cncsignman
Member
Picked up this 96 speedster back in November. Plan on buffing the hull, removing all graphics and replacing with new color scheme, removing seats and recovering, replacing all non working gauges, installing hydromats and much more.
RESTO My 96 speedster restoration
- Thread starter cncsignman
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Milemarker81
Member
Wow, that's looking great.
Did you special order the graphics? I'd love to refresh mine on the sides.
If you have any pennies left after the resto, I highly recommend some Hydroturf. It provides much better footing and looks good, too. I kinda regret getting the die cut logo, though. W
I wish I'd gotten no logo at all.
Rob
Did you special order the graphics? I'd love to refresh mine on the sides.
If you have any pennies left after the resto, I highly recommend some Hydroturf. It provides much better footing and looks good, too. I kinda regret getting the die cut logo, though. W
I wish I'd gotten no logo at all.
Rob
cncsignman
Member
Thanks! These are custom graphics I designed. I work for a sign shop and did all the vinyl myself. Black background is vinyl. I ordered diamond cut hydro turf (black on dark grey) last week without the logos. Should make a big difference in the look. Plan on vinyl wrapping the back engine hood in yellow. I'll post pics of that soon.
cncsignman
Member
Here are some more before photos.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Milemarker81
Member
Besides the upholstery and the center console, it doesn't look too bad. It looks like all the pieces are there. Looks like a great find.
Did you paint the rub rails or are those new? What did you do about the grape grab handles?
Excellent work on the console panel graphics too.
Since you are in the business, how much is custom graphics work? I've been wanting to give my boat (Squirtt) a proper name by replacing the large SEA DOO graphic on the back. I have an idea on how I want it to look, but I'm no artist/designer.
Rob
Did you paint the rub rails or are those new? What did you do about the grape grab handles?
Excellent work on the console panel graphics too.
Since you are in the business, how much is custom graphics work? I've been wanting to give my boat (Squirtt) a proper name by replacing the large SEA DOO graphic on the back. I have an idea on how I want it to look, but I'm no artist/designer.
Rob
cncsignman
Member
Thanks! Only paid 1500 for the boat and trailer and it runs great! Just needed a lot of TLC. The rub rails were still in good shape but were still that ugly purple. I water sanded them and painted with several coats of black satin krylon fusion. Hopefully it will hold up.
I also painted the grab handles and throttle levers with the same black.
As far as the graphics for the back go, check with a local vinyl shop to see what they would charge for design and install on the boat. If I were to do this at my shop I would probably charge around 175 for vinyl and install provided the old logo was removed. I'll be posting more pics this afternoon of more vinyl and the restored front hood.
Jeff
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I also painted the grab handles and throttle levers with the same black.
As far as the graphics for the back go, check with a local vinyl shop to see what they would charge for design and install on the boat. If I were to do this at my shop I would probably charge around 175 for vinyl and install provided the old logo was removed. I'll be posting more pics this afternoon of more vinyl and the restored front hood.
Jeff
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cncsignman
Member
Thanks! I'll be careful not to scratch it.
cncsignman
Member
Here are some new photos of the 96 speedster. Pretty much all that is left to do is install the hydro turf mats and reupholster the seats. New mats should be in later this week then I can concentrate on the seats.
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cncsignman
Member
Here is a video of what I've done so far.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/frvb2667abq76kr/Video Jan 03, 1 58 18 PM.mov?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/frvb2667abq76kr/Video Jan 03, 1 58 18 PM.mov?dl=0
Last edited by a moderator:
cncsignman
Member
I installed all new gauges. The old gauges didn't work.
Milemarker81
Member
The picture attachments wouldn't open for me but the video worked well. Wow, looks great. It's a completely different boat. You even did the trailer graphics. Gotta respect a man with an eye for the details.
One thing that I learned the hard way is that the trailer axle nuts need an occasional check (depending upon how much trailering you do). They have a sacrificial stainless bushing on them that the wheel bearings ride against. As that wears away the wheel will start to get some axial play. If left unattended this will lead to a bearing failure at a most inopportune time.
