Ski Boat Forum
Repairs and Maintenance => Boat Maintenance - American Skier => Topic started by: keehr22 on February 03, 2010, 10:19:18 PM
-
Just got some updated pics of the LazAir from my wife's visit to the marina. New rub rail and entire deck and hull wet sanded and buffed, time to find some decals! Thanks for the help finding the rub rail insert Ron!
-
Here's my attempt at photoshop, a rough one at that! Found the decal design on ebay, any thoughts?
-
dude, the sanding and rubrail look great!
-
Believe it or not I think I have an original set of the Blue w/ yellow hull side "swoosh" graphics for that boat. What happened to the ones on your boat??
-
Phil, I think so too, unfortunately it's just a camera phone snapshot so it's hard to make out how glossy it is. I'm over here in Iraq until the start of summer so the wife gave me the green light to turn it in to the marina to get her back in shape this winter!
Ron, the original decals were pretty scuffed up, and one night standing in the garage the good idea fairy showed up. So 3 hours later, can't seem to find my heat gun or torch, I went the razor blade route out of frustration. Hence the lack of decals, and $900 bill for reworking the sides! Lesson learned, when you're drinking, and thinking "eh, that'll buff out" it usually won't!
Anyhow, I'm looking at trying to design my own decals, make the boat my own sort of thing. Thanks though, I'm sure those could come in real handy for some other LazAir owner out there. Speaking of which, anyone know production numbers, I'm curious how many boats similar to mine are out there?
-
Its your boat so you do what you want, but you'd be crazy to pass up the original decals... there arent many AM Skiers left out there, much less like yours, or they are very few & far between. Its gonna be pretty much "one of a kind" stock.
-
Its your boat so you do what you want, but you'd be crazy to pass up the original decals... there arent many AM Skiers left out there, much less like yours, or they are very few & far between. Its gonna be pretty much "one of a kind" stock.
I have to agree.....
-
I definitely see where you guys are coming from, I'm a big fan of the classic skiers, and keeping their originality. I guess in my case, the laz is a bit newer style, and while I'm doing all this work I'd like to do some cosmetic updates with it to make it more current.
A few projects I've finished now:
Powdercoated the tower silver with metal flake, and added 4 tower speakers above. Fishing 4 16 gauge speaker wires through the same tubing is not an easy task, and I'm not sure the wife appreciated me taking on the job in our living room! (didn't want to scuff up the new coating on the garage floor)
Went with black crinkle powdercoat on the window frame and tower feet. Note to self, powdercoating is pretty thick, so if the tolerances are quality built from the factory, good luck getting those pins back in for the collapsible tower! ( a hammer, wooden block, and accepting that the tower isn't coming back off or folding down easily. All in the name of looking good, that's a good enough reason right?!)
I added a single 12" sub in the cuddy, built a raised enclosure for the sub and amplifier, then completely sealed it using fiberglass resin, followed by a rubberized black coating. All that hard work and it's all tucked away where no one can see it!
Added a second battery with an isolator switch, for days out on the sand bar not having to worry about a lift back to shore when the radio drains my starting battery. Placed the radio and amp on a separate circuit with one switch, to be sure there's only a power draw when I want it.
Replaced instrument gauges, seller couldn't troubleshoot that well and ordered me all new replacements upon delivery of the boat, turned out it was just a corroded ground wire, not complaining about the new gauges though!
Future projects:
Currently getting the decals worked up by a graphics company, staying with something fairly simple but up to date.
Would like to find some replacement interior parts, mostly dash related, like the cup holders (mine are pretty warped and beginning to crack), the inset plastic dash cubby, and maybe a new carbon fiber instrument panel and switches ( switches faded and panel cracked)
Need to locate a light beacon for the rear, the standard poles I've found don't seem to be compatible. On that note, would a set of forward and rear facing lights on the tower meet regulations instead of the pole?
Thinking about adding LED lights to the interior, mounted up under the side rails.
-
Decals installed!
