After I had the knee replacement surgeries, I didn't get a chance to work on the boat at all last summer.
Well, this spring, I got it back from storage. The carbs are all tuned and ready to drop in the water.
This morning I tore down the trailer to just the frame. There is a ton of rust. Luckily, everything came apart OK.
I am stripping it down to the bare metal, using epoxy primer and repainting it. I am cutting off the rear tail-light mounts and welding in new ones that have protection for the lights.
The entire trailer will be rewired and have all LED sumbersible lighting.
I am dropping off the axle and hubs to be powder coated. The wheels will be done in silver and the axle in black.
The axle will be getting new bearings, seals and bearing buddies. I will also be adding a trailer jack and spare tire carrier and adding a new spare tire.
If anyone is interested, it is going to be for sale for $5950. I would also be interested in trading for a REV 600SDI and some cash.
Looks like the rust is a little more than my grinding discs can handle.
I will be dropping it off for media blasting on Tues. There is just too much to do by hand, and make it look good, and last a long time.
I am not willing to just knock off the rust and paint over and then have it pop back up in a couple of months.
Hopefully, it won't take him too long to do up.
I am going to take the frame, buckboard brackets, winch support, and some other parts to him.
Tomorrow, I will cut off the old brackets to hold the tail lights in place, then weld in the new buckets for the LED lighting.
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Over the past couple of days, I got the trailer, leaf springs, buck-board brackets, winch tower, axle, both hubs and the wheels sand blasted.
I also got the new tail light housings bent up and welded on the frame. I am ready to start primering, and then paint everything.
I re-dropped off (I know that is gramatically correct) the axle, hubs and wheels to be powder coated tonight.
I am hoping to have it all done this weekend, but the weather doesn't look good.
Here are the new tail-light buckets: (these are upside down in the pictures.)
I got the boat finished up a couple of years ago. I was off all last summer with both knees being replaced. So this is the first chance I have had to finish up the project. A buddy of mine had it stored at his place in his barn, so it was safe.
I only get a couple of days per week, and weekends to work on stuff like this. So it does take a little longer than normal to finish it up. That, I don't use credit cards. If I don't have the cash to buy it, I don't use credit to buy it. I wait until I can pay cash for it.
I have 2 motorcycles, this jet boat & trailer, a 2-place trailer and 4 snowmobiles. I don't owe a dime on any of them. -------------------
took off work today at Noon.
I stopped by Car Colors and picked up the Urethane paint for the trailer. It is an off-white color.
I then went to Tractor Supply and got new bearings for both wheels, a new hitch, all new lug-nuts and a new jack.
I then came home and got the whole trailer in Eastwood's Corroles (sp?). It is a rust neutralizer. I had from another project a few years back.
I then got brackets and winch post all in primer, and I got the leaf springs painted. I just used Rustoleum on those.
I will get it shot either tomorrow or Sunday. It is supposed to rain a lot tomorrow. I will be shooting it outside so I don't overspray on all my sleds.
I am hoping to assemble it, and wire it Monday (I took that off, too.) and have it finished and pick up the boat.
Here is where I am at:
I am putting this up for sale, so I want to make sure whomever gets it, will have years of enjoyment from it. I has to be fixed properly for that to happen.
I shot the Correles with my primer gun. You can thin it down and shoot it with a gun. You can touch it in about 20 mins. After I shot it, I moved it back in the shop. I dropped my sled dollies under a couple of points and moved into the garage using those.
Yeah, it has been awhile. When I first started this I could only kneel for about an hour at a time. By the end of the summer of 08. I couldn't even do that any more, so I had to put it in storage.
In May of 09, I had both of my knees replaced. So all of last summer was shot for working on it, so I didn't even get it out of storage.
This spring, as soon as the weather got in shape here, I got her back. The knees are up to the task....so back at it.
Having these new knees is the BEST thing to happen to me in over 15 years of surgeries. I have had 7 surgeries on them prior to being replaced. I should have had them done abouy 5 or 6 years ago. But I was only 39 when the cartiledge was completely gone. Besides the surgeries, I had cortizone shots, Synvisc shots and lived on Oxycontin. I am 45, now.
So now that I am off the pain killers, and the knees pretty much allow me to stand for as long as I want. I have the ability to do so much more in way less than half the time. I can get so much more done now that I can actually work on things for hours on end, with no breaks.
I have a friend of mine who is interested in the boat. So I may not even get it in the water. The boat was over to Cedar Rapids Motorsports and tuned up and all adjustments set. The boat is completely ready to drop in the water.
Since everything was done properly, I have no problem selling this to a friend. I know, and they know, they are getting something was done properly and will give them years of faithful service.
I pretty much got the trailer finished up.
I painted it Saturday, that pretty much took up the afternoon. I put 4 coats on it. I used marine grade urethane. It is almost like a rubberized coating. I used about 3 quarts to shoot everything.
After that I went Cool Concepts as Rick had my axle, hubs and wheels finished up.
I then let is sit overnight. I put the decals on it this morning, put in the leaf springs and axles, pressed in the new wheel bearings, installed the bearing buddies, installed the winch and stopper, installed the safety chains, hitch and fenders.
I had a golf tournament with a tee-time at 2pm. Otherwise, it would be completely done.
I just need to put the lights and wiring in, and mount the tires on the rims.
I am stopping by the shop in the morning to mount the tires. Then solder and shrink wrap the light in place.........then I can go pick up the boat and it is ready for delivery.
I think I have it sold, but we will see if they like it. I think they are coming down next weekend.
I dropped the camera (actually it fell when I as putting in the new left side wheel bearing races) So I don't have the final shots. I will see what I can come up with tomorrow.
I also had some decals made up so it didn't look so generic, and more professionally done.
Thanks. I pretty much have the camera in the garage all the time. That is..until I dropped it yesterday.
I got up this morning and went to the shop and put the tires on the rims.
I stopped by Auto Zone and got some new lugnuts. I put the Reese trailer jack on, put the spare tire holder and spare tire on.
I then ran the all new wiring, installed the front side marker lights (LED's), rear side marker lights (LED''s), license plate LED and tail light LED's. All the wire was run inside the rails (when I could). All connections were soldered with shrink wrap over them.
I hooked up the trailer to the Tacoma. All lights work properly. EXCELLENT!!!!
I dropped the trailer off at Kennedy Marine so they can drop the boat back on it.
I should be able to pick it up tomorrow after work.
IT IS COMPLETELY DONE!!!! (I just finished fixing the camera, so I will have final pictures tomorrow when it is home.)
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I got the camera back together and working again.
Here are the pictures of the finished trailer and boat all loaded up and ready to roll:
Here it is in all the detail of the finished build:
If anyone is interested, I have it for sale.
$5950 complete.
I will deliver within 6 hours of Cedar Rapids.
It includes the radio, the second battery (that runs all the accessories), battery tender, a set of water skis, 2 ski ropes, 7 life jackets (4 brand new Sea-Doo universal vests) trailer and all seen in this build.
The boat was tuned by Cedar Rapids Motorsports and is ready to roll.
This has been an interesting project. I am the lookout for a new Speedster with a roasted motor. I would consider a trade for the supercharged Speedster with blown parts.
