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78 Predictor Full Restoration

Adambomb

Member
After running my 87 o/b Diplomat for two seasons with no floor and a rotten core, I decided it was time to find a "safer" more solid hull, and do a motor swap. Finally I found a good candidate, It was nearby and looked to be in good shape. the owner wasn't very motivated to sell, which made him pretty firm on the price. But after months of diligent searching on craigslist, ebay and the forum I was getting impatient. The owner told me the stringer and floor along with the carpet and seats had been redone by a friend who worked at a marina. The transom needed to be done but My friend Keith a.k.a kdebolt. offered to help rebuild it as a winter project for us. So I took her home.


The boat is a 1978 Predictor with a 1400 mercury inline. Keith and I agreed the three tone has to go, we're thinking all black with 90's checkmate logos.
I took it out a few times before I ended up selling the motor off it for way too cheap. it had a 3 blade 19 pitch prop on it, topped out around 50 and had awesome accelleration.
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Heres a picture of the Donor boat. It's got a 23 pitch prop on it and will do around 60. I'm hoping I'll get more speed on the Predictor with a jackplate.
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After we had all the rivets drilled out and the top deck off, we busted into the floor and could see the marine guy who rebuilt the floor and stringers probably washed boats for a living had no knowledge or concern for structural integrity. He had only replaced the stringer up to the front seats, and it wasn't even touching the hull anymore, he had glued it down with resin and used no fiberglass mat. He also cut two channels into the bottom of the hull when he removed the floor. The floor, stringer, carpet and seats needed replacing. we were quickly realizing the transom replacement was becoming a full restoration.
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More Predictor updates

After all the supplies were assembled and the transom and floor had been stripped and cleaned, Keith got to work on patterning and cutting the new transom wood. after two peices were cut, he glued them together.

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Next Keith attatched the new transom wood to the fiberglass skin using a layer of deck puddy. He did a real nice job of filling the gap beween the edge of the wood and the fiberglass which helped the matting lay down real smooth.
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After that we layed up the first layer of matting.
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We're moving along smoothly, hopefully more updates soon.
 
Awseome, you got the pics posted!! :thumb: You guy's are doin a hell of job, i can't wait to see it on the water next season!! Another Keuka Lake 'Mate coming to life! :cheers:
 
Awseome, you got the pics posted!! :thumb: You guy's are doin a hell of job, i can't wait to see it on the water next season!! Another Keuka Lake 'Mate coming to life! :cheers:

Ya to bad all the water shots he posted are on seneca being in that boat on seneca is like being in the ocean!
 
Ya to bad all the water shots he posted are on seneca being in that boat on seneca is like being in the ocean!


Lol! Keith, you can say that when you actually come out on Seneca in the Predictor with me. Like Keuka, Seneca is paradise on a nice day, and pretty unhospitable on a bad day. Don't be afraid!
 
Ya to bad all the water shots he posted are on seneca being in that boat on seneca is like being in the ocean!

Yeah i noticed those pics were on Seneca!! Even in the Enchanter, Seneca Lake is still like running offshore lol!!

Adam, i hope you do out run that Switzer, he needs a good whoopin' after he smoked me with out any problem, i gave him a good run tho...sorta lol.
 
You guys are doing a great job on the restoration!! :thumb:That's also a nice color combo, is that the original gelcoat or paint?
 
Nice job guys!

I wonder if there is a count somewhere of all the restored Checkmates that have been documented on this Site.

I would guess dozens, if not hundreds.:thumb:

HD
 
I also like the color! Looks like your moving along very quickly!



:offtopic:Those bar tires on the front of that cub looks sweet! I was going to run them on the front of my 318 deere but after talking to a couple people they talked me out of it due to turning characteristics. Did you notice a change over the turf tires? Mine has dual rear brakes and I use them a lot when turning anyway..... maybe I will upgrade when these are worn out!
 
I also like the color! Looks like your moving along very quickly!



:offtopic:Those bar tires on the front of that cub looks sweet! I was going to run them on the front of my 318 deere but after talking to a couple people they talked me out of it due to turning characteristics. Did you notice a change over the turf tires? Mine has dual rear brakes and I use them a lot when turning anyway..... maybe I will upgrade when these are worn out!

Thank ya its gonna be a sweet ride I have run the bar tires on a lot of tractors I dont see a lot of problems with the turning and if I remember right the 318 has power stearing so it should be fine does yours still have the onan in it?
 
Looks like we may have to take a vote on the paint job. I counted about five in favor of the three tone. Keith and i have been back and forth between all black and all blue. I might be able to live with keeping the white if the black was gone and it had some white stripes on the bow.
If anyone has suggestions I'm in the market for a jackplate to mount on it. I'm not too sure what will work best and how much setback. I forgot to mention the replacement motor will be a 1987 135 blackmax, I'm debating unhookinng the oil injection, even though it works fine and the safety unit was replaced, it still makes me nervous. I've read posts about both these topics but havn't found any definitive answers.
 
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