One thing that I did that I really like was to add a depth gauge. There's a flat spot at the very back to the right of the bilge pump that works well as a spot to mount a thru-hull transducer. At full speed it's one of the only spots that still has contact with the water. You have to pull the starboard water pipe and exhaust to get to it. I get accurate readings at all speeds from there. I mounted the gauge to the right of the center column on the flat spot above the cup holder. It's powered by a marine toggle switch mounted on the console. I have the boat apart for maintenance now so I can send pictures if you are interested.
I occasionally beach mine and noticed that the keel was getting beat up. I added some Gator Guard Keelshield. (I think that it was the 5 footer) It looks good and doesn't seem to affect the performance.
Thanks for the tip on the graphics. I did some google'ing for shops in my area but I'm not sure what I'm looking for. I couldn't find anything under boat graphics but did see a few saying that they did boat wraps. Is that what I should be looking for? I'm just looking to replace the SEA*DOO graphic on the back with a name. I know what I want and am trying to design it with a SVG graphics program but there's a heck of a learning curve.
Rob
One thing that I learned the hard way is that the trailer axle nuts need an occasional check (depending upon how much trailering you do). They have a sacrificial stainless bushing on them that the wheel bearings ride against. As that wears away the wheel will start to get some axial play. If left unattended this will lead to a bearing failure at a most inopportune time.
One thing that I did that I really like was to add a depth gauge. There's a flat spot at the very back to the right of the bilge pump that works well as a spot to mount a thru-hull transducer. At full speed it's one of the only spots that still has contact with the water. You have to pull the starboard water pipe and exhaust to get to it. I get accurate readings at all speeds from there. I mounted the gauge to the right of the center column on the flat spot above the cup holder. It's powered by a marine toggle switch mounted on the console. I have the boat apart for maintenance now so I can send pictures if you are interested.
I occasionally beach mine and noticed that the keel was getting beat up. I added some Gator Guard Keelshield. (I think that it was the 5 footer) It looks good and doesn't seem to affect the performance.
Thanks for the tip on the graphics. I did some google'ing for shops in my area but I'm not sure what I'm looking for. I couldn't find anything under boat graphics but did see a few saying that they did boat wraps. Is that what I should be looking for? I'm just looking to replace the SEA*DOO graphic on the back with a name. I know what I want and am trying to design it with a SVG graphics program but there's a heck of a learning curve.
Rob
cncsignman
Member
Rob,
Thanks for the good comments! I reloaded the photos. I'll check out the trailer for wear. I'd like to see some photos of the depth gauge. If you are just looking to replace the seadoo logo with a name, any vinyl shop can design something and cut you some lettering for it. Just make sure you ask for premium 8-10 year vinyl. Most vinyl shops use cheap vinyl and it will only hold up a few years then will start to peel. Boat wraps are expensive. Most are used for color change to keep from painting which is what I did. I have never done a wrap before until I did the black on my boat and I now can understand why they are so expensive. I've got 32 years in the sign business and it was a challenge to get it right. I should be wrapping the back engine hood soon in yellow and will post some pics when finished. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll be happy to help.
Jeff
Thanks for the good comments! I reloaded the photos. I'll check out the trailer for wear. I'd like to see some photos of the depth gauge. If you are just looking to replace the seadoo logo with a name, any vinyl shop can design something and cut you some lettering for it. Just make sure you ask for premium 8-10 year vinyl. Most vinyl shops use cheap vinyl and it will only hold up a few years then will start to peel. Boat wraps are expensive. Most are used for color change to keep from painting which is what I did. I have never done a wrap before until I did the black on my boat and I now can understand why they are so expensive. I've got 32 years in the sign business and it was a challenge to get it right. I should be wrapping the back engine hood soon in yellow and will post some pics when finished. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll be happy to help.
Jeff
Milemarker81
Member
I can see the pictures now.
The trailer is looking good as well. Did you eliminate the side markers? Are those fenders strong enough to stand on? One thing that I've always wanted to do with the trailer is to add some guides because getting it centered is a bit of a pain (especially when alone).
