Stringer Replacement 86 Silver Nautique.

Finally enjoyment of all your hard work! 

She looks the part! 

So buy three lengths, two for the run in the boat and one to cut up to make the runs through the transom.  

And if you need an 18' or so length of tubing send me a PM and I will mail it to you for free.  Otherwise they are going to sit in my shop for years.

Middle son was home over the weekend and asked if the boat would be done in three weeks.  He's got some friends coming down to stay at the shore and wondered if we could ski... Deadlines are good motivators!

Got the boat back just in time for us to take a long planned vacation, so the side carpet got held up a bit.  When we got back I worked the carpet up one side and checked how it fit looking to see if developed folds.  It did develop a fold but just one and just at the dash.  The one on the observer’s side is hidden by the seat and I decided I could live with a small visible fold next to the driver’s seat.  So I glued up the bottom/sides in one piece with no plastic corner strips.  Note in the picture the thin board at the bottom to side transition.  I wedged that in place to get a nice tight carpet fit in that inside corner.  FYI, if you choose not to use the corner strips, I would run the glue 2” up the side when you glue the bottom, not hold it back like I did.

I cut the observer seat fold out and glued it flat.  I will probably run some black caulk over it to stop and unraveling down the road.

This shows the fold at the drivers side.  If the caulk works well on the observers cut, I will do the same here.

Looks simple, isn't outrageously expensive and doesn't require plumbing hookups.  Thoughts?

Thanks,

Andrew

Pouring Foam: Lessons Learned.

I've made the following mistakes in multiple combinations: hull too cold, not stirring enough, liquids too cold.

I'm usually pouring about a quart of mixed liquid.  I mix with a wood paint mixer.  I made a hot box to warm up the gallon metal containers, with a cheap digital thermometer that has the sensor on a flexible wire dangled into the box.  Unfortunately, that only gets you close on temperature.  You need one of those infrared temperature guns to get an instant read on the liquids AFTER you pour them into their two containers (see below on containers).  If your temp is low, put the two containers in the hot box for a few minutes, if high just let them sit for a couple.

The hull temperature needs to be at least 75 degrees, 80 plus is better.

The liquids need to be at least 85 degrees, 90 to 92 is better. 95 is ok but I would save that for a hull that's lower than 80 degrees because they react faster and you have less time for mixing and pouring.

This shows the panel being installed.

You've had experience with Centek mufflers all these years in your boat without knowing it. That's what it came with.

I'd rather buy the Centek mufflers from the outfit on Amazon, than pay the big price differential for the Ultra Marine mufflers fron SkiDim

Centec has been around almost as long as you've been around. They're 62 years old 

If you for whatever reason don't trust Amazon, google the same Centek part number (1000216) and you'll find a variety of places and  prices

 Centek Verna Ski-3 in 45 Degree Inlet.  Dimensions work and it has a 45 degree inlet which will make life much easier with the exhaust piping.  No need to force that hard bend into the heavy rubber pipe.  Anyone have any experience with Centek?