# Weldbilt 1752 build (Finally complete)



## mbweimar (Apr 10, 2013)

Hey fellas, I picked up this 1752 Weldbilt from the guys at Backwoods Landing last weekend. This thing is a tank compared to my 1436 Alumacraft I had. 

This boat will mainly be used for fishing the flats here in the Big Bend area of North Florida, and an occasional trip to East Tennessee. She'll be powered by a 40 horse saltwater ETEC, and a MinnKota co-pilot up front. I install public safety radios and equipment for a living, so I'll throw in a GPS/FF, and a stereo. There will be PLENTY of lighting added including LED headlights, nav and anchor lights, as well as accent lights (red for night fishing.) A polling platform may come later down the road along with a jack plate. 

As of now, all I've had time to do is throw on some Peterson LED lights for the trailer. Once I went LED with my old trailer, I'll never go back. I'm taking it down to St. Marks, Florida this weekend to have the motor hung and console/helm set up. More to come later. Stay tuned folks.

Also note, the console is not centered on the pics. Just had it sitting in there for pics.


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## Pweisbrod (Apr 10, 2013)

That is an awesome looking boat!


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## Flat Bottom (Apr 10, 2013)

Great looking platform!


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## overboard (Apr 11, 2013)

Pweisbrod said:


> That is an awesome looking boat!



My thought also! NICE!!!


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## ked_man (Apr 12, 2013)

JEALOUS!!! that is my dream boat. If you don't mind me asking, what did that boat run you? I am hoping to eventually upgrade to a 1756 and have been looking at weldbilts, they seem like they are a very well designed and built boat.


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## mbweimar (Apr 12, 2013)

Ran me about $3300 for the boat by itself. I wanted a 1756, but the price difference was ridiculous. I want to say it was close to $1000 more, and my budget wouldn't allow that.


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Apr 12, 2013)

Nice! Looks like she sits awful high on the trailer.


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## Country Dave (Apr 12, 2013)

_Hey man very cool,
That boat is a tank. Good luck with your build. _ :WELCOME:


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## mbweimar (Apr 14, 2013)

Fellas, as of now the boat is at Shields Marina in St. Marks, FL to get the console mounted, and have the controls and engine rigged. Should be ready to pick up in a couple weeks.

RBO: YES!!! She was sitting extremely high. I fixed that last week with a fork lift and an impact gun.

I also added an LED clearance bar to the back of the trailer. I didn't need it, but I'm a lighting guru and it was cheap and easy. Only took about 15 mins.


More pics to follow.


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## ked_man (Apr 15, 2013)

mbweimar said:


> Ran me about $3300 for the boat by itself. I wanted a 1756, but the price difference was ridiculous. I want to say it was close to $1000 more, and my budget wouldn't allow that.



That's really not that bad, I looked at a G3 with a center console and a 25 hp and it was 13 grand. I want to watch what you modify this boat for ideas. I'd say it will come out a lot cheaper this way. 

Did you get the CC from weldbilt or was that extra?


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## mbweimar (Apr 16, 2013)

CC came from Weldbilt. I think it was a $150 option. Its only 18" wide though. Looking back I should have gotten the 24" especially since it was the same price.


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## Ryno685 (Apr 16, 2013)

Very nice rig man! I'm hoping to upgrade to a welded boat someday myself.


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## ked_man (Apr 16, 2013)

mbweimar said:


> CC came from Weldbilt. I think it was a $150 option. Its only 18" wide though. Looking back I should have gotten the 24" especially since it was the same price.




That's a great deal man, did that include the trailer as well? You've already got me thinking to fix my boat up to sell and start all over again lol


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## Earlo (Apr 16, 2013)

Nice looking rig. With your being a lighting geek, can't wait to see what you do with the electronics, etc. on this one. I got a Weldbilt earlier this year (1448) and absolutely love it. Tough as nails and those monster-sized ribs make for a nice, tight ride. Mod-V handles and rides great too.


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## mbweimar (Apr 18, 2013)

Got the bunks straightened out


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## mbweimar (Apr 18, 2013)

LED clearance bar added.


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## Country Dave (Apr 18, 2013)

_Very nice,
Looking at your shop, what do you all do there? _


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## mbweimar (Apr 18, 2013)

Dave, we install law enforcement radios and public safety equipment. Normally the shop is packed full of police cruisers, ambulances, fire trucks and anything else you can think of. The camper is from a local emergency management agency, currently getting outfitted with 3 mobile radios and a repeater.


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## Country Dave (Apr 18, 2013)

mbweimar said:


> Dave, we install law enforcement radios and public safety equipment. Normally the shop is packed full of police cruisers, ambulances, fire trucks and anything else you can think of. The camper is from a local emergency management agency, currently getting outfitted with 3 mobile radios and a repeater.



_Very cool, 

At my shop we repair and service any GM car or truck including warranty work. I have 22 Techs, 3 helpers/Tech apprentices, a dispatcher, a warranty administrator, a warrant clerk, a casher and 8 service advisors. I’m a glorified baby sitter but my title is technical service manger/shop foreman. 
It keeps me busy. :LOL2: _


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## mbweimar (Apr 18, 2013)

Ahhh, service manager. I spent a couple years working at a Ford Limcoln dealer. Not my cup of tea.


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## mbweimar (May 2, 2013)

Well, it's been almost 3 weeks since I dropped the boat off at the marina to have it rigged. I've made zero progress due to my debit card being stolen. Almost a month without it means I can't order parts online. So this weekend when I get my new debit card I'll be ordering my seats, seat posts, trolling motor, GPS/FF, and some PVC guide posts for my trailer. Everyone keep your fingers crossed. I don't think I can wait another week for this boat. I'm ready to get my hands dirty!!!


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## ked_man (May 3, 2013)

no good on the lost debit card, hopefully the bank was good to you on fighting the charges. 

Have you gotten the boat back from the marina with the motor on it yet?


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## mbweimar (May 3, 2013)

The bank was really good about reimbursing me. Its been almost a month and I still don't have a debit card. But I'll be getting that tomorrow.

Also going to pick up the boat in the morning. All it will need to run is a gas tank and a battery.


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## mbweimar (May 4, 2013)

OK fellas, I got the boat back today. Got a chance to run it before I handed over the cash for the rigging. At 5200 RPM I got 31 MPH out of her. This was just me in the boat, plus a battery and 6 gallons of fuel.Pitch on that prop was 15. Went to a 13 and got 6150 RPM at about 29 MPH. It was a little more windy on the second run, so I went back to the 15 pitch.