Here are the pics of the Hummingbird install. The first one is the very rear of the bilge looking down as if you were standing on the seats. (The rear deck has been removed.) To the right is the bilge pump switch and you can barely see the light coming through the bilge plug hole. The second shows the placement of the display on the console and the power switch.
Full disclosure, this is a new and untested install. The old unit worked well for 10 years but the display gave out. The old unit had a round transducer with two wires, the new one has three so I had to replace the transducer as well. The old unit working at speed is no guarantee that this one will too but I'm pretty confident that it will. It will probably be at least a couple of months before I can get it on the water to test.
I like the placement of the display because it's easy to glance at while at speed. I wish that I'd centered it a bit better and that it was 1/4" lower. You'll notice on that section of the console, it gradually curves away until it becomes flat at the top. To completely seal the display bezel, you need about 1/2" of flat above the mounting hole. I didn't get quite enough so the bezel doesn't seal as well as it should.
I powered it be tapping into the thick always hot line in the console. (The new line has it's own fuse.) It's nice to be able to turn it on when the boat isn't powered but it's easy to forget to turn off. One could eliminate the switch by adding a relay using the gauge lights as a signal wire. That way it would still be on it's own power circuit but would turn on/off with the boat.
If you decide to install, here is my take on how it should be done.
1) Remove the rear deck lid. I did the first one with the lid in place but it was a bit uncomfortable reaching back in there from the front. It was _much_ easier reaching in from the back.
2) Remove the starboard water box
3) Clean the area thoroughly
4) Clean it again. (Seriously, it must be clean and dry)
5) Dry fit the transducer. It must be flat and the entire thing must contact the hull. Try to get it as far back as you can since that area maintains the best contact with the water.
6) Find something heavy to weigh down the transducer and work out how to get it to stay. It's better to think of this now than when the epoxy is laid down.
7) Carefully mix a whole syringe thing of slow cure epoxy. Try to avoid introducing air bubbles. Air between the transducer and the hull will introduce false readings. It's slow cure so you have plenty of time. I've found that a bit of parchment baking paper makes a good mixing surface.
8) Lay a thick coat of the epoxy on the hull.
9) Back butter the transducer
10) Wait a bit to allow any air bubbles to work there way out of the epoxy
11) Place the transducer giving it a few small twists to make sure that it has full contact with the epoxy
12) Weigh it down and allow to cure as per the epoxy instructions.
13) The next day, run the wire to the console. I went straight up, then to the starboard and then back. That kept it out of the way. It'll be easier with the throttles pulled out of their hole.
That's it. It's not as hard as I make it sound.
Rob
The trailer is looking good as well. Did you eliminate the side markers? Are those fenders strong enough to stand on? One thing that I've always wanted to do with the trailer is to add some guides because getting it centered is a bit of a pain (especially when alone).
Here are the pics of the Hummingbird install. The first one is the very rear of the bilge looking down as if you were standing on the seats. (The rear deck has been removed.) To the right is the bilge pump switch and you can barely see the light coming through the bilge plug hole. The second shows the placement of the display on the console and the power switch.
Full disclosure, this is a new and untested install. The old unit worked well for 10 years but the display gave out. The old unit had a round transducer with two wires, the new one has three so I had to replace the transducer as well. The old unit working at speed is no guarantee that this one will too but I'm pretty confident that it will. It will probably be at least a couple of months before I can get it on the water to test.
I like the placement of the display because it's easy to glance at while at speed. I wish that I'd centered it a bit better and that it was 1/4" lower. You'll notice on that section of the console, it gradually curves away until it becomes flat at the top. To completely seal the display bezel, you need about 1/2" of flat above the mounting hole. I didn't get quite enough so the bezel doesn't seal as well as it should.
I powered it be tapping into the thick always hot line in the console. (The new line has it's own fuse.) It's nice to be able to turn it on when the boat isn't powered but it's easy to forget to turn off. One could eliminate the switch by adding a relay using the gauge lights as a signal wire. That way it would still be on it's own power circuit but would turn on/off with the boat.
If you decide to install, here is my take on how it should be done.
1) Remove the rear deck lid. I did the first one with the lid in place but it was a bit uncomfortable reaching back in there from the front. It was _much_ easier reaching in from the back.
