1994 225 osprey rebuild

[seabob4]

That's top hole right there Pete.  When I was hanging them, all motors were second hole down...and your's is a 25" shaft.

Scott, where is your motor mounted on your Explorer?  Bryan, where's your's located on your 245?

[icemanbryan]

Second hole down

[Flnative]

Hey all, sorry for the long delay for those that were following along on this build.  The time off was used collecting product for the build, and doing some minor glass and gel coat work.  Here's what I've been up to.  The step by step build details are on my site if you want to read them.  Click the "Project Osprey" banner on the front page.

 The deck was finished up this week.  I laid two ounce and a half mats down, sanded smooth and gel coated as shown below.


Here are some pics of the transom work.

Had to fill some top rot.  Removed all the metal and filled all the gaps with system three epoxy.

Cut into the gel coat to lay 1708



Laid the glass.  I used system three bonding agent over the epoxy to help it bond better, but it really doesn't matter, as that area is only acting as a cap.
Feathered out the uneven areas with marine putty

Sprayed the gel coat about 33 mils thick, dyed it purple and sand smooth to about 26 mils until the dye disappeared.  Used 320, 400, and 600 grit to finish to a smooth glossy finish

During sanding

Final buff

Found a real good deal on a flawless 2002 Merc EFI with 350 hours.  Dropped it on the newly restored transom and it looks great!


Of course, dropped the hull on a newly built Rolls Axle Tandem trailer that looks stunning and pulls her around like a queen.  When I picked this beauty up it brought a smile to my face, like buying a new car.  Heck, even my wife said it was beautiful! If anyone is ever looking for a trailer, I urge you to check out Rolls, as you'll never go back once you own one..This is my third, and all still in perfect working order.   
Next I had to make room for a whole lot of electronics so I decided to build a console extension, but first I had to make a plug for the mold, so I got some foam and went to town.
I glued together some 8 inch strips of home depot Styrofoam large enough for the part.

Took some panel wood and traced the console shape, cut it out, then screwed them on either side of the foam. I built a homemade hot knife with 44 pound leader and a power source, then just traced the templates to get the outer shape.

I then made templates for the shape.  I wanted a lip on the top.  the tricky part was that the part had three face angles, so i had to cut the block into three pieces to get all three face angles flat across the face.


I used some 20 minute joint compound to harden the foam a bit, and shape  it a little more.

I sprayed a few coats of hard finish varnish over it, then used packing tape to cover it all, followed by a coat of olive oil, and started packing on the 20 minute joint compound. 

I made the thickness around 1.5 inches, and put a few layers of mesh tape in there to keep the plug together when cutting through it later.  The open part is the bottom, which will just be a small lip so i can bolt it to the console.

After it dried for 2 days, I traced a line down the center and cut it apart. If you've never done this, read the details on my site, as you have to be careful with positive angles or the part won't come out.  In this case, I really didn't care, as I could pour some Acetone in the plug and melt the foam worse case.  It did come out easy however.

Here's the final mold off the plug.  I did a little sanding and then sprayed it with primer.  I really also didn't care much about a real smooth surface at this point either, as it's easier to sand and fill the part once you mold it and pull it out.

This is the final part before gel coat.  It has been sanded, filled, and some cutouts done.  Notice the 2 circles on the back...those are where the T Top bars cross the window area and actually butted up to this piece, so i had to make room.

And here is the final part after gel and sand. 

Here's the part sitting on the console.  I also did the console, as there were 2 big holes on the face where the old electronics used to be, as well as the steering and binnacle, and a few other holes.  On the left, I left that hole there to make glassing easier, rather than climbing under the console.  On the extension piece, there will be 4 sets of carling rockers on the right, the BEP CZone switching system interface screen in the center, and a 7 inch Faria Mach 7 touchscreen gauge and monitoring system on the left.  The console will have a Lowrance HDS 12 touch on the left, and a 12 inch marine touch panel pc with software radar on the right.  That's about it for now.  Next step is getting a new T Top made, and moving on to all the electronic installations...and there's a ton of that! 

[Flnative]

In case anyone is wondering, here's the list of products that I am putting on the boat.  


Full digital switching system on a NMEA 2000 network to work with the HDS 12.  

Remote controlled LED spotlight.  To read the review: http://www.floridainshoreangler.com/fishing-marine-products/marine-led-spotlight

My 102 gallon fuel tank.  Moeller had one only a half inch shorter than my original.  To read Review: http://www.floridainshoreangler.com/fishing-marine-products/marine-fuel-tanks-plastic-vs-aluminium-the-pros-and-cons-debate

What's holding the boat together.  Easy to use and reliable system.

Nothing but the best for this build...Rolls Axle Tandem trailer all hand made by Dan.  My third Rolls trailer and only brand I'll ever buy.

Seaspension leaning post bench.  Gotta protect that back on 70 mile runs, and I think this is the best option available.  Only a sea trial will tell.  

UFlex Silversteer steering, and trim tabs set.  Out of all the steering systems I've seen, I can't say that I've seen a sexier system out there, nor one that appears to have the quality of this system.  To read the Uflex Trim Tab review http://www.floridainshoreangler.com/fishing-marine-products/electric-trim-tabs-uflex-electromechanical-trim-tabs   To read the Uflex Silversteer steering system http://www.floridainshoreangler.com/fishing-marine-products/hydraulic-boat-steering-uflex-silversteer-outboard-steering

DSS PKP keypads

Snapper remote control boat latch

Hydromotive 4 blade prop - These are built and designed by Todd.  He does a ton of work with racing teams, so I'm pretty sure I made a good selection here as well.

