Project checkmate enchanter.

[yellowfiero88]

Well I am Going to re-build my first boat. A 21' enchanter that will get a all over resto/custom build.

A little about my history, I have owned a 20' enchanter with a 150 merc that I did floors and stringer in 2 years ago. It was a good boat that ran even better. Great ride even in choppy water and stable at 65mph. Before that I grew up on a 15' glastron tri hull with a 115 mariner. Top speed was 53mph and it was a handfull unless it was perfectly smooth conditions.

Outside of boating I have owned and restored 22 fiero's as well as 14 chevrolet trucks, and 3 john deere garden tractors. I love doing custom as well as restoration work. I work as a railroad conductor for CSX Transportation. On the side I do complete construction/remodeling services.

So on to the boat:surf:. July I bought a 21' enchanter off of ebay. I did not need it but could not pass it up either. I have been wanting to build another boat since I sold the 20' to go to school. Upon buying the boat I was told the trailer lights all worked, tires were flat but would air up, and it was road worthy:shakehead:. After driving 4 1/2 hours to upper ohio I found the axle was secured with baleing wire and a 2x6. Turns out the spring was broken in front of the axle tube leaving it swing for and aft. so before I could even leave I made a trip to the farm store and bought a new spring and installed it. Of course it was to short but I forced it to work. Next there was no lights on the trailer, as well as the coupler was less than good:brickwall:. I made it all work and on the road i was with the trailer dog legging all the way home! Half way home I get pulled over by one of ohio's dumbest ass wipe/meter maid and preceeded to get 2 tickets (no tag on the boat and a pass seat belt) But I did make it home in just 7 hours:irked:
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/9920/1979checkmatedy0.jpg

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/2554/1979checkmate002mg3.jpg
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/8284/1979checkmate003rd0.jpg
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/9536/1979checkmate004nn9.jpg
First order was to get the boat off the trailer and do some needed repair. What good is a perfect boat if you cant get to the lake! I removed the lights, fenders, steps and rollers and started fabricating something a little more usefull. I installed new steps, guide poles, fenders, springs, bolts, LED lighting, tounge jack, and winch. Painted it in gloss black and installed new DOT reflective tape
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/2986/1979checkmate007ur8.jpg
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/6215/1979checkmate005he1.jpg
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/1417/1979checkmate015mh0.jpg

[daren34]

very nice work on a old trailer

keep sending the pics


daren

[yellowfiero88]

Thanks Daren!
So with the trailer almost done and out of the way, I moved to the small soft spot near the rear seat. I gutted the interior (which is shot anyway) and started doing ome exploring as to how bad it was. The carpet was removed and that is when I noticed how bad the floor was warped up to the front seats. With a screw driver and a quick stabbing motion I started moving up the center of the boat going right through the floor. What I found was it was shot all the way to the cubby hole. So out came the saws and whatever elses to do the job. About that time I realized to myself that I was going through the stringer also with no problem! DAMMIT! So with a cut here and a cut there I had the fiberglass cut off the floor. What I found was mulch! The entire floor and stringer was reduced to nothing more than mulch. I got it all cleaned up and started making a new stringer out of a P.T.2x6. I then fiberglassed it up and also to the bottom of the boat. Next I added a hole for ski storage and fiberglassed it to the floor and also to the stringer. Also while I had it open, I added blocks for the seats to mount to and it all got glassed together. While I was in there, I also added a transponder to the hull for a depth finder. The next step was to start on the floor. I made this from P.T. 3/4 plywood all fiberglassed into the hull.
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/6360/1979checkmate010dl3.jpg
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/1781/1979checkmate009cf1.jpg
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http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/5999/1979checkmate017cm7.jpg
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/6373/1979checkmate018js6.jpg

[Boston Predictor]

Good Job so far! A word of advice though. You should have covered both sides of the new floor w/ fiberglass, or at least resin because it is going to rot real quick if you leave it like it is.
What are your future plans for the boat. I like the orange, are you going to restore it or paint it? details, details...:popcorn:
Geoff

[yellowfiero88]

