1988 Ski Nautique Rebuild

And this is how it looked last weekend. Since then ive gotten more foam and decking out.

So what's the plan? Watch out for the basketball hoop!

iplan wrote: Looking like a project that needed to be done, and you can do it! These guys on the forum are great resources, and there are a ton of threads detailing exactly what you need to do next ~ alternatives, etc. ~ and when in doubt ask. I am nearly done with my stringer replacement job and I had no idea what I was doing when I started, but there is certainly something empowering about it. My two cents: invest in a quality respirator and don't quit ~~~ and never tell anyone "You know I think that was the last time I'll need to grind anything." ~~ because a couple of hours after you say it, and vacuum out the boat, you'll discover something else that needs to be grinded down ~~~~ and you'll grind that, celebrate, vacuum, and then repeat the whole process over again. I am on my 3rd shop vac (all bought with American Express ~ so they automatically come with a 12 month warranty...) ~~~ lol Fun times!

...If you are on your 3rd shop vac, then I bet you are using the filter they come with? You need a fine dust filter, like for drywall dust. Just clean them out once in a while and the vac won't overheat.

Hey Iplan, I actually just got caught up on your build thread, it has been helpful. My plan is to do the stringer repair and all that goes with it, foam the hull, board the deck, carpet the interior with a dark gray, get new seat foams and skins, paint the boat, build a new wake tower, and add some goodies to it.

wade_ab wrote: Hey Iplan, I actually just got caught up on your build thread, it has been helpful.

Really? I'm shocked! I think there are much better threads out there that do a much better job of documenting the work. The problem with a lot of the best ones is that the photos are not active anymore (because they used photobucket) and the files were eventually deleted or something) ~ so you really can't see what is going on.

All that said: your plan for the rebuild sounds good. I'm going to paint my boat this fall, and it'll be completely restored:
2012: engine rebuild
2013: chairs, doghouse, etc. were redone (should have waited on that because they were completed last May ~~~~ and the boat is still not done.
Now: Stringers
Before Next Season: Paint, and overhaul of the trailer..... then the boat I had a poster of on my bedroom wall in 1985 will be complete ~ except that the boat in the poster had was blue & white.....

Ahhhhh, the things we do for love.


~~~~ Do you have an idea or plan for pulling your stringers? I know I pulled the starboard side main and secondary ~~~ doing a good job to try to keep things intact so I could make a template. I made both port and starboard side templates off of that set.... There was a significant bit of rot underneath the captain's chair ~ and my secondary stringers ended up being about 3/4 inch too low. I built the area back to the proper height using expoxy and fiberglass, but it would have been much easier to cut them too big and sand them down with a electric planer instead.

You're making a ton of progress. Kudos ~~~~~~

I used to work at Home Depot. I have had my Ridgid shop vac for 10 years, and done tons of work with it. If you use the right filter and make sure you shake it off often so it doesn't cake up, then the motor will not overheat. Its the heat that kills. Sure there are more expensive units out there, but a good 60 dollar unit can last if you look after it.
But you are right, one day someone will notice the wrong filter was used, and void the warranty. The Ridgid rep used to look for any signs of drywall dust as evidence.......

The filter keeps the dust from clogging up the motor....

Haha to end the discussion of vacs ill share yesterday afternoons progress.


I got the starboard secondary out without destroying it.
I got to find someplace to order some fir. Everything is just pine here.

gun-driver wrote: Clear "yellow" pine will work also.

Will it work for the primary stringers too?

CrazyCanuck wrote: I used to work at Home Depot. I have had my Ridgid shop vac for 10 years, and done tons of work with it.

And how long did you run it?? Over an hour for each use?? Have you ever looked at the duty cycle as I mentioned?? I don't care who's name is on it, it's still a piece of CHEAP from China. As I mentioned, we went through plenty (4 if I remember correctly) at work before we went with a $600.00 Milwaukee.

wade_ab wrote: I called a lumber yard and they said they could order me some fir for $69.90 a board. Seems a wee bit much? Or is that the going rate for fir?

You need to clarify. A "board" is what? If it's board foot then yes, it's WAY high. If that's per stringer then it's good. Get your lumber terms correct!

wade_ab wrote: I called a lumber yard and they said they could order me some fir for $69.90 a board. Seems a wee bit much? Or is that the going rate for fir?

Seems your terminology is correct here as that seems to be a likely cost per board which is what you said. Some here are very quick to pick apart what has been written and criticize and a lot of time is lost on the constant nit picking. That said please use douglas fir, not yellow pine. You will not get good service from the pine.

Yeah that price was for a 2"x10" 14' long. $70 per board for that just seems high but ill go with it.   

Pete, I used to think that buying the "best" was the way to go, but found that more times than not it disappointed me as it was never as good as I expected. Now I buy "cheap" and I find it seldom disappoints me. We've had a Ridgid shop vac for more than 10 years and not only has it serviced all our cars and boats, but also the many cars and boats my kids have detailed for other people. It's still going strong. For hand tools Craftsman is by far the best value/quality out there.

8122pbrainard wrote: CrazyCanuck wrote: I used to work at Home Depot. I have had my Ridgid shop vac for 10 years, and done tons of work with it. And how long did you run it?? Over an hour for each use?? Have you ever looked at the duty cycle as I mentioned?? I don't care who's name is on it, it's still a piece of CHEAP from China. As I mentioned, we went through plenty (4 if I remember correctly) at work before we went with a $600.00 Milwaukee.

I used it to vacusand drywall over 1000 sft basement more than once, plus other things. Its more than paid for itself. 50 bucks vs 600. Don't think so. If you look after a cheaper tool, it will look after you in most cases.