Country Dave’s Lowe 1752 modification/restoration project.

[bigwave]

Dave this type of shade maker is what I use on a hot Florida day. I also take my buff and leave it in the cooler for a bit, then I put it on my head under the hat.......just like an air conditioner on your head. It looks kinda goofy but I am at the age that I don't want anymore sun on my face neck or ears. This is my redneck version of shade maker.

 

[Country Dave]

Dave this type of shade maker is what I use on a hot Florida day. I also take my buff and leave it in the cooler for a bit, then I put it on my head under the hat.......just like an air conditioner on your head. It looks kinda goofy but I am at the age that I don't want anymore sun on my face neck or ears. This is my redneck version of shade maker.

LOL yeh man I got cha,

I usually just pull my buff up over my visor and were light colors, as long as I don’t have the sun on my skin I’m ok. I’m going to have to try putting a buff in the cooler. Great tip. Thanks.

 

[bigwave]

Here is a shot of me wiring a decent Marlin, I dunk that thing in the cooler all day long and it keeps me very comfortable......goofy but cool.....

 

[Gators5220]

haha I have one of those, the redneck t-top that is!

 

[Bass n flats]

Not to get your post off topic but in addition to dipping the buff in the cooler we will take clean wet towels and put them in individual zip locks and keep them down in the bottom of the cooler. On really hot days it will almost put you in shock wiping down with that ice cold towel.

 

[Country Dave]

Hey guys thanks’ for the tips, all good stuff for sure,

Well Bubba and the boys stopped by last night and we flipped her over on the trailer. This is the first time, and God willing the last time I see her upside down. :LOL2: Sanding, cleaning, rolling out the steelflex and prepping for paint this weekend.
I’ve decided I’m going to run the steelflex up to the first chine/rib.

Originally I was just going to come up the side about 4 inches but coming up to the first rib will make a transition point for the paint. The extra steelflex on the side sure won’t hurt anything ether.
I feel like I will be over the hump and past the half way point after she’s flipped back over and back on the trailer.

 

[bigwave]

Hey dave, when you guys put the pods on I noticed that you keep the bottom flat...Does this make any difference without bringing the strakes all the way back? I Have seen quite a few of the pods and it seems that everyone keeps them flat bottomed.

 

[Country Dave]

Hey dave, when you guys put the pods on I noticed that you keep the bottom flat...Does this make any difference without bringing the strakes all the way back? I Have seen quite a few of the pods and it seems that everyone keeps them flat bottomed.

Brother I’ll be honest with you, I really don’t know. I don’t think it’s going to make a bunch of difference ether way. Because the boat has a little deadrise I thought it was best to just follow that. The pods are actually tilted up about ½ inch at the rear, hard to tell from the pics.

 

[Mrtoler]

Looking good Dave!

 

[Country Dave]

Looking good Dave!

Thanks Ryan,

I just picked up my steelflex………

 

[Badbagger]

Looking good Dave.... the Ark goes into the fabricator next week and the fun begins. Still a long way to go but it's a start.
Decided on paint for the most part, engine is paid for now saving for the linex and a new Lowrance HDS 12 Touch unit
then I'll run a simple Nmea 2000 network to let the GPS and Lowrance talk.

 

[Country Dave]

Looking good Dave.... the Ark goes into the fabricator next week and the fun begins. Still a long way to go but it's a start.
Decided on paint for the most part, engine is paid for now saving for the linex and a new Lowrance HDS 12 Touch unit
then I'll run a simple Nmea 2000 network to let the GPS and Lowrance talk.

That’s awesome brother,
Really looking forward to seeing the progress. What’s the first mod, covering the ribs? Remember we love pics pics pics. :LOL2:

 

[Badbagger]

Lol.... anchor box, tear into rear seat for storage, stern lids for more standing room, bracket for zinc anode, rib covers and I'll find a few others. Think I'm going to cover those holes in the top of the console with Starboard. Over at tht, a member FL Marine Plastics and can a piece of black starboard and route the edges to make it purty and he'll countersink holes for bolts etc. Exterior of boat will be white with a black rub rail done in linex and I'll add a new black steering wheel to make it look purty. Brian at Sarasota Linex uses the same material on all the military boats he does, tugs etc for the rub rails. There's now way that crap is going to ding, dent or chip. **** is as hard as the **** aluminum. Interior linex color, dunno yet. Found a guy in Tampa who will paint and prep the exterior with two coats of primer, soda blast and final paint with Imron for well under $1k then it's off to Sarasota for Linex... but a ways away. I'm thinking a May splash, perhaps earlier but when we're done and for about $10k, brand new boat.

 

[Country Dave]

Yeh man that’s the deal,

I paid $1500 for boat and trailer. I’ve had the motor for a while so I really can’t count that. $800 for my Jack plate, $500 for my Baystar hydraulic steering and I’m just going to say another $1000 for miscellaneous. So for under 4K I’ve got a bad *** flats boat that can go as shallow as any 45K Pathfinder HPX.

I was at Bass pro the other day and saw a Tracker 1754 side console and it only had a 40hp merc four stroke for like $12000. Not knocking ether one of those boats or brands, just saying the mark up on some of that stuff is off the chain. When you do it yourself you know just what you’re getting and you’re getting what you want.

 

[bigwave]

When you do it yourself you know just what you’re getting and you’re getting what you want.

X2 plus you know what you got under all that work......if you don't like what you did.....just change it. I have already thought of a few thing I would change on mine, but I will save that as a lesson learned for the next mod. #-o

 

[Country Dave]

When you do it yourself you know just what you’re getting and you’re getting what you want.

X2 plus you know what you got under all that work......if you don't like what you did.....just change it. I have already thought of a few thing I would change on mine, but I will save that as a lesson learned for the next mod. #-o

Kevin that’s it bro.
I’m going to be very happy with my build and have money left over for beer and bait. \/

 

[Mrtoler]

Ya I can't believe the price on new boats, last time I was at bass pro I looked at a 1860 it was just a blank hull and it was $6,000. You can build a awesome complete rig for half that!

 

[Country Dave]

Ya I can't believe the price on new boats, last time I was at bass pro I looked at a 1860 it was just a blank hull and it was $6,000. You can build a awesome complete rig for half that!

Hey Ryan,
Yeh man by the time you add tax, dealer fees and prep you’re probably closer to 7K

 

[Country Dave]

Did I mention I hate prep work. :LOL2:

It’s a necessary evil. Prep is everything. I got one coat of steelflex on her but it fought me every step of the way. I mixed a little bit too much the first go round and I ended up losing a little. All in all I’m happy with the way it laid out. One more coat and I will flip her back over and start prepping for paint.

My friend has a make shift paint booth at his house so that’s where I’m going to paint her. Rolling paint or steelflex out is one thing but when you’re spraying with the gun it’s another. I painted my pontoon boat over there and it came out pretty good.

 

[bigwave]

How was it shooting with a gun.....I figured it would be too heavy to spray? I thought about using that stuff but figured I would try on another mod when I have nothing better to do with my extra money.