I settled on two 6 gallon tanks instead of one 12 gallon to balance the weight better. I'm not sure what kind of economy to expect out of this engine, so I may not need the other tank. Also got a Yeti 65 from Academy today. It will go in front of the console. I passed up the Tie down kit made my Yeti. $49 for a couple of straps and and brackets? No sir...I can make my own out of aluminum flat stock from Home Depot. I'll also make my own lock bracket. I snapped a quick pic of it on my phone so I can make one at the shop. Went to West Marine today and got some 40" LED lit guide posts, black PVC rod holders for the side of the console, and some safety stuff. Everything after that will be my favorite part...electrical. He he he...


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## Country Dave (May 4, 2013)

_Looks great,
Bro that ant bad for a 40 HP on a 1752. Good job. =D> _


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## Zum (May 4, 2013)

Nice set up,that size etec can handle a lot of weight and still swing a bigger prop.
Maybe this was already mentioned but your bunks seem alittle short.It would be nice if they reached the end of your boat and people are going to mention a transom saver also.


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## Pweisbrod (May 4, 2013)

You won't need the second tank. My etec went literally 70 miles on 4 gallons. Windy conditions. Near wot, but not quite there.


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## mbweimar (May 4, 2013)

I was going to ask about a transom saver. Don't know if I can make it work now because of the clearance light I mounted on the trailer.


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## Zum (May 5, 2013)

They make different model,some come out straight a foot or more then go up.

I think you'll find most people will say you should have/use one,especially seeing that your bunks don't carry on to the back of your boat.
I don't want to be a hypocrite so I have to say I don't use one,although my bunks carry the weight of my boat and my motors a lot lighter(30hp old 2stroke).


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## mbweimar (May 5, 2013)

Since theboat was rigged I noticed the tounge was way too light. I'll move the winch forward some more and see how close I can get.


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## Country Dave (May 5, 2013)

mbweimar said:


> Since theboat was rigged I noticed the tounge was way too light. I'll move the winch forward some more and see how close I can get.


_
Move the axel back 6 inches. _


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## mbweimar (May 6, 2013)

Dave, I would if they weren't torsion axles lol.


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## WildCard07 (May 6, 2013)

From the looks of it you have plenty of room to move the boat forward. That would get your bunks to the back of the boat as well.


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## ked_man (May 6, 2013)

Looking very good!!!

With the throttle control, do you have to work the tilt/trim with your pinky? Is there any way of turning that around? Kinda looks goofy, but I've never driven a cc boat and didn't know if that how it is normally.


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## Country Dave (May 6, 2013)

mbweimar said:


> Dave, I would if they weren't torsion axles lol.




_Get the torch out............ :LOL2: _


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## mbweimar (May 7, 2013)

Last night I got the guide posts on. Ran the wires down through the angle piece that bolts to the frame. Also managed to move the boat up on the trailer. Haven't hooked it up to the truck, but I think it'll work. Just a few inches hang off the end of the bunks in the back.


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## Zum (May 7, 2013)

If you know the weight of your boat/motor and trailer,you can take a scale(bathroom) and get your tongue weight.
Tongue weight is normally somewhere around 10-15% of the total weight of what you towing.
Normally do it on level ground,put the scale on a cinder block and read it...google tongue weight for other ways of doing it.
Your boat will tow better if it's in that percentage range and you might be able to pull your boat up some more to get it all on the bunks.

I know led's don't draw much current but I see them lit up...what are you using for a power source?


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## mbweimar (May 7, 2013)

I also need some advice on how to mount my Yeti 65 in front of the console. I'm leaning towards this orientation. I can get to the latches easily and still makes enough room for the passengers feet.












The only other way I can think of is this, and I'm not too fond of the space between the cooler and console.


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## Badbagger (May 8, 2013)

Damn looking great Miles =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>


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## mbweimar (May 8, 2013)

Zum, in the last pics I had the trailer harness connected to an 18v drill battery.

So tonight I stayed at the shop after work for a couple hours. I decided to buy a cam lock for the front storage compartment since I'll have two batteries mounted up there. 
















I wanted to be sure this lock cylinder never leaked lol






Upon inspection I. Noticed this compartment was NOT water tight.
















5 tubes of silicone later...






I went ahead and sealed up the console too. I'm planning on enclosing it with some sort of door. 






The guys at the marina used some ugly white starboard or something to cover their hole. I made a new one out of black ABS to allow for more cables/wiring to be run.

That's all for tonight...Weimar out.


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## Pweisbrod (May 8, 2013)

Looks awesome.


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## mbweimar (May 15, 2013)

Parts are slowly trickling in and this is the latest. I decided to go a different way with my power distribution. Instead of the Blue Sea power/ground distribution block I went with a waterproof switch panel. Each switch is capable of 20 amps which eliminates the need for any relays, and the whole panel is capable of handling 45 amps continuously, which should be PLENTY. I'll be running LED nav and anchor lights, bilge pump, fish finder/GPS, LED headlights and maybe a stereo later on down the road. Even with all of this running at the same time I won't be pulling anywhere close to 45 amps.


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## Ryno685 (May 15, 2013)

Lookin' good! That's some slick work!


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## Badbagger (May 15, 2013)

Clean work Miles as always =D> =D> =D>


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## Badbagger (May 15, 2013)

For your door, I used Florida Marine Plastics and John does some SERIOUSLY great work. I've got the door but holding off on the install until the boat is done at Sheilds; they started rigging this morning.

https://www.flmarineplastics.com/

GREAT quality work at a fair price.


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## mbweimar (May 15, 2013)

I'll look into that. Thanks. Are they gonna stick to their 3 day schedule?


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## mbweimar (May 15, 2013)

This just came in a few minutes ago. Just realized I forgot to order the quick disconnect plate. Trolling motor plug is on its way, and I gotta pick up a circuit breaker. 

This thing is really starting to come together, and for those of you who know I've been away from home for work since January, I may be coming home as soon as Friday!!!


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## mbweimar (May 15, 2013)

Oops...forgot to post a pic.


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## Badbagger (May 15, 2013)

Man it's coming together. Brought the boat to them last Thursday afternoon and they had one boat ahead of me that came in the same day. Brett had made mention of "wanting to start on Sunday".. I know all to well how busy they are on a Sunday and that won't happen and they're closed on Monday. Called Brett yesterday and they were just finishing up the boat that came in just before mine and he told me that they were starting to rig it this morning. We'll see, I may just take a drive over in the morning to "check up" on the progress. If they haven't touch it by chance then I'll be calling Parkway and I'll bring the boat to them tomorrow. I'm not playing, fish are biting and time is fish :mrgreen:


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## mbweimar (May 15, 2013)

I don't blame you. I'll keep my fingers crossed for ya! 

