'73 23cc restoration

natchalkley · #1 07-08-2008, 08:47 PM

So the boat finally went in the water a few weeks ago. Its not totally finished (still needs a bit of paint), but its in the water and it is catching fish.

Ill start with the windows. the windows I had cut by a local glass shop here in town. they are 3/8" lexan that are sandwiched between the vertical grain fir on the inside and Ipe mahogany on the outside. the frames are all biscuit jointed with west epoxy.

the inside frames were epoxied to the inside of the doghouse and the outside were countersunk and screwed. everything was sealed with clear silicone.

then I put the bulkhead and coming boards across the transom. no pictures at this point but coming soon.
next came the bracket, standard stainless marine bracket with no platform. my buddies Gray and Eric came over to help me install it. All holes were drilled, epoxied and redrilled.

I put glass down on the deck and started painting. first came the transom and doghouse. I used an interlux hatteras off-white.

I used petit easypoxy offwhite for all the interior in order to match what was there before.

Next came the engine: suzuki 250. the first prop that went on was a 15.5x17. this had way too much torque and it would hit 5800 rpms at only 2/3 throttle. they got me a 16x20 and it is awesome. It planes at 3400 at about 21 kts and tops out at 5800 doin 40 kts

.
first tuna trip:

thehermit · #2 07-08-2008, 09:40 PM

Nat,

The boat looks great...and Tuna blood on the deck already...at a boy....Did I see this boat coming in the Chatham Inlet 2 weeks ago? Annie P right? I was in my green skiff heading to the rip for the mid day tide. I am pretty sure Annie P was on the way in with a full compliment of Tuna gear aboard...anyways...sweet rig....catch em up!

natchalkley · #3 07-09-2008, 11:41 AM

that was me. we went 1 for 4 that day. few short strikes on bait, and that one fish on a bar. we ran her pretty hard that day: pushing 5000 rpms(32kts) in and out and she performed beautifully. ate up the chop in the morning and pulls a nice wake at trolling speed. needs outriggers though.

Bigshrimpin · #4 07-09-2008, 02:18 PM

Hey . . . Way to go!!! Just in time for commercial bass

PM me . . . I have my boat over in cataumet. I have a Rev4 19P prop if you want to try it out . . . I've been dying to see what it'd do on a 23 with a bracket and a 250 (making future plans)

Billybob · #5 07-11-2008, 11:28 AM

The boat's looking good, Nat.

Snookerd · #6 07-11-2008, 06:29 PM

Nat-
Nice job. Great to see the boat staying in the CSC family

. That 250 is sweet. Keep the pix coming......

KenB · #7 07-21-2008, 02:12 PM

Just did an evening charter with Nat. We threw eels at the elizabeth islands after dark. The bioluminesce was up. The boat ran well, and that 250 is perfect. Even with about a 15 to 20 mph "breeze" out of southwest (after dark!) that thing was rock steady and pleasure to ride around in. Bigshrimp was right on about the 250 having enough power.