78 Ski Natique Rebuild

Here are some pics of my 1978 Ski Nautique I purchased. My dad and I have been working on replacing the stringers, floor supports and floor. I would like to know yalls ideas and thoughts on the restoration. I am open to any ideas or suggestions. I was also wandering about the extended pylon, I want one for wakeboarding but I do not want to take the original pylon out so I can keep the factory appearence of the boat. Does the extended pylon put anymore strain on the floor? I have the interior at the upholestry shop being completely redone so when I get that back I will post some new pics.

Jeremy,
It sure looks like you and your dad are doing a great job. Keep the pictures coming!

Yes, open up the transom areas and check out the wood. Especially the aft lifting ring attachment.

Are you using CEPS and epoxy? Make sure you grind down through the decorative bilge coating until you see glass in the areas where you'll be bedding/glassing in the new wood.

The floor will be fine with the extended pylon. Most of the stress is aft and taken by the cable up to the bow/stem. Do not attach it to the bow lifting ring. Use the strap.

I have a 78 martinique Jeremy, and that is the same hull as your 78 SN. I simply took the tow ring off and slid a fly high over the top. The floor was able to hold the extra stress of the pylon even when it was the original. When I rebuilt mine, I reinforced the floor several times more so than how the factory had it. As Pete said, the cables and the bow strap take the stress from an extended pylon. Some folks use the lifting ring to mount the cables to, but that isn't a good way to do it due to the lifting ring's design intended for being pulled up, not back.

You could do the clamp on mount, but I think that looks worse than simply taking the ring off. That and it looks like an easy way to hurt yourself on. You can get a different pylon top to hold the rope when not using the pylon, but those are expensive. You could have pretty much any machinist make one for you as well. Next time I have a chance to talk to my buddy that is machinist I will ask him if he could make some up, and how much they would be. The more he would make should bring the cost down per piece.

Tom

Thanks for the replies everyone. This site has helped so much it is unreal. Yea I have become very very familiar with CPES. That stuff is unreal. My dad and I have become closer because of the boat but next time I go to buy a boat I will check every bit of it and find one that doesnt have rotted stringers and floor. But I guess it isnt to bad that I only gave $1800 for the boat. Any ideas on the carpet? Im thinking of doing a black carpet but I was wandering if would get hot out in the sun? The interior is going to be white with a dark grey stripe. Here are some new pics also. The last one is how my dad and I figure out the angle of the hull on the side and bottom.

Awesome looking boat! There is a 70's CC revival going on right now. Dropped my 73 skier off today to have the engine put back in after a total restring job.

I had mine done at a shop in pelham. Its called Competitive Upholstery. He did a awesome job with it, and I am very satisfied.