A couple more parts came in today. Got the thru-hull fitting for my bilge pump mounted and the base for my anchor light. 










It looks like the fitting is right up against aluminium, but I have about two inches of clearance.


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## Badbagger (May 16, 2013)

Looks GREAT =D> =D> Figured out where yer mounting the battery for the TM yet ?


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## mbweimar (May 16, 2013)

Somehow I'm gonna mount both my deep cycle batteries in the forward storage compartment. They fit PERFECT but I need to find a way for secure them. Battery box is too big, and so is a battery tray.


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## Jonboat Jerry (May 16, 2013)

Hi Miles, I strongly recommend a battery box for safety in case the battery case leaks. Corrosion is an aluminum boats worst enemy. Up front is a great location for weight distribution. Your project is looking great.  Jerry


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## Buckethead (May 16, 2013)

What LED lights are planning on using for head lights? I'm planning on putting LED's on mine as well. I've been looking around the internet at marine grade, superbright LED's and honestly it seems a bit intimidating. Just wondering what you'd recommend.


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## Badbagger (May 16, 2013)

Looks GREAT Miles and I'm with Jerry on the battery box etc. Even take your battery box and shorten it up if need be and you'll get them in there =D> =D>


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## mbweimar (Jul 5, 2013)

Ok, so it's been a while since I've done anything with the boat...until today. I finally found time to mount my waterproof switch panel, and power distribution. 

I used some 5200 to help fasten the power distribution to the 1/4" starboard, then screwed it down.









I also rewired the switch panel to bypass the glass fuses. This also did away with the daisy chain wiring they had on there. All the switches were SPST on the panel and to make room for more stuff down the road I replaced two of the switches. One is a DPDT for the nav/anchor lights. This allows me to have the ON-OFF-ON function without splicing a diode in. The other is a SPDT ON-OFF-ON for the bilge pump.





The power distribution is mounted with two 1/4-20 bolts. Notice the upper right corner I coiled the leads for the other 4 switches to keep them out of the way until I need them.





DPDT switch all wired up





If the switch panel appears to be crooked it is...well I discovered the whole console is not straight, so I did the best I could with what I had lol.





I took some pics of the lights but they don't show up well, so I'll take some low light pics when/if this rain lets up. Anyway, that's all for now. Hope everyone enjoyed their 4th. I was doing my best not to float away with all the rain we got..


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## Badbagger (Jul 6, 2013)

Looks GREAT Miles !


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## Ranchero50 (Jul 6, 2013)

Looks great. 

I will suggest from all sorts of experience to get a grab rail loop mounted to the console. It makes moving about the boat a lot easier.

What are you doing for seats and seating?


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## Pweisbrod (Jul 6, 2013)

whoa. :shock:


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## mbweimar (Jul 7, 2013)

OK fellas, here's a better pic of the nav lights. These things are BRIGHT AS HELL! Didn't realize they were 2nm lights, but oh well. 





While I was wiring the console I noticed some stress cracks in the corners on the bottom...perfect timing! All that work for nothing. I'll be replacing this cheap-o console with one that is custom made to my liking.


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## mbweimar (Jul 8, 2013)

OK folks, the boat is going to the fab shop Wednesday morning to have the trolling motor bracket made, and a bracket for my sacrificial anode, and transducer. I'm also going to have them make a new console since mine is pretty much toast. This will give me a chance to customize it to my needs. 

Just got back from West Marine an hour or so ago. I had them order my Lowrance Elite-7 HDI Gold combo. It comes with the DSI transducer and the Navionics card. This unit retails for $869, but they misquoted me at $669, and I had a $100 gift card from my birthday, so I walked out of there with a smile on my face!


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## Kilo70 (Jul 18, 2013)

Any more updates?


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## mbweimar (Jul 19, 2013)

Got my water pressure gauge in, my quick release bracket, and my Lowrance Elite -7 waiting to go on. I also had some FL numbers custom made, but they don't exactly match the Weldbilt decal. They were free though, so if they don't work out, I'll rip them off and get new ones made.


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## DrNip (Jul 19, 2013)

Swank looking boat! 

All the 16" deck extension with /without lids offered by Weldbilt are not water tight.

Where did you get the center console? Is it a Weldbilt?


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## MiPikeGuy (Jul 24, 2013)

Man that's awesome, only thing I'm not diggin is the console. That wiring is amazing!


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## mbweimar (Jul 24, 2013)

Yes, the console is a Weldbilt console. No, it will ABSOLUTELY NOT be staying on the boat much longer. My plans are to have a custom console made by a local fabricator, similar to the console I have now, only a little shorter, add a shelf inside, and a seat in front of it with dry storage, because DrNip hit the nail on the head. Those compartments are not water tight, or even dry by any stretch of the imagination, despite putting silicone around all inside edges. Water still gets in there from the front deck and runs down the strakes along the bottom. It's a good idea if you're storing an anchor, or fuel tank.

WOW! A light bulb just came on above my head. I can move my two 6 gallon gas tanks up front to the storage compartment, and move my batteries into the console when I get the new one. Hmmm...I think I'm on to something.


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## DrNip (Jul 24, 2013)

Yeah for the price of that extension you think they would have gone the extra step to make it water tight.


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## mbweimar (Jul 26, 2013)

OK...I'm not sure if I posted, but the weekend before last I got the trolling motor mounted. It turned out great and MAN this thing rocks. It takes a little getting used to, but totally worth every penny...except when you go to drop the motor over the bow and realize you left the remote back in the truck. Guilty as charged.













The install was a piece of cake. Ran the fish tape through the hole, and into the channel that goes down the side of the boat, which was a one in a million shot. Pulled my wires through, mounted the circuit breaker and drilled the holes for the motor. I didn't paint the bracket because I knew the motor was coming off when I got the quick release plate.

So today, my goal was to pull the motor, mount the quick release plate, and install the fish finder. I forgot my trusty rusty fish tape at work so no fish finder. I have to find time to do that next week before I head south for vacation. Off to work I went on the quick release plate. It took me a minute to figure out the logistics, and how it worked. Where are the instructions you ask? I threw them away...who needs instructions anyway. I didn't get any pics of the process today, because quite frankly, I was tired after a long week, and working out in the sun. The ONLY day we haven't had rain in weeks it seems like..awesome.





got the plate done in no time, and also remembered I had stainless fittings for my fuel water separator so I threw those on while waiting for the paint to dry.






