Just an update and some pics of my project boat. It's a late 80s Savage Lancer 530 aluminium runabout that I picked up pretty cheap and am trying to turn into a neat, useable, multi-purpose (mostly fishing) boat on a fairly tight budget.

As purchased

Structural condition of hull seemed pretty good. Came with 80s 90hp JOhnson, which had supposedly been running up until parked up 3 yrs ago but seemed pretty tired to me so sold it on. Paint was faded and chipped. Ply deck was rotten. Windscreen in pieces with bad corrosion and perspex panes stuffed. Trailer seemed good (all stainless frame) but unlicenced.

Copy of 2013-01-26 12.11.03 by Tigerfish2012, on Flickr

 

 Completed hitch

2013-02-17 16.07.35 by Tigerfish2012, on Flickr

 

Dropped boat onto drive to replace axles, springs hubs& fit brakes

2013-02-10 09.53.54 by Tigerfish2012, on Flickr

 

 Finished Trailer

2013-02-17 16.07.09 by Tigerfish2012, on Flickr

 

Stage 2 - (Ongoing) Strip-down boat, touch up paintwork and fit out

Stripped out as many of the fittings as I could. Cleaned out bilge and blasted resident spiders with the pressure washer

 

2013-01-28 13.35.14 by Tigerfish2012, on Flickr

 

Cut out new plywood deck sections - these have now also been sealed and carpeted

 

 

2013-02-25 18.42.02 by Tigerfish2012, on Flickr

 

Decided to strip to bare ally below waterline. Turned boat over on drive (surprisingly easy, even for just two people). Used paint stripper, scrapers and jet washer to remove the paint (very messy job). Then used aluminium cleaner (phosphoric acid type) to clean off the green primer and shine it up.

2013-03-02 13.52.42 by Tigerfish2012, on Flickr

 

Found the existing paint was single pack - couldn't face stripping the whole lot so decided to just overpaint with single pack marine enamel. Sanded above waterline with orbital sander to rough up existing paint and feathered edges of chips/scratches.

2013-03-03 12.57.18 by Tigerfish2012, on Flickr

 

Primed bare ally areas and painted (roll and tip method). Once coat done, one or two to go depending on my enthusiasm

 

2013-03-04 17.01.41 by Tigerfish2012, on Flickr

 

 

Stage 3 - Repower and fit-out (still to come)

Have bought a 90hp Honda 4st outboard to repower (carby model around 2000)

honda ob by Tigerfish2012, on Flickr

 

Once paint is done, will work on refitting windscreen (had new perspex cut - just need to renovate and repaint frames). 

2012-12-16 14.01.36 by Tigerfish2012, on Flickr

 

Then will need to install all wiring and controls, refit fittings (rod holders etc), install electronics

 

Picked up a cheap used combo gps/sounder and a dual frequency sounder as a starting point until I can justify some better gear.

2013-02-23 17.04.16 by Tigerfish2012, on Flickr