# 1983 Valco Bayrunner refirb



## Stumpalump (Dec 19, 2015)

I've got a boat I like but it needs extensive refurbishing.1983 16' Valco Bayrunner. Great running 1985 Johnson 60. It's still usable and we just did an epic 35 mile run up the Colorado River to the Hover Dam over Thanksgiving. So here is my sob story.

This is what it needs: Trailer bunks and trailer paint. The wood on all the seats with storage doors are basically all shot. The hull is decent but if I fix it I'll flip it and pound out and fill the little bit of hook in the bottom. Transom is fair but it looks like a major cutting and drilling Aluminum job so I'd leave it. The two padded seats would get replaced with a nice bench on those $100 Garlic rubber mounts or somthing like it. The expensive part is the trim on the engine is going bad. Parts unavailable and it need motor and pump. We have rocks and we beach it to let the dog run so it needs trim. Our Arizona water ways gets crowded and we run skinny water so call me crazy but I'd buy the $1750 trim/jack plate combo from Bobs Machine shop. I want it right and that would make me happy.
Edit: Changed thread name because I decided to keep the boat I really like.


So I'll be putting $2500 plus in a boat that not worth $2500 but it will be set up like I want it. Money is not a big issue and we could buy a better boat but I thought I'd ask you guys that have done restorations. If I move up it would be somthing like a 17-18 foot aluminum that would take the ruff wakes better. Should I be happy that I got a few great years out of this old dog and move on to a better toy or dump some coin and a lot of time into making the old boat awesome?

Edit: Here is the trim/jack plate I'm drooling over.
https://www.bobsmachine.com/Combo-Tilt-Jack-Clamp-on-or-BIA-50HP-100-106016.htm

The shock absorbing seat mounts https://www.garelick.com/Active-Seat-Suspension-Systems

I may have to settle on a seat like this but the one I saw looked thin. Do you know of a better two person bench seat that will take the wakes better? https://www.amazon.com/Wise-8WD1459-Blast-Off-Series-Folding/dp/B007R3QBTC


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## richg99 (Dec 20, 2015)

Well, it sounds to me that the seats are a non-item on your list. 

You will probably buy those same seats for any new or newer boat that you buy. So..if you want them for this ...or for a newer boat, they aren't a factor in the money calculation differences. Just the way I looked at it, anyhow.

As far as parts not being available...have you checked the antique outboard motor site?? Those guys know everything about older outboards and no doubt have places to get parts that most of us wouldn't even think about. https://www.aomci.org/

I am kind of going through a similar exercise. My "new" Ha Ha 1996 Lowe has irreversible hull issues. The outboard; batteries; trailer; trolling motor; steering controls etc. are all just fine.

Trying to find a suitable (preferably new) hull has been a problem so far. Most quality manufacturers make what I want (1650SC) but no dealers stock them.

richg99


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## Seon (Dec 20, 2015)

The problem with replacing your boat is that the "new to you boat" will usually need "tweaking" to your liking which equates to more dollars spent on top of the cost of the new used boat.

Question is, can you buy a $2500 replacement equal to what you'd have if you kept your boat with all the mods you've listed? If not, then I'd suggest doing the upgrades and enjoy it. :wink:


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## Stumpalump (Dec 21, 2015)

I'll try that antique site. Thanks. We ran Lake Saguaro in Arizona today. From the dam all the way up the Salt River to Canyon lake dam. I could never have done that with a bigger boat and would not dare too in a new boat. I've had 4 different 16 footers over the years. I just keep going back to them after fooling with others. That size does everthing. I'm going to fix it but I'll have to admit I was getting close to getting a quote on https://www.smokercraft.com/showroom/north-american-angler/phantom/182


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## richg99 (Dec 21, 2015)

Nice Smokercaft. Get the quote. Be sure to get the shipping/dealer prep/taxes/title/ etc. etc. etc. Amazing how much they get you for all of that stuff. Then fixing up your boat will look EVEN better.

