1973 16' Crestliner V-hull Project

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DiveLiberty

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Picked up this boat, motor, trailer combo for free from a relative. It has had intermittent use over the last decade or so, but was mostly neglected in the barn.

She's a 16' Crestliner marked 1973 on the title. I'm selling a 14' Lowe to fund the project.

The boat is nice and spacious. My plans include a complete strip down and overhaul including, new paint inside and out, complete floor with casting deck up front, new electronics and wiring, etc.

The motor is a Mercury 200 20hp with electric start. It's currently not running, but is turning over nicely. It's getting a good spark after changing the plugs but still no luck. Next course of action will be to look through the fuel system. I'm at a bit of a loss on how to redo the ignition (key, wiring to battery, wiring to motor). Does anybody have any experience on "re-building" an ignition system on an electric motor?

Some pictures of progress so far attached. I'm currently getting started on stripping the paint using a stripper and wire brush. Then will use some self-etching Rustoleum primer, followed by a nice new coat of paint.
 

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Update on the motor. I did get it running but only let it go for a few seconds as I wasn't getting any water flow from the indicator. I suppose an impeller change is due next. I plan to clean out the water line that runs to the "tell-tale", which could be the issue. However, I figured an impeller change is due anyways considering I don't know the last time it was serviced.

Something that is a bit weird and could use some advice on. When I give the priming bulb a good squeeze, a small amount of fuel squirts out the front of the carb, through the metal screen. Is there some kind of vent that could allow this to happen normally, or should I get into the carb and clean/seal it? (thinking it could be the needle, but would the motor run okay if the needle had an issue?) I'm fairly green to outboards, but enjoy tinkering with them.
 
Personally​...... Anytime you deem the impeller is due for a change, you should go ahead and do the carb kit too.... The parts are easy and cheap to get! You will be surprised what a yearly carb kit will do for your motor.... It's running, so you've got the hard stuff done. Keep it running with these easy maintenance items!
 
Still working on stripping the paint from the outside of the hull. At this point I'm nearly halfway done.

Looking ahead, there is one thing I just can't get my head around. How have you all attached your deck frame to the hull itself? This boat has a nice ridge that I'll follow with the frame (above the ribs in the pics). I'm planning on using a 2x2 frame built with Simpson Strong Ties, but I know that these are galvanized and therefore cannot touch the aluminum. How have you all actually attached your framing to the hull?

Here is my ultimate inspiration/vision for this boat: https://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/forums/topic/ftlgeneral_907715/
 
mrdrh99 said:
Personally​...... Anytime you deem the impeller is due for a change, you should go ahead and do the carb kit too....
Zowie :shock: ... my own experience runs 110% contrary to that! I'd never advise that, but that's me ...

FWIW I've been boating for almost 50-years in saltwaters now ... and for almost 20-years my bros and I were running up to 13 OBs a season amongst the 4 of us, just those we owned directly. We're down to 6 OBs this season, but I also run the boat dock at my boat club with another fleet of over a dozen smaller OB powered boats of the tin and plastic flotilla. We have never, ever had to install a carb kit on a well-cared for OB ... for cause.

I've probably only done 2 or 3 carbs kits for my own motors, but all on used ones that I bought that had been sitting or unused or were running rough as purchased. But I have done many carbs for friends and/or paying customers.

Now with that said, we do perform a decarb every 50-hours on our 2-stroke OB motors using the Seafoam 'shock' treatment, ala Dunk (Bob Dunkleberger). Granted, the fuels today are pure crap (doesn't last 30-days before breaking down), but a well maintained OB should run, run, run ...
 
Does anybody have experience with a 70's model Mercury 200 20hp? I'm having a hard time getting the lower unit off in order to replace the impeller. I just need to know which nuts to be pulling in order to get the lower unit off.

*Update. I finally got the lower unit dropped and surprisingly the impeller looks to be in good shape. I'm wondering if I simply didn't let the motor run long enough to see water come from the tell-tale.

Almost have all the paint stripped from the outside of the hull (so ready to be done with this part). I'm ready to start building this thing in hopes of it seeing water this year.
 
I FINALLY got all the paint stripped off of the hull. I think there should be a special tinboats.net decal for those that have taken their boats down to bare aluminum, especially for those that have done it multiple times. I'm not sure you'll catch me doing that again.