I thought some of you guys might find the interesting. These are the vehicles I helped build this week. I was stuck on the suburban most of the week, and helped the other guys outfit the two undercover trucks.


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## mbweimar (Jul 29, 2013)

The decal kit from outboarddecals.com came in today. My first impression was that something seemed a little off about the decals, but I couldn't put my finger on it because I didn't have the engine there to compare.

After work I got together for dinner with my parents one last time before they move to Tennessee. I got started on the decals about 8:45 and finished up right around 10:30. It didn't take long to notice the difference in color scheme between the original decals and the new ones. The "EVINRUDE" and the "40" on the back were also larger than the originals. I got on google and found that there are a couple different color schemes for the saltwater ETECs. I would rather have kept the same color decals, but the new ones were ok with me, plus they were in WAY better shape, so on they went. here are some before and afters.



 before



 after




 before



 after

The kit also came with an extra "EVINRUDE" and two "BRP" decals, in addition to a couple of "SALTWATER EDITION" decals. Mine didn't have "SALTWATER EDITION" decals, but a quick google check returned some pics of the larger engines with these decals. So I threw them on in the same place as the larger engines.


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## mbweimar (Aug 3, 2013)

Despite needing a console in the near future, I went ahead and installed the Elite 7 HDI. Took it for a spin at Lake Iamonia and was really impressed! I do need to fine tune the settings and the transducer. At speeds over 10 mph I lose my picture.


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## DrNip (Aug 3, 2013)

Is that an aftermarket transducer mount or did it come from the manufacturer? Also what is the fresh unpainted weld in the first pic to the left side?


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## Badbagger (Aug 4, 2013)

Miles that looks sweet brother =D> =D> 

Hey, that motor looks really familiar :twisted:


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## mbweimar (Mar 20, 2016)

I reckon I'll revive this thread, seeing how I'm still dealing with the same boat. 

Not much progress since I got the boat back, but I do wanna show off the leaning post I got. Paid $447 with the cushion, which saved me a good $300 versus having one custom made, and having it upholstered. I got this from a marine surplus warehouse in Ft. Pierce, FL.















 

And with the cushion.


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## mbweimar (Mar 23, 2016)

Update: I got some paint stripped today. As most of you know, it's not fun. I'm using a paint stripping gel, a coarse scotchbrite pad, and a wire wheel. 

When I was finished stripping for the night, I put the console in the boat and mocked up the leaning post. I think the G3 console I have is a little too wide. At 25" it only leaves about 8" on either side to scoot by. So...I moved it over. I've seen a lot of "offset" consoles on skiffs down here, but I'm not sure how I feel about this...thoughts?


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## Big_ug_chevy (Mar 23, 2016)

Slap you a grab rail on it and you will be fine. That's what I plan to do.


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## Catch Release Repeat (Mar 24, 2016)

center it, just my opinion. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## riverrat717 (Mar 24, 2016)

Catch Release Repeat said:


> center it, just my opinion.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



+1


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Mar 24, 2016)

mbweimar said:


> OK fellas, here's a better pic of the nav lights. These things are BRIGHT AS HELL! Didn't realize they were 2nm lights, but oh well.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Might want to move your nav lights to the bow to avoid light reflecting back off the boat. Makes it harder to see at night.


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## mbweimar (Apr 4, 2016)

RBO, I'm definitely redoing the nav lights. I'll be selling these, and mounting surface mount lights on the bow.


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## mbweimar (Apr 4, 2016)

Update: Scraping paint sucks. I've got 75% of the paint stripped from the inside and sides. Haven't touched the bottom yet.



















Right now I'm looking for a fabricator to do a couple things before I start painting. First, I need the transom beefed up a little, just for peace of mind. Second, there's a small crack in the keel that Weldbilt painted right over, and I really want to extend the bench seat forward about 12" to mount the leaning post further forward.


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## mbweimar (May 23, 2016)

Wow! It's been a while since I posted anything. 

As of now, I've almost completely stripped the boat of paint. It's currently sitting upside down on the trailer. The leaning post is mounted with 1/4 x 20 aluminum rivnuts.

I'm getting closer to painting, and should be finished with paint in a few weeks. It seems the trend on here is using self etching rattle can primer, and duck boat paint. I've chosen to go with Pettit 6455/044 epoxy primer,


and Pettit 4700/4701 primer.


6455 is a self etching two part paint, and is applied as a semi transparent coat, then the 4700 is applied over it. I'm going for a gray look, so I probably won't put a top coat over the primer. On the decks, and floor I'll be going with Durabak in light gray.

 With any luck it will look like this. It's a thick, nonskid finish similar to truck bed liner. I'll be spraying everything with this bad boy. It's capable of spraying thick undercoating, and bed liner, as well as thinner paints!


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## jethro (May 24, 2016)

This boat build is amazing! I wish I could afford to do something like this. Looking forward to your completed product!


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## mbweimar (Jun 5, 2016)

Alright, I'm almost ready for paint. Man...stripping paint off a 17ft boat is no joke. I should have logged all the hours I put into it so far.

I ordered the Wagner paint sprayer on Amazon, and it'll be here tomorrow. Went and bought my paint from West Marine today.










I really have to step my game up now, because my sister and her boyfriend are coming to visit from Texas in July. I still have so much to do! 

Last weekend I went to visit my parents in Tennessee. Did plenty of fishing, and spent time with family.









Got to hand feed some hungry carp.




Sister's boyfriend caught a 14" crappie off the dock




Me and my sister got a double header


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## mbweimar (Jun 19, 2016)

Progress:

The last few weeks have been hell. The south Florida heat is down right oppressing. I got all the paint stripped off the boat, sanded it, wiped with down, and when I finally got to spray it I had a major malfunction with the sprayer. I ended up getting over spray on the entire bottom of the hull somehow. So back so sanding I go...

In the mean time I'm working on the console. Stripped the upper half down to bare metal after getting a bad can of paint. It had non skid material in it when it shouldn't have. Here's a few pics of the progress.


























Before 








The instructions for the primers and top coat are very specific, and I've learned the hard way TWICE that there are consequences for not following them exactly. Each coat must be sprayed extremely thin. Then recoated between 8-48 hours. It's hard to pull that off with the south Florida weather, but the wait will be worth it. I'll check back in in a few days when I get some more painting done.


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## mbweimar (Jun 26, 2016)

First coat of two part epoxy primer laid down really nice. Gotta wait 8 hours to recoated with the next epoxy. 

