1980 S&S Restoration and Modernization

[WhiskeyTango]

Maybe you've covered it, but what's your plan when it's finished? Are you gonna run it or sell it?

I will keep it. I’ve always been an “Everything I own is for sale” person so never say never, but I’ve put multiples of a typical 1980 boat’s value into it, without considering the value of my time. So as long as I’m enjoying it, I’ll own it.

I have the lift in the slip and ready to go, it’s registered, etc., so all we are waiting on is me to hurry up and finish it.

At this point, I just hope the darn thing is functional (with minor tweaking typical of any custom job) once it’s finished!

[skydyvyr]

Hopefully the platform mounting is a slight upgrade to factory. Originally this was held on by 5 lag screws through the transom into the plywood core and 2 into the ends of the stringers.

It is now bolted through with aluminum backing plates. Compared to modern boats, it still feels pretty sketch, but no way it’s not an improvement.

The outside platform fasteners are eye bolts to allow a tie down strap to the trailer, which apparently wasn’t a thing in 1980.

Many terrifying acts of drilling through gel coat and enlarging holes I drilled previously (all of which “shrink” when gelcoated) are complete. Next is carpet and then the deck (and more drilling).

I love the upgrade to the platform mounting, but I would have done it just slightly differently. I would have threaded the bolts into the aluminum blocks then used 3M 4200 to secure the aluminum blocks to the hull. The nuts and washers would then go on under the platform. This would make it easier to mount and unmount the platform. The only drawback to this would be the eyes you’re using for stern tie-down points. Maybe you could thread the outside blocks too then run the eyes into them then tighten with the nut and washer on the eyebolt shank.

—Sky

[bret]

That swim platform is too pretty to put a ski on it

[neil.anderson63]

Awesome work! The mental jewelry you'll have at the end will be priceless. Where will this beauty live? If it is going to live on Tablerock, we'll keep an eye out for you. I'll be waving one hand and in the other hand, I'll be holding my ski.
K-State Ball player? My son played a couple games there; super nice facility.

[WhiskeyTango]

I love the upgrade to the platform mounting, but I would have done it just slightly differently. I would have threaded the bolts into the aluminum blocks then used 3M 4200 to secure the aluminum blocks to the hull. The nuts and washers would then go on under the platform. This would make it easier to mount and unmount the platform. The only drawback to this would be the eyes you’re using for stern tie-down points. Maybe you could thread the outside blocks too then run the eyes into them then tighten with the nut and washer on the eyebolt shank.

—Sky

Interesting suggestion, and not one that I thought of.

If the transom was flat, perhaps the juice would be worth the squeeze. However, it has a radius and the bolts need to go through radially, that is, perpendicular to the transom rather than paralleled to each other, which is how your suggested approach would need to work to slide the platform on to a set of studs protruding through from inside to outside.

With the curve, the holes in the platform would need to be enlarged somewhat (horizontally) to account for the bolt end spacing differing from the bolt spacing at the transom surface. Doable, but not desirable for a solid mount.

The curve should be visible in the pic.

[Ironhorse]

I will keep it. I’ve always been an “Everything I own is for sale” person so never say never, but I’ve put multiples of a typical 1980 boat’s value into it, without considering the value of my time. So as long as I’m enjoying it, I’ll own it.

I have the lift in the slip and ready to go, it’s registered, etc., so all we are waiting on is me to hurry up and finish it.

At this point, I just hope the darn thing is functional (with minor tweaking typical of any custom job) once it’s finished!

If you decide to do the unthinkable in the future, please let me know. This beauty would match my 21 Prostar and would look great at my dock!

[WhiskeyTango]

Awesome work! The mental jewelry you'll have at the end will be priceless. Where will this beauty live? If it is going to live on Tablerock, we'll keep an eye out for you. I'll be waving one hand and in the other hand, I'll be holding my ski.
K-State Ball player? My son played a couple games there; super nice facility.

It will be on Beaver Lake in NW Arkansas.

As for the K-State question, we are grads. I currently have one kid there and one more headed that way in the fall.

[WhiskeyTango]

The fuel tank had 6 gallons of ancient gas in it (probably close to 10 years old based on when the boat was last registered). Nobody local wanted to touch it. The one radiator shop left in town told me there is nobody in the state that still chemical cleans and works on aluminum gas tanks. The world is now set up for everything to be disposable, apparently.



After draining, I started rinsing and a large quantity of nasty yellow cottage cheese substance started coming out of it, more of which was stuck to the sides. I added a gallon of the carburetor cleaner that you soak parts in, and let it sit while rolling the tank to have each side of the tank down. More rinsing. Then a week full of soapy water followed by more rinsing, agitating with compressed air, pressure washing, and now it’s finally pretty clean.

Use Stabil.

The gas pickup appears to have originally been an aluminum tube, which was broken off internally and was rolling around in the tank. It had been replaced by a rubber hose, which had collapsed and the plastic fitting was brittle enough that it broke upon removal. I replaced this with a new unit from Amazon, which I cut to length and then reinstalled the screen insert. I also got a new anti siphon valve as the old one was pretty funky.





The fuel injection requires a return line, which installs through a bulkhead fitting in a new hole I drilled, which has to be close enough to the sending unit opening to put on a nut and the vapor hose that are internal to the tank. This was a challenge with giant old man hands, but it’s done.





Sourced a new sending unit and cut it down to size and installed.




I can now begin installing the fuel pump, lines and filters and plumbing the injection. Still waiting on one fitting but otherwise should be good to go.

[Ironhorse]

Looks great. With that boat being shiny and new, are you tempted to polish out that tank? hahaha

[WhiskeyTango]

Looks great. With that boat being shiny and new, are you tempted to polish out that tank? hahaha

Ha! I’m tempted to hide this beer can behind a panel and get on with the project!

[Ironhorse]

Ha! I’m tempted to hide this beer can behind a panel and get on with the project!

Oh I cant blame you after watching the amount of work you have put in!

[waterlogged882]

I used to travel quite a bit with my work several years ago. I always passed or stopped for fuel at particular truck stops and there is usually a guy somewhere nearby that is hustling an extra dime from the truckers, to shine their aluminum fuel tanks. They can make them look brand new and not a great cost. I took a fuel cell with me on one of my trips and had a fellow at one of the stops to shine the aluminum... like I said...it looked brand new for US $35. Any type of cleaning compound with jeweler's rouge in it will do the trick.

.

[RDahler]

If you want to do it your self I would recommend MET-ALL Aluminum polish and a Cyclo two head polisher this is what we used to polish aircraft.
Chuck way is a lot less trouble and cost. If you want it to look like new.

[WhiskeyTango]

Extra hands in the shop tonight so started glueing down some carpet.

The roll was 8.5’ wide so I cut a 20’ length and split it down the middle. From a 25’ roll, the 5’ length at the end and the scraps should cover the center panels.

Plan is to glue the floor, then the sides and then the center panels. Floor on one side is now glued down.

[jtryon]

curious why you didn't slightly modernize and go seadek-style EVA?