87 BFN Slow Resurrection from Dead

Been making slow progress over the last 12 months with the BFN. Here it is, 7 years ago and at least 2 owners ago. Ring and finger cut off the pylon, old plywood home made engine cover, plexiglass front windsheild panels, interior parts laying around loose, only the drivers seat mounted. Both secondary stringers pretty much rotted away. wiring pretty rough. Did run though.



Here it is when I bought it from the PO. Been painted white somewhere along the line, cracked block from freezing weather, interor was fishing boat chic, wiring is now worse and the plywood doghouse still present. Does run but has water in the oil. Swim platform has progressed from grey to almost white in color (its not painted)





Here it is this week (yes I am replacing the decals with the 88 style - like them way better) after spending hours sanding the paint from the hull and buffing most of the hull back to some level of shine. Was expecting to find some kind of major repair work done to the hull to neccesitate painting it, but I didn't find anything major, just some bow rash on the stem from beaching the boat, and some minor blistering along the lower edge of the hull, so I can't figure out what possessed someone to paint it. I had wanted to get the dash regelled, and the windsheild back on this weekend, but it was so hot I was affraid the black gel would harden as soon as it hit the deck and i would end up with a huge mess, so that will be this weekends work.





Still got some buffing to do on the forward half of the startboard side, then the BFN decal will go on, as will the light blue pin striping between the ivory and blue sections of the hull.

As soon as i pickup some 5200 the swim platform will be going back on, and the deck lightning bolts will go on as well.

The interior is still a disaster, and the motor is FUBAR but i've got a spare RR rotation block sitting in the garage, ready to be assembled. Mechanical stuff isn't a big deal for me, but if I ever see another DA sander, or polisher it will be to soon form me.

The rubrail got bigger in 87 on the SN. That might be the earlier, smaller one?

The primary ones don't seem bad at all, they are not touching foam like the SN's do but those little flimsy secondary ones are wasted. When the engine and tranny comes out the secondary ones will get replaced, at least up to the pylon area and I'll have to dig into the primary ones to see how good or bad they are, but i don't think I'm going to do anyuhting to them, unless they are real bad.

I'm going to make up a new motorbox, out of either fiberboard and glass, or styrofoam and glass. (cover Pete's eyes so he can't read this) I'm going to model it after the 2012 Andy Maple doghouse, a little flatter and squarer than the originals, and possible with the plexiglass window on the upper rear faces. I picked up some 1/2 pvc tubing and fittings so I can start forming the basic shape so I can see just how much space I'm going to need. Once the framework is glues together I'll stick some foam board to them to get a shell, then I'll start glassing over that, and finally apply some gelcoat on the inside and outside. Thats the plan today anyways.

Looking good Marc! I just sold my '87 BFN but I have a NOS dash panel if you are interested. Got it from Zach @ N3 last year and intended on putting in but never got around to it. Would look great in yours! PM me for details and pics.