Itchy Scratchy

A couple posts ago,

I hinted at a couple extra outboards,

steering units and controls we've acquired.

Basically castoffs from others upgrades.

They're a trap for someone like me,

hmmm...

a cheap hull,

and some time...

we could have a bitchin center console boat!

Easy!

Most people are afraid of work,

or they start and realize it's not as easy

as someone's blog post or YouTube video.

Projects are out there.

Some are too rough,

like this 15' whaler.

But this one had potential.

The guy had this posted for weeks,

and lowered it to an almost give away price.

I warned him I'd offer even lower.

We trekked east to check it out.

The outside was as expected.

Crappy hack work covered by cheap white paint.

That top part would be cut out,

and a 2x4 or 2x6 rail glassed into place.

The sides were really floppy,

especially compared to our beefy whaler.

The hull was probably a 70's shape,

with a rather thick keel down the center.

How would it handle?

The bottom a little sucked in from the trailer.

Hmmm.

I knew from the picture the transom was chopped up.

From the outside it looked questionable.

The screwed on plywood theme covered the entire hull.

The seller could sense my hesitation,

probably cause I told him.

His sales techniques kicked in.

It'd be easy!

Typically I'd gloss over this kinda stuff.

A couple hours grinding fiberglass,

cutting out the soft floor and adding ribs,

reinforcing the delaminated transom...

Some epoxy paint,

another hull extension bracket,

a custom center console box...

Easy!

Although I love doing this type of work,

amazingly this time I walked away.

The reality set in.

The time, 

the material $$,

the fiberglass dust...

I'm already spread thin!

Dang it would be a cool project.

TP