I'm with you. A 16/17 foot boat is an all-around craft for me. Of course, I normally fish alone or with one other person. Launch and recovery is easy and there is enough space for my use.

I'm wavering between a new hull and adding my old but fine motor....or...a used boat, motor, and trailer. My wife is pushing me to buy the new hull and trailer and quit messing with someone else's troubles.

Seems I spend more time fixing stuff than I do fishing. regards, richg99


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## onthewater102 (Dec 21, 2015)

Depending on what you use for a tow vehicle getting much bigger than 16' can add weight and make towing safety an issue. Any boat I have needs to be light enough to be pulled with the family vehicle which is a Subaru (rated to 2400lbs) so I try to keep the boat/motor/trailer weight to < 1,200 lbs. or as close to it as I can hit.

That combination jack plate/trim unit looks awesome. I've been working on a similar design sourcing parts mainly from Grainger - I'm not a hydraulics engineer by any measure, so I'm curious how they control the two pumps independently with one motor.


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## richg99 (Dec 21, 2015)

"two pumps, one motor" Looks like this site would have the valves and the answer. richg99

https://dta.eu/hydraulics/hydraulic-valves/


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## onthewater102 (Dec 21, 2015)

many thanx


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## ericman (Dec 21, 2015)

CMC lifts for that size are typically under $1000.


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## onthewater102 (Dec 22, 2015)

CMC from what I've seen makes a tilt/trim unit and a separate jackplate, but not one that does both.


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## Stumpalump (Dec 25, 2015)

Boat is hanging from a chain and the trailer has been prepped for paint. I used redwood 2x6 for the bunks. I hope that was OK.


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## richg99 (Dec 25, 2015)

I'd imagine redwood would be ideal for the bunks.

I just bought a new trailer. The bunks are carpeted so I asked if they used treated lumber. They did NOT. 

I think I am going to remove the carpet anyhow. Carpet and salt water are just going to hold the salt against the hull after every launch. I will probably put on home-made slicks ( Wal-mart plastic type cutting board cuttings) over the bare wood.

richg99


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## joseph101088 (Dec 25, 2015)

Stumpalump said:


> I'll try that antique site. Thanks. We ran Lake Saguaro in Arizona today. From the dam all the way up the Salt River to Canyon lake dam. I could never have done that with a bigger boat and would not dare too in a new boat. I've had 4 different 16 footers over the years. I just keep going back to them after fooling with others. That size does everthing. I'm going to fix it but I'll have to admit I was getting close to getting a quote on https://www.smokercraft.com/showroom/north-american-angler/phantom/182


I'm glad I'm not the only one who prefers a 16 footer around here. But with the rich guys on pleasant saguaro and Bartlett with their huge boats it does get sketchy sometimes. But that's why I have a bilge pump. Only took one wake over the top while trolling. Heh came 20 ft beside me at full speed


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## Stumpalump (Dec 30, 2015)

[/quote]
I'm glad I'm not the only one who prefers a 16 footer around here. But with the rich guys on pleasant saguaro and Bartlett with their huge boats it does get sketchy sometimes. But that's why I have a bilge pump. Only took one wake over the top while trolling. Heh came 20 ft beside me at full speed[/quote]
I've lived all over the country and can say it was a real shock to move out west. You must go counter clockwise on the lakes. It can get so crowded it would be like being on a congested interstate. The wakeboard boats drive in circles all day and the adverage 16-18' pleasure boats had to get replaced by 22-28' boats just to navigate the wakes. Forget the weekends unless you are on the water at sun up and on the trailer by 10. Cold weather is great.
I'm applying the last coat of rustoleum on the trailer today. I welded up a few tiny cracks with a gusset, primered it, new lights, winch strap, greased it made a new handle for the winch and even took a sander to the rollers to buff them out like new. Yada yada another trailer... It is a good feeling to turn rusty junk into somthing that is better than you can buy new!
Has anybody built their decking or flooring out of nicer wood than plywood with Astro turf on it? They make nice wood boats so why can't I use some mahogany or something then coat it with epoxy varnish? Just an idea at this point but I don't want to reinvent the wheel and I'm not a wood worker. Also I need some deck hatches. I see plastic ones or I can try and make them but what's the best way to go?


