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Back in the Game (Offshore Boat)

28,739 Views | 105 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by Salt of the water
Texas 1836
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AG
Looks great.

I have no exerience in big boats. Can someone post a picture with an engine mounted to a rear end like he put on?

Trying to visualize it.
Courtesy Flush
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quote:
Will you buff the glass and chrome? What is next in the project. Looks great already.


There is currently no chrome or any metal on the boat other than the windshield frame. One of the issues is the windshield glass and the frame itself. Both of them have 30 years of build up on them and I am unable to fix it. I have tried CRL, brass wool and a lot of elbow grease but it just won't clean up. There are water stains on the windshield and the frame has some salt build-up on it. I am planning to take it to a glass shop and see if they can replace the glass with clear Lexan or something similar. I would like to go back with tempered glass, but that is difficult to do. I am not sure what I will do with the frame. If I get really ambitious I may remove it and have it power coated.

The next step is to start installing all of the new hardware like the cleats, navigation lights, hawespipe, rod holders, etc, etc.
TRIDENT
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Looks good.
sunchaser
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http://www.armstrongnautical.com/movies/bracketsvideo.htm
Courtesy Flush
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The refurbishment has finally made some progress. We have installed the seat boxes, the helm chairs and combing pads. I am really happy about how the seat boxes turned out. Here are a few pictures.
Next step is to try and improve the looks of the windshield and frame. It has about many years of salt build-up. I am armed with brass wool, CRL and muriatic acid. If none of this works, I will take it to a glass shop and see if I can get the glass replaced.
After that, I am going to load the boat up with 55 gallon drums and simulate the weight of an engine plus fuel and other stuff and see how she sits in the water. This will give me an indication of whether I can go with a slightly larger fuel tank or if I need to just have another 100 gallon tank fabricated.
Here are a few pics.







GatorAg03
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Looks good, but you must really love doing all of this work. You have been at it a year and are still working hard. I am impressed with your dedication, but its about time to catch some fish out of her! When do you expect her maiden voyage?

Dirty-8-thirty Ag
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Looks like it's coming along great! I love seeing projects like this. Good work.
Courtesy Flush
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I do enjoy it although finding time is getting tougher and tougher. Here are a few recent pics......

The windshield frame was pitted very badly and the windshield glass was stained with 40 years of salt water build up on it. I was never going to get them looking good so I removed the glass and frame and had the frame powder coated to match the gelcoat which is an off white. I think the powder coating guy called it oyster white. I will replace the glass but that will probably be one of the last things I will do as it will enable me to do other jobs more easily. I also don't want to feel obligated to have to clean the glass every time it gets dirty.

[url=http://s147.photobucket.com/user/biaclay/media/NewWindshield_zpsdc822c7d.jpg.html][/url]

I also had a radar arch installed. I struggled with whether to do a full hard top or to do the radar arch. Ultimately I went with the radar arch and I will have a bimini top made to cover the helm area from the arch all the way forward to the windshield. I'll also tie in the bimini to the windshield with isenglass or something similar. I intended to mount the arch further back towards the rear of the boat so that I could have more space under the bimini but there wasn't adequate space to mount the flanges that secures the arch to the hull. This will work though and it allows for more space at the back of the boat so when I grab that trolling rod and Jimmy Houston the hook set, I won't have to worry about the rod hitting the arch.

The arch is tricked out with everything I could imagine I would ever need - rod holders, mounting plates for outriggers, and antennas. I have an LED light bar on my bay boat and love it so I put one on this boat as well.

