IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

Well I splashed my boat for the first time one year ago after spending lots of time (150 days) and lots of $$$ rebuilding my 23 CC and about this time in all project boat builders experience one would come to the place and say “If I had to do it all over again I would do this or that different” well I figured that the guys that are now starting or in the middle of their boat projects might be interested in our hind sights so I figured I would start this one off for the benefits of those who are starting their dream boats.
1. I would buy more beer not nearly enough beer went into my project.
2. I bought a loadmaster trailer if I had that one over again I would have bought the stainless steel disk brakes for it. I got everything else stainless but no one brought up stainless brakes I am not sure they were selling them then but I missed that one.
3. I would have gone with one of the new composite materials for the transom. When I did mine that decision was still a coin toss decision.
As for all the rest I would not do anything different. NOW YOU GUYS JUMP IN ON THIS ONE.
Fellow-ship [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Re: IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

Can you expand a bit on why you would go with a composite transom next time around? I assume you went with wood, are you already having troubles with it?

thanks/
mark

Re: IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

More beer? I never thought to add alcohol costs to my invoices! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Re: IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

A lack of appropriate quantities of beer not only has severe consequences in rebuilding a SeaCraft, but it shows. There is nothing worse than being sober while doing this work.

Let's see, 150 days, what, maybe 3 beers minimum per session? Plus the 25 six packs your buddies drank. Oh, my, that's 25 CA-CA-CA-CASES.

You're my HERO

Re: IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

WELL,WELL,WELL,,,,, I MAY NOT KNOW A DAMN THING ABOUT BOAT BUILDING/RESTORING,KEN. BUT EARLY ON IN MY PROJECT,I TOOK OUT ALL THE SHELVE'S IN MY GARAGE FRIDGE, AND STUCK IN A KEG OF MICHELOB LIGHT! BUT IT WAS THE WIFE THAT GAVE ME THE IDEA TO DRILL A HOLE IN THE DOOR AND RUN THE TAP THROUGH IT. HAD TO SPRING FOR A CO.2 SET UP TO PREASERISE THE KEG, BUT THE WIFE SAID,,,,AND I QUOTE "AT THE RATE YOUR GOING,THE HINGES WILL BREAK OFF BEFORE THE COOLER GIVE'S OUT" YOU'VE GOT TO LISTEN TO THAT KIND OF REASONING I SUPPOSE [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] ANYHOW I'M JUST GLAD TO KNOW THAT I'M DOING SOMETHING RIGHT,AND I HOPE EVERYONE ELSE WILL LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKE [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] LIKE I'VE ALWAY'S SAID,,, THE BAIT'LL ROT,BEFORE I LET THE BEER GET WARM,,,,,, AS ALWAY'S LT DAN

Re: IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

Finally did sumpt'n right !!
1. GOT BEER !(This might be up to Briguy) Ha HA.I don't forget ! [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]
2. Bought a Rolls trailer all allum w/ss. & SS disc brakes
3. Put 24# closed cell foam in the transom.
(got My fingers crossed on this one)
Scream'n Reels' [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]
"TUG"

Re: IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

I got a long way to go, I like that keg in the fridg thing. You think I'll save some time not having to squash cans? [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Re: IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

DH - "More beer? I never thought to add alcohol costs to my invoices! " - that's the 5% line for incidental materials - people will even slide as waste disposal

Re: IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

Yo D.H, knock 5% off my invoice and I'll buy you a case. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Re: IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

Lets see....item cost plus 5% for incidental materials/waste disposal...Hey Finster I will fax you an amended invoice! [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Re: IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

Gosh did I ever open up a CAN of worms. It looks like we all have more than just one thing in common on this sight. I wasn’t expecting so much input on the proper attitude before, during, and after completion of our boat projects. I will say that when I finished by boat I christened it with a Bud long neck. Well I guess we all know by now that not being in your right mind does help in doing this type of work. As for the only other question back to me that had any merit about boats was about my transom. Yes I did use marine grade plywood two layers of ¾” with epoxy filler and epoxy resin plus four layers of new glass for the inside walls and about 8 to 10 layers all around the edges. I installed all exterior drill holes myself with the exception on drilling 4 holes for the installation of the engine. Used lots of 5200 on everything and checked the 4 holes that were done by the Yamaha dealer when I picked it up from then last year about this time. Well about 2 weeks ago I decided to drill a second drain hole through the transom to let out any water from the engine splash well area (I did the notched transom) well as I was drilling out the whole about 4” from one of the ½” engine installation drill holes that bolt up the engine I struck some water not a lot but enough to confirm the fact that no matter how care full you are water eventually will get into the transom I think it’s inherent with the engine going up and down and just the shaking of the engine as you are going 30 mph in 2-4 foot seas. I believe Potter plus most other boat builders did good work on transoms when they installed them it’s just a inherent problem and when I did mine the new materials were just coming onto the marked with little experience – longevity- as to the success or failure of this stuff. I remember when Outdoor World took over Seacraft and started building them there were some reports of cracking around the transom that itself turned my off and decided to stick with what I know instead of experimentation. Now it’s not experimentation it’s just a matter of $$ to buy the stuff and if water does get in there nothing is going to rot. Truthfully my little water problem didn’t bother me much I know my transom is strong and if I did it once I can do it again in 10 yrs from now if I need to, I just did what it seems we all would do I went to the cooler and grabbed a nice cold Bud and moved on.
Fellow-Ship [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

Re: IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

Gentlemen,

Truer words were never spoken and should be the battle cry of CSC:

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Now you know the REST of the story...

Re: IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

I have one question for D.H.:

If you invoice for the liquid motivation, do you send credit memos for the cash back on returnables?
http://www.budweiser.com/_images/age_t8_img3.jpg

[ May 07, 2003, 09:48 AM: Message edited by: Otto Cuyler ]

Re: IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

WELL BASED ON ALL THE COMMENTS ON THIS THREAD I AM NOW GOING TO EVALUATE ANY FUTURE BOAT WORK NOT BY TIME NOR BY MONEY NOR BY THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT FOR NOW ON I WILL EVALUATE THE PROJECT BY THE AMOUNT OF BUD’S IT TAKES TO COMPLETE THE JOB. FOR EXAMPLE TRANSOM IS PROBABLY FOUR OR MAYBE FIVE 6 PACKS JOB, DOING THE DECK EIGHT 6 PACKS, SANDING THE GEL COAT LIKE TRAYDER DID THE WHOLE BOAT TWELVE 6 PACKS. PROBABLY I WOULDN’T STRUGGLE SO MUCH ABOUT WORKING ON THE BOAT IF I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THIS NEW WAY. YOU KNOW I JUST MIGHT START ANOTHER BOAT PROJECT NOW THAT I AM THINKING CORRECTLY.
FELLOW-SHIP [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Re: IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

Buds? I thought we were takling about drinking! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

Re: IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

New to the forum, but Ive restored one 23 sceptre and am in the middle of a 20 sceptre and if I stopped to calculate the cost of beer on those two boats I'd really get depressed. As far as the transom is concerned I'm good with wood. It lasted 20+ years on both my boats and it will last 20 more. My experience is the wood absorbs a lot of shake and rattle. It gives, and has memory. If its installed correctly it lasts a long long time.

Re: IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

the above posts clearly indicate why I'm having a professional do my boat refit: I don't consume domestic beverages. Can you imagine the overall cost of a complete redo if you only bought import adult beverages - and purchased an adequate amount to really do the job right?!

Re: IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD
 

D.H and I contrived an idea to convert the bracket so it handle an insulated keg. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Should be a big seller with this crew. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

Yo D.H, we're splitting royalties right? [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]