’78 Fish Nautique Rebuild Done

I am now done with my restore project. It should have been done a long time ago (and $10,000 ago) but I can now say its done, (no Payments!!!) and my Grandfather was at the wheel again of his 78 FN. He bought it new and ran it around in Miami for around 15 years and then moved up to Mulberry, FL near us when he began a dismantle on it. I collected all the pieces 10 years later and began a restore in June of '06. Between my night shifts and driving back and forth from where I lived in South Tampa. The main problem was the faulty and completley overpriced wiring job I got from a friend of an aquaintance, kid named Mike Cooper who stole me blind, and that danged old OMC pump that I just could not get right. I finally got my main mechanic in Gulfport, FL (King Marine) and Gary King, one heck of a guy and an awsome mechanic, who made up a Mercruiser pump out of a couple of parts he had laying around the shop, and it fit just the way the old OMC did. Put on a little shorter belt, hooked up the hose to her, and fired it up. Sucked water like mad. We tested it out in Tampa Bay on April 9th and she kept the temp around 130, top speed 42 MPH,(TACH SAID 4200 and since it 1:1...) I will test it with my hand held GPS later. Boat ran great. Water was a little choppier than I like but it was time to go. This rebuild project has taken three years, alot of it was just waiting for mechanics to pencil me in, and for things like waiting for the right weather to paint the boat. I can officially call her done and I am so glad. Now someone point me towards the Kingfish,     SemperFIsh is ready!!!!!
Please watch all four rebuild videos in order (or just skip to #4 if you already watched the others) at http://www.youtube.com/user/gigg566

Thanks, I'll tell Capt Dave you said that..\



Capt Duane

I would love to. Do you know where I can get the original lettering pattern? I couldn't use the original T-Top though, I tried but I am 6'3" and I pushed up the canvas with my head about 5 inches. Also, I wanted an electronics box and the one I picked from West Marine, when mounted, had the bottom of the box level with my adams apple. That wasn't going to work. That's where I strayed from original. I plan on keeping this in the family forever. I wanted my future kids to grow up with an awsome boat and discover what I missed as a kid. It did handle the chop very well. Little spray every now and then but no more than any other boat I have been on. If you want to stay dry, don't get near the water. I love the salt.

I will try that. First I will call my guys at Southeast Correct Craft that just got sold out to MasterCraft, they might have something in the old store room, who knows.