My Spring projects have begun...

[ian ashton]

So I've racked up a fairly long list of projects for the boat before I get it in the water this year - Laura is out of town this weekend so I'm gonna check off as many as I can!

Came home from work tonight and started with this;
https://www.dropbox.com/s/f1optwh8fgq5nik/Photo%20Mar%2018%2C%204%2046%2028%20PM.jpg?dl=1

And after a few quick drills now have this;
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5xwgr9s629z2tzf/Photo%20Mar%2018%2C%204%2058%2049%20PM.jpg?dl=1


I still have to wire it, but that should be pretty straight forward, and ties into another project I'll show later in this thread :)

The rest of the list:
-Install transom shower
-Install Exile XM15.4 where 800.4 used to be
-Miners Moss (ordered it on Monday, hasn't arrived yet :( )
-New dash switch covers (this is a cool one, if my plan works out!)
-Oil/Filter, Plugs, Impeller

I guess that's not a very big list - I really would like to rebuild my sub enclosure for 12's, but don't think I'll have the time with baby #2 due in May.

[mmandley]

Looking good so fare, I have my big project done the Wave Control.
I still have LEDs, rework my Sub enclosure, and rework my amp rack after going to Digi amps last season.

[rdlangston13]

Ian, our son Nolan is 6 months old roughly, what have you found is the best way to take him on the boat??


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[ian ashton]

Ian, our son Nolan is 6 months old roughly, what have you found is the best way to take him on the boat??


Sent from my iPhone

Congrats, I see on FB he's a cutie!

We had Rob out for the first time when he was 3 months, basically just had him in is tiny life vest and one of us held him while we moved. He's been a boater from the start!

The hardest part is that babies aren't supposed to have sunscreen on until at least 6 months, and Rob has super fair skin and red hair, so even under a towel, under the bimini he got a little pink the first time out.

I'm a psycho about kids in life jackets - if the boats not tied to a dock (we let Rob take his off to practice swimming at the sand bar) any kid with us has to have a jacket on (it helps that my whole crew is made up of Coast Guard pilots, lol) - Rob HATED his jacket as a baby, but we stuck with it, now most days he doesn't even notice it.

Start em with the jacket young so it's not a fight later!

[ian ashton]

I got the brass thru-hull for the transom shower drilled and bolted in - I need to cut down the threads, just didn't have an extension cord long enough to get there, need to move the boat and do it tomorrow.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4rc2xn4kli1x47h/Photo%20Mar%2018%2C%206%2046%2002%20PM.jpg?dl=1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/43lea2mkvqdhsw5/Photo%20Mar%2018%2C%206%2047%2003%20PM.jpg?dl=1

[CFD3Captain]

Looking good! Take pics of some progress of you MM install. Are you planning to back it with anything? I think next year it will be on my mods list. I hate carpet!

[jstenger]

I got the brass thru-hull for the transom shower drilled and bolted in - I need to cut down the threads, just didn't have an extension cord long enough to get there, need to move the boat and do it tomorrow.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4rc2xn4kli1x47h/Photo%20Mar%2018%2C%206%2046%2002%20PM.jpg?dl=1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/43lea2mkvqdhsw5/Photo%20Mar%2018%2C%206%2047%2003%20PM.jpg?dl=1
Why did you put in a new thru hull? Don't most showers tee into the raw water intake for the "cold" and tee into one of the exhaust lines for "hot".

[ian ashton]

Why did you put in a new thru hull? Don't most showers tee into the raw water intake for the "cold" and tee into one of the exhaust lines for "hot".

I'm not doing hot/cold, just cold - I couldn't find a proper size T and just didn't want to mess with the raw water intake (I have a strainer to install too, forgot about that!) and figured if I ever add ballast (I ordered this boat without) then I could use this fitting for that too.

[dillinle]

What type of light is that you are using? Did you just silicone the hole you drilled for the wires?

[ian ashton]

What type of light is that you are using? Did you just silicone the hole you drilled for the wires?

It's a ShadowCaster SCM-10-CC.

That picture was taken before I sealed it, but I squeezed 3M 5200 into the hole and smoothed it around to make a seal on the surface. The hole is super tight on the wire to begin with, I think the 5200 should be perfect, but if the water test fails I'll pull it out and use a connector of some sort - just wanted to avoid a larger hole than necessary.

A few pics of the light in the dark - not a very good gauge of how bright it will be, but I couldn't resist!

No light:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8epfebufue1624j/Photo%20Mar%2018%2C%2011%2007%2008%20PM.jpg?dl=1

Red:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ffwpf9v7zcgtkrr/Photo%20Mar%2018%2C%2011%2007%2001%20PM.jpg?dl=1

Green:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/058xz2zzo6536io/Photo%20Mar%2018%2C%2011%2006%2059%20PM.jpg?dl=1

Blue:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yxbuhz9ifhi42yj/Photo%20Mar%2018%2C%2011%2007%2004%20PM.jpg?dl=1

[ian ashton]

White:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/np6s5umbx38flar/Photo%20Mar%2018%2C%2011%2006%2056%20PM.jpg?dl=1

[ian ashton]

And here is a preview of my switch upgrade;
https://www.dropbox.com/s/62kvdm73wuftl4i/Photo%20Mar%2018%2C%208%2021%2056%20PM.jpg?dl=1

I bought these (https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/131586318188), then printed 1" plastic labels on a PC connectable label maker, popped the chrome piece off, placed the labels, and re-assembled. I think they came out pretty slick!

