Setting the Stage Again

Going into the final weeks I am still receiving UPS shipments and working
with vendors. The vendor this week is Great Lakes Teak. I actually started
working with these guys in the middle of the winter and I'm sure at times
Bill probably figured I was pulling his chain. So this is a great testament 
to his patience and understanding for what I was up against and how the
timing was very critical. Anyway it was an absolute pleasure to work with
Bill and Jeff on this project.
I think that the outcome is so worth the effort and investment, check out
the pictures a I'm sure you will agree.

Suzanne and I worked a couple of nights getting ready for the installation.
We removed all the loose items and wiped down the  floor and surrounding
areas with 3-M Adhesive Remover as kind of first strike cleaner to remove
any stray remains of previous projects. This all went well and it cleaned up
great, with the exception of some odd little red marks that we found about
an inch or so above  the floor on the side walls, they were very thin and ran
horizontal to the floor and varried in length from a half an inch to an inch
long. As we worked to get them off we talked about what in the world they
could be and where they could have come from. It was rather warm that
evening as we worked so we took frequent breaks and at one point we had
stopped for a moment to cool down, as I sat next to Suzanne and looked
down at the floor we had just cleaned I also noticed that Suzanne's toe nail
polish was the same shade of  red as those little marks. Mystery solved.
All in total we were quite pleased with the prep job as we turned the
the "Fuelishness" over to our new friends from Chicago.

This what we gave them to work with , squeeky clean and no toe nail marks.

This is what they gave usback , Nice trade we think. This is the start of the finish.
We cant walk on it for 24hrs Bill's orders, so this time tommorrow we will
be covering the floor with shipping blankets and preparing for the Stereo Guys.
While we wait for the Stereo guys my long time friend and production Mgr.
Bruce Bonebrake and I will attack that giant mess as known as the dash.
In truth I have really been looking forward to the dash project as I really enjoy
projects with Bruce as I usually learn something , in the way of a new skill or
a unique way to do something. Bruce has a nack for teaching that comes from
his days as the host of his show on the DIY network "The Weekend Mechanic".

            My final thoughts on this phase, I really like the teak flooring even though in the

 beginning I kinda didnt want it because I like to go barefoot in the boat. I dont see this

being a problem  as I took my shoes off and tried it , it'll be fine. I do have to add that 

for some reason I ended up getting way too many bids on the teak flooring and that just 

made it confusing as there are a lot of different ways to do teak decking.

I can  now say from experience that using real professionals like Great Lakes Teak

is the real way to go as it sure made this phase completely painless.

These guys were a lot of fun and very personable and most all big time honest.

Big Thanks to Bill and Jeff

Next up : New Tunes and a Dash

The BerryCuda joins in

I have saved the term " Coming into the home stretch" for when I thought
it to be most appropriate and now would probably be that time.
It has taken so long to get here that at times I had wished to sound 
the "Home Stretch " charge just to breath life into the project. 
But to be most blunt I have become very frazzled as we head into the 
final phases. Leading up to now it was a slow change from one vendor
to the next and that makes it easy, especially when you are working with
the type of real professionals that we have encountered so far.
Last  post I promissed to upload some finished photos of the salon and I 
think these will speak for themselves.

Scotts work is really amazing his joints are lazer straight and detail 
work second to none.  I really have to share this concerning Scott, he
is one of the few people that I have had the pleasure of working with
who cleans and details as he goes, A trait that my dad drilled into my 
head at very young age. Dad explained to me that making your work 
perfect as you go results in a better more complete job and gives you an 
opportunity to see and inspect each area as you work , preventing you
from missing little things later during final inspection.

Remember the patterns hanging on the walls from my previous posts,
they are now  in pile on the floor --- DONE--- and --- DONE.

My final thoughts about VIP and Scotts part of this job. I have always
liked my boat and felt that it was a quality build, but the degree of  detail
and workmanship that Scott has put into my boat has really renewed my
decision to keep the Fuelishness for some time to come. My boat's cabin 
has a better look and feel than it ever did.
We are really looking forward to getting the cockpit seating installed.

I got news from my new friends in Chicago, Great Lakes Teak will be in
the house, "ware house" that is,  just after the holiday. Suzanne is really
excited about the flooring and truthfully so am I . The  flooring is a very
big change from what we had. 
This past weekend my drives were the subject of attention. We all know 
how shocking they looked coming out the river, and I'm sure we all now
know the importance of the continuity cables and the bonding systems put
in our boats from the factory and what happens when those systems are
not enabled. 

    
My good friend Dennis Berry aka "The BerryCuda" who is probably one
of the sharpest Mercury Techs in the business is in the drivers seat for 
getting the lower units back in shape for the season. To be fair these drives
are in pretty rough shape and it's going to take a pro like Dennis to get them
back in the groove.  