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## Stumpalump (Jan 26, 2016)

I'm making new plywood seats. Typical flat row boat style seats. The boat sits uncovered in the Arizona sun. I kinda got used to the wood grain look (except for the splinters) and would like to keep it but would paint be better? Polyurethane?


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## richg99 (Jan 27, 2016)

Spar varnish has been used in boat "Bright work" for hundreds of years.

Won't they be hard to sit on?

I'd be thinking of some kind of padding.
richg99


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## Stumpalump (Jan 27, 2016)

richg99 said:


> Spar varnish has been used in boat "Bright work" for hundreds of years.
> 
> Won't they be hard to sit on?
> 
> ...


For the rear I'm still shopping for a padded bench but the front two are just flat wood with a throw cushion if needed. Is the home depo or lowes varnish what I want or do I need the long drive down to the marine store?

Like this? https://www.lowes.com/pd_740135-678-358150000_1z0uavg__?productId=999918602&pl=1


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## Kismet (Jan 27, 2016)

Spar Varnish...need not be purchased at a marine shop. It is commonly available.

Varnish takes some time to fully dry. Most folks go with spar polyurethane. The key is UV resistance, and maybe some hardening factor, as far as I know.

Best wishes.


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## richg99 (Jan 27, 2016)

Should be able to buy poly spar at Home Depot. I think it comes in a spray can, too.

richg99


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## Stumpalump (Jan 27, 2016)

Great thanks! I'll pick it up when I get foam boards. Pink, blue....Is one box store foam sheeting the best?


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## Stumpalump (Feb 8, 2016)

I used the water based spar from HD. It looks great but it's so thin I put 10 coats on. It still only looks like two coats but it's nice. I moved the side console foward and made under seat storage bins out of Walmart coolers. I could not swing the super nice FishOn brand storage covers.  but I scored some clearance ones made for a Zodiac that are nice from the place I found the $25 props I posted in the motor section. 
My busted power trim turned into an ordeal but I finally got it fixed tonight! I bought a used assembly from eBay. Motor on it turned out bad but I was able to make one work out of the two I had. I knew it was cheap for a reason but he said it worked. Those old trim units are tuff to work on. I was on pins and needles getting all the leaks fixed and putting the motor and brushes together was a challange. I think sanding the brushes and copper parts they ride on is what fixed it. I mounted my repaired trim motor to the eBay resivior and valve assemble because mine was bad. I think I know why aftermarket trim units are popular now....


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## Stumpalump (Feb 11, 2016)

Pic






Got the bench seats bolted in today.


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## Stumpalump (Feb 11, 2016)

This is the modified console and the bracket I made to bolt it to the seat. 



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I've come to believe that is impossible to reliably post pictures to this site from an IPad
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## Stumpalump (Feb 11, 2016)

The extreamly deep vee on the front of this boat made a dangerously deep hole in front of the front seat so I made a floor. We did not want a full platform because when we run the shallow rocky backwaters or rivers a spotter need to be on the front while still being in the boat.

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## Stumpalump (Feb 11, 2016)

For the inside of the storage lockers I used a $15.99 Wallmart cooler and a smaller storage tub for the front. I drilled some 1/4" holes to let it drain. Fishing is terrible in AZ but if I ever catch one I'm lining it with a trash bag. I packed around it real tight with 1" blue foam board. I used all stainless hardware but after a few screews seized I remembered that anti seize compondis your freind when using stainless (Monel) hardware.

