TOPIC: Project: The Bluegill Bomber

Ok! Now the fun begins!

I must say I'm extremely grateful to the previous owner. He threw in seat frames he made, the patterns for the seats, new wiring for the trailer and a bunch of other goodies. I don't think we did too bad for $200! LOL.

Now, on with the show.

Here is one of the new wheels, and I threw in the picture of the bearing buddies he installed.

Here is the boat in profile.

Here is a rear view.

Motor shot.

Spare "long shaft" motor. Which I found you you CAN lift by yourself on the side of the road...

And, well, this one speaks for itself.

Now, for the news I wasn't hoping for. There are a couple of 'soft spots' in the floor, mostly at the area where your feet would be if you were sitting in the rear seats. They aren't through, but they are 'weak'. Can they be stiffened with a fresh coat of matting and 'glass? Or should they be cut out completely and replaced? I know nothing about boats... so any advice will be digested at this point!

Other than those couple of 'soft spots' and what appears to be a thorough cleaning, I don't think it will need too much else. Famous last words, huh?

So, grab a beer and c'mon over. There's plenty of cleaning and waxing to do!

Good night all!

JK

Looks good. Keep that smile for now the work begins.
Soft spots in the floor--not good. The proper thing is to get it all out of there and replace it. Transom also if it is shot. That is about it for structural. The rest is easy stuff.
Congrats and keep going.
Neil

Welcome and yep what Neil said! Soft floor almost always means rot and it has to come out or it will just get worse. The transom also needs to be checked to make sure there are no soft spots there also, or hidden rot. That should be a fun project. Good luck We're here when you need help.

Bob

Nope. Transom is solid.

The PO said when he picked it up, it was full of leaves and stuff. Probably what weakened the floor.

The stringers 'look' good... I guess I'll find out! LOL.

Sigh. Now I know what the 'smile' was about when I told my friends I was getting a boat. "A hole in the water you throw money in" was whispered back and forth a few times too.

Oh well... I guess I'll have to start drinking cheap(er) beer!

It's all in the name of fun!

Bluegill_Bomber wrote:

Ok! Now the fun begins!

If you only knew.... RUN AWAY NOW!!!

Now, for the news I wasn't hoping for. There are a couple of 'soft spots' in the floor, mostly at the area where your feet would be if you were sitting in the rear seats. They aren't through, but they are 'weak'. Can they be stiffened with a fresh coat of matting and 'glass? Or should they be cut out completely and replaced? I know nothing about boats... so any advice will be digested at this point!

Floors rot from the bottom up, usually. Often the bottom of the plywood wasn't glassed or sealed at all- and it rots away. Consider yourself VERY lucky if you don't need new stringers, you wont know that for sure until you get the floor out, though. Check the transom very closely, I've seen many that seem perfectly solid have hidden issues.

The good news is, it's all repairable

-Andrew

Good looking boat for a good price. It looks like my project but you got yours for $50 less than me.... I feel like I have been taken advantage of now.

Thanks for the comments everyone.

Like I said before, I'm new to boats, so this will be a learning experience.

My wife and oldest son took to washing it this afternoon, so I figured I'd go help out. LOL

Started to polish the windshield frame. It's amazing what 30+ years of sitting outside will do to aluminum. And with a little Mothers Mag and Aluminum wheel polish...

You can really see a difference. They went to work with some 'magic erasers' and cleaned up the hull.

Now, I've got an excuse to buy a Dremel tool with a polishing wheel, so I can polish up the rub strip aluminum and paint the rub strip itself.

Man, this boat thing is really starting to add up! LOL

Baby steps, but it's progress.

Nothing better than a good excuse for new toys, uh I mean tools!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bob

One thing I did forget to mention- if anyone has one of these boats they are parting out- I'd like to get the 'base' for the rear light. I plan on adding an ensign at the rear and would like the bases to match.

Thanks!

JK

$200!?!?

The boats I've been looking at are either $500 beaters with out trailer and no motor,
To $1500-$2000 with trailer and motor, but with keel and floor damage!

Wow, $200.....

oct.

BLUEGILL BOMBER!!!! I love the name!!!!!!

Oh yea! And that's one sharp looking boat you got there pal!

october wrote:

$200!?!?

The boats I've been looking at are either $500 beaters with out trailer and no motor,
To $1500-$2000 with trailer and motor, but with keel and floor damage!

Wow, $200.....

oct.

Check your local craigslist. In Michigan, there were quite a few on there for under $500. Most with a trailer.

I just happened to be in the right place, at the right time, when I came across ours.

If you want to be even sicker, technically I made money on it, since I sold a gun to a buddy of mine for the cash, and still have more than half of it left over.

Good luck and happy hunting!

And thanks, Littlefin. I wanted to incorporate my love of old airplanes somehow... since I will never be able to afford a plane, at least I can have a boat named after one! LOL

JK

Well, I don't really have any boat related updates for the last couple weeks, but I do have a question....

How hard should the pull (recoil) start line be to pull? I was moving some stuff around the yard last weekend, and tried giving the 'blue' engine that's on the boat a tug for s and g's... Nothing. Didn't budge. I'm thinking that's not good.

I was on the ground, at a wierd angle, so i'm not totally convinced it's froze up, but I'm not too sure it's free either.

Hmmm.

Life is complicated now, what with school soccer season (assistant coaching, eats up 3-4 days during the week), Scouts for both kids, wife in school again, and weekends go by too fast. Probably the soonest I'll get to work on the boat is when snow starts flying! Which reminds me I still need to clean out the garage. Damn, gotta find time for THAT now. Argh!

TTYL,

JK