23 Sceptre - last unmolested one

[FLexpat]

Slipped down to FL to visit and do a little work. Sorry for the bad pics - apparently I had image stabilization off and was still shaking from tools...

Sprayed a layer of gelcoat to see if I got the color right and maybe not get a ton of orange peel – very close but I can go a touch lighter on the next coat and I got a lot less orange peel – still learning though. I have more transom sanding in my future.

Went ahead and cut the hole for the drive. I tried to use a long router bit with the Mercruiser drill fixture – not good – ended up drilling and marking it with the fixture, using a cut blade in the angle grinder to make the straight parts of the cutout 1 ½” deep, a ½” drill for the corners, and a diamond abrasive blade in a sawzall to finish - that worked well but I’m glad I hadn’t just finished the gelcoat or I’d be redoing it a little around the drive hole. Note to self – tape the sawzall foot when I’m worried about the gelcoat finish.

I cut the hole to get the AV plate up 2” so I really hope I got it about right for performance. Fit checked the transom housing – I have a little bit more fine trimming with a belt sander to do.

[FAS]

Red is probably the hottest color,be it a car or a boat, but a very hard color to do correct, and finish...hats off to You, for going for it...

[FLexpat]

Quick trip a couple of weeks ago - finally got around to looking at the paperwork; the hull was built in '76 but it is a '77 model year and listed as such on the title.
Did the final trimming on the drive hole and fit check for the Bravo transom - decided to protect the gimbal bearing and leave the transom housing in 'til I get back to prevent raccoons and other critters from getting too attracted to the nice dry engine area.


Went ahead and made motor mount risers to raise the mounts 2.25" off the new engine beds since I also raised the drive hole 2". The risers are 1.5" Coosa with a 3/4" piece of aluminum plate epoxied on to bolt the mounts to. I will drill and tap them for real bolts since I hated the old lag bolts and doubt they would hold in the Coosa.

FAS- thx for the encouragement! I am open to any suggestions as the whole gelcoat spraying thing is an experiment for me.

[flyingfrizzle]

[QUOTE=FLexpat;239056]Quick trip a couple of weeks ago - finally got around to looking at the paperwork; the hull was built in '76 but it is a '77 model year and listed as such on the title.
QUOTE]

Seen this a lot on the latter year models, transom is stamped one year and titled the next.

[DonV]

Same as mine Frizz. Mine was hull #7 laid July of 1978. If the hull was laid after June 30th it was titled the next year, mine is actually titled 1979. One of those strange Government things I guess.

[FAS]

makes sense,kinda like the car industry..do it now too..