A rough 1993 Ski

Fin is easy. A trailer would sure help so I can move it around to put the engine / tranny in and such...

Just curious... where do you guys go for help? It doesn't appear that there is a FSM for these boats. How do I know, or where do I learn, to hook everything up correctly? I'm more mechanically inclined than average (do all my own maintenance on my cars except for the really nasty stuff like rebuilding a transmission), but since I don't have a complete boat sitting next to this one and I didn't take this one apart I'd have to sort-of figure it out by trial-and-error. Maybe I should put an ad in the local paper, "Do you have a 1993 Ski Nautique? I would pay you to let me come look at it." LOL...

This is why the CC fan family is here - to help
you would be surprised how easy these boats are , there are people here that know their way around engines like no bodies business.
Most of us have learned from the school of hard knox and because a lot of us have already gone through it we can offer our input and experience

Mine is an 89
I would bet that there is someone near you with a 93
Do you have any boat salvage yards near you ?
May be some one can lend you their trailer to move it ?

If only I lived in California... but point taken.

I've been restoring a 93 ski since January. Here's some real life time and recent prices for your consideration.

1993 SN, 900 hrs. with trailer delivered to my garage - 5K, 0 hrs.

Restored teak swim platform - $20.00 oil and cleaner, 4 hours time. (this was the most fun so far)

Replaced ratty interior, including backing boards and foam, 2.7K, 10 hrs my time, 2.5 months for custom upholstery, including custom embroidery. That's my time deciding the details, getting the logo's sewn up and getting the upholstery guy to rebuild most of the wood seat backs. I skipped the side panels as I have kids and they will destroy anythings that's not make of titanium. The panels looked a little too delicate for my taste.

Rebuilt carb, renewed plug wires, belts, hoses, plugs, impeller, fluids, modernized fuel filter, refurbed water filter, $400, reused most of the big hoses, all of the hose clamps, painted and cleaned engine, 15 hrs. Engine ran fine before I got it, and ran fine on starting fluid, but had sat long enough to destroy the carb and tiny parts therein.

Pulled fuel tank, rinsed bad fuel, cleaned, reinstalled $ 0, 5 hrs.

Replaced rusted steering cable, along with helm, with the 20ft. cable and the associated helm, $280.00 parts, 5 hrs labor. Drill and tap frozen steering wheel bolts, reburbish tilt mechanism, $30 parts (tap set, paint) 5 hrs. This was unexpected expense, also the 19.5ft. steering cable takes a different helm than does the cheaper 20ft. cable. 19.5 cable cost more than the 20ft. cable plus the new helm.

New battery, $160.

Carpet was ok, didn't change, cleaned only, 5 hrs.

Refurb radio and dash, 5 hours. $ 10.00 for paint and polish. $75 for new tach. $100 for speakers and sub. Electronics is my thing, so I got off easy here. All the needle indicators on the dash gauges have faded to white. Looking for inexpensive solution.

Remove old stickers on exterior, 5 hours time, $50 parts for a big rubber wheel that chucks into your drill. Works the best, aircraft spruce and speciality. Kinda fun to spin the wheel and zip off the stickers. $250 in replacement stickers, and I didn't replace the large ones on the sides. Job not completed yet.

Cleaning brightwork. Used wire wheel grinder to freshen fins and rudder, dremel tool and fiber brush for chrome and painted aluminum, $20 parts and 10 hours cleaning.

Gelcoat was hazy. After scrubbing the rough haze off, the gelcoat had what looks like cloudy water marks. Buff and clean gelcoat, 40 hours. Not including 40 hrs spent surfing for best gelcoat solution. Purchased hundreds of dollars of gelcoat restoration products, but have found that regular automotived rubbing compound $4 , followed by polishing compound, $4, followed by glazing compound works easiest. I'm using a harbor freight buffer and my son for most of this work. Top deck has spider cracks all over. Decided not to fix it this season, don't know how.