Learned a lesson on this one though, always ask for an estimate before agreeing to work being performed. I ordered a custom set of decals for $165 including shipping, the marine shop owner said he could install them no problem. My wife got the bill today for decal install, 8 hours at $75/hr= $600..
-
...
-
I would try to come to more equal ground on that price for installing the decals. I don't know what all they had to do, but if it was just installing the two side decals they are about 7 hours over budget!
-
I called him today, which can be a pain from over here. Asked the guy for a breakdown of the charges and he didn't seem all that flexible. Said it took him and an assistant 3 hours together (6 hours charged), and 2 hours himself to finish it later..
-
Well... on the bright side they look great!!!! With all your doing, it should be one helluva nice boat ;D
-
Hey thanks, just a couple more things to have fixed and it'll be ready for summer! Still need the trans leak fixed, new bilge pump, and trailer (Brandon's got that in the works). And then there's that pesky little issue of getting back from Iraq before the summers over!
-
new decals look great!! (even from the floor, I fell off my chair when I saw what you paid)
-
Be safe over there in the sand pit! Thank you for your service! 8)
-
new decals look great!! (even from the floor, I fell off my chair when I saw what you paid)
Ha, yeah yeah, all I can say is they better be centered perfectly, and there better not be a single bubble under those decals for that sort of installation charge!
Be safe over there in the sand pit! Thank you for your service! 8)
Thanks, it's pretty quiet times out this way with the elections and all. Ready for this withdrawal to start kicking in, with more than a few trips this place is starting to get boring!
-
Updates, been awhile. Boat is still in the shop, finishing up on some electrical issues, random missing grounds and such.
Completed:
-Cleaned Flame Arrestor
-New Rule bilge pump
-Real Trans seal replaced, driveshaft aligned, new packing
-Tune Up
-Oil Change
-Rudder Bushing replaced
-One two horns removed, apparently the guy who overcharged me for installing decals also installed a new horn, and left the old one in place..total professional..
And the latest is my new trailer, Brandon here on the forum is restoring a trailer to replace mine, pics below, looking awesome so far, great work!
All should be done in time for homecoming, one month and counting!
-
Awesome, trailer looks great too!
-
How old is the trailer... and how did you get the shine?
-
Thanks Phil, although Brandon should get the praise. Messer, not sure the exact year, believe its the same year as his Advance he's been parting out on the forum. As far as the shine, it was just galvanized and then repainted.
Ron, wondering if you happen to have 2 of your American Skier decals left, for the trailer frame??
-
Have Both Black & White, send email for a parts list to tanisr-d@charter.net
-
Awesome, Black sounds good. I still have that parts list in my email, only problem is my computer took a crap, and the stripped down government computer I'm using now doesn't have Excel, or any program to open the list. You wouldn't happen to have it in a different file type would you?
-
Finished trailer.
-
That looks so good I'd tow it around the neighborhood just for the helluvit!!!! Great job!!!
-
I agree, nice trailer. all of my wood just fell off so I;m working on mine between oil recovery...
-
I gave up on trying to find slant back fenders... I bought regular ones and will attempt to make them work. They seem to fit ok without cutting the slant into them... thoughts?
-
Messer
I'm not an expert on the AS trailers, but I know that even with the slant cut cut into the fender, there is only about 2" on each side of the boat hull to the fender board. This is the reason they are usually smashed, the boat is pulled out of the water and doesn't center perfectly on the trailer and crushes the fender. You can add guide posts or boards on the side to help solve this problem. I measured my boat before I cut the fenders and the distance between the fenders was almost the same as the width of the boat, so I think they have to be cut some. Hope this helps.
-
if your running over the fenders your trailer is too deep in the water
it's a drive on trailer-------------- drive it on
Dan T
-
Well, got a not so good update today from my mechanic. Today was supposed to be test run day on the water, instead I get a call saying the boat didn't fire up, apparently the fuel/water separator was completely rusted, and all that sludge and rust was pumped into the fuel injectors. And to boot, it turns out it was the front trans seal that is shot, said once they did get it fired up (barely ran, need to clean injectors now) it spewed trans fluid out the front, somehow water had gotten into the flywheel area and rusted everything in there. ugh..