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## richg99 (Feb 11, 2016)

Looking good. I see a lot of creativity there. Is Fishing really that bad,?

richg99


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## Stumpalump (Feb 11, 2016)

richg99 said:


> Looking good. I see a lot of creativity there. Is Fishing really that bad,?
> 
> richg99


I've never cought a fish in Arizona. People will say there are plenty of fish but then they tell you that on the third new moon after the equinox you can catch them at 2AM on cut shad if you fish over a submerged light. I've never seen anybody catch a fish in this state. There is a weird looking live lizard/frog you can buy for a dollar a piece that some say work but forget about lures and such. The only catfish are a hundred feet deep at the dam and you know how finicky those big cats are to catch. They only bite big fish that you have to catch first. Catch one for me and post a pic! 

One more pic of the bracket I fabed out of scrap 1/4" 2x3" angle. The sides of the seat are from two sticks of 1/16" thick angle. 10 bucks per 16' stick. Aluminum is a treat to work with. One day I'll learn to weld it. Now that I had nice clean benches the rats nest of wires hanging under the console finally got tucked up neat. It never bothered me before. That console is solid as a rock! You can see one of the patches above the bracket I added to stiffen it up. I used 5 screews to screw it to the floor. Hopefully now that it's stiff and mounted solidit won't pull the screews from the floor anymore.

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## riverbud55 (Feb 12, 2016)

Nice build on the valco,,, have a 14' Valco that needs a lot of work,,,,some day maybe,, to many irons in the fire already and to many boats if that's possible 

Dude fishing in AZ is great imo,, never have problems finding fish on the lower Colorado River last year one night landed 3 flats that added up to just short of a 110lbs 52# 27# 35#,,,Cant tell ya how many 30 and over in years past,,,, Dont know anything about fishing North of Davis Dam,,, these day do my fishing on the Topock marsh and on the river from I-40 south down to Havasu ,, if ya want the big ones need to be south of Parker down to Yuma


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## Stumpalump (Feb 12, 2016)

The local TSC had one $89 suspension seat in stocks and it followed me home. They ordered two more and will call next week if I like it. Yellow, black or blue are the choice. The suspension part pictured weighs 27lbs. The seat parts are 12lbs. My old seat without the mount was 17lbs. I believe you could knock 10 lbs off if you remove the seat slider, add a couple of lightening holes in some extra metal and tack weld the ability to tilt. The tilt or recline is a bolt down adjustment. For and aft is a nice slider.

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## Stumpalump (Feb 12, 2016)

Installation is as simple as bolting it down to a flat surface and installing the cushions. The orange warning sticker tells you to install the slider stop bolt if you remove it. I did not but with one bolt removed the very bottom would slide right off or remove the 1/2" bolt and you could pull the seat out for winter.

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## Stumpalump (Feb 12, 2016)

This how far it can recline before you bolt it in place.

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## Stumpalump (Feb 12, 2016)

It sits 5" taller than the old seat.

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## richg99 (Feb 12, 2016)

Interesting. Keep us informed. I don't sit down much on the boat.

richg99


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## Stumpalump (Feb 12, 2016)

I jumped down on it as hard as I could on a light setting and could not bottom it out. It feels like it will work great but a water test is needed this weekend. I did not think I wanted those arm rests but they are great. Looking how it's made one could easily cut them off, tuck the vinyl and reinstall the rubber molding to hide the cut or you can spend a little more elseware and get seats without them. So far I'm delighted!

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## richg99 (Feb 12, 2016)

Looks like a space commander's seat. Ha... Don't get too comfortable and fall asleep. richg99


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## Stumpalump (Feb 12, 2016)

richg99 said:


> Looks like a space commander's seat. Ha... Don't get too comfortable and fall asleep. richg99


I stand most of the time but when I sit I seem to find the rouge rollers from a distant wake board boat. They drive in circles and you never know when you may come up on a big one. On the list is a pad for the floor. These AZ lakes can get rough.


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## Stumpalump (Feb 13, 2016)

Loaded up for a trip to lake Sajoro today. Tow rig is a 2002 V10 E350 with a 4x4 conversion. Goverment surplus rig that I turned into my camper and tow rig. [



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I finished the trailer last month. Welded two small cracks and covered it with a coat of oil based Rustpleum primer and two coats of paint. Soldered in LED lights, new bunks and some rubber parts. I spent way to much time on it but should be good for a long time. I even painted the hub caps.