Boat is about ready for first water test. It will look sharp on the water but it is far from immaculate. Too much corrosion to fix in time for the season. Will use it to teach my kids to ski this summer. I did this for the relaxation from work so I don't count my time, but if I did, would be way upside down on price.

Plus I bought about 300 in new tools....never a bad thing.

What did that add up to so far? A little over 9K? 9K in the southeast will buy you a newer and better boat with less hours than this one.

If you don't buy that boat, I would be interested in the dash panels, they look brighter than mine and I can't find a source anywhere...

Regards,

Kevin - The 93 guy told me he would deliver....   might keep the pressure off for finding the right trailer. your could probably build or buy some rolling carts similar to the ones seen in Alan's huricane thread.   Might be better for the time it's in your garage anyway as they are probably more manuverable and shorter? than a trailer. I don't think PM's work on this site.... Look in my profile for my name.

first.last@macmiller.com

Dreaming

UPDATE:

Well guys, I'm the owner of a 1993 Ski Nautique. I guess that means I'm officially in the club? This exact day has been a dream of mine since I was in high school and was the craziest water ski fanatic anybody knew. It's rough, and I'll need some help from you all. I'll take some pictures and post updates of the progress as I go along.

I'll tell you this, it sure looks awesome sitting out in front of my house. Of course you can't tell that I don't own the trailer and that it has no engine! He he....

Anybody have a set of fins that will go on a '93 they want to sell me?

Kevin

Thanks!

First question - There is a trailer for sale relatively close to where I live that was originally a 1983. Would that fit my 1993 boat? I think the 1993's are longer. What trailers would work with my boat?

Thanks! Woke up, went straight to the window to look out in my street. It wasn't a dream. :)

Next project - into the garage for a good drying and then inventory of what needs to be done, what can be done later, and what would be nice someday down the road. A little over 2000 hours on the hull. It is an ex-ski-school boat. Glass all looks great. Gelcoat might be the first item to tackle. Or the carpet. Gauges have seen a lot of sunlight...

I love it all!

Kevin, welcome to the family
More pics! Also keep me in mind on some Dash Plaques for your boat as well as a few decals for it! Send me some pics to my e-mail. mtmabe@northstate.net

i missed something here,thats not the same boat as page 1 is it?trashed ski school boat?if it is it looks better already

Congrats man! Boat looks great and should be an awesome project.

KRoundy wrote: And as long as you are looking back through these posts: Yes, it still has all the gas in it. I gotta figure out where I'm going to put all that old gas... I need to buy a gas cap key. Maybe I'll have one freakin' awesome bonfire on Memorial Day! :)

For the gas cap use a big screw driver if you dont have a gas cap key.

If you have an old electric fuel pump you can hook that up to a 12 volt battery outside the boat and pump the fuel out. Otherwise you could use a small sump pump id think?

Pump it into a clean 5 gallon spackle bucket. See just how crappy the fuel is. If its not watery/filled with garbage, throw it in your truck!

I need to get a line to siphon the gas out. I tried the one I had but realized that it is a good 4 feet or so short of what I need it to do. I think the local Auto Zone or Carquest should have what I need.

I missed this thread. Nice boat Kev good score! Hope you get it all sorted out quickly. I restored a 1973 Skier last year and finished in time for a couple of months on the water before winter. It was a sacrifice in time and money for the family but has been worth every penny and hour in enjoyment.

Besides the boat and all that it is, you have stumbled into one of the coolest groups of people out there. These guys will get you through anything.

Cheers and welcome to the club!

No, that is the sellers trailer (I think it is a '93 Ski trailer). It fits just barely into my garage. I wish it were mine.

I'll go take some pictures of my dash.

Yes - I need a glove box lid! Let's talk about that in the email too.

Seller confirmed that my '93 originally had a 351 in it. Would this 460 drop right in? I wonder about a big block fitting under the engine box.

1994 Ski Nautique Big Block?

Kevin