'74 Tsunami Pilothouse and Rehab

[Handful in NC]

The boat is slightly bow heavy due to the top/cabin and glass windows, but not objectionably so. Adding accessories or equipment (Bait well, water tank, extra battery, etc - or a monster 4 stroke) in the stern would help the balance, but increase overall weight. Acrylic windows would have been lighter, but get hazy over time.



There was a post questioning the view from the inside.



The main purpose behind the top/cabin was protection from the elements during cold weather boating. An aft bulkhead with doors was the final step, and installed last weekend. The 1/2" King XL Starboard and 1/8" lexan are pretty light, but the Starboard is too flexible and will need stiffening on the door edges - another minor project to ponder.






Double doors allow a large opening, and the ability to remove the hatch over the fuel tank.




That's home base in the background.




I found some 15' flexible LED strips for sale on Amazon, but they weren't waterproof, so I inserted them into cheap clear plastic tubing and sealed the ends with silicone. They run the full length of the gunnel and are on a dimmer. A leftover piece lights the wiring behind the helm station. You can see the "Mr. Buddy" propane heater in the forward cabin, which will provide way more heat than needed.








Ample storage and easy access was one of my fantasies, so the conversion from I/O to outboard bracket provided some readily accessible bonus space. The I/O engine compartment floor is easily removed. (I didn't have the skill to do water channels in the hatch - a future project.)




There is a removable 3-section PVC shelf that runs across the transom for the oil tank, battery, etc. The door is held up/closed with neodymium magnets, which are scary strong.




On the reported performance, I mistakenly stated 30 mph at 3,000 rpm and 3 mpg. That should have been 4,000 rpm.

This was a huge project for me and I am thrilled with the results. Thanks everybody for all the positive comments, and for the contributions of some very talented and dedicated people to the forum. I couldn't have done it without you!!!