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I even added side marker lights and the 3 clearance lights on the rear. If I venture into California I'll be glad it's got all the required DOT lighting and reflectors plus it's safe.

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## Stumpalump (Feb 13, 2016)

Buddy and the wife approve of the new interior but I still need to replace that rear wood and install the second suspension seat.

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Here is a picture of me showing how high the suspension seat makes me sit. When set right it sags an inch or about 4" higher than a regular boat seat.

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How do you like the lake?

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Suspension seat review: 

Love it! At first it's odd rising up after hitting a wake but it goes away quick. I found I like to sit closer to the wheel for some reason so I like having a slider. I dropped the wife off to beat it over some wakeboard boat wakes. That's when it shines. Basically it made the 16 footer feel like an 18. Thumbs up, I recomend to anybody that wants to go faster in ruff water and feel less tired. Best mod I've done to the boat. The harder the hit the more I liked it. I got used to it so fast. It feels like ridding a 80cc motocross bike. You really feel the suspension doing its job. Not like a 450 where the suspension is majic but it sure beats a mini bike with no suspension. Second seat will be installed!


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## richg99 (Feb 14, 2016)

Well done. It's great when it all comes together. You've put a lot of work into that boat and trailer. Now, use it!

richg99


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## Stumpalump (Feb 18, 2016)

With a new water pump, gear lube and intake water screen finished up it was time to grease all the motor fittings and linkage. Then it got a good scrub down including the battery and cables. Next was long overdue mod of doing some cutting. The trim tab on small motors is sometimes as big as the ones on motors 5 times the size. It's just not needed to have that large of a fin directly in the prop wash. 

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I cut about half off but if a motor runs real straight I have cut off more. I tend to do the things that people say won't help because they add up but removing some of that drag right in line with the prop thrust is a no brainier.

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Next on the chopping block was the hydro fin. I made it when I got the boat. Some say you don't need one but it helps to see over the bow while going slow. It's like a shock absorber as well because it slows the bow drop down when it pops up high on a wake. The main reason to have one if you think you don't is because 50% of recovered male drowning victims have their fly down. They fell in while peeing. If you blow your shoulder, hit your head or are in some way incapacitated like freezing then stepping on the fin allows you to get back in the boat very easy. That's mandatory for me but I've seen a dead floater.
I made this out of 1/8" aluminum and bolted it on. You don't want it any bigger than trial and error dictates. This is what it looked like after the trim I gave it. I've cut the store bought plastic ones with great results but it's way more fun and cheap to make your own.

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It does not take much to make a big difference.

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## richg99 (Feb 18, 2016)

Re the peeing issue. I've been carrying a length of PVC. It "extends" over the gunnel.

Didn't think you needed a picture. Ha Ha. richg99


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## Stumpalump (Feb 19, 2016)

richg99 said:


> Re the peeing issue. I've been carrying a length of PVC. It "extends" over the gunnel.
> 
> Didn't think you needed a picture. Ha Ha. richg99



It's called a fish bugle. You tell your fishing buddy that it's a fish calling bugle and that they need to play it. Of course he tries. Put it away until you need to pee. The look on your Buddys face when he finds out is priceless.


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## Stumpalump (Feb 19, 2016)

Home Depot sells 1 1/4" pine round stock for under $2 a foot that made a nice push pole. Its like a closet rod but not oak. I bought 11 feet but cut it to 10 1/2' to fit perfect in the boat. I've always used a paddle and have been wanting a push pole for a long time. Next the dash on top of the console was an eye sore.

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I removed, sanded and treated the teak wood and then sanded and painted the top of the console. Much better!


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The 16lbs light weight battery got installed so the wife and I can head back up the Verde River to see if we can get past that fast moving shallow spot tomorrow.


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