If there's one thing I've learned about painting with epoxies, it's be patient and follow the instructions EXACTLY how they say. I also had no idea I would soend this much on other things like paint thinners, strainers, etc. I've already been through two boxes of 150 shop rags. I keep telling myself it'll be worth it in the end. This paint job will be BULLETPROOF. Here's some pics.


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## mbweimar (Jun 27, 2016)

More spraying tonight. Got the first coat of 4700 epoxy primer on over the metal primer. I did a thumbnail test with the metal primer this afternoon, and couldn't scrape it off, no matter how hard I tried. I'm really impressed with this stuff so far. Two more coats of the 4700 will go on in the next 2 days, then 3 coats of the top coat.

Here's a couple pics of the 4700.


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## FarmHand78 (Jul 1, 2016)

Looks awesome! Forgive me if you stated in an earlier post, but what lights did you use on the trailer guide posts? I think that would be handy!

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## mbweimar (Jul 1, 2016)

I think they're made by Smith? Same company that makes the guide posts, rollers, brackets, etc.


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## FarmHand78 (Jul 2, 2016)

Thanks.... CE Smith makes both post kits with lights, and light toppers for 2" PVC

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## mbweimar (Jul 24, 2016)

Guys, this thing is taking waaaay longer than expected. BUT I've started spraying my top coat, and I've got one coat left before flip it over and start all over on the inside. 

One of the reasons it's taking so long is because of the heat. You're not supposed to spray in temps over 90 degrees, and down here in South Florida temps seldom get below 90! The other reason is that each coat must dry a minimum of 8-24 hours. But this paint is super easy to work with.

Something else that's also come up, is that I applied to be a fish and wildlife officer back in November last year, and was finally offered the position, under the condition that I pass a psychological exam. I took the exam Thursday, so I should have a final offer of employment in the next week or so. If I get it, I'll be moving to Tallahassee for 6 months to go through the academy. It'd be nice o be able to take this boat with me if that happens, so I gotta start hurrying!

Here's a few pics of the top coat.


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## mbweimar (Dec 20, 2016)

I'm finally picking up momentum with my build. Now that the weather down here in South Florida is cool enough, I've been able to get quite a bit done. I decided to lay a few more coats of paint on for good measure. I didn't sand the primer down like I should have, so it's orange peeled quite a bit, but I'm OK that.













I've also been working on the console. It's painted and right now I'm just about finished with the livewell. I posted some pics on another thread, but didn't get any responses, but I got everything figured out. I have a 3/4" inlet that will be hooked up to a 500gph livewell pump. The overflow is 1", and the drain is 1 1/4". With the ball valve I'll be able to fine tune it so that if the overflow can't keep up, I just crack the valve to equalize it. I did some testing with the garden hose, and even with it turned all the way on, the overflow and drain opened, it still drops the water level.

















I got a little wiring done too. Mounted everything on starboard to keep from drilling tons of holes in the console. The space at the top is where the Kenwood Bluetooth amp will be mounted.

















That's it for now. Probably won't get anything done until after the first of the year. I'm traveling to East Tennessee to see my parents for Christmas.


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## Fishizzle (Dec 21, 2016)

Nice boat, and nice work on the wiring, etc. As a boat mechanic, I have a definite appreciation for clean rigging!


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## mbweimar (Dec 21, 2016)

Thanks fishizzle! I'm an electronics tech for the Fish and Wildlife Commission here in FL. I do this kind of work every day, but on my own rig I really take my time to make it look nice.


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## Fishizzle (Dec 21, 2016)

That's cool, I'm right down the road from you in north palm beach. I started working for a new company about 7 months ago, Nautical Ventures. I do outboards and electronics primarily. Just got started on a little aluminum boat project and joined this forum, lots of cool builds and info here.


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## mbweimar (Dec 29, 2016)

Nice! There aren't too many people from south florida on here. Let me know if you need any help with your project.


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## mbweimar (Jan 1, 2017)

Happy New Year everyone! I was able to get a few things done on the boa this weekend. The paint is cured on the bottom, so my girlfriend and I flipped it back over on the trailer. Then I started working on the floor. I bought a 4x8 piece of 0.090 aluminum to try to save as much weight as I could. I hope I don't regret going with the .090 vs .125. Anyway, my plan is to cover the floor, deck, and rear bench with Tuff Coat. It's a rubberized coating very similar to truck bed liner. The best I can tell its about the same price as Hydro Turf and other similar products. Its way tougher, but probably not as comfortable. But hey...it's a jon boat, not a Yellowfin. The Tuff Coat is stupid easy to work with. On bare aluminum you acid etch it with one part muratic acid, and one part water. Then prime with MP-10 metal primer, let it dry, and roll the tuff coat on. I'm debating using it on the whole inside of the boat, but it's going to add a lot of weight. Here's some pics of the progress.











 The texture is pretty aggressive, but still comfortable to walk on with bare feet. It also remains much cooler than bare aluminum in direct sunlight.



 Test fit



 The directions state you must acid etch with muratic acid and water. Gloves must be worn, even when diluted. I mixed it in a bucket, then used a stiff brush to spread it and scrub lightly at the same time. You'll see a vapor coming from the metal that looks like steam, and the acid will start to bubble. Before acid etching I sanded with 80 grit for some additional mechanical bond. 



 After acid etching.



 The primer is a one part epoxy and it's water based. Super easy clean up. I put two coats on to cover the streaks. The instructions say only one coat is necessary, but the video instructions say two coats will not hurt anything.



 I applied in thin coats to build up to the thickness I want. I intentionally didn't cover the seat base in the middle because I have a hatch going in it's place.

I have tons of chores to do today, but hopefully I'll be able to get some more done. Stay tuned!


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## mbweimar (Jan 2, 2017)

I'm so excited I finally got to install my hatch yesterday! I got an awesome deal on a jig saw from Harbor Freight yesterday. It was originally $60 but I got it for $22. 

Anyway started by cutting out the seat base. Then I traced out my template, drilled a few holes and started cutting away. Weldbilt had some kind of stupid aluminum backing for the seat base. It made it really difficult to cut through.















 
You can see the angled aluminum underneath. I couldn't cut through it with my saw, so I had to cut around it. 




A drill with a wire wheel made quick work of the foam. The good news is, there's about a 5" gap between the bottom of the foam, and the bottom of the boat. This means I can replace the foam I took out for the hatch, and fill that gap. Also...The foam in the bench looks like styrofoam. That's not closed cell is it? It's the same stuff they make coolers out of. If that's a no-no I'll pull the rest out and put the purple home depot foam in like everyone else does.