I am also swapping the "Stereo" switch for a DPDT so up will be just cabins and down will be cabins and tower - previously it was 2 separate switches, but that seems unnecessary.

[wolfeman131]

Love the exile logo on the stereo switch!

[ian ashton]

Thanks! I wanted to give that area a little pizzaz, I thought that and the Moomba outline for the Transom Lights switch did the trick!

Exile XM15.4 installed - I also moved the 2 XM30.2's down a little closer to the 15.4 - the Xi800 was huge in comparison!

The hole left by the Xi800.4:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6vk9oj4zq9hnte6/Photo%20Mar%2019%2C%2010%2001%2033%20AM.jpg?dl=1

And the amps in their new homes;
https://www.dropbox.com/s/is6rp0qfox4vu9n/Photo%20Mar%2019%2C%2010%2041%2015%20AM.jpg?dl=1

I've got a bunch of wire clean-up to do, I just didn't have any zip ties with the screw-hole thingies. I think I might make a trim panel to go over these amps - I never did with the Xi800.4 because it ran pretty hot and I didn't want to restrict ventilation, so I'll probably hold off on that until I see if this one runs a little cooler, which I suspect it will.

[mmandley]

they do run cooler that's for sure, but they still run hot to the touch, or at least mine do LOL.

[MJHSupra]

ShadowCasters 10s, even one will light things up.


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[ian ashton]

Oil change and plugs done - looks like the plugs I pulled out were gapped to .060, so that's what I gapped the new ones at - anyone know if that's right? I couldn't find it in the manual, but I didn't look very hard, lol. Also, those AC Delco plugs aren't cheap, lol!

I tried a drill pump to suck the old oil out, but it just wasn't having it - maybe it's because I tried it with a cold motor and its 40 degrees outside.

Anyway, I snagged this at Harbor Freight a month or so ago for $20, worked AWESOME - I just slid the green hose fitting over the threads on the oil drain hose, hooked the + and - clamps to the battery jumper plug I installed last fall, and I was off to the races!

Here is my rigged up oil pump:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/cbaqb284rm7n78s/Photo%20Mar%2019%2C%202%2014%2021%20PM.jpg?dl=1

Yes I know, I could probably do with shorter hoses, but it worked :)

Miners Moss was delivered to my office today, so I'm going to snag that, hopefully lay out my template and have some fun there! I also picked up the zip ties I needed and a few other things, so I can keep plugging away tomorrow :)

[ian ashton]

Turns out my not measuring before ordering was a bad idea, lol. I ordered 2 sheets of Miners Moss, probably need 3. I just ordered 2 more, lol.

[CFD3Captain]

Where did you order the Miners Moss from?

[ian ashton]

Utopiatools.com

Template laid out on the floor getting ready to test fit;
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xftd7wxie6b1cnm/Photo%20Mar%2019%2C%205%2056%2003%20PM.jpg?dl=1

Fits pretty good, made a few notes on where to cut wide on the 'moss, but overall I'm happy with the first try!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yolvt7m7lzxahf7/Photo%20Mar%2019%2C%207%2051%2022%20PM.jpg?dl=1

I watched a few videos on how to seem this stuff and decided the best bet was to sew it together with dental floss on the underside, then flip it over and glue it. It's in the basement drying now;
https://www.dropbox.com/s/d49tup4uyjo2mjt/Photo%20Mar%2019%2C%208%2035%2045%20PM.jpg?dl=1

[brain_rinse]

Awesome upgrades! Nice work.

Triple check that thru-hull before cutting. If it's a tapered thread then it can't be cut down. I learned this one the hard way...

[ian ashton]

Ahh good call, I will check that first!

[mikenehrkorn]

Are you planning to pull up the carpet or just put the miners moss on top?

[That Guy]

Looking good! I also have a long list of winter upgrades that include miners moss on the floor, keep the pictures coming!

[ian ashton]

Are you planning to pull up the carpet or just put the miners moss on top?

I'm going to use it on top this summer and see how I like it, with the hope that I'll rip the carpet out maybe mid-summer vacation, or over winter.

[ian ashton]

Seem looks pretty good - I'm sure once it warms up in the sun for a bit the wrinkles from shipping will flatten out nicely;
https://www.dropbox.com/s/iuvmggx5ko9aunh/Photo%20Mar%2020%2C%209%2043%2027%20AM.jpg?dl=1

[CFD3Captain]

Looks good. Did you just seam it like they show on the decadence videos? Cut at slight angle then use pvc glue? The real question is, how does it feel on your feet :)

[ian ashton]

I sewed the underside seem with dental floss, then flipped it right side up, folded it in half and put Goop Extreme UV Stable glue down the entire length of the seam, laid it flat and put weight on top, seems to have worked like a charm.