One product that I highly recommend is to use the paint stripper called "Citristrip". I chose this one because it's a gel so it would stick to the side of the hull better than a runny liquid. I applied the gel and left it sit for at least 45 minutes and most of the paint came off easily with a a wire brush on the cordless drill. One container got all of the paint of my hull.

Update on the motor: I got it running, which is great! However, it will only run for about 30 seconds before it quickly dies. I think it to be a fuel issue so I have a pump diaphragm and carb kit in the mail. The good news is that I have a long time to go before the boat is ready for water, or else I would be going mad right now.

Ready to start building on this thing rather than taking it apart!
 

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I forgot to mention, here's the plan for paint going forward.

2 coats of Rustoleum Self-Etching primer
1 coat of Rustoleum filler primer
Top coat of Rustoleum Professional High Performance Protective Enamel

Any objections or advice to this plan???
 
That plan sounds good to me
Have you mechanically scuffed the interior yet in preparation for the paint?
 
Putting the last coat of the black on the hull tonight. Excited to have the boat back on the trailer this weekend.

I'm really pleased with the finish that I got on the boat. I had 3 coats of Rusto primer down and then used 3 coats of Rustoleum Professional Enamel for the black and gray. I did the gray using the "Roll and tip" method, but switched to just a foam roller for the black. The roller laid down nice even coat with minimal defects or orange peel effect. Will do the inside with the gray color. It already has a good coat of paint that will serve as the primer.
 

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Nice job. I want to paint mine, but probably just do it on the trailer on the upper part. The bottom isn't painted, and I plan to leave it that way.
 
This project is still plugging along! I've lost a bit of urgency since I've faced the facts and accepted that it won't hit water this year. All the more time to get it just right for next season.

I did grab a small Crestliner decal on Ebay to update the look a little bit. I love Crestliner boats and wanted to reflect that it is a Crestliner (though quite a bit older). Not reflected in the picture, I've painted the interior Rustoleum "Smoke Grey", which is the same color as the bottom of the hull. I've gotten to work on the frame using 2x2's left over from a recent chicken coop project. I doing it one piece at a time with a lot of staring at the thing in between.
 

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Finishing up the framing tonight then will do the electrical work before I get to the plywood stage.

What are the lights called that have a switch to automatically turn on when a hatch is opened? I know they are out there, I just can't think of what to search to get to them.

Thanks!
 
DiveLiberty said:
Finishing up the framing tonight then will do the electrical work before I get to the plywood stage.

What are the lights called that have a switch to automatically turn on when a hatch is opened? I know they are out there, I just can't think of what to search to get to them.

Thanks!
If you're looking for the switch , I would do a search on "normally closed push button switch" The switch would shut the light off when the hatch lid is closed.

Otherwise there might be some lights with motion sensing or motion activation
https://www.amazon.com/Hatch-Motion-Activate-Marine-Led-39540-dp/dp/B012RQBG2K/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&keywords=motion%20sensing%20hatch%20light&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&qid=1503447330&ref_=mp_s_a_1_fkmr0_2&sr=8-2-fkmr0
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@schukster thanks. I just didn't know what to search. I had hoped that there would be a light with a push off switch built in, just to reduce wiring.


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Did finish out the framing for now. I'm going to frame side boxes for rod storage, and mounting the switch board and fish finder. However, I'm going to wait to build those until I have my floor carpeted and installed, so the bottom of those storage boxes will be carpeted.

I also mounted the trolling motor (to get off the garage floor, trying to give my wife her garage spot back), sprayed truck bed liner in the back portion. I need to bolt a board on the back of a transom and then I'll be ready to hang the motor.

Will get to work on wiring next.

-Nav lights
-Interior lights
-fish finder (just ordered a new 7" Garmin!)
-bilge (not totally sold on that yet)
-Starting

I'll run the TM off a separate battery in the bow.
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Got some plywood work done today. Got 2 coats of Spar Varnish on which is drying now. Hope to get carpet going tomorrow. Also finishing up electrical.

Here is what I landed on with electrical:

-Nav lights
-interior lights (picked 4 up from Wally World at $8 a piece
-Fish finder
-Bilge pump
The switch board I have also has a DC, 12V, and volt meter.


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