looking good! keep up the work, we are all waiting for the next set of pictures
Grady White 306 Bimini
2 x 350’s
“Swordfish”
Put almost the entire quart of citristrip on yesterday at 6PM to test out what it’d do for a bit. It was really easy to work with. Stuck to verticals well, and didn’t splatter. Got a little on my face when I didn’t realize some was on the back side of my glove and it just tingled a little until I could rinse it off. Definately easier to work with than everything else I’ve used/tried.
Let it sit until 8PM, and there was no effect whatsoever on the paint. Maybe I should have let it sit overnight, but I still feel that it should have done something- anything- in two hours. Directions say 30 minutes up to 24hrs as long as it doesn’t dry out. Have read comments from others on the www that asked the company if it was safe for gelcoat, and the response was that it wasn’t a good idea to leave it on for long. After seeing that I didn’t feel good about leaving it on for very long. I still put it on pretty thick to be sure there was enough to do something, but I saw nothing come off… Don’t think I will be trying any more of it…
Got a better shot of the leaning post that Happy Bob added a back, foot rest, rod holders and cup holders to last year. Center cup holder has turned into a convenient lead sinker holder.
Here is a better shot of the T top cross supports and pad mounted to the top of the console. This beefed up tubing and support location might look awkward, but I assure you it is the best way to go if any of you are having a top made or strengthened for your boat.
Note the remaining tabs that I chose to let stay on the back legs of the T top above the new tabs connecting the legs to my console. I have some cool plans for these old tabs. Will post pics when I figure out exactly what I want to go with from among all my ideas and get
that is going to be a super awesome boat, my family is BIG TIME into mckee’s and boston whaler’s, they redo and resale a bunch of them, i hate bottom paint 2 and when i see them i say da** i hate that bottom paint. those clear LED lights look awesome on there. i like those checkered plated fender wells also. Keep up the good work Sir
14’ T-wide jonboat
25hp johnson
‘Git -n- Thar’
-My biggest worry is (when I’m dead)my women will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it-
Looks real sharp man!
Being superstitious is bad luck.
have you thought about the slick white hard bottom paint with teflon in it?
would look good, and be ALOT less work.
how about 220 grit sand paper on an orbital sander
once you get the bulk of the paint off, 400 grit, then 600, then 800, then 1000, then buff??
I havent ever had much luck with the chemical stuff on antifouling paint.
question, why are the two front legs of the T-top all the way at the front of the livewell/seat? im not giving you a hard time just curious.
Grady White 306 Bimini
2 x 350’s
“Swordfish”
When you gonna put the Hip Hopster Gangster Stereo back on the bote???
Rog
“Double Trouble”
2001 Sea Fox 230
2001 Merc 200
quote:
Originally posted by chris Vhave you thought about the slick white hard bottom paint with teflon in it?
would look good, and be ALOT less work.
how about 220 grit sand paper on an orbital sander
once you get the bulk of the paint off, 400 grit, then 600, then 800, then 1000, then buff??
I havent ever had much luck with the chemical stuff on antifouling paint.www.teamcharlestonmarine.com
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This will be long, but I wanted to explain.
The teflon paint is expensive. So is awlgrip, imron, or new gelcoat. There is no need for any of that here. I feel like all of the above are expensive shortcuts that will pale in comparison to an older Mako with original gelcoat in great condition. Paint can make a boat look nice, and some will last if the prep was done really well… BUT it is much rarer to find an old boat that’s been kept up with GOOD original gelcoat.
I feel that the original gelcoat on this Mako, which I think was initially covered with a very good epoxy barrier coat and then annual coats of ablative, needs to be preserved rather than harming it in any way. I know it can be sanded without harming it much, but that means hours of laying on my back or bent over with goggles and respirator on. Been there and done that. Never again.
I like things done where they will last, but I am also cheap/broke. I have less than $100 in the bottom paint removal so far, and most of that has been trying junk that didn’t work. I think I’ve found the trick now, and I feel like I won’t be much more than $30 or so deeper in the hole to finish it (not including cost of rubbing compound and wax). My time has been great thus far, but again- it’s been a lot wasted on stuff that didn’t work on this particular boat.
