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Diaries | Details
This boat's story has been posted by the owner. Please contact the owner with any questions. You may use the form below to send the owner an email.
Updated:
8/1/2005 (19 years ago)
Originally Posted: 7/24/2005
Total Views: 2,702
Owner: Jared Johnston
Location: Belmont, MI
Model: 1978 Ski Nautique
Length: 18
Engine: 351 Commander
HP: 255
Hours:
Modify this Diaries Listing
Location: Belmont, MI
Model: 1978 Ski Nautique
Length: 18
Engine: 351 Commander
HP: 255
Hours:
Modify this Diaries Listing
Ok the story starts here. I have never owned a Correct Craft of any kind. This venture has just begun and I feel like a "kid at Christmas" with excitment. The boat in the pictures here was recently posted for sale on ebay. The auction closed out this past Saturday and I was determined to be the winner at the end.
I stumbled accross this site because I was looking at another one (1974 Ski Nautique) where I am. The other one (the 74) ended up a lot more expensive than I was ready for (over 4300) and it still needed similar interior restoration to be in very nice shape. This one though ended up finishing off at 1730.00 on Ebay. ...
*********Update**********
I made it home at about 230 AM on Saturday after driving about 31 hours to Macon, GA and back to get the boat. She’s in the condition I expected other than a few extra bits of gel coat repair as and a fire arrestor missing. I could surely use the help of some experianced pros while I get ready to put this boat back into tip top, ship shape, ready for towing skiers. The first major question I have is exoxy or poleyster resin?? She’s obviously going to need stringer repair and a new floor. The folks at west marine say to use epoxy, yet I’ve read online material saying to use polyester. Any experienced advice would help as this is the first major chor.
The second most important would be cracks in the gelcoat around the holes drilled for the rub rail. I would like to repair this via biaxial tape/cloth and fiberglass the boarder. I wondered if it would matter if I just did it as it is, on top. Or not to remove the top at all, and just fill in the holes with epoxy and gel coat? Any advice here would also help. I could probably get the top off as it only seems like the cleats, fuel door, and steel loops at bow and transom hold the top sheet on now. If anybody knows of other fasteners to remove, please let me know.
I’ll be working on the floor for the rest of the summer. ...
*********Update 10/17/2005**********
I’m currently about finished with the stringer repairs! I just recieved 3 16 lb kits of 2LB foam from US composites today and I’m starting to get excited about finishing up the work on the floor! This boat is my first ski boat, well heck it’s my first boat all together! I’m really happy that I chose a Ski Nautique. I grew up on Townline Lake in Lakeview Michigan and when I was young, I can remember asking my mom countless times for a ski boat. We weren’t able to afford a "REAL" ski boat, but they bought a Sea Ray outboard which did the job well for years. Unfortunatly the Sea Ray was neglected after all the kids left home, and it was sold on ebay about 2 years ago. I was bitting my lip, not wanting my mother to sell the boat. Now I’m really glad I let it go because I feel this boat is a MUCH more worthy project to restore. Having purchased this Ski Nautique from another ebay auction, I drove down to GA to pick it up in July. Since then, I’ve been putting all the spare time I have into the stringer repairs (many thanks to Nicole, my GF for being patient). After the stringers are finished, the floor is my next project, but hopefully wont take as long. Unlike the factory construction of the boat, I’m going to take advantage of the technology and materials we have now. The new floor (after much debate and input from all of you) is going to be constructed from 1/8th inch PVC plastic, and 1/2 inch plastic honeycomb. I’m going to laminte the PVC sheets to the foam, then laminate the honeycomb to the PVC. Finally, I’ll give the whole floor 1 or 2 layers of fiberglass with epoxy resin. When it’s done the floor will be a lot stronger, with nothing made from wood to rot! I’m going to give the floor a slight angle so that any water that hits it will drain into the center bilge. Should any water make it under the honeycomb and fiberglass, the PVC layer should channel it out into the center as a last resort. That is the idea anyways!
After the floor is finished, I’ve got 2 major projects left to deal with.
1. The finish
2. The Dashboard
The finish will probably be redone in Gelcoat, but with a change in colors. The hull will be Navy Blue. I’m going to see if I can mimic the paint scheme of the current 2005 Nautiques with the swirly, curvy stripe down the sides. The stripe will be white, allong with the original font, and style of the "Ski Nautique". Finally, the top of the hull sides will be Red! I’m thinking I may have to do the gelcoat in just Red/Blue and then paint on the letters and stripe. We’ll see how that pans out down the road.
