1980 HydroStream Vamp resto-mod

Correct, the stock ones just had a 4 inch tall contact patch with the top of the transom. These will help to keep the transom straight by transferring some of the load into the bottom of the transom instead of all the load being concentrated on the small surface the old ones had.

Here is the old beam, there was actually a gap of about an inch between the old beam and the transom, so it was held on by that terrible fiberglass work.

I left them empty, I will be cutting 1 inch holes near the top that I can put a hose down to suck any water that might build up in there, but also the open air should keep moisture from building up in there due to temperature changes.

 

Playing around with ideas for glassing the support beams in at the transom. The beam cuts into a section of the float pods, so the backside is inside the pod and I cant get to it. Originally I was going to wrap the beam in glass, put it in and then smooth the glass into the pod. But I think I have a better idea, I will cut another hole in the float pod, further forward from the beam. This will let me reach in there and glass the backside of the beam to the transom and float pod, this should give me a much better bond for the beam, I will be able to glass both sides of the beam to the floor and transom instead of just being able to glass one side of the beam to the transom and floor.

 

Did some trimming on the transom cap, fully committed now to the low profile splashwell. I am using just the top of the transom cap for its body lines, then the wood (not the wood in the picture) will go right under the cap and link to the transom, I will be cutting the splashwell along the black lines I drew in there so the wood goes right under the top of the hull and rests in its own structure.

 

I have enough problems just fixing things and you casually cut the boat apart...

Was there any particular reason the manufacturer had the deeper splash well?

It seems the shallower version would allow more space for batteries and fuel tanks.

 

Outboards of the time had clamps that needed a deep splashwell as they went up over the top and then down into the splashwell. Newer outboards can bolt to a flat surface, so you dont need that deep splashwell, and for the time being I will be using my tilt and trim plate, so I dont need the splashwell to mount that either.

 

All trimmed out, Now I just need to finish the support beams. So that means cut out the last foot of beam up by the dashboard, then grind and clean up the mounting surfaces, clamp what I have already in place and then measure from the dash to the end of my beams. Then I can cut out those and attach them to the ones I have built already. I will end up with two 10 foot long beams that will be a absolute nightmare to install....

 

Well that was a pain in the ass.... getting the last 10 inches of support beam from under the dash..... But I got one side out, cleared the foam from the area on both sides and measured the new beam section I need. Looks like 42 more inches of beam and it will be done. So tomorrow I will measure out a template beam from scrap. Get it all fit and perfect then I can transfer it to the good wood with the router.
Then I get to connect the two beams together, I was thinking of doing finger joints, but I also want to do something simple and just laminate a little 10 inch section over the joint with some resin.


On a unrelated note, I have been thinking about audio for the boat. I want to fiberglass some speaker pods in and run a full 4 speakers, and headunit to make a nice audio system. But I also want to do the simple thing and just use a bluetooth speaker.
The full audio system will run me around $1000 or I already have a bluetooth speaker.

I might just glass in the speaker pods now, as it will be easier to do while the boat is still under construction than when its all carpeted and painted. My idea is to do a pair of 8 inch coaxial speakers in the rear on top of the float pods, then put a pair of 6.5 inch coaxial speakers under the dash. The headunit would be a gauge style one that will fit right in the dash.

This is the audio system I am looking at
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_109CBM82/JBL-Club-Marine-82.html?tp=96456
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_109CBM62/JBL-Club-Marine-62.html?tp=96456
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_20646KMC4/Kicker-46KMC4.html?tp=96441

Then I might add a amp if I decide the output is not enough from the headunit.

 

Wow, stereo stuff has come a long way!

That gauge size mounting is neat.

 

Yeah its super cool, there is no din standard in boats like there is in cars. So they made many of them in gauge size standards so people can just swap out the useless gauges in their boats with a radio. But also its way easier to cut a circle in fiberglass than it is to cut a square that will perfectly fit a radio.