I am definately going to have to use your method of 400 then 800/10
quote:
Originally posted by saltytigerquestion, why are the two front legs of the T-top all the way at the front of the livewell/seat? im not giving you a hard time just curious.
Grady White 306 Bimini
2 x 350’s
“Swordfish”
I will have to get better pics of how the front legs actually come down up there. They don’t get in the way of walking in front of the console or sitting two people in front of the console as it may appear in the photos. I actually thought about getting arm rest supports welded to the legs up there. Decided that might get in the way sometimes…
#1 I think the top is one of the first frames Scout tried for their 24xsf sportfish before picking a production version, and that’s why guys like Bob who have done prototyping for our boat builders may recognize it. Not sure on that, but that seems to be the case. A hard fiberglass shell mounts to a design similar to this on the tops they use now. The entire frame tubing was made heavy duty to support the heavier hard top, which appealed to me. I wanted a small canopy and top that was very rigid. I also like the look of these tops as they exagerate the lines of the boats’ sides flaring upwards as they go forward. Anyway, this top was pretty cheap for me to obtain and then have modified. The cross supports to the dash were something I’ve seen on some larger CC’s with huge tops, and it turned out that if the top was moved as far forward as you see it now, the cross supports could come down behind the windshield at the same angle as the windshield.
Also…
#2 These 21 Mako’s have long rear boxes that make walking by the leaning post/seat and the cockpit very tight. The boats were originally sold with two pedestal captains chairs, so the space wasn’t that much of an issue. I mounted the leaning post as far forward as I could to
Looks great! I know I would love to add a T-top to my little bote…
“Miss Amanda”
-KeyWest
-Bluewater 2020CC
-Yammy F-150
www.joinrfa.orgGod is GOOD!! ALL the time!!
The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor.
The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything.
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what r u using that you think is working?
definately interested in easier than sanding
Jacked the port side of the boat up yesterday and did another round of easy off. Don’t have pics of after the easy off since it was dark, but it took a lot off.
Easy Off eating up the paint. Note the feint purple-ish blue color where it’s working.
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Luke 8:22-25
quote:
Originally posted by saltytigerquestion, why are the two front legs of the T-top all the way at the front of the livewell/seat? im not giving you a hard time just curious.
Grady White 306 Bimini
2 x 350’s
“Swordfish”
The reason the front legs on the t-top are so far forward is because it came from a Scout 245SF. If you look at the picture of the Scout boat in Phin’s reply to me, you can see the front legs are in line with the console. The console on the Scout is HUGE</font id=“red”> compared to the one in Phin’s Mako. Take a look at how high the wire chute/mountung pads on the rear legs are on the Mako. Also it’s a completely different shape in the front.
Phin, that’s one of the better retrofits I’ve seen. A lot of the ones I’ve seen look like someone’s used a hacksaw and a hammer to make it fit. (The leaning post looks good too)
Nice job.
Bob Van Gundy
Marine Designs,Inc.
Custom Aluminum Fabrication
803-727-4069
Got a new recessed switch/breaker panel off eBay, and it came in yesterday. Spent some time last night breaking down the harness layout it was in. This was meant to go in a Stratos bass boat, but was never installed. Lots of marine grade wiring, two water proof fuse holders for main power and bilge float and many waterproof disconnects that will be handy.
Can you make sense of all this?
Everything works.
Green label illumination cuts on with the Instrument Lights switch that will also go to gauges and compass.
Being meant for a bass boat, it came with an aerator ON/OFF/Timed 3 way. This thing cycles the aerator on for 30 seconds every 3 minutes. Meant to aerate a livewell overnight without draining the batt all the way down. Former bass pro RHuse probably likes this feature…
Here is everything sorted out and labeled.
Anybody need some wiring sleeves?
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Luke 8:22-25
i would love to have you’r left over wiring sleeves. how much do u want for them?? PM me if u dont mind
14’ T-wide jonboat
25hp johnson
‘Git -n- Thar’
-My biggest worry is (when I’m dead)my women will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it-
quote:
Originally posted by Fishing_4reeli would love to have you’r left over wiring sleeves. how much do u want for them?? PM me if u dont mind
14’ T-wide jonboat
25hp johnson‘Git -n- Thar’
-My biggest worry is (when I’m dead)my women will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it-
I will let you know what I’ve got leftover in a few weeks when I’ve been able to set the boat down after bottom paint removal’s done. I will use a little of the sleeving where wires go through the T top or are exposed to salt/sun, etc. Should have a good bit leftover, but I’m not sure how much until that time.
