Country Dave’s Lowe 1752 modification/restoration project.

[Country Dave]

How was it shooting with a gun.....I figured it would be too heavy to spray? I thought about using that stuff but figured I would try on another mod when I have nothing better to do with my extra money.

Sorry for the confusion,

I rolled out the steelflex. The stuff is just too thick to spray. I’m going to use the gun when I paint her. I’m going to paint everything that doesn’t have steelflex on it.

 

[Badbagger]

Looks great Dave! Hey when you're done, jump in your truck and run up 75N to I10W. I could use a hand lmfao.

 

[Country Dave]

Looks great Dave! Hey when you're done, jump in your truck and run up 75N to I10W. I could use a hand lmfao.

Brother I would do that if I didn’t work 55 plus hours a week and have 5 grand babies that love spending time with. I’m trying to beat an end of March deadline. It’s not the end of the world if it’s not done by then but, the target date helps keep me moving forward.

Besides I don’t want to infringe on the intimacy of you and your new girl. LMAO :LOL2:

 

[Badbagger]

Lmfao... ok question.

I need to order some FLUSH MOUNTED hatch latches. I have two hatch lids that will be 36" long. Any suggestions for a GOOD latch and if so, suppliers ?
Also since they'll be a long lid, wondering if I should go with 2 latches per hatch ? GEM does not make any flush latches, already tried!

 

[Country Dave]

Lmfao... ok question.

I need to order some FLUSH MOUNTED hatch latches. I have two hatch lids that will be 36" long. Any suggestions for a GOOD latch and if so, suppliers ?
Also since they'll be a long lid, wondering if I should go with 2 latches per hatch ? GEM does not make any flush latches, already tried!

I would go with two on the long hatch cover. You’re not going to see huge price deference latch to latch from the different retailers but the price does very greatly from the plastic to the stainless. I think you can buy the plastic ones all day for like $12 to $15 but the stainless are crazy, I think like $ 45. Try Great Lakes Skipper or Cabeles.

 

[Badbagger]

Thanks, I have a contact at GEM. About $20 each for stainless but not flush.

 

[Mrtoler]

Looks awesome Dave, what color are you planning on painting the sides? I'm planning on using steel flex myself and I'm wondering, I'm planning on trying to fix any spots that leak the right way but if I have maybe miss one will the steel flex catch it and stop it or am I missing the purpose of it??
Thanks Ryan

 

[Mrtoler]

O ya, is the steel flex a bright white or an off white? I know pics can be deceiving. I'm wanting mine to be a bright white since I'm going with red sides and white interior floor!

 

[Bass n flats]

Looks great Dave! Hey when you're done, jump in your truck and run up 75N to I10W. I could use a hand lmfao.

Brother I would do that if I didn’t work 55 plus hours a week and have 5 grand babies that love spending time with. I’m trying to beat an end of March deadline. It’s not the end of the world if it’s not done by then but, the target date helps keep me moving forward.

Besides I don’t want to infringe on the intimacy of you and your new girl. LMAO :LOL2:

5 grand babies?? Your gonna need a bigger boat. Progress looks great I'm getting ready for paint myself.

 

[Country Dave]

Hey guys thanks for your kind comments and vote of confidence,

Ryan I’m going to paint her classic white. I want something with a little bit of luster but not blinding. Kind of like my 1448 just white instead of gold. I’m also going to have a stencil/decal on the side with the boats name. “ Skinny flippin” Not sure what color on the decal yet but I want it to have some contrast against the white paint.
On the steelflex you have to add tint to get the desired color. Without tint it cures to a nasty looking milky light brown color. I’m very fortunate that the manufacture of steelflex, Fasco is about a 30 minute ride from my house. As far as sealing up holes, well it will seal up pin holes but it’s more of a protective coating than anything else. I really believe in the product.

 

[Country Dave]

Well I got my second coat of steelflex on last night.

The stuff is not easy to work with but the benefits far outweigh the effort. I’ll give it a few days to cure up good and flip her back over Friday night. Over the weekend I will get the transom bolted in, make a couple of transom braces. I’ll need to weld them and the corner caps back on then, prep for paint. Moving forward. :LOL2:

 

[Badbagger]

Outstanding! So a classic white exterior; same here. What are you doing for the interior color? I'm undecided there and linex can be done in any color under the sun.

 

[Country Dave]

Outstanding! So a classic white exterior; same here. What are you doing for the interior color? I'm undecided there and linex can be done in any color under the sun.

There’s not going to be a ton of stuff inside that’s going to need paint, just the sides up to the rails. The front and rear deck’s are going to have Seadek on them. After I get all of the rigging done and the floors cut and fitted, I’m going to have the floor panels Rhino lined and then I will rivet them down in place.

Everything paint wise classic white. Seadeck arctic camo and off white on the Rhino lining so I don’t get blinded.

 

[Badbagger]

Sounds great, I'm thinking of an off white, cream or sandstone type color taking into consideration getting blinded as well.

Thanks Dave.

 

[bhumbertson]

Looks great.

 

[walleyejoe]

Looks great I'd like to see some pic's of the flex steel when your done :mrgreen:

 

[T Man]

Great looking build so far.

When it comes to mounting your pods, there is a tradeoff to be had. (Too late now, but you might as well know) Because the pivot point of the hull is at the prop if your pods are installed parallel to the bottom of the boat, you will be seeing excess drag and a slightly decreased top end (not a big deal with a 115 on a 500lb boat :LOL2: ). Conversely if you angle your pods up, you wont be getting the drag while running, but will lose a small amount of the buoyancy added by the pods.

 

[Country Dave]

Great looking build so far.

When it comes to mounting your pods, there is a tradeoff to be had. (Too late now, but you might as well know) Because the pivot point of the hull is at the prop if your pods are installed parallel to the bottom of the boat, you will be seeing excess drag and a slightly decreased top end (not a big deal with a 115 on a 500lb boat :LOL2: ). Conversely if you angle your pods up, you wont be getting the drag while running, but will lose a small amount of the buoyancy added by the pods.

Hey thanks guys,

This is what the steelflex looks like for the most part. That was after the first coat and it doesn’t look much different now but I will post some pics when she back right side up on the trailer.

T Man thanks for the info. It’s all good. I understand what you’re saying and in theory yes that’s correct for the most part but the practical application “In the real World” it’s not going to make any measurable difference. Down a half inch, up a half inch or even with the bottom of the hull for this application will not change the performance unless we’re going to be splitting hairs. The pods are tilted up ½ inch in the back per the manufactures recommendations. When this boats up on plane the only thing that’s going to be in the water will be the prop. :LOL2:

Seriously I would be surprised if more than six to ten inches of the bottom of the hull was actually in the water when running at or near WOT. I’m building this to be supper light, not for speed but so I can float shallow. As far as loss of flotation because pods are tilted up, well that’s only true when the boats at rest and not true unless the stern is heavy enough to fully submerge the pods and again were at the point of splitting hairs. I’m going to be keeping the CG low and the weight pretty evenly distributed so I think Its going to be all good.

 

[bigwave]

Hey Dave, is that tube on the bottom of the hull a drain for the livewell, or is it the turbo-boost for the secret caterpillar drive?

 

[Country Dave]

Hey Dave, is that tube on the bottom of the hull a drain for the livewell, or is it the turbo-boost for the secret caterpillar drive?

Kevin you’re too funny. No it’s not the “Red October” :LOL2:
It’s the bulge drain.