Speakers im torn on, Im not a huge fan of the flashy grills, but there is only a 1 or 2 speakers out there with retro style mesh grills, and the company that makes them used to be a pretty trash brand (they might of gotten better since I first heard them 20 years ago)
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_917FMF65RB/Fusion-FM-F65RB-Round-Black-grilles.html?tp=96456
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_917FMF77RB/Fusion-FM-F77RB-Round-Black-Grilles.html?tp=96456
or
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_917F77CWB/Fusion-XS-F77CWB.html?tp=96456
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_917F65CWB/Fusion-XS-F65CWB.html?tp=96456

But they also make this super cool thing, it would fit where the "glove box" normally is on the passenger side of the dash and is the headunit and speaker all in one.
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_917A302B/Fusion-PS-A302B.html?tp=96441

EDIT: Seems garmin took over fusion in 2014, so they might actually be decent now.

 

That glove box system is super cool! I'm sure the 4 speaker system would out perform it volume wise but the simplicity and convenience of installation has value too. It "should" be more reliable too with less wires and components.

You probably aren't looking for concert hall fidelity in an open boat anyway -- or annoy the neighbors volume & bass.

Crutchfield is a top spec outfit, the people on the phone really know their products and their prices are fair especially factoring in the quality of the service.

 

Yeah, I dont need to blast it, but a good volume would be nice.
I was thinking of putting speakers up front like this one. That would give me front sound, and let me access the cleats and bow eye mount. The factory installed the cleats and bow eye before bonding the top of the hull to the bottom, so its impossible to get to them without cutting holes.



Then there is this guy, put a pair of 10 inch subs under the dash along with some cheap speakers on the float pods. Feels like a bit much, and the random placement of the gauges and headunit are confusing

 

You have done so much work on the floor & transom I completely forgot about the bow rider section.

Random applies to the red one for sure , I really like the color, the style of the seats and the wood rim steering wheel though.

 

I actually ended up doing a little bit of work on the front today, I still needed to smooth out the patch I did in the floor, so I was doing that. I need to get a drain to put in there still (see last picture of red boat), but Im not too concerned how smooth that bottom area is because it will be covered in carpet anyhow. Speaking of carpet, I was at menards the other day and they had a reminant of black marine carpet, 10f X 6f for half price. I grabbed it and put it in to see how it looks, the black looks really really nice in there.

The red one is a sharp looking boat. When I do my interior, it will be similar to the red one, but not with the grandmas couch buttons on the panels. But I am going to do the rear panels just like his where its only for the rear half of the boat.

 

Seeing the whole boat that is amazing looking, the interior looks almost like a luxury car, makes the white head unit stand out all the more.

I see the need for the drain but where does it drain to?

 

So the drain just goes under the floor. Its not the greatest thing in the world, but it works. When I do mine I plan to run PEX pipe from the drain all the way to the back so the water never contacts anything outside of the bilge area.

 

I had to go back and look at the photos to understand, I was under the impression that the area below the floor was sealed completely.

Thinking about it, if it was sealed, creating a tank essentially, normal temperature changes would cause it to have pressure inside especially on a very hot day. This would "work" the material eventually causing cracks which would allow water in but not out.

I pasted the photos below so anyone else not understanding can see.

 

Yep, one rule I have figured out is that nothing should ever be sealed. Doing so traps the water in when it finally does leak.

 

Spent more time today grinding at the gunnels. One side is 90% done, I just need to grind the upper part in where I spliced in the rear caps.
But after getting the mounting surfaces cleaned up, I put the support beam back in again for one more test. Everything lines up really well. The beam butts right up against the inside of the rear caps and pulls everything inline.

So now I am off to start making the forward section of the beam. Going to use a shiplap joint to link the two sections of beams together.

 

Weather took a turn this week so many things are on hold. Its currently 10 degrees out and the land is covered in 6 inches of snow. But it should be getting back up into the 40s by monday. So we are pausing for a few days then will be back out on it.

 

Wow that style is nice! Front lounge chairs look comfortable, will yours have the same?