In the meantime, check out Harbor Freight Tools at Dorchester and Montague in N. Charleston. They’ve got a decent selection of heat shrink and wiring sleeving cheap there. Not much as far as heat shrink terminal connectors yet.
I get lots of fishing equipment from that place on the cheap also.
Stainless and galvanized anchor swivels and shackles $2-$8
fishing gloves $2
brass fuel fittings $2-$5
stainless hand tools (simple screwdriver and plier sets) $10
stainless drain plugs $2-$3
PVC rain gear for emergency $10
etc.
Some stuff may be a waste of money due to the lower quality in there, but I mean how much difference is there going to be between a SS drain plug that’s $8 in West Marine and one in Harbor Freight?
www.JoinRFA.org
Luke 8:22-25
Hey Phin or anyone else doing boat projects, if you need a good, inexpensive source for tinned marine wire and connectors that’s just as good as Ancor brand, check out http://genuinedealz.com/. I just ordered (2) 25’ spools of 8 ga. for my trolling motor for $38 delivered. They are also on eBay. WM wants $2/foot for the same wire!!
quote:
Originally posted by LoosewireHey Phin or anyone else doing boat projects, if you need a good, inexpensive source for tinned marine wire and connectors that’s just as good as Ancor brand, check out http://genuinedealz.com/. I just ordered (2) 25’ spools of 8 ga. for my trolling motor for $38 delivered. They are also on eBay. WM wants $2/foot for the same wire!!
That’s a very good deal on 8 gauge tinned!
I bought about 6 colors of 16 gauge ancor tinned from boaters world during their last days. 10 cents/ft I believe is what I paid. Bought some heavier duplex as well for about 50 cents a foot. Bought lots of their heat shrink terminals too.
The best deal on good wire I have seen is if you can find aircraft or military stuff being cleared out. Got a spool of 16 or 18 gauge yellow ?teflon? coated tinned (it’s not just tin coated but multistrand with every strand tin) wire from Hughes Aircraft in Orangeburg when they moved out. Several hundred feet on the spool, and it was pennies at an auction. We have used the stuff all over tractors and boats and not put a dent in the spool hardly. It’s a bit weird when you go from stripping regular wire to working with this stuff. I am going to use a bit of it as ground wire when I rewire this Mako, so I will take some pics. Not sure exactly what the brand or actual material really is. I say it’s teflon, but who knows…
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Luke 8:22-25
I was just at WM and noticed their 8 ga. is $2.99/foot, not $1.99 like I previously thought. [:0]
BTW, Phin, the boat looks great. I too enjoy working on them…probably more than I like fishing! I tell folks it keeps me off Meds!
quote:
Originally posted by Happy Bobquote:
Originally posted by saltytigerquestion, why are the two front legs of the T-top all the way at the front of the livewell/seat? im not giving you a hard time just curious.
Grady White 306 Bimini
2 x 350’s
“Swordfish”
The reason the front legs on the t-top are so far forward is because it came from a Scout 245SF. If you look at the picture of the Scout boat in Phin’s reply to me, you can see the front legs are in line with the console. The console on the Scout is HUGE</font id=“red”> compared to the one in Phin’s Mako. Take a look at how high the wire chute/mountung pads on the rear legs are on the Mako. Also it’s a completely different shape in the front.
Phin, that’s one of the better retrofits I’ve seen. A lot of the ones I’ve seen look like someone’s used a hacksaw and a hammer to make it fit. (The leaning post looks good too)
Nice job.Bob Van Gundy
Marine Designs,Inc.
Custom Aluminum Fabrication
803-727-4069
gotcha. i figured it was something like that. but i agree it looks good, if nothing else it will give the people sitting in front of the console something to hold on to when it gets a little rough. keep up the good work
Grady White 306 Bimini
2 x 350’s
“Swordfish”