no less than $30k if they will sell it to you. To me, I do not consider that cheap. If you need a project, set a budget, find a boat that is within that budget, strip it and re-do it. I think that you will save a lot of time and money doing it that way.
The only manufacturer that I can think of that might sell you a blank hull for a cat would be American Offshore. I believe that they might do it, but I would give them a call. Not sure on pricing, but it will give you a good indication of what is available.
Good luck,
BB572

[RiverDave]

Here's a link to the complete build up of Bubbles.. Be patient with the pictures loading becuase there's a shitload of them. There's also pictures of the trailer being built etc..
Short Cummins (http://www.riverratlife.com/forums/board/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=10&t=000024)
http://www.riverratlife.com/dave/images/bubbles/BoatTrailer2.jpg
RD

[BADBLOWN572]

Nahhh.. .lol .. that was me and Dave :D which reminds me.. BB572.. you need some new deodorant ..lol
Hey Mark, http://www.riverratlife.com/forums/board/ubb/graemlins/bang.gif http://www.riverratlife.com/forums/board/ubb/graemlins/loser.gif http://www.riverratlife.com/forums/board/ubb/graemlins/moon.gif
:p :p :p :D :D :D