'1986 251 I/O conversion to twin O/B's

[Instigator]

Met a drunken Fountain owner last weekend that upon learning of my project
he proceeded to tell me what pc's of **** Checkmates are.
I tried several times to defend/explain them but couldnt get a word in edgewise.

Couple of funny things that I couldnt interject:

He told me he spent $10K to replace the stringers and transom in his '06 47' Fountain.
My '86 pc of ****e had orig, rock solid stringers and transom.
And was 20 yrs older

Also kept to myself that Kunkles used to have a Fountain (15 yrs ago) they took on trade and used as a sales aid.
They parked it beside a new 270 Convincor in their shop.
You could stand in the cockpit of the Convincor and compare it to the Fountain right beside it.

The difference in mold and gel work was night and day.
I was shocked.

Anyhow, kept to myself and retained my opinion of large offshore go fast owners

 

[merc245]

Yeh, that gets me. What no one at that boat manufacturer knows how to form a radius or gentle curve in a deck mold or elsewhere? And while I’m here, when your paying up to $5000 a foot for a boat why would pay for 4 ft of useless bow?

Do plan on getting it on the water this Summer?

 

[Instigator]

Marketing, marketing, marketing.......

To me, Fountain did to performance offshore boating what Bayliner and Searay did to pleasure boating.

Bayliner = the most footage per dollar, and one of the first to package everything. Power, trailer, cover etc.
Before them you had to pick these options at the dealer level.

Searay = "perceived" luxury and exclusivity.
By buying a Searay you could buy/wear a sweater, jacket, shirt, hat w/the Seayray logo.

Fountain = both of the above plus performance.
The hull design is basically a giant Allison w/a beak.
Notched transom, pad bottom + increased speed and w/the beak, made the boat several hundred lbs lighter than competitions of similar size, and lower weight also = more performance.

A 27' Fountain is tiny compared to a 27' Formula etc.

On my project, yes wet this summer.
I had a good head of steam last fall but have lost it now.
Trying to stay motivated when I have the time.

New LH gear case is due today. That will complete my pair of '2000 225 HP counter rotaters.

I have four sets of wheels to test and need 3 more singles to complete three more sets.
Once the weather warms Ill get way more done.
My shop is heated but to do glass or paint (both of which on the list) it needs to be warm before, during and after and Im having trouble coming up w/that much time to dedicate.
I keep it at 45 - 50 at night so it takes an hr to heat it up in morning.

Once the brackets done/installed, that will motivate me and go fast from there.
Planned to have that done to test float before local lakes froze.
Oop's.

I am going to reconfigure the cabin entrance next and that will take some time also.

Ordering silver paint today for the motors and also to respray the faded silver gel on the decks.

Yeh, that gets me. What no one at that boat manufacturer knows how to form a radius or gentle curve in a deck mold or elsewhere? And while I’m here, when your paying up to $5000 a foot for a boat why would pay for 4 ft of useless bow?

Do plan on getting it on the water this Summer?

 

[Instigator]

2 steps forward, one step backwards.

Cut out for the large Bomar hatch the replaces the orig and old one (and its cut out) is an inch wider than the new/e-bay Bomar so I’ll have to build up those edges.
No biggy though as I have to build up the dam/base around/under the front corners anyhow.

Unless........Knarloid doesn’t have his heart set on the free/old one ��

The small/forward dropped right in but will have to build a matching dam for that one too.
Which I didn’t think of ��

Also dropped off the sun lounge cushion at the factory for them to remake w/o the hole for scoop.

Went through and got some shots of the new twin O/B 26’.
The deck and gunnel lines remind me of an old Baja Sport but the interior is very nice.
Asked Dean about speed and he thinks it’ll run 90 once dialed!
He thought $140k.

 

[knarloid]

2 steps forward, one step backwards.

Cut out for the large Bomar hatch the replaces the orig and old one (and its cut out) is an inch wider than the new/e-bay Bomar so I’ll have to build up those edges.
No biggy though as I have to build up the dam/base around/under the front corners anyhow.

Unless........Knarloid doesn’t have his heart set on the free/old one ��

The small/forward dropped right in but will have to build a matching dam for that one too.
Which I didn’t think of ��

Also dropped off the sun lounge cushion at the factory for them to remake w/o the hole for scoop.

Went through and got some shots of the new twin O/B 26’.
The deck and gunnel lines remind me of an old Baja Sport but the interior is very nice.
Asked Dean about speed and he thinks it’ll run 90 once dialed!
He thought $140k.

It just arrived 2 days ago - thanks for sending!
I wasn't planning to install it until Spring (boat is outside under covers).

As you didn't send me the shipping cost yet, I still consider it yours, and would send it back to you if it makes your life easier.
If you decide you want it back - just let me know.
- K

 

[Instigator]

That was a joke.
It’s yours.

Shipping was $9.
You owe me beers when we cross paths.

It just arrived 2 days ago - thanks for sending!
I wasn't planning to install it until Spring (boat is outside under covers).

