Boat Projects are Finally Complete

T&T · Outlaw Joined: 07 May 2003 Posts: 192 City: Denver

My boat is finally complete (until I get another wild fix-it idea). Attached is a photo from this years first trip last weekend.
Here's what I have done since I purchased it last year:

New Upholstery - Mom and Girlfriend sewed the pieces, I assembled it.
New Carpet- Several weekends and lots of beer
Tower - a week in my buddies shop and a day trip to get it Rhino sprayed.
Stereo - Lots of goodies including tower speakers & lights.
All new Trailer Axle - got brakes finally.

The boat is a 1990 Bayliner 1950 IO 4.3. I have a 15pitch prop on it so top end is only 32mph, but it jumps out of the hole even with 8 passengers. I have a 400lb sack I use for the bow, but the holeshot is a bit slower with that many passengers. The wake is actually very nice, sharp and I get really good pop off it.
Most of the water around where I live is choppy (high traffic), and the hull cuts through it nicely.

So far I have about $7000 including the purchase price of the boat and all the accessores (ie. jackets, boards, rope,etc.).

The intent is spend small money, learn to enjoy the sport (been riding about 2 years now), then when time and money permits, buy a newer boat.

Now it's done, it's time to enjoy!

Let me know what you think.

jgarvish · Criminal Joined: 12 Nov 2003 Posts: 63 City: Austin

Looks great man. Good job!

Neognosis · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 17617 City: Webster

Yea, for 7 grand, including purchase price? WOW.

fuel · Outlaw Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Posts: 110 City: Gatesville

Coming from another DIYer, congratulations. It looks great! I really like your tower. Do you have any more pics?

We built a tower and installed it this year, but unfortunatley we've only gone twice thus far. We can't find a third to save our lives. It sucks. Evil or Very Mad

holiday13 · Soul Rider Joined: 03 Jun 2004 Posts: 325 City: Flemington

Did you make the tower with steel tube or with aluminum?

Nice work by the way!

T&T · Outlaw Joined: 07 May 2003 Posts: 192 City: Denver

T&T · Outlaw Joined: 07 May 2003 Posts: 192 City: Denver

Here's a photo of one of the feet.
Now that I look at the photo, I just realized that I need to re-do the pinstriping. Damn, another project...

Brit Rider · Posted: Jun 11, 2004 10:02 am Post subject:

beautiful!

Love the tower finish, hows that done?

T&T · Outlaw Joined: 07 May 2003 Posts: 192 City: Denver

I took it to the local Rhino Liner applicater. It's the guys that do the Rhino bed liner. It cost about $150.
It is real durable and won't crack. I took the tower to them bare metal. It won't rust unless the lining peels, but that's warrantied (way tougher than powdercoating because it is rubber-like). They can even match any of the boat colors (that was $200).

Brad Embleton · Addict Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 511 City: Niagara Falls

great job

WaffleJam2250 · Criminal Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 81 City: Green Bay

That looks awsome, i think that Rhino spraying your tower it a brilliant idea!

Ralph · Posted: Jun 11, 2004 12:28 pm Post subject:

Good work! I loved my little bayliner, they are great boats IMO.

WakeUpCT · Newbie Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 13

Really nice job.

Just keep an eye on your steel tube to aluminum fitting joints. When the epoxy breaks down due to stress, environment, and differences in termal expansion, you may have a strength and corrosion problem there. Hopefully you're not in salt water?

Good luck!

gobeer net · Outlaw Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 116 City: Fort Smith

Sweet setup.

I just graduated college and with all this free time and money I have (aka i'm working over time and taxes suck way more than anyone ever warned me about!!) I decided to take advantage of my summer with a boat like I always said I would.

After searching around locally and getting realistic about my budget I purchased a 90 model 2050 that looks identical (although not as nice inside). It was cheap and needed a little work, but its progressing. I've been upgraded slowly and now its time for a tower. I love the way your tower looks. Basically I'm wondering if anyone can give me suggestions about what to go for. I'm way against a pylon because of floor space and looks.

I have the materials and tooling to build at least a decent if not a nice tower. My original idea was to build a simple hoop mounted to the floor on some metal plates and a single bar running to the bow. Its simple, cheap and easy. That was going to be this weeks project untill I saw this post and that tower looked awesome IMO. So now i'm wondering about the hull and if its strong enough, how much something of that stature weighs etc.

On the weight subject, people seem to add tons of weight to their boat. My capacity says 1100 lbs, this doesn't seem like much, and I fill it quickly. How bad is it to go over? Just takes carefull driving, major No No or just dont get fined?

Any words of wisdom from the experienced folk out there would be great.

Thanks and I'll quit rambling now.

rmarion · Newbie Joined: 03 May 2004 Posts: 37 City: Anaheim

T & T

Thats Great, Good job, enjoy your RIDE..................

srh00z · Outlaw Joined: 09 Nov 2003 Posts: 128 City: Birmingham

Amazing job, especially on the interior and the tower, I wish I had somebody that would sew up some upholstery for me, what kind of sewing machine did they use, any tips would be appreciated, I need to talk my mom into doing that.

DiyGuy · Soul Rider Joined: 26 Dec 2003 Posts: 460

From another DIY'er - got to toss in the congratulatory PERFECT 10!

Awesome project, great vision and inventivness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

colefooter · Posted: Jun 11, 2004 4:54 pm Post subject:

Very very very very very good job man. I love how you tweaked out the boat yourself, makes it even more fun to talk about.

T&T · Outlaw Joined: 07 May 2003 Posts: 192 City: Denver

WakeUpCT,
No salt water. I have been keeping a close eye on the epoxy joints, but good you mention it because direct contact aluminum to steel is bad. I have a thin film of Epoxy keeping the two separate.

srh00z,
Mom used a regular sewing machine with heavy needles and heavy stitching. Make sure the vinyl is marine grade or the sun and water will quickly destroy it. Girlfriend cracked the whip on mom when we fell behind schedule. This was the key element to finishing this summer.

DIYguy,
Used your plans for the tower speakers (PVC pipe from Home Depot). They are incredibly loud (they have good piss-off the neighbors power). Thanks a bunch for your website.

Thanks to all for the comments. Wasn't sure how it would be received because it isn't a "wakeboard boat" per se. It does throw a nice wake though and for the money, hard to go wrong.

Fishmaster · Posted: Jun 12, 2004 5:51 am Post subject:

Looks great! If you have a write up or link to the project let me know. That would be perfect for www.diyTower.com

Alan C · Soul Rider Joined: 26 Jan 2004 Posts: 329 City: Calgary

thats soo nice... and for only 7k ... amazing man... that tower is so awesome... looks very nice