[url=http://s147.photobucket.com/user/biaclay/media/Oct24Top_zps5c5043f5.jpg.html][/url]

[url=http://s147.photobucket.com/user/biaclay/media/Oct24Top2_zps529f67c0.jpg.html][/url]

[url=http://s147.photobucket.com/user/biaclay/media/Oct24top4_zps2840c297.jpg.html][/url]
sunchaser
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Looks better each time. I can't imagine how much work goes into an effort like this one. I had to replace the gas tank in my 20' many years ago. I opted to go to a larger tank which required taking a saw to the false bottom. I sat on hands and knees for about a month before I finally got up enough nerve to pull the trigger.
Courtesy Flush
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I forgot to add that after enclosing the transom and installing the bracket, I was concerned about whether the changes affected the way the boat sat in the water. There was MUCH discussion about the height at which we mounted the bracket. I filled the live well up with water (40 gallons), the fuel tank (100 gallons) and added a 55 gallon drum onto the bracket to simulate the weight of the engine. I am really happy about how it sits in the water. I now feel like I can move the batteries up foward without any negative consequences.

[URL=http://s147.photobucket.com/user/biaclay/media/July12FloatTest_1_zpsabdb639c.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s147.photobucket.com/user/biaclay/media/July12FloatTest_2_zps0d580881.jpg.html][/URL]
schmellba99
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I forgot about this - great thread with great updates. Can't wait to see the final product.

You guys have time and skills that I could only hope to have one day to be able to undertake such projects as this.
DuckDown2013
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following
EFE
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Very cool.
KRamp90
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Watchful Ag
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I love it when people fix up older boats. Too often are boats just traded in or left behind for something newer. This instantly became one of my favorite threads.

Looking forward to the finished product.
drmwvr
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I have a Aggie buddy who has the same vintage Seacraft that he keeps down in POC. His is in excellent shape. I sent him the link to this so he might be chiming in.

Great renovation project!
AggiePride07
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Really cool updates.

If I knew half of what some of y'all on here know I'd be dangerous.
Towns03
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I dreamed of closing the transom and adding a bracket on my '77 deep-V Mako for years. This is freaking sick. Awesome looking boat!

Who's doing the fiberglass work??

I sold my rig last fall in prep for twins (babies, not Etechs)
FIDO 96
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In to the end.
drmwvr
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Here is my buddy's Seacraft at Sunday beach recently. I have some better photos of his boat but they are not on my phone currently.
Kenneth_2003
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Nice looking boat, but who's on the right?
drmwvr
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quote:
Nice looking boat, but who's on the right?
My friend's middle school aged daughter and one of her friends.
AZAG08
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quote:
quote:
Nice looking boat, but who's on the right?
My friend's middle school aged daughter and one of her friends.
txamu11
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quote:
quote:
Nice looking boat, but who's on the right?
My friend's middle school aged daughter and one of her friends.
munch96
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quote:
quote:
Nice looking boat, but who's on the right?
My friend's middle school aged daughter and one of her friends.


Guess he stepped right on that bear trap...
jpc08
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quote:
quote:
quote:
Nice looking boat, but who's on the right?
My friend's middle school aged daughter and one of her friends.


Guess he stepped right on that bear trap...
Who knows guys, maybe Kenneth_2003 was born in 2003 which would make him about the same age as the girls...

It would also mean he signed up for his TexAgs account at the early age of 2. Impressive!
aTm2004
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quote:
quote:
Nice looking boat, but who's on the right?
My friend's middle school aged daughter and one of her friends.
DuckDown2013
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I suppose it could have been worse if it was drmwvr's daughter?
Kenneth_2003
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Well that didn't go as planned...

Back to just the boats now
dahouse
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Anyone else notice that he's just out in the water in his blue jeans?
EFE
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Kenny sure didn't
Kenneth_2003
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Actually I did notice that as well...
Courtesy Flush
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DRM, I'll have to look for that boat. I'm surprised I haven't seen it already. We have a house in Port O'Connor and are here most weekends. We are actually down here this weekend and spent the afternoon at Sunday beach today. We go to Sunday beach and we also go to the "new" Sunday beach that is just to the west of Pass Cavalho. The new one is where we were today.
drmwvr
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It's only been in POC for about a year. Before that, he kept it in Clear Lake. He has a skinny boat that he has fished in POC longer. His camp is near Froggys so that is where he usually launches. He's part of the Club Canejo crew if that means something
Salt of the water
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Any update on the restoration? Finished?

Love the Potter seacrafts. I've contemplated a 20 as a project, but I don't have the space or budget to do one right.
 
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