Tracker 20 Restore

[mrobertson]

I've been lazy to update, and also lazy to take pictures.

I'm writing to you from the land of skinned up knuckles. There are few things i have ever attempted that i thought to myself, this probably wasn't worth it. I recently added something to that list..................rebuilding a trailer. Now sure, trailers are expensive. Nobody wants to shell out thousands of dollars for a new trailer. My 20 seacraft purchase came with a 1999 Load Rite galvanized trailer. When i bought the boat, i didn't really pay much attention to the trailer. So, after the fact i only realized that the trailer was in poor shape. The frame and axles are both very solid with very little rust at all. The springs were pretty much gone, alot of the U-bolts were rotting away, the hubs had drum brakes that were toast.

So - i have this great idea to replace all of these parts thinking to myself i can squeek by on the cheap. I ordered 4 new springs, 4 new hubs, LED lights, and various hardware from Eastern Marine. All of that was a $600 purchase by the time tax and shipping are factored in. The trailer originally had rollers on it that again were in poor shape. For the cost of replacing every roller, i assumed it would be cheaper to convert the trailer with bunks. I made my own bunks out of pressure treated 2x8x12 lumber. I glued and screwed 2 together, then covered with adhesive and outdoor carpeting. I also added bunk slicks to make the boat go on and off easier. That little project cost me about $200 - $250.

So now that i've spend upwards up $900, i then proceed to spend an entire day torching, cutting, grinding, cussing, and hammering all of the old stuff off the trailer. It wasn't terrible, but absolutely NONE of the bolts are you getting off with a wrench or socket. YOu are cutting every single bolt off.

Once all that was done, i spent a few hours putting all the new parts on and now i have a nice tandem that has been rebuilt. Hindsight i don't think it was worth the cost and effort. I could have sold the trailer as is for probably $1000 and put that towards something new. Oh well we live and learn.

Aside from that, i gave the boat a new bottom paint job, put the rub rail back on, and threw her back on the trailer.




All i really have left to do is hang the engine and rig it up. I've got some plumbing to take care of but thats no big deal. I'm not sure when i'll have the time, but again i hope to take a ride in this boat sometime in June.

-Mike

[jorgeinmiami]

That's not what I wanted to hear as I to am in a trailer rehab

I got a new to me 2 axle trailer ( another story) for free and I just put the MA on it Sunday.

I need to have it fitted to the hull and thought along the same lines as you....replace the
u bolts and other hardware as I fitted the boat.

Money also tight so I may just wait till I can take it to someone and have it done.

They have the tools and knowlege to get it done forthe same money????

And I still have soooooo much to do befofe I can get to splash date

[mrobertson]

Jorge -

From the money side - it will certainly be cheaper to rehab the trailer than to buy a new one. If your trailer is in the condition as mine was then be prepared to spend several hundred dollars (really upwards of $1000 if it's tandem).

Now - i could have gotten away with replacing 2 springs instead of 4. But, while the boat is off and you are doing it why not do them all. Same with the hubs, i could have probably just done the back 2 and gotten away with it.

Those damn rollers are like $20 each and i had 16 and they all needed replacing, that is why i switched to the bunks. By the time i factored in the wood, carpet, adhesive, stainless staples, etc....it cost me over $200 to build the bunks. Then i needed brackets to mount the bunks with.

My situation i think i could have gotten $1000 for my trailer as it was, mostly because the frame is not rusted and neither is the axles, so its a good base. I think i could buy a brand new suitable trailer for probably $2500. So it's a toss up.

[jorgeinmiami]

The hubs and axles and springs are in good shape what needs done is the bunks and then adjust the rollers that go down the middle.

Right now the bunks are a bit short to the bottom of the hull.

Either I need to lower the middle rollers or move the bunks closer in

But like you said all thes bolts need to be cut off

But that involves taking the boat off the trailer cut off everything and replacing and getting the boat back on and then adjust.

Wish I had a over head winch to get this done

[strick]

Your boat is looking great. Nice choice on the consel. Keep the pic's coming

strick

[FishStretcher]

I feel your pain on the trailer. I repowered and changed tanks last year, and changed the electrics and steering and I think I STILL spent more time on the trailer. I am budgeting for a new one in 2-3 years. Ask me about surge brakes....

[mrobertson]

I've been doing little odds and ends to the boat as i've had time and been at my parents. This weekend we got blown out of a fishing trip in chincoteague. The water was chocolate milk and instead of wasting time, we just threw in the towel. I already had the hall pass, so i just stuck it out at my parents and turned a corner on this project.

People always ask if there's anything i'd do differently on the 23 restore. There is 1 thing. The batter switch is under the console, and very hard to get to. With the door on the side, you pretty much have to lay on the floor and reach in to turn it on/off. I changed that.

I bought a flush mount battery switch box. Mounted it right to the side of the console for very easy access :







I started carving up my brand new console. I still have 1 or 2 more things to add, but you get the general idea about what it's going to look like :





I also went ahead and unboxed my new yamaha 115 2 stroke. I went ahead and lined it up and bolted it to the transom :







I didn't take pictures, but all of the holes in the transom that were needed, i overdrilled and epoxied in a PVC "sleeve" to protect the wood. The transom is original and in good shape, i want to preserve it as long as i can. Likewise, i used an overkill amount of 5200 on my thru hull connections and motor bolts.

I also got some time to drop in my bilge pump (1500 GPH) and livewell plumbing. I need to get a couple of pieces of hose and then all of my plumbing will be complete.

I did as much of the wiring as i could in the console while it's out of the boat. I'm trying to make it so when i drop it in the boat it's pretty much plug and play. Hopefully one more good weekend and i'll be ready to splash!!!

Tight Lines

-Mike

[mrobertson]

BTW - I want to give a shout to BILLY THE KID for his restore post. You'll see i kind of laid my console out like his, and he was the inspiration for the flush mount battery switch box.

[mrobertson]

The word "done" is never really relative on a restored boat. You've done so much work, you continue to find things that you want to correct or change. That being said, my 20 seacraft is now "done". I definitely fizzled out on the picture taking towards the end. You missed alot of wiring and fastening things down.

Here's my 2 battery system and the remote oil tank for my yammie 115 2 smoker





I pulled all my cabling, and buttoned up the engine end first.....got a good deal on the rigging tube from another TF'er





Console about to be 5200'd and screwed down to it's final resting place





Bypass a couple of hours of my laying on my back, squezzing through a tiny hole making connections and here is where i am at :











And now.............i'm starting a fleet of seacrafts :





I'm happy to get it done, but there are still some things i need to tweak. I need to have someone make me a windshield for starters and there's some work to be done on my in deck livewell plumbing.


-Mike

[strick]

Looks great Taps plastics can make the windshield. Make a template out of cardboard and they will copy it. Where did you get a new 05 115 Yamaha?

strick