SkiBum’s 87 SN

I started this project before Christmas. At the time I was on leave while I was in transit from the 101st to my new assignment as a drill at Ft. Knox. Just wanted to fix the rattle from the cracked floor and shed a few hundred pounds of water soaked foam weight.

The floor and foam removal went pretty well. It was a challenge to remove the stringers and to accurately replicate them. (Never did get that right). Made a big mess pouring the foam but the new glass floor was very nice.

I should have stopped there. But I started on the gelcote. Had more cracks than any boat should be allowed and still float. Tried to grind the gelcote off only where the cracks existed - ended up grinding off all of the gelcote.

Learned a few things about applying gelcote. Started with a dump gun the industry uses to build molds. (Not the best tool in the shed). Then I went to a cheap paint gun. Finally learned that I could get very good results with a high quality automotive sprayer. (Yeah, I usually learn things the hard way).

The sanding was a real thrill. Tried various "shortcuts" using an air powered sander that was under powered from an aging compressor; used abrasive pads on an orbital; but the best results come from just hand sanding.

When it came time to put it all back together I learned that installing carpet in a boat is not high up on my skill set. Then I set the engine in place. Found out my stringers were an inch too tall and I could not go low enough on the mounts to align the drive shaft. Then there was getting everything else back in place.

As it stands now I still have to finish wet sanding the bottom. Need to finish the new dash box and get the observer bench upholstered by a pro.

On the water she looks great. Hole shot with the new ACME 540 is not as impressive as I had hoped. However, the wake is totally reshaped with less rooster tail and a smoother approach. The perfect pass is great too.

Thank you to everyone that helped out along the way. I really could not have, nor would I have attempted such work without this site and all of the great people who contribute.

Bill, boat looks awesome. After following your build threads I expected no less. You da man!

Bill, I knew from the start that you were going to get through this project with great results and the pictures sure prove it. Fantastic! You have also made a great contribution to this site with your step by step threads on all the work you did. I'm sure it will, and has given many people the knowledge needed on stringers, floors and gel. Thanks

Bill, That's one of the most ambitious projects I've seen here. Well documented also and I think your efforts will help many to come. Great looking work, enjoy.

Wow, congratulations on the results. Looks really clean. You'll enjoy the 540 for the water skiing. Much easier throttle response.

Ken

Bill,

Very nice work. To see the finished product we would never know of all the hurdles you confessed to hurdling. Appreciate your candor, we can all learn from each other that way. Now, go out and enjoy.

Bill;

The finished product is all we knew it would be given the type of person we know you to be.

The way you went thru this process, documenting every step of the way in words and pictures is quite an addition to our site. Guys will be refering to your pictures and instructions for a long while.

The guys at Fort Knox might not know it now but....time will come when I bet they'll be glad they knew you.

Thanks;
john

Atta boy Bill. Your work ethic is unmatched.

The boat really looks good on the water. I have been pleased with the results. As for being lighter in the water without all the soaked foam - I believe there is a big difference for the better. The wake at 34.2mph is nominal. The ACME 540 has reshaped the rooster tail which contributed to the transformation. However, at slower speeds such as 26 to 30 mph the wake is much smaller than before surgery. The hole shot is weak, not sure why. However driving through the course the boat feels like it is on rails. It is a pleasure to drive now. I think that actually attaching the floor to the hull helped a lot. And remember those bent tracking fins? It was crunch time and I still had not taken them in to be fixed. So, I used my carpenters laser level to check for straightness as I pounded the curves out of the fins on an anvil with a hammer. In the end they were square and are working just fine.

One of the modifications (sorry for all the origional only fans out there) is the observer bench seat. I built this seat in where it gets narrower toward the driver seat. The upholstery is garbage but I'll have the seat itself redone by a pro. I gained easier access into and out of the driver seat - little more ergonomic.

Thanks again for the support and the comments. Don't worry Eric, the boat pulls about 20 sets a day - and only goes to the trailer when it is too dark to ski any longer.

There are some not so origional parts to the boat. Obviously the gel and graphics are not origional. Mrs Bum and I took a stab at making the motor box into a clamshell. I cut the box leaving about six inches on the bottom. Then reinforced the bottom with 3/8" thick wood moulding covered in glass for rigidity. I wrapped the bottom of the upper half of the box in aluminum channel for rigidity. We didn't do so hot at carpeting the bottom or upholstering the top. Truly a weakness.

However, in the end, I am satisfied. It is very convenient to only lift the top of the lid to access what I need in the engine compartment and not the whole motor box. Also changed to a different style of take apart motor box hinges that are flush without a pin.

Somehow I missed this post while I was out in the gulf fishing over the 4th....

Just wanted to add my congrats and respect for an incredible job.

The boat is simply awesome.Cool thing is that people will be checking out your work for years to come whenever they reference this site!

(Just curious...how much did those new factory decals cost?)

Bill,

Your boat looks amazing. I've followed your progress since you started back in December. I could tell early on that it was going to be beautiful when you were done. You have great attention to detail. What amazed me the most is the pace that you completed the project. Thank you for the excellent documentation on the project. Its just a matter of time before my '85 needs stringers, and now I have a great resource to tap into.

Brian