Here's the final phase of this project.

The cockpit and dash are going to be the first thing that you see when you
walk up to the boat , and also a place where the majority of time is spent
relaxing and entertaining. This to me is the real  "home stretch" with  flooring,
dash panels, sound and visual systems and of course new seating.  


Next Up : Setting the Stage Again

Pirates never Surrender

Time marches silently on and so does the project. During this week 
Scott has finished his part of the master cabin, and given me the 
green light to add the trim and furnishings. A couple of small problems
have popped up during the reassembly. One of the minor issues 
that I'm currently working with is the mating of  the old inside trim 
rings to the new roof hatches. First off the finish on the trim rings
is not up to par and a good strip and refinish is in order.
Beyond a little paint work it's just going to be some minor re-drilling
and Ta-Da, then off to the next area of concern. This part of the 
part of the project has been the most rewarding so far.  It's great to
see progress at this scale and speed. 

But not all parts of this project are nuts and bolts, or pirates. 
One of the little things that I have promised myself that I was going
to do is done. But it goes without saying that anything that I start
to do in a small scale ends up being finished at a large scale.
Let me clarify, When I bought my boat I was given a crappy canvas bag
containing all the manuals and documentation for my boat.  This bag 
has been a constant source of  aggravation for me as finding anything 
in it is much like a treasure hunt. My mission to improve this extremely
flawed system is now complete. I went to Office Max and purchased a
5inch 3 hole ring binder, a 3 hole sheet punch , some glue , card stock and 
1-31  folder tabs. Now my giant ring binder has all my current manuals 
in it, along with every color number and fabric swatch for the project.
Also I attached a piece of card stock punched to go into the binder to
the back of my service log. I keep it right on top so I can now easily
get to it to add service entries. 
A nice leather case to put all this in would be sweet.

Suzanne says this is terminal OCD, she may be correct .



Some interesting things have happened over the past few days in the fact that

my pirate friend has returned again for an encore. Little John blessed us and I do 

mean blessed us with a visit that included  him putting the jewelers rouge and buffer

to my stainless windshield frame and bow rails. This guy is very good and as

I have said in the past one  of the hardest working guys I know. 

 Here's a picture of John working on the rails, let me explain what you are seeing. 

This is in simple terms the equivalate of someone scrubing the kitchen floor with 

a toothbrush. The buffer and wheel that he is using has a footprint of  aprox 

1 inch square or double the size of a toothbrush. It's  the

results that count to John and this is how he gets them. 

In the last few days several  of my boating compadres have came for visits and

just to check in and see the job in person, I concider this good luck in it's purest 

form.  Thanks for stopping by Larry it was really a nice surprise to see you,

see you on the water soon.

Scott is really on a roll and is now half done or better with the main salon,

getting him out of the confined space of the master cabin has made a huge difference 

in how much he gets done.

Thats Scott putting up the largest headliner panel , the next post I will have pictures
of the finished salon.


Next up: The BerryCuda  joins in       

  

Double Burger well Done

This week started like the last few have , receiving  "Little Boxes of 
Happiness" and installing parts as quick as possible. 
All has been quiet with our new friends from Chicago, as we wait  
for our flooring to come back from the factory, In all fairness Bill 
did warn me to be patient and we are doing our best. I think  Suzanne 
is more excited than I am because the flooring was her call.

VIP upholstery has set up shop and started the headliner and walls.
I know this is odd that we have saved this part for what seems like last
but there is a  reason for this. I stated in my last post that we were
rebuilding the fuelishness starting from the front and working our 
way to the back. True to form Scott has started in the master cabin.
I'm helping by striping and prepping the window pockets.

I'm not saying this because he's working for us but Scott sure is exacting
and precise about his work. If the window pockets are just a sample of 
his skill then we are certainly in for a treat in the final finish.
As Scott finishes the pockets I'm working behind him beginning with
the installation of the port windows.

I have previously tore the windows apart and cleaned and polished 
all the stainless frames and windows to make them like new and ready 
to go.

The dash panels are back and wow are they super nice or what ?
My friend Derrick Baugh recommended Jason and his company
MidWest Hydro Designs   http://www.midwesthydrodesigns.com/
This guy is amazing he can do almost anything and get some smoking 
results , you have to see these panels in person , just beautiful.

I'm very fortunate to have Bruce Bonebrake working for me, he's my production 
manager and does a great job. Bruce was the host of the DIY network show 
the  Weekend Mechanic and he really enjoys ( like I do ) a great project.
Bruce is an absolute wizard with wiring and circuits, He will be joining in
on the dash project.  
So for now Big Scott Burger from VIP is the flavor of the week and his work
is spot on and well done. http://vipupholsteryandinteriordesign.com/
Check out some of  the Gallery pages these people are truely professionals.

Next Up :  Pirates never Surrender