# My 14' Sears GameFisher (Bringing it back to life) Restore



## Neilyboy (Apr 28, 2009)

Well I finally started in on my project boat (after letting it sit for about a year). It is a 14' Sears GameFisher.

I purchased it looking like this (which I had a better picture of just how terrible the trailer looked. As you can see from the fender). I think I did ok. I got the boat and trailer both with clean title for $300. It came with the seats and the pedastal poles to give the seats lift as well.







Unfortunately this is the only picture I have of it before I started working it over. I spent 6 hours sand-blasting the entire trailer and ripping off all the old lights and electronics (as they all needed to be replaced). I then primed and painted the trailer a semi-gloss black. I will get some better pictures of the trailer later on. I am at work now.

On to the boat. I have a friend who always helps me out when it comes to painting. So he brought over his gun and went to work.

We prepped the entire boat by sanding it down with 180 then 220. Then threw on a few coats of acid etching primer.











Then threw down a few layers of my graphite colored paint.
















After the fog settled haha






Here it is before we painted the inside































While waiting for my painter friend to get back to paint the inside I re-buit and carpeted some of the decking..











Just need to re-build and carpet the casting deck (probably get done this weekend).

And finally here it is as it sits in the garage today (dont mind the torn up garage thats a whole new project for a different day).






I ordered myself a MinnKota Endura 55lb thrust yesterday from amazon and should be here next week. I am still on the lookout for a 5-10hp outboard for this thing (so if anyone is close to central IL and has a spare or one for sale let me know).

I will keep this thread updated with my progress. Thanks for looking.

Neil


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## grizzly (Apr 28, 2009)

looks good, sky's the limit on that boat. keep the pics coming.


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## daltonmcgill (Apr 28, 2009)

looking good


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## Brine (Apr 28, 2009)

Looks great, and the trailer looks great too. 

What brand of paint did you use?

How many coats?

Any prep work between coats?


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## Neilyboy (Apr 28, 2009)

I hope this picture can give ya more info (as my painter buddy, the guy in the pictures is the one who picked it all out). We went to Born Paint Co. in downtown Peoria, IL
https://www.bornpaint.com/






From what I know it cost me $140 for all the primer and paint and hardener and whatever else we needed there.
If anyone wants more specific info I can get it. I think we used just the standard 'shop line' of paint. The mixing ratios are on some literature that came with it all (if anyone wants it just let me know).

As for prep work. We just did a 180/220 sanding on the entire thing (took forever) then shot two solid coats of primer (probably 3 on the outside). Then no prep work between that and the topcoat. Just laid on about 4 on the outside and a good three on the inside. Turned out pretty darn good for two guys in a garage sucking up the fumes..

Ill update with further progress (probably friday).

Neil


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## Ouachita (Apr 28, 2009)

Looks great! You'll soon be _Haze Grey and Underway_.


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## ober51 (Apr 28, 2009)

Nice job. That's three 14' Sears Gamefisher rebuilds in a week, haha. Look at the other part of the forum for mine and stryker's.


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## Neilyboy (Apr 28, 2009)

ober51 - I will have to do that haha. Yeah I have had it for over a year now but just got around to working on it. I want to have it out on the water by mid may!

Neil


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## Zum (Apr 28, 2009)

Buddies hard core on the painting,bet he still has graphite paint coming out his nose.
Boat looks great as well as the trailer.
Looked like your friend really knows his stuff in the paint department.


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## Neilyboy (Apr 28, 2009)

Yeah Jake is a really nice guy. He always helps me out with my painting when it comes to my hobbies (he has done some awesome paint jobs on my old arcade machine restores). He has never painted aluminum before and was pretty satisfied himself with how well that etching primer went on. It is really thin stuff but man it went on nice and left a nice base for that paint to lay on. I was in the garage there with him taking pictures and asked if he wanted a mask and he said 'nope, im used to it' haha. I had to get out of it as it was about killing me. I was blowing gray paint out of my nose for two days after that. He has been working in and around paint for quite some time. I think is main job now is to re-build and clean the higher end paint guns for larger companies (Caterpillar.. etc.). I am thinking about throwing some of iguanagfx's registration numbers on the boat now but I dont know if I can come up with the $45 bucks to do so. I just dropped 250 on the trolling motor and another 100 on a mk-106 charger. We will see depends on if I get any overtime this week or not.

Neil


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## ober51 (Apr 28, 2009)

Neilyboy said:


> Yeah Jake is a really nice guy. He always helps me out with my painting when it comes to my hobbies (he has done some awesome paint jobs on my old arcade machine restores). He has never painted aluminum before and was pretty satisfied himself with how well that etching primer went on. It is really thin stuff but man it went on nice and left a nice base for that paint to lay on. I was in the garage there with him taking pictures and asked if he wanted a mask and he said 'nope, im used to it' haha. I had to get out of it as it was about killing me. I was blowing gray paint out of my nose for two days after that. He has been working in and around paint for quite some time. I think is main job now is to re-build and clean the higher end paint guns for larger companies (Caterpillar.. etc.). I am thinking about throwing some of iguanagfx's registration numbers on the boat now but I dont know if I can come up with the $45 bucks to do so. I just dropped 250 on the trolling motor and another 100 on a mk-106 charger. We will see depends on if I get any overtime this week or not.
> 
> Neil



Guy does indeed know his stuff. But inhaling that all the time is no good. Stays in your lungs, likely forever. You can buy some cheap yet very effective masks that you can actually breathe through.


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## Neilyboy (Apr 28, 2009)

I just said he was a good guy  never said he was bright. haha, all joking aside we wanted better ventilation that day but it was so dang windy out we had to pretty much close the place down to allow for decent conditions. So yeah anyone following along, we do not recommend that you close the place off while priming and painting your boat . I would rather waste those brain cells while enjoying a cold one. More updates to come.

Neil


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## cdaly1971 (Aug 7, 2011)

Wow, it looks better than new. Ive had a game fisher for years, it gets the job done. Ive transported it on the roof of the car, but am looking for a trailer. Not that savey about the lingo when I talk to sales people. The one you have looks ideal. What is the model? So I can just go get one. Thanks


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