2) Remove the starboard water box
3) Clean the area thoroughly
4) Clean it again. (Seriously, it must be clean and dry)
5) Dry fit the transducer. It must be flat and the entire thing must contact the hull. Try to get it as far back as you can since that area maintains the best contact with the water.
6) Find something heavy to weigh down the transducer and work out how to get it to stay. It's better to think of this now than when the epoxy is laid down.
7) Carefully mix a whole syringe thing of slow cure epoxy. Try to avoid introducing air bubbles. Air between the transducer and the hull will introduce false readings. It's slow cure so you have plenty of time. I've found that a bit of parchment baking paper makes a good mixing surface.
8) Lay a thick coat of the epoxy on the hull.
9) Back butter the transducer
10) Wait a bit to allow any air bubbles to work there way out of the epoxy
11) Place the transducer giving it a few small twists to make sure that it has full contact with the epoxy
12) Weigh it down and allow to cure as per the epoxy instructions.
13) The next day, run the wire to the console. I went straight up, then to the starboard and then back. That kept it out of the way. It'll be easier with the throttles pulled out of their hole.
That's it. It's not as hard as I make it sound.
Rob
cncsignman
Member
Thanks. The only thing I've done to the trailer is change the logo and replace the wheel at the tongue. You can stand on the fenders. I like the idea of the hummingbird. If I decide to install one, I would probably mount mine to the outside of the hull with 3M VHB tape. That stuff is great! The tape eliminates more holes in the hull. I replaced the stock speedo wheel with a pitot tube sender. Mounted it with the tape right above the screws that held the old speed wheel bracket then fed the tube through the existing hole and filled with silicone. My son will be installing a stereo system soon. Look for more pics!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Jeff W
Member
List of audio components going in this weekend are:
Boss Audio MGR350b 3.5" Gauge Style Receiver
4 Kicker KM60 6.5" Coaxial Speakers
1 (or 2 if there is room) Kicker KMW10 10" Sub
Powered by a Rockville RXM-S6 2600 watt 6 channel Amp (Should be plenty extra if we add a wake tower with speakers in the future)
I think I have everything laid out where it will fit. Just waiting on components to arrive before I start cutting all those holes in dad's baby...
Will also be upgrading the battery...
Boss Audio MGR350b 3.5" Gauge Style Receiver
4 Kicker KM60 6.5" Coaxial Speakers
1 (or 2 if there is room) Kicker KMW10 10" Sub
Powered by a Rockville RXM-S6 2600 watt 6 channel Amp (Should be plenty extra if we add a wake tower with speakers in the future)
I think I have everything laid out where it will fit. Just waiting on components to arrive before I start cutting all those holes in dad's baby...
Will also be upgrading the battery...
Milemarker81
Member
Wow, that's a clean looking install. Back in the jetboating.net days people would deride the stock "dream-o-meter" speedometer so I checked it out with a gps. It was close enough for my use and my original unit is still functional so I haven't messed with it. When it does go, however, expect me to bug you for some more details on your install and how well it has held up.
The reason I asked about the side markers is because I just had to replace mine. I thought that they were stock but seeing that yours doesn't have them made me wonder if a PO added them. I gotta admit, they don't seem necessary for such a short trailer.
My fenders don't have those steps either. I wonder if that was an upgrade option from the factory or someone added those later. They look like they'd come in very handy.
I don't understand why you'd want to go with a transom mount. The main issue, I believe, is getting an accurate reading at speed because the unit will have to be in the dirty water of the wake. There are other smaller issues too, but that one was a deal breaker for me. Looking at your photo, I think there's another issue as well. Where would you put it? That pitot tube is already in the optimal spot. It looks like there may be enough room to move that over a bit and add the transducer mount in that area as well. I guess that's a good thing about the tape mount, it would be easy to try it out in a non-destructive way.
Rob
Fat Tony
New Member
Your build is looking fantastic! I'm in the middle of a resto on a 97 speedster with alot of the same issues as yours. Your graphics/wrap look phenomenal, and it is kind of what I have been thinking about for mine, seeing yours sealed the deal for me... Now to figure out how much it is gonna cost me LOL...
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