Next I laid the hatch liner in. Do the be fooled by the pics. After I cut the template out, I spent a good hour grinding the corners out so the hatch would drop in.







 
The hatch slides down right into the liner. 

That's pretty much it for now. It's been raining on and off all morning so I haven't done anything yet today...More to come tomorrow.


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## mbweimar (Jan 3, 2017)

Last night I got bored, so I started piecing together what I had so far. I laid the floor in, bolted the leaning post down and positioned the console where I wanted it mounted.


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## Prowelder (Jan 3, 2017)

Nice build, but as a metal guy you are definitely going to regret the. 090. Good luck

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## mbweimar (Jan 3, 2017)

I hope not. It seems sturdy enough even though it's not riveted down. I'll have closed cell foam under the floor for a little added support as well.


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## Prowelder (Jan 4, 2017)

Hopefully that's enough. I've seen floors that are .125 sag between cross braces. You have to install frame supports between the stock cross braces in the boat. I'm about to do some on the 1652 im doing. I will post pictures for you this week. 

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## mbweimar (Jan 5, 2017)

Thanks Prowelder. I'm looking forward to seeing pics. I'm holding off on everything in the rear until I see your rear deck. That's something I've always wanted.


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## mbweimar (Jan 9, 2017)

Ok, I took the boat back to fabricator. I'm having an 8 gallon fuel cell made, along with a battery tray up front, and framing for a rear deck. 

I was bored over the weekend, so I decided to wrap the steering wheel with 550 paracord. It was surprisingly easy after watching a couple YouTube videos. Here's the result:


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## Johnny (Jan 10, 2017)

good job !!
back in my Navy shipboard days, just about everything was wrapped
in white cotton line (didn't have paracord back then).
after the wrapping passed inspection, it was coated with several
applications of Spar Varnish. This not only gave it a nice honey color
but provided protection from the weather and the dirt and oil on your hands.
Once you get it dirty, you will find it impossible to get that new look back.
Like sealing plywood, start with a 50% thinned app of varnish.
if you want to color it , paint can also do the same job.
again, good job !!!


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## mbweimar (Jan 10, 2017)

Thanks Jonny! I thought about spar urithane, but thought it might make it slippery. It only costs about $8 for the Paracord, and about an hour to wrap.


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## Johnny (Jan 10, 2017)

decorated line and ropework has been on boats and ships
since the cave man days.
I see that you have a real pretty stainless helm - which will be
more slippery when wet than a carp.
the wrapping you have done will be waaaayyyyyyy more better.
it will only improve the grip factor after it is painted or varnished.
please avoid any water based or latex paints and primers.
good luck !!! looks great !!


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## mbweimar (Jan 10, 2017)

Yes sir! And just a little sweat and sunscreen makes it slick as a cow pie on a flat rock. I think I'll do an experiment before I do anything to the steering wheel. I have about 18 feet of order left, so I'll wrap the handle on my hammer and coat it with some spar varnish to see how it changes color and texture. Thanks for the info!


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## mbweimar (Jan 14, 2017)

I got the boat back from the fabricator this morning. So much to talk about! 

First, I was cruising the web looking at manual jack plates. I've been wanting one bad, but at over $200 it just wasn't a priority. So I'm doing some research and I come to the Cabela's site. I just about fell out of my chair when i saw this:




Yes..they're hydrolic and even come with a position guage for the console. $250??? Regular price was $1000!
So I bought two...LOL







Ok, now I can tell you about the fabrication. I wanted the space between the rear bench seat, and the transom framed. Mainly so I could deck that area to add more fishing space. But also to support the bench seat itself, and the transom. I need the extra strength in the transom now that a 42 lb jack plate will be hanging off the back. The framing is 2" square tube, with T stock in the middle. This deck is SOOO strong. On top is .125 aluminum. My plans are to rivet the .125 down with 1/4 rivets, and install 9" inspection covers like this.




Here's the framing:




And the decking over it.




Then there's the fuel cell. I promise you won't find another one like this. If my math is correct it's just over 5 gallons. It'll bolt in so I can clean/service it later on down the road. There's rubber anti fatigue mat under the fuel cell to keep it from chattering. This, along with the battery being mounted up front should offset a lot of the weight from the rear deck and console. 
















And the battery mount. I keep wanting to call it a tray. It's supported by 1" square tube underneath.


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## dearl (Jan 15, 2017)

Man I have the same Jack Plate on my jet boat and I paid $1,100.00 for it, you wont be disappointed, Mine has performed perfect now for 5 years. 1 small piece of advise, if you do have a relay go bad, go ahead and buy the CMC 80 amp relays and not the cheap auto parts ones. I was buying 2 or 3 cheap relays a year, finally found the CMC relays, and haven't replaced one since.


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## mbweimar (Jan 16, 2017)

I'll definitely buy one and keep it on the boat. Thanks for the advice!


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## mbweimar (Jan 17, 2017)

Got the front deck primed tonight. Tomorrow I'll roll out some more Tuff Coat on it.


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## mbweimar (Jan 19, 2017)

Made a little more progress on the front deck tonight. Got two coats of Tuff Coat on, and painted the trolling motor bracket.


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## Jim (Jan 20, 2017)

:beer:


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## Ebug (Jan 20, 2017)

MBWeimer, did you take receipt of your jackplate score yet? 

I checked the site and they have changed to description to manual jackplate.

I'm hoping you scored yours before they corrected the issue.


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## mbweimar (Jan 21, 2017)

Well...Long story short, I won't be getting the jack plates I ordered. What I don't understand is it was a closeout sale...But they ship directly from the manufacturer. So how can they have a closeout sale if they don't have that product in inventory. 

They still show the same PL65 jack plate WITHOUT a guage in stock, but won't give me that one for less than $719. I called Cabela's yesterday and spoke with a few different people but wasn't satisfied with the outcome, so I'll call back Monday.


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## Prowelder (Feb 13, 2017)

Any updates?

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## mbweimar (Feb 15, 2017)

The past few weeks I've been making slow, but steady progress. Took my issue with Cabela's to corporate, and they could care less. At least I didn't lose any money on the deal. But I don't believe I'll be doing any business with them again.

Anyway, I'm 99% finished applying the Tuff Coat. I went ahead and covered the tops of the stringers, and the tops of the rear deck supports with it for two reasons.
1- I had some pitting under the floor from where saltwater was trapped, and as thoroughly as I rinsed everything, it still remained trapped. So no more places for salwater to hide and remain trapped against bare aluminum.
2- One of the biggest complaints I had was the vibration at idle. The floor especially. I always had a loose pop rivet or two and that caused the floor to vibrate. Drive me nuts...