Faria Mach-7 instrument gauge and monitoring touch screen

Type 3 marine tinned wire from Pacer for the entire boat.

Teleflex control cables and binnacle

Lowrance HDS Gen2 12 inch Touch, Sonic Hub, 1 kw transducer, structure scan, remote GPS puck, etc.  This will be the head of the NMEA network, which will be able to display and control the CZone switches, as well as gauges if I want to show them there, but I will have those on the Mach 7.

NoLand RS 11, the key element in putting my analog motor in a NMEA network for digital gauges and monitoring.

I had Discount Boat tops make my Navy blue T Top canvas a few days ago.  I haven't installed it yet, but it looks sweet.  I am also planning to have Discount do the full wrap around canvas with Isen glass and bat wings when I wrap this project up.

I just picked up 2 2200 bilge pumps, a 5.2 wash down kit, and two 750 GPH bait well pumps with aeration nozzle.  I'll be installing them as soon as i get my oil hose and a fe other things.  I have to make a very tough journey into the transom of the boat, and I only want to do it one time.  It has plenty of space to fit 2 people in the hull, but getting down there is tough and tight.  

No boat is compete without a Racor, so I picked up one of these as well.  I just can't go back to using standard filters.  It's nice to see the water in the bottom of the system and be able to drain it.  

The water witch electronic bilge switch is something new for me, as I've always used standard floats.  I've heard too many people having issues with the all in one bilge pumps lately, so I thought I give this a try.  Anyone use this yet?  
 

I still have to figure out who will do my T Top, canvas, windlass, and a few other things.  I'll keep you updates as I start installing product.

[RickK]

Nice work.  
That molding process is pretty cool.  I haven't gone to your site to look yet but I'm guessing you ended up with 2 pieces that you glued/glassed together?

[seabob4]

Interesting, Noland can take analog motors and get them in the NMEA 2K network...love to see how they do that!

[Flnative]

Nice work.  
That molding process is pretty cool.  I haven't gone to your site to look yet but I'm guessing you ended up with 2 pieces that you glued/glassed together?

Yeah, molding is fun.  What I did was glassed both sides while it was open and let it kick a bit, then put the two pieces together, clamped in place, then glassed together and popped the mold.  Turned out rally nice.  I went a little excessive with 3 layers of 1708 and a matte, but you could park a car on it and it would hold up! lol

[Flnative]

Interesting, Noland can take analog motors and get them in the NMEA 2K network...love to see how they do that!

It's all about the software.  I spoke to Maretron, the people that pretty much build all others NMEA products, and they know NoLand well and backed them.  I'll let you know how it works out.

[fishinonthebrain]

Looks great so far. You said you had a site? What is the name or address?

[seabob4]

Interesting, Noland can take analog motors and get them in the NMEA 2K network...love to see how they do that!

It's all about the software.  I spoke to Maretron, the people that pretty much build all others NMEA products, and they know NoLand well and backed them.  I'll let you know how it works out.

I would imagine it's something akin to Zukes, like the 200/225/250, where you can either have the data from the BCM output as analog or digital.  Your Merc has an ECU, so it has the digital info, just need to interface it to the N2K network...

[Flnative]

Looks great so far. You said you had a site? What is the name or address?

Thanks.   www.floridainshoreangler.com

[Flnative]

Interesting, Noland can take analog motors and get them in the NMEA 2K network...love to see how they do that!

It's all about the software.  I spoke to Maretron, the people that pretty much build all others NMEA products, and they know NoLand well and backed them.  I'll let you know how it works out.

I would imagine it's something akin to Zukes, like the 200/225/250, where you can either have the data from the BCM output as analog or digital.  Your Merc has an ECU, so it has the digital info, just need to interface it to the N2K network...

There are two ways to do it, and one is to go from the service port on the ECU, but that takes some special conversion software as well, which is available, or just use the sensors on the motor and connect to the RS11 box and let it do the work.

[seabob4]

Cool!  A lot of owners would love to get their older motor data displayed on their MFDs...

And BTW, excellent work on the transom cap!  Looks like an Intrepid!!!    

[Flnative]

Cool!  A lot of owners would love to get their older motor data displayed on their MFDs...

And BTW, excellent work on the transom cap!  Looks like an Intrepid!!!    

The digital world is certainly finding its way aboard boats.  Once I get mine installed and work out all the issues, if there are any, I am going to write an article of the install with pics and video.  Wait until you see the BEP and Faria systems..wow...so sweet!   Thanks for the good word.  I worked hard on that transom!

[seabob4]

Allen,
Have Faria and BEP teamed up on a project?  As late as '10, BEP was repped by Wm. F. Miller, Faria by J.B. Dunn.  I know at that time Faria already had direct replacement gauges for Smartcraft, and had just come out with replacements for Suzuki SMIS gauges (since SMIS is just LMF-400s with Zuke software, probably could've done I-Command as well).  We were going to do a Faria install on a pair of Zuke 175s but Faria's harness interfacing needed a bit of work, so we stuck with SMIS...