Back in Black

[gez]

Well, another DIY project (99% complete). I was to give the boat a test run today (Sat.), but it's blowing pretty bad here in Melbourne (variable winds all through the week ) - Instead, I'll just have to bore you all with the odyssy.
The hull is a standard twin thwart Stacer 4m deep V dinghy, I do a fair bit of fishing in PPB, and this hull shape is probably better suited than a punt, though of course not as stable to move around. The console is bolted to the front thwart and is mostly driven from a standing position.

[gez]

pic from the rear.

[gez]

With a 40HP honda (weighing over 90kg) I had to get some welding work done on the transom to cope with the load and HP (hull rated to 35HP) The bloke who did the work here in Melbourne builds large aluminnium vessels mostly for the export market, and although he was flat out when I rang him, the job was finished within a few hours after dropping the boat off.

[gez]

5mm plate welded to the ouside of the transom

[gez]

Time to do all the sections of ply to be carpetted. This included pieces that form raised decks enclosing the thwarts, as well as a rod locker, and some small sections for the fuel tank and batteries to sit on. This part of the job took around 6 weeks, mostly watching paint dry, which took about 3 days per coat with the cold weather not being so great for drying. Still, I had some time to kill before the spray job could be done, and it was still more interesting than watching TV

[gez]

Carpeting the ply took another week or two. Once again, mainly waiting for the adhesive to dry, and still nothing worth watching on TV (except "The Soprano's" )

[gez]

Time for the spraypainter to take over. He did the whole job, including prep-wash, acid etching, priming and topcoats on the weekend, and almost the whole of Saturday was spent waiting for it to stop flogging down rain so we could move the boat 20m from one driveway into the painting booth next door. I was told that it was the coldest day (and just about the wettest) in Melbourne for something like 26 years, so once again, not the most conducive weather for painting. Still, it came up very well I thought.

[gez]

I had some spray dodgers made up, and you can also see the padded Bermuda benchseat here, that along with the rod locker is easily removed if not required, or to make space for extra passengers

[Sarge]

Awesome efforts mate!

[gez]

Just about finished, if there is such a concept. I ordered the rego stickers and a few others a couple of weeks ago, but they havn't arrived as yet. Also when I went to have some tyers fitted a couple of days ago, I discovered that the rims had nicely corrode away from the inside out, so I tracked down some gal rims and had some light truck tyres fitted.

[gez]

Over and out!!!

[dantheman]

Looks great, but wouldn't that rod locker get in the way. love the colour and console ive got a 475 quinnie centre console, great fishing boats,
ps. ive seen your car around well im pretty sure anyway/
cheers Dan

[Pete from the East]

Gez,

love the job you have done looks great, I am sure it will do the job for you

Big Pete

[i_wanna_fish]

you've done a great job mate well done

[BenS]

Now that's a Pinky Rig!!!!!!!!!!