I agree with you on that. I wraped all the wood totally in fiberglass. I used resign on the floor bottom, then thin mat on the top with a heavy mat to bond all the edges.
Exposed wood in a wet area is a bad combo. Also I let the wood set and dry out for about 5 weeks before doing anything with it. When I brought the plywood home I could barely lift a sheet by myself because it was so wet. I started this project in september and the website a few weeks ago so I am bringing yall up to date. I am going to paint the boat and my K-3500 to match

The next step was to remove all the hardware, windshield and motor for the upcoming step. I got it off the trailer and with the help of a chevy, tree and 2 friends, we got it rolled over:eek:. Next I worked all the scratches and nicks out of the hull and applied 3 heavy coats of 2K primer. I then blocked it out and preped it for paint. The paint is Dupont chroma base in indigo blue. I sprayed out 4 coats of color and then 4 wet coats of dupont clear. By the time I was done, it was dark,cold, 2230hours and I was tired. It turned out very nice except there was a little peal around the front and some bugs! I waited a week and wet sanded it with 1500, then 2000, then 3000 and finished it with a buffer.
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/6346/1979checkmate026kp0.jpg
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/1984/1979checkmate027rw2.jpg
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/5146/1979checkmate028ly6.jpg
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/6017/1979checkmate031rx6.jpg

I let it sit upside down till last week so that the paint was good and hard. This time I had 8 people helping to get her uprighted without damage to the new paint. Ever try to flip a smooth and freshly waxed boat? Its a pain in the ass and wants to slip right out of your hands! This is what it looks like today:bounce:
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/9155/1979checkmate036an5.jpg
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/2831/1979checkmate0381jh3.jpg

Shopping on ebay I also came across another buy. I upgraded the power from a 1979 johnson 200hp to a 1993 merc 275hp! Should be a fun ride:bigthumb:
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/7023/1979checkmate033sp5.jpg

[Boston Predictor]

NICE!!:cheers

[Great East Predictor]

Nice lookin boat... :thumb:
That's quite the change in mota...is that mota a 25" shaft?...I think all those 3.4L were XL shaft, heavy suckers that's for sure...ton of torque though.

[yellowfiero88]

Yep its a 25" shaft but I am going to try to find a 20" shaft for it. If not then I will just have to mount the motor a little higher. They weigh in at 560lbs. Alot of weight! I am going to make a custom transom plate to make sure the transom dont crack or even worse, it break off:shakehead:

[175checkmate]

Boat is looking great. Nice job. Ya, flipping a freshly painted boat back on to the trailer is a rear joy. Just a little bit of stress involved.

[Pags]

your doing a great job but ya have'nt posted anything about it sinse january...any more progress?...love to see finished product....

[yellowfiero88]

Weird, I went and got it tonight and took it down to the shop! I am going to try to finish the paint work before the end of the month on it. Its like you were reading my mind!!

[Pags]

spring is around the corner man get'a move'n Hahaha!!!

[Chris E]

that blue is gorgeous! i was thinking white, black, and red for mine, but i'm thinking that i really like that blue - hmmmmmmm.

[remlinger]

Beautiful job on the boat bottom. Your pics incurrage me to do the same to my 88 checkmate. Only one word of advice... but it's to late now. Careful on PT wood. Most of it is to moist to incapsulate in epoxy of glass. It'll rot from the inside out. If my memory serves me correct the wood should not be over a 13% moisture content or somewhere not to far off.

Looking forward to see more pic's.

[stclairriverblaster]

great job...

now all i need to do is get goin on mine..


still trying to find interior

if anyone is interested i have some new back to back.lay downable seats.. i just dont like them

[timbaso]

i just bought a 21 enchanter 1979 hull.. is a project. gonna custom the whole boat should be nice.. any info on the boat will help. i am new to checkmate, my friend has a donzi classic that we ride all the time really ffast and taks any waves.

[yellowfiero88]

I just bought another one a few weeks ago. A 1986 21' enchanter I/O with a 260hp chevy motor in it. http://checkmate-boats.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12239 is the link. My 79 is a slow project and is worked on when I dont have anything else going on. The 86 will be my boat for this season and next if I can throw it together in time!