Welcome to "Yachtsville"

Being able to say that the platform is done and checking it off the list certainly
gives us momentum. If we can keep the pace moving like this we will be right on
target to launch the week before or the week after memorial day.
The single largest job is starting now and we are excited to see headway on the
interior.  Suzanne has been in charge of this part of the project from the very  
beginning, and a while back I was asking her about what she had in mind for
headliner material and so forth.  It's kinda nice to let someone else drive the bus
once in while especially in a situation like this, cause if I were picking things out
lord only knows what we would end up with.
So finally in response to the many interior questions , Suzanne asked me to meet
her at the boat after work and she would explain everything. Now at first I didn't 
think too much about this, until I saw her filling her little canvas presenation bag
with all kinds of interior related samples,  and the bag looked pretty full too .
A little before quitting time I noticed that Suzanne had already gone to the boat
and so I beat feet down there as my curiosity was really on fire at this point.
As I climbed  the ladder to get in the boat Suzanne welcomed me aboard and asked
me to have a seat and not to say anything until she was done. My wife is never
happier than when she is creating ("Designing")something, The presentation
that followed was a little surprising. 
Suzanne started by telling me that our boat was old, but had a timeless
European shape and that by adding the platform and changing a few key
elements she would like to re-design the purpose of  the Fuelishness.
Admittedly I'm curious, although slightly confused.
She continued  by saying her plans included doing the cockpit interior ,changing
 the flooring and adding some high polished stainless steel trim. Suzanne  proposed
that some of the American raceboat look be softened and changed to favor
an Italian performance cruiser.
Suzanne now has my full and undivided attention, and I pretty much sat there
 stunned as she showed me samples of the Ferrari Beige leather for the cockpit ,
Teak Flooring , Stainless Trimmed gauges and a leather wrapped steering wheel.  
It seemed as though her little canvas bag would never go empty and every thing
she pulled out fit so well with the one before it that each passing item made me
 smile a little wider.

She concluded her presenation with samples spread everywhere and a convincing
                                 "Welcome to Yachtsville".
   
I guess you probably figured out that I agreed to everything she proposed
and I'm really wound up on the whole idea.

My first question to her after she finished her presentation was
"How long have you been reading my boat magazines"?
she replied "long enough to know what you like"!. 

With all the questions answered about the direction of the project
it's definitely game on!!

            The cockpit interior has vanished which has raised a few new issues. 



Before



The dash is also undergoing a face lift, the gauges are on their way to Faria Corp.

to get updated and recalibrated, the gauge panels are getting re carbon fibered, 

2 of the panels are being replaced to make way for a dash mounted IPAD to

control the sound system.  

                              



After Teardown



I needed some help with the dash panels and so I called my pirate friend.

John picked up my patterns and got them back to me in just a few days,

and with a perfect fit. now it's just a matter stripping the existing

panels,epoxy priming them  and dropping them off at the Liquid Grafics Shop.

                               Here are the new panels cut , fit and ready for primer.

I had menetioned above that removing the interior had uncovered some issues,

as Scott was removing the cockpit interior he discovered some soft spots in the 

old seat frames, which will require us to replace some of the under structure.

Now check this out, I pulled my boat in the fall of 2011 and it has sat uncovered

in a dry warehouse this whole time and the seat frames are soaking wet. 

No kidding , when Scott and I got the seats out of the boat and peeled back the 

vinyl and foam those frames were soaking wet. 

This what I found when the passenger seat came out,. It was still wet no kidding !
This area has no drain of any kind, I have to figure out a way to fix this, I am
open to any suggestions at this point.  


Next Up:   Little Boxes of Happiness