I also cut out some diamond plate to mount on the corner braces. I got the idea from Country Dave's 1752 Lowe build. (Thanks Dave). I hope to have the engine hung either this weekend or next. After that...Finish rigging, run the wiring, secure the floor and console, and it's done! I'm beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel! Here's a few pics:


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## mbweimar (Feb 20, 2017)

I had the whole day off today, and beautiful weather, although a bit warm. I decided to do some rolling and tipping since I have two quarts of paint leftover. I ended up covering those spots from the welder very well. I actually enjoyed the roll and tip method compared to spraying. 









I also worked on mounting the cleats in the rear. I decided to put some scrap starboard to use and made some spacers. This insulates the stainless from the aluminum, and the larger back plate reinforces the aluminum that it's mounted to.









I tried to take a pic of the backing plate in there, but this is the best I could do.





More to come soon! I had a friend that works at West Marine order me an Atlas Micro Jacker at cost, so that'll be in tomorrow. By next weekend I should have the engine hung!


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## mbweimar (Mar 5, 2017)

I didn't realize how long it's been since I posted on here. I've done a lot in the last couple weeks. 

I hung the Atlas Micro Jacker, and the ETEC. I got a rare pic of my girlfriend helping me hang the engine. I couldn't have done it without her!
















I finally got the engine running, after it wouldn't crank, I realized it was in gear. I was able to acquire EvDiag software from Evinrude free of charge. I was able to make my own cable too. On eBay they go for $60. I made mine for about $12. Of anyone is interested, I can do a write-up on the cable.





While I was under the hood, I replaced the fuel filter, a few fuel lines, water pressure guage hose, and made some longer battery cables.









Everything put back together.








Jack plate all the way up.


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## sonny.barile (Mar 6, 2017)

"I got a rare pic of my girlfriend helping me hang the engine. I couldn't have done it without her!"

Helped you with that install?????

Now thats a keeper...


Boat is looking great.


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## mbweimar (Mar 22, 2017)

Update:

Lots has been accomplished in the last couple weeks since I checked in. Once I got the engine hung, I start d working on the rigging. I bought new shorter shift cables from Amazon, and a shorter 12' steering cable. Turns out the steering cable was too short and I had to exchange it for a 13'.

The starting battery has been relocated up front for better weight distribution, and that called for an upgrade to the existing batter cables. I purchased about 17' of 2/0 battery cable for the run. I had a heck of a time fitting it through the rigging gromet, but I made it work. 





I ended up running some 2" PVC up front as a rigging tube for the starboard side. It was originally 1", but that quickly filled up.













I ended up having to run two 2/0 battery cables, two 8 gauge wires for the jack plate, two 16 gauge wires for the fuel sender, and a 16/3 cable for the starboard nav light and spot light.

I also decided to relocate the primer bulb from above the rear deck, to below. This was just to make the rigging cleaner looking. 





Because of the higher amperage draw from the jackplate, I decided to power it with the starting battery. This will leave the house battery to power the stereo, lights, bilge pump, livewell, and fishfinder. I had to modify the harness slightly to accommodate the longer run to the starting battery, and adding a bus bar was really helpful for connecting the 8 gauge wires, to the smaller 16 guage wires for the relay. I was disappointed in myself for mounting the bus bar so high. It didn't allow me enough room to make my ground wires look pretty...Oh well.






Back in November I replaced the GPS/fishfinder on my 23' Mako. I ended up getting a Lowrance Elite 7ti, and I love it. So...I'm getting rid of the Elite 7 unit I had previously on the boat, and decided it'd be much cheaper if I just buy the transducer, power cable, and mount for the Elite 7ti, then transfer the display from one boat to another. This works out perfectly, because I always remove the display and store it inside when I'm not using it. Here's a pic of the totalscan transducer mounted. It's a behemoth. On my Mako it doesn't looks so big, but on a Jon boat it looks HUGE.









Guages are also finished. I went with the Faria Dress White series. Got the system check tach, water pressure in the middle, and fuel on the bottom.





I ordered closed cell foam on eBay as advised by another member on here. I ended purchasing 10 pieces of 24" x 10" x 2". I almost fell over when I got it...I.coukdnt have cut it better if I measured. I took it out of the box and slid it right into place. No trimming or anything.





On a side note, we got a new boat in my area, so I drove down to check it out. It's a 33' 1000 Brunswick. It's strictly used for extended offshore patrol and special details. It's fully enclosed, with AC, and a generator, so the engines don't have to be operating the whole time. She carries 307 gallons of fuel!









Alright, that's it for now. Stay tuned!


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## Just_Chuck (Mar 24, 2017)

Boat looks great. The close-up on the bottom of the motor makes the prop look damaged, could just be a shadow but you can't have a beat up prop on a beautiful build like this. Sorry about the jack plate issue, I find that the big box stores don't feel they need to keep customers happy. They should have at the very least gave you a $50 gift card for your trouble. Foam looks great, I had to manipulate mine to fit but that guy on ebay sure was a cool find.


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## mbweimar (Mar 24, 2017)

Thanks Chuck! YES the prop is pretty damaged. 243 hours of running around the flats has taken its toll. I've been looking hard at a new 4 blade aluminum Turning Point prop. Or, I may go with a Rogue 4 blade stainless. It depends on how much money I have when im finished.

I still need to purchase a power cable and bracket for the fish finder, a Kenwood Bluetooth marine amplifier, and a pair of speakers.


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## Just_Chuck (Mar 25, 2017)

Funny you mentioned that, i installed my speakers yesterday and I bought the power cable to my Bluetooth Marine Amplifier today. I got the Pyle amplifier not the Kenwood. 

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## mbweimar (Mar 27, 2017)

I looked at the Pyle long and hard. Ultimately it came down to the Kenwood's bridged power...90W RMS. I haven't decided if I'm going with a single pair, or two pairs of speakers.

Anyway tonight I mounted the circuit breaker up front for the jackplate and terminated the wires.





I also mounted my underwater lights. These things are soooo bright! I'm thinking about mounting another one in the middle...Perhaps in white.


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## mbweimar (Apr 4, 2017)

Update:

I've completed a good chuck of the wiring. Last night I ran my 6/2 cable for the trolling motor, and installed my Battery Tender trolling motor plug. I ran some 1" PVC down the port side as a rigging tube for the trolling motor wiring, as well as the wiring for the port nav light, spot light, and speakers. Running the wires was been the most difficult part besides painting. I found that doing it at night was easiest, because I could shine a light down into the holes I drilled for the nav/spot lights, then look through the other holes to see what I was doing.