As you didn't send me the shipping cost yet, I still consider it yours, and would send it back to you if it makes your life easier.
If you decide you want it back - just let me know.
- K

 

[knarloid]

That was a joke.
It’s yours.

Shipping was $9.
You owe me beers when we cross paths.

LOL - thanks man.
Look forward to sharing a lot of beer.

 

[Instigator]

Pulled the motors down to prep for paint.

Also found 48" slides for the bimini top that Ill be adding.
Did this on the old Sonic and loved it but they werent 48".
This will allow me to slide it far enough forward to cover the cabin entry for dew/rain when we're staying on the boat, driver and copilot seats.
Slide it aft and cover the bench seat and the sun lounge.

Ill paint it silver to match deck and cut down the foot pad to make it fit.

 

[SCT]

I want to give a ‘shout out’ to Instigator (Gary) and his central OH marine business. I’ve known Gary since the early days of S&F and he loves his 2 strokes, old school boats and the Great Lakes! He’s a good and honest guy. If you need any type of boat restoration work...... look him up!

https://mansfield.craigslist.org/bpd/d/cardington-boat-motor-trailer/6842729829.html

 

[1954bmw]

I want to give a ‘shout out’ to Instigator (Gary) and his central OH marine business. I’ve known Gary since the early days of S&F and he loves his 2 strokes, old school boats and the Great Lakes! He’s a good and honest guy. If you need any type of boat restoration work...... look him up!

https://mansfield.craigslist.org/bpd/d/cardington-boat-motor-trailer/6842729829.html

I can second that^

 

[Instigator]

Wow.
Thx so much guys.

Has been a slow winter but the phone is now ringing so all is good.
Plus, that gave me time to work on my project.

To that end......, hit a major mother lode on motors.

Found a guy in Pa. that popped a '2000 250 hp OMC and decided he had enough and bought a Merc.
I bought and hauled home everything he had.

The 250 has all new internals and complete, less gear case and heads, which I have.
It detonated one of it Wisecos and I have a replacement on the shelf.

It also has virgin, new paint on it so Ill only have to scuff it to repaint it in my chosen colors compared to the work the Fla motors would have needed.

I also got a complete 3.3 short block so now have two which makes the idea of two hot rod 3.3's sound even more appealing.

Only drawback is, w/the size that this project has grown to......, a spring time launch date is becoming.....questionable.

The good is that the local ponds have thawed for my test float whenever I am ready.

Have paying customers due next wk so hoping to have motors painted and assembled (stock Fla p.heads) this wk then turn my attention to finishing the bracket.
Next step will be mock up, fill fuel tank w/water and head to the ramp w/a tape measure and camera.

 

[Instigator]

Now they're silver.

Now to decide on their graphics.

 

[JW]

Going to put Honda stickers on them?

 

[Instigator]

Mariner.

Interestingly, the name of the paint color is Quicksilver Silver

Going to put Honda stickers on them?

 

[Instigator]

Finally something to look at.

Good thing too as I really need the motivation.
Ugh.

Mocked up for now.

Still more glassing to do on bracket but I like that even as is, it holds 1000 lbs no problem.

We are taking a wk off then I will test float it (cant wait) to ck attitude at rest w/all the weight transfer Ive done.

Shopping for a used set of boat stands so I can install the pad on the bottom.

I saved $3K plus building my own bracket but had I bought one, and only done the motor conversion (not pad, new tank, cabin entry etc) Id be done and on the water now.
Ugh

So far so good.

 

[JW]

Looks fantastic!

 

[karzrus]

Finally something to look at.

I saved $3K plus building my own bracket but had I bought one, and only done the motor conversion (not pad, new tank, cabin entry etc) Id be done and on the water now.
Ugh

So far so good.

I second JW’s comment, looks fantastic.

To your comments above, I’ve noticed as I age that I run into that issue more often than ever. I can do the job myself and do it better than most, but if I pay someone it will be done much sooner as I have dozens of jobs in front of it. A few years ago I started letting go of some tasks, Im still too busy, but some extra things as getting done because of it. Hope you are boating soon.

 

[Instigator]

Got it to the ramp today and am ecstatic w/the results.

Bracket has 20" of set back and have 4" hydraulic plates screwed to them.

New 92 gal tank was full of water and first splash was w/no batteries/ballast just to see how bad it pointed to the moon and was blown away at how good it looked.
Remember too, those plates are adding 50 lbs per motor!

The pixs are w/2 starting batteries in standard location behind where bench would be and two in the cabin to simulate its interior which wasnt in it.

I have pixs of it empty and loaded and you cant even tell which is which!

The key is the 340 lbs of flotation/buoyancy (calculated) from the box built into the bracket.

Pixs are into the sun so suck.

Hit a car was on the way home and sprayed off a yrs worth of grime and shot the last couple.

Best shot is the stain line at the keel/bow.
The top/high one is from the 454/Bravo.
3" difference!

Always been a gambler and Im headed to the bar now to celebrate this one succeeding!

 

[Instigator]

A few more before heading to the pub.

 

[1954bmw]

Looks GREAT, what body of water is that???