My wife bought a door mat from Stanley Steamer the last time they cleaned our carpet - it's the same material as that. It's hard to describe, it's like a coarse texture made of a soft material - I wouldn't want to kneel on it all day, but it's definitely comfortable on the feet.

[viking]

How thick is it Ian? I have Deckadence and feels fine on feet. If you go with dark color (mine is about same color as Ian's) it can still get warm but nothing like carpet. It's the best option imo.

[KG's Supra24]

What is approx cost in the deckadance? Is it precut?

Boat and upgrades look great, as always, Ian. Love the small touches

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[ian ashton]

All the pieces sewn and glued together, ready to cut!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7zlr6rpykt6unah/Photo%20Apr%2009%2C%209%2019%2003%20AM.jpg?dl=1

[ian ashton]

Cut out!

I'm not especially stoked about the seem, but I still think with some exposure to the elements will flatten it out.

I cut it about 1/2" wide all the way around and figure I'll trim here and there as needed.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cf0r2s54pipylq1/Photo%20Apr%2010%2C%204%2047%2037%20PM.jpg?dl=1

[CFD3Captain]

I think it will look better once it's in the boat. I am curious how it will lay and how well it will STAY put. Unless you are adding snaps?

[ian ashton]

I think I am going to add snaps.

[ian ashton]

Miners Moss is in - I'm not especially stoked with my templating skill, I might re-do it, or pony up for a professional install of Deckadance. It's definitely better than the carpet though! And gets very soft in the sun.



https://www.dropbox.com/s/1gwjpudtblyt9ec/Photo%20Apr%2016%2C%203%2001%2040%20PM.jpg?dl=1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0304ex2bljz2hlw/Photo%20Apr%2016%2C%203%2001%2047%20PM.jpg?dl=1

I've got a few more areas to trim a little, I'm thinking I might just be over picky - I'll probably go the summer and see how it ends up before I redo it.

[KG's Supra24]

Love it! It's on my want list.

[kaneboats]

Ian, you better get moving. It will be spring there in less than 4 months now!

[c h r i s]

Looks good Ian. What did you use to cut it, utility knife or scissors? Also how'd the extra 1/2" around the edges work for you? Would you leave the extra if you did it again? I'm still strategizing on how I'm going to layout and cut the sheets I've got for my mojo.

[ian ashton]

I used a utility knife. I left 1/2 all the way around, and it was way too much, hence the in-boat trimming that sort of now looks like it was chewed by a rabid chihuahua.

[Broke Pilot]

Next winter I'm getting on this... Lol
(That's what I said last fall too!)

[ian ashton]

A few more projects wrapped up this weekend;

A while ago I purchased a DPDT Carling switch to replace the SPST switch in the dash for the radio - I swapped it in and wired it such that up is cabin speakers, and down is cabin + towers (I previously had a separate switch for the towers). This allowed me to then wire the now open switch to a relay in the rear storage that will go to 2 more switches, one for the electric cooler (oh yea, I got a thermo-electric cooler), and the other for the wash down pump.

Then I installed a separate switch under the dash for the bilge with an LED indicator by the horn button to show when the bilge is on, which gave me another open switch that I wired the underwater lights to. Bing, bang, boom!

I also got wash-down pump mounted, but didn't have the proper fittings to plumb it;
https://www.dropbox.com/s/mmues7icngkfa9c/Photo%20May%2001%2C%206%2054%2039%20PM.jpg?dl=1

I also did something I've wanted to do since purchase; replaced the terrible split loom on the trailer with some nice TechFlax, and ditched the rusty brake away hook in favor of an aluminum carabiner;
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9vpzt9tmzdkdtq9/Photo%20May%2001%2C%205%2032%2059%20PM.jpg?dl=1

Here is the 12v receptacle I added for the electric cooler to plug into;
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wgnci51g8sblp6z/Photo%20May%2001%2C%208%2027%2000%20PM.jpg?dl=1

[sivs1]

My only mod so far, looks to be same green hull as mine.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160501/cb83032c40f5daf8f94680c44fc40b16.jpg

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[trayson]

why a switch for the towers? don't you have a ZLD for a WS420? not sure I'd want to use a switch spot for something that I can just turn the dial on the Zone controller for. Unless there's something I'm missing.

[ian ashton]

I have a Fusion MS-IP700, which gives me separate zone control for cabin, XM9 tower, and SXT9 tower - but I don't always listen to the tower speakers, so I don't want the amps powered on. The 2 position switch solved the problem of taking up a switch space :)

[trayson]

I have a Fusion MS-IP700, which gives me separate zone control for cabin, XM9 tower, and SXT9 tower - but I don't always listen to the tower speakers, so I don't want the amps powered on. The 2 position switch solved the problem of taking up a switch space :)

That makes sense. Yeah, I guess a quick cut to the remote turn on for the towers would solve that problem. :-)

[ian ashton]

I got bored last night and edited the time-lapse images I shot of cutting out my miners miss flooring. Did I mention I was super bored?


https://youtu.be/67Fzq0qkHnM