To take on or not to take on?

[TooFly]

So I have virtually no wood working skills, aside from what I did in 8th grade wood shop. I did get excellent grades for my drawings, though. There's lots that I want to do on my boat, but I'm afraid that once I get started (cutting, pulling crap out, etc.) I'll be overwhelmed and my limited skills will prevent me from getting the finished product I want. Or worse yet, shoddy work will put my life, and those onboard in danger. I certainly don't want that.

Things I want to do to my boat are:

- Take off the Gil bracket and add a floatation style outboard bracket. I'm hoping that will solve the self-bailing issue without raising the deck.

- Close off in-deck scuppers.

- Remove the splash well and add scuppers in the transom. The transom was replaced and enclosed in 1997, BTW.

- Repair soft spots in the deck, get rid of the panel pattern/texture and add a non-skid.

- Narrow the console by 4-6" and make it taller for flush mounting electronics.

- Add a small live well somewhere.

I also want to replace the leaning post and T-top in the next season or two, which of course someone else will fabricate. I'll replace any hardware myself. And as far as gel coat or paint goes, a good friend has someone who will shoot it for cheap as a favor.

A few friends and my brother, who has made fiberglass wings for his car and for his buddies (WOO HOO), have offered to help me with my boat. I know that doesn't qualify him to work on a boat, but at least he has some experience with resins, fabric, etc. And then with my friends who offered to help, I'm not sure how experienced they truly are. I know it's not rocket science. But I want to do it once and do it right.

The big plus is that a good friend offered up half of his garage, as a winter workspace, if I can find a place for two of this vintage Mustangs. Otherwise, I don't think I'd consider half the stuff I want done without paying someone else to do them.

What do you guys think?

Thanks,
Paul