I'm pretty ticked off this is all just coming to light, when I wrote up the original workorder I asked them to give it a thorough tune-up, change filters, fix the trans leak (mentioned I thought it was coming from the rear), fresh fluids, and also double check all the wiring is in order. Wouldn't it make sense to troubleshoot a fluid leak before just replacing a single seal based on a customers rough idea? And as far as filters go, maybe I wasn't specific enough. Waiting on an estimate for the new issues.. In it for $3500 so far, and counting..
I usually try and do all maintenance myself, but due to just making it back at the start of summer the wife wanted to have it taken care of. It sure is difficult finding a reputable marine mechanic, this is shop number two in the last 3 months, and he's reported issues the last mechanic created, like instead of replacing a horn, he just added another (which the old one still works) and a wiring hack job behind the dash. Message to wife today: Never letting anyone turn a wrench on the boat again!
Got about a month left, and sure hope this thing is ready for the water, because I am!
-
Man that really stinks and I feel for ya. You need to find an inboard specific dealer or mechanic. Good luck man, hope it turns out for you.
-
In light of Dan's comment about the trailer fenders... It took me a while to realize I was putting the trailer in too deep. Mainly because I was used to loading an I/O (gotta have more water underneath the stern) and the carb on the Skier wasnt tuned correctly. It requires a little "low end" to drive it on and the engine wanted to stall. I've since tuned it up, new plugs / oil /gas, carb tuned, etc... and now she noses right up there without having to goose it.
I have the water at the top of the fenders... Is this still too deep?? too shallow??? Thoughts???
-
It really depends on the steepness of the ramp but to about the top of the fenders usually does it for me.
-
I'll let you know about the fenders as soon as i dip her...
had a similar mechanic issue last year... I'm in the service, wanted to make sure I could take leave and hit the water with the kids. So 5 months early I dropped off the boat, asked for a complete tune, elec ignition, and water test...I even said blank check. five months later, went to the shop, boat tongue all the way on the ground, cover off, filthy....I cranked up the wheel and water poured out (frojm the rain)... then the boat wouldn't run right. ...head mechanic came to the house, said the elec ign was bad... no water test was done.... leave waisted on a pontoon. Did I mention blank check...I thought I made it easy...
-
Messer, I feel ya, but I've been pretty adamant with this mechanic about getting her done, no pontoons for me this summer! As far as the blank check, thats risky! I'm pretty sure my fiberglass guy assumed that was my offer as well, when he threw that crazy bill my way for those decals!
So question of the day, anyone have any good leads on finding parts for my hurtz-zenith transmission, ie; flexplate, bearings, and etc? My mechanic is at a stand still til he can find the parts, unfortunately I went with a shop that doesn't specialize in inboard boats so his suppliers don't have much to offer.
-
So question of the day, anyone have any good leads on finding parts for my hurtz-zenith transmission, ie; flexplate, bearings, and etc? My mechanic is at a stand still til he can find the parts, unfortunately I went with a shop that doesn't specialize in inboard boats so his suppliers don't have much to offer.
Yes, http://fantasticfinishmarine.com/
The owner/operator is Eric. He is the go to guy when it comes to inboard transmissions. One time he helped me diagnose a leak I had in my tranny and then sent me the gaskets, and explained to me how to fix it all for free! He's good and I highly recommend him.
-
Sweet, thanks for the quick reply, I passed that info along. He went through Hurtz factory for several of the parts but took the info just in case they come up short on anything.
So the new work order;
New Flexplate, re seal kit, dampener, bearing.
Also, purged complete fuel system from tank to injectors.
Total with parts and labor= $720.50
He's got 3 weeks and counting!
-
Well, the boats back in action, got back to the states just in time to get her out on the lake for the Fourth! Wife and I are planning a trip down the Cumberland River this weekend, 70 miles down to Nashville to dock up for the night, should be a trip! I'll get on posting some pics of it in the water, all the gelcoat work and decals made a huge difference.
-
Awesome, I hope all the $$$ you spent pays off. Enjoy!
-
It actually shines again!