The Dashboard will be redone (because I hate the ugly Plexiglass and black flakey gelcoat) in carbon fiber. I’m going to buy some light weight, conformable carbon fiber to drape accross the dash (after removing the guages). I’ll give it a coat or two with some clear epoxy resin. I may decide to take out the white guages and replace them with some really sweet stainless steel guages I saw, but that would be a last touch thing.
Any comments or ideas you’d like to share with me on my project progress, I’d like to hear them! Thanks for looking! Next time I’ll show everyone the new floor when it’s done!
If you want to see more pictures of the project, just go to www.78skinautique.zoomshare.com
I stumbled accross this site because I was looking at another one (1974 Ski Nautique) where I am. The other one (the 74) ended up a lot more expensive than I was ready for (over 4300) and it still needed similar interior restoration to be in very nice shape. This one though ended up finishing off at 1730.00 on Ebay. ...
*********Update**********
I made it home at about 230 AM on Saturday after driving about 31 hours to Macon, GA and back to get the boat. She’s in the condition I expected other than a few extra bits of gel coat repair as and a fire arrestor missing. I could surely use the help of some experianced pros while I get ready to put this boat back into tip top, ship shape, ready for towing skiers. The first major question I have is exoxy or poleyster resin?? She’s obviously going to need stringer repair and a new floor. The folks at west marine say to use epoxy, yet I’ve read online material saying to use polyester. Any experienced advice would help as this is the first major chor.
The second most important would be cracks in the gelcoat around the holes drilled for the rub rail. I would like to repair this via biaxial tape/cloth and fiberglass the boarder. I wondered if it would matter if I just did it as it is, on top. Or not to remove the top at all, and just fill in the holes with epoxy and gel coat? Any advice here would also help. I could probably get the top off as it only seems like the cleats, fuel door, and steel loops at bow and transom hold the top sheet on now. If anybody knows of other fasteners to remove, please let me know.
I’ll be working on the floor for the rest of the summer. ...
*********Update 10/17/2005**********
I’m currently about finished with the stringer repairs! I just recieved 3 16 lb kits of 2LB foam from US composites today and I’m starting to get excited about finishing up the work on the floor! This boat is my first ski boat, well heck it’s my first boat all together! I’m really happy that I chose a Ski Nautique. I grew up on Townline Lake in Lakeview Michigan and when I was young, I can remember asking my mom countless times for a ski boat. We weren’t able to afford a "REAL" ski boat, but they bought a Sea Ray outboard which did the job well for years. Unfortunatly the Sea Ray was neglected after all the kids left home, and it was sold on ebay about 2 years ago. I was bitting my lip, not wanting my mother to sell the boat. Now I’m really glad I let it go because I feel this boat is a MUCH more worthy project to restore. Having purchased this Ski Nautique from another ebay auction, I drove down to GA to pick it up in July. Since then, I’ve been putting all the spare time I have into the stringer repairs (many thanks to Nicole, my GF for being patient). After the stringers are finished, the floor is my next project, but hopefully wont take as long. Unlike the factory construction of the boat, I’m going to take advantage of the technology and materials we have now. The new floor (after much debate and input from all of you) is going to be constructed from 1/8th inch PVC plastic, and 1/2 inch plastic honeycomb. I’m going to laminte the PVC sheets to the foam, then laminate the honeycomb to the PVC. Finally, I’ll give the whole floor 1 or 2 layers of fiberglass with epoxy resin. When it’s done the floor will be a lot stronger, with nothing made from wood to rot! I’m going to give the floor a slight angle so that any water that hits it will drain into the center bilge. Should any water make it under the honeycomb and fiberglass, the PVC layer should channel it out into the center as a last resort. That is the idea anyways!
After the floor is finished, I’ve got 2 major projects left to deal with.
1. The finish
2. The Dashboard
The finish will probably be redone in Gelcoat, but with a change in colors. The hull will be Navy Blue. I’m going to see if I can mimic the paint scheme of the current 2005 Nautiques with the swirly, curvy stripe down the sides. The stripe will be white, allong with the original font, and style of the "Ski Nautique". Finally, the top of the hull sides will be Red! I’m thinking I may have to do the gelcoat in just Red/Blue and then paint on the letters and stripe. We’ll see how that pans out down the road.
The Dashboard will be redone (because I hate the ugly Plexiglass and black flakey gelcoat) in carbon fiber. I’m going to buy some light weight, conformable carbon fiber to drape accross the dash (after removing the guages). I’ll give it a coat or two with some clear epoxy resin. I may decide to take out the white guages and replace them with some really sweet stainless steel guages I saw, but that would be a last touch thing.
Any comments or ideas you’d like to share with me on my project progress, I’d like to hear them! Thanks for looking! Next time I’ll show everyone the new floor when it’s done!
If you want to see more pictures of the project, just go to www.78skinautique.zoomshare.com