This is where the port side inspection cover will be. It's dead even with the console.




From inside the front storage compartment. The other end of my rigging tube.




6/2 cable for the trolling motor. (That's 6 gauge, 2 wire)




Previously, my 8 gauge trolling motor wiring came out this hole. This is where the Battery Tender plug will go.








Back side of the plug. Heat shrink applied and a couple thick coats of plasti-dip just to be safe.




I couldn't get into that space with any of my rivet guns, so after scratching my head for 30 mins, I realized I could disconnect one arm of the rivet gun and still use it...problem solved.




All finished. It looks crooked as hell, but it's not, I promise.




And a couple pics of the nav/spotlight wiring.








Also found a new prop. It's a Turning Point 4 blade aluminum 13.5x15. picked it up from West Marine with a hundred for a cool $100.




And it probably didn't need it yet, but I replaced the anode on the lower unit...Just to be safe.


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## elrodphil (Apr 9, 2017)

I just bought a 1548 from Backwoods Landing...what a bunch of great guys! They were really personable and I love the boat...great price and value compared to the others I priced. I'm looking to put a floor in my boat soon. Looks like you used 1/8 in aluminum. I'm going to try to do the same and cover it with marine vinyl to make it cooler on our feet...Awesome Job....have you got final pictures?


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## mbweimar (Apr 9, 2017)

Phil I'm still working on it. I'm snagged on my livewell drain, so when I get that figured out I can lay the floor down, and wire everything up. 

I used .090 for the floor to save a little weight. It seems to be rigid enough, even when it wasn't riveted down. 

The guys at Backwoods are really nice to deal with. I had a SNAFU with my boat a little over a year ago. You might want to check out my thread titled ISSUES WITH MY WELBILT.


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## mbweimar (Apr 10, 2017)

I'm finished wiring the front of the boat! Spot lights are mounted finally! I had been debating on whether to use the stainless brackets that came with the lights, or make my own aluminum brackets. I decided to stay with the stainless.

I used a waterproof cable gromet used for RG58 coax. It worked perfect for the light cable. Then I used a 10-24 aluminum rivnut to secure the light bracket to the bow. A stainless bolt is used to fasten the bracket, so I figured if I have issues with corrosion, the rivnut can be replaced without affecting the hull. I used a nylon 1/4" washer to insulate the stainless bracket from the aluminum rivnut, and to aid in swiveling the light if I need to aim it to the side or something.

































This is just one light. Should be plenty of light with both of them lit up!













New decals came in today for the engine. They're 2014+ decals, but my engine is a 2009. Still a perfect fit. Took about an hour and a half to get them right, but MAN do they look sexy!


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## elrodphil (Apr 10, 2017)

Thank Man! awesome posts. I am going to put a floor in mine...where did you get the materials for your floor and did you cut it with a jig saw?


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## mbweimar (Apr 10, 2017)

I bought mine locally. I don't remember what I paid. But they had a break there. I just brought in my factory floor and they cut it to size. I had to take an orbital sander with 80 grit to fine tune the corners.


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## mbweimar (May 1, 2017)

I ended up having to spray the last few little corners, nook, and crannies with Tiff Coat, but I'm finally finished. I got my custom decals and FL numbers in from Boat US. And after thinking about it, I decided to add a white underwater LED in the center of the transom. 

The Alumacraft console is on order. Not sure when it be here, but my old G3 console is for sale in the classified section.


































I had been thinking about how to mount the bilge pump for months. I bought aluminum stock and made several brackets, but nothing looked or functions well enough. I finally decided to 5200 the bracket directly to the floor. The piece of starboard is only there to keep the bracket from sliding around.









Fuel tank is painted, bolted in, and hoses hooked up. Just need to connect the wires for the sender and ground.


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## mbweimar (May 9, 2017)

Ok, steadily making progress. 

The last week or so I've been working on finishing up the wiring in the back, along with a few cosmetic details.

I added a glove box up front inside the front storage compartment. I had to fabricate a piece of starboard to keep things from falling out when I open the door.

























I also engineered a solution to my need for lighting in the bigle. There's a lot of plumbing, wiring, filters, etc. back there, so if a problem arises, I'll need a well lit area for service and repair. I wanted some sort of switch to activate when the latches are opened, rather than an extra rocker switch on the console, which I didn't have room for.
After searching for automotive door jamb switches, a d trunk/good light switches, I came across the neat 12v magnetic switches used for security systems. I found them in amazon for $6 and change. 




They're​ super easy to use. B+ goes to the common terminal, then your load will go to either the normally open, or normally closed terminal. I selected the normally closed terminal, so that when the magnet is placed next to it (when the hatch is closed) they​'re open, and when the hatch is lifted, he contacts close.

The switches come with adhesive strips on the back, and holes for mounting with screws. I chose to use silicone to to secure them, that way it sealed up the back of the switch ( I had doubts that the back side was water tight.)





The switches are only rated for 500mA, so I had to be careful in selecting a light that drew less. Even for LEDs these days, 500mA isn't a heck of a lot of current. I chose a surface mount 3 LED module with three 1W LEDs. Each module only draws 300mA.





Here's a couple pics of the bilge area. I riveted the deck down right after taking these.


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## dirty dave (May 11, 2017)

Where did you get the rubber mat in the bilge area from? 

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## mbweimar (May 14, 2017)

I got it from my local Home Depot. It's just some anti fatigue mat. I also put it under my fuel tank to prevent any vibration. It seems to hold up well in the sun. I would think want to walk it, but it makes a good liner for any hatches to keep the noise down.


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## Alvarez1112 (May 28, 2017)

Nice work! Our boats are set up very similar to one another.


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## badbill (May 31, 2017)

Really nice build 


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## DocBrown (Jun 1, 2017)

Very cool build! I'm running the Kenwood Bluetooth marine amp you mentioned in bridged mode on 2x 6.5". It is loud and clear with just the two speakers...that may change when on the water but I don't expect much difference. I just finished the build so I hope to get on the water this weekend and find out.


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## mbweimar (Jun 26, 2017)

Ok it's FINALLY finished...mostly. I don't have time to post all the pics I have, and I apologize for not keeping the thread updated, but here's a few teaser pics until I can post an entire update.


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## elrodphil (Jun 27, 2017)

WOW! Awesome!!!!
Hats off to you...I know there is a lot of time a patience involved....


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