1980 HydroStream Vamp resto-mod

Only a little bit of sanding on the boat today, I went fly fishing for nearly 9 hours on sunday, so my legs are beat from walking up and down the river.

 

Great photo, it looks miles out of town. Peaceful

 

Nothing like a little fresh air to clear some of that sanding dust out of your lungs! Looks like a beautiful spot.

 

This spot was about 20 minutes out of Duluth, but we also fished right there in downtown too.

I needed it for sure, been blowing black boogers out my nose for a week.

 

"I needed it for sure, been blowing black boogers out my nose for a week" I feel your pain my friend. Been there several times myself even when using a mask.

 

Yep, the mask helps a tiny bit, but the dust is so fine it just passes around the mask at any little gap.

 

I have been out of the project work for years now, considering one of the Hobbyair supplied air units if I get going again. They aren't terribly priced new, better used of course.

https://axispro.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=1

 

Although, on the plus side, I figure between all the chemicals I have breathed, and all of the preservatives in the fast food I have eaten, I probably will be like Keith Richards and remain upright for several years after I pass! LOL

 

Alright, so more block sanding on the bottom of the boat. The sides of the bottom half of the hull just below the rub rail are super wavy. Im trying to get them blocked pretty straight, but I might have to end up getting fairing primer* and put another coat down and block it all out again. Im burning through the primer and into the gelcoat before I am getting the surface flat. But we will see how it turns out after I really work it with the air block.

*Fairing primer is the same as the primer I already put down, but its much thicker so I have more material to sand to get the spot flat. Also it only comes in light blue color.

 

Left side pretty much done, its still kinda wavy, but I think it will pass. Working on the right side now and its a bit less wavy. Last spot I need to do is the part I hate the most... the keel, but also I dont want to sand too much of the keel as I want it super thick down there, so I think I might block it to get the high spots down then just scuff it up so the gelcoat sticks.

 

Thinking more about the sides, I think I am going to spend the time to smooth them out. I am just going to get some more fairing compound and start laying it along both sides in thin coats, blocking it down between coats until its nice and smooth. I looked at a couple pictures of this boat sitting in the water, and these side parts are the main bit that sits above the water line and I would hate for a perfect smooth finish be ruined by me getting a little lazy at the end.

Its the parts in this picture from the registration numbers all the way back.


Also, I found a really nice example of this boat for sale, all original, in a black and silver glitter. Looks really really good. This is pretty much how my boat will look, but not with the silver glitter fade

 

She is getting there! The warped parts of the sides are a pretty small section, its just a long section.

 

Little further.

 

The bottom of that boat is going to look so good that you might have to put mirrors on the trailer so folks can see it! LOL

 

Im starting to think I should be spraying glitter on the bottom too... But I know fixing damage to glitter is very hard without respraying it. But just straight black gelcoat is a easy fix.

 

Alright, Today I turn 40 years old, so Its officially time to start my mid life crisis! This boat is the perfect first step.

 

Happy Birthday Erik!

I remember my age 40 mid life purchase like it was yesterday , it had 16" wheels, a full aluminum body, bucket seats & a 4 speed manual.

Spoiler: Aren't you curious?

A 1970 Grumman Kurbmaster delivery van.

 

ok, nearly done! All I have left is the very bottom center part of the hull. Im not going to really get hard into the bottom middle, just going to get it cleaned up and ready for the gelcoat, so that means I can use the DA for most of it, the DA takes the primer down much faster than the block does.

 

Happy Birthday!

 

Alright, no pictures for the end tonight, but I have the right side 100% done, the middle pad 100% done, and the left side 95% done. I should be able to wrap up the last little bit in a hour or so tomorrow.

So, that leaves me with a choice. I can spend an hour or two finishing up in the morning, then I can pull my small boat and trailer around and go out for opener.... The sanding is the last thing I needed to do before gelcoat, but I still have not picked up the gelcoat yet. So once the sanding is done, all thats left is to clean the boat with acetone and spray it, but I dont want to clean it till right before I gelcoat so I dont get more dust on there. SO yeah, I think I might go out for fishing opener... see if I can get run over in my tiny boat.