1999 Longhorn Nautique Restoration Thread

Ha! Now that you've been inadvertently introduced to James and Daphne, HERE is what I meant ;-)

Love the pop up lifting rings and cleats. My dad had pop up cleats on his 2001 Malibu. We didn't use them at our own dock, but they were great for hanging fenders when visiting friends on the lake.

Tower light - that should have occurred to me. Not having a tower myself it doesn't immediately come to mind.

Around 3 years ago I bought a pair of pop up cleats to install on each side close to the stern, never got around to it. I'm not docked very often these days. I might just get that done in the next month or so, nice to have them when tying up.

63 Skier wrote: I hadn't seen flush mount lift rings before. Those might save a few broken toes! Stern light receptacle - do you have a different plan for a stern light?

Yeah, they are cool. But ridiculously expensive for whatever reason. The stern light will be machined into the pylon on the tower.

I hadn't seen flush mount lift rings before. Those might save a few broken toes!

Stern light receptacle - do you have a different plan for a stern light?

Have a few more pictures to share. The areas where the tower mounts, were ground down top and bottom and then new glass was laid for extra strength. When this boat was built, Nautique had only been building towers for 1 year. This upgrade was something at the top of my list. In general, I made a point to strengthen the deck as a whole. Another thing is the gas fill neck. When the boat was built, the fill neck was rotated so the word "gas" was sideways. Drove me crazy. Decided to straighten it out. Another item was flush mount lifting rings. And finally, filling in the stern light receptacle and the lock mechanism for the rear locker.

or Cheetos . . .

I agree with all, really enjoy the updates!

Dominic, somehow I don't think anyone will be allowed to eat jelly doughnuts in this boat when it's all done!

stepper459 wrote: Definitely keep the posts coming. I got word that a little fiberglass repair got done on my boat that I've been trying to get done for more than a year.. .I was so happy for some good news! I wish I could go out and spend an hour every night working on my boat, it would really help my sanity. So keep it coming. Also, great work!

I am looking forward to summer so I can do this. I really want to be in the water by May but the upholstery is still not started. I am starting to think that it might be ok to slow down a little bit anyways. The detailed work is coming next and since I’m doing all of the reassembly myself, it’s gotta be perfect!

Definitely keep the posts coming. I got word that a little fiberglass repair got done on my boat that I've been trying to get done for more than a year.. .I was so happy for some good news!

I wish I could go out and spend an hour every night working on my boat, it would really help my sanity.

So keep it coming.

Also, great work!

#metoo

With all the chaos going on in the world, I feel torn about posting updates but here it goes. I saw the boat this afternoon and John has made some incredible progress. The deck top, bottom, inside, and out have been sprayed with new gelcoat. The interior of the hull has also been sprayed. You will notice that the floors are slightly discolored. John has sprayed a thin layer of gelcoat and is going back to block sand once more to ensure the floors are perfectly flat. My favorite part is the squared of ski locker. I'll be using part of that space for batteries. Next week he will start spraying color and then onto the bottom of the hull. He is doing some incredible work. The boat should ready for stage 1 of reassembly in the next few weeks!

63 Skier wrote: I'm surprised that adding the stiffeners doesn't make it difficult to marry the deck to the hull again.

The deck was reinstalled and screwed in a few places before the stiffeners were glassed in (the gunnel stiffeners). Bow stiffeners are just replacements to what was already there.

Small update, Boat has been completely sanded down inside and out. Hull stiffeners have been glassed into place. All screw holes around the perimeter of the deck and hull have been filled and sanded. A layer of glass was laid down around the interior top edge of the deck and hull. A little more blocking/sanding followed by floor panel making, we will be ready to spray gelcoat. The top and the underside will be fully sprayed natural white. Then hull will be re-sprayed inside and out including the engine/bilge/ski locker compartments. Big progress coming soon! John's attention to detail is just incredible.

Good one Greg- everyone knows a phone man that old has a boat with a sail