So here it is. Don't know if you could call this a real restoration, but I bought this 1981 Santa Cruz from a friends dad in 2021. She was rough. Our best guess is that it had been sitting for 10-15 years.
Bought it real late winter, so it had to sit for another month or so.
Pulled it out gave it a quick wash to see what we were working with.
Its a 260HP Merc and real early Merc outdrive.
Replaced the gimble bearing, U-joints, and impeller.
After a new carb and a tune up the motor fired right up and ran great.
After we new it ran. I moved on to the steering, trim, bilge pump, and main power. Basically anything to get it back on the water and make sure it all worked.
Bleeding the steering resulted in some broke fittings on the helm. Got those fixed and it was good to go.
What followed the rest of that season was a series of attempts to put the boat in the water. The first time out we backed it down the ramp and left it on the trailer to check for leaks. Sure enough had a good leak from somewhere in the transom plate area. Found some loose transom plate bolts (should have stopped here) and tightened those. Put some silicone around the gimble housing to try and at least stop the leak, replaced the shift cable, replaced the driveshaft boot, nothing we did stopped the leak.
At this point we were stumped so out the motor came. What we found was a very, very rotten transom.
I was into the boat, so I decided to keep going. Took it to a friends house who has a lot more fiberglass experience (and motivation) then I do. He cut out the rot, which thankfully was limited to between the stringers and below the deck. New plywood and fiberglass went in.
Now we could finally get the thing back together and try again. Until, while wire wheeling the gimble housing, I finally found the original problem. It had a huge whole that had corroded in gimble housing.
Now my season was done. I picked up a new to me clean gimble housing from a local used boat parts dealer and replaced it at my leisure over the winter on the bench.
Fast forward to spring 2022.
Apparently didn't get all the water out of the motor and had a manifold end plate let go. Everything else checked out good so it was time to go back together
Then finally after a little over a year it finally made it on the water. It ran perfect and handled great.
Now that I knew it was a functional boat, it was time for the real work to start.
Cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaning. Shout out to my brother for helping cut, buff and wax. He's got a better talent for it then I do.
Completely emptied the cabin and deep cleaned it, which it needed bad.
Some knock off sea deck and the interior started to look like something again.
Got my new tags it was finally time to get back on the water.
Over the rest of the 2022 season I started checking off the rest of my do to list. Lots and lots of cracked water lines replaced. New VHF radio, tablet mount for charts, anchor and rode, prop, and a new horn. Plus way to many small fixes and what not to list. Even made up a quick grill mount for my last outing of the year and my first overnight on the boat.
That wrapped up my 2022 season, and now I have an even longer to do list for this season. This will be its first year in a slip, so lots to do before it goes in the water.
Hoping for a good 2023 season, and I'll do my best to keep this thread updated.
Cheers
Sponsors