New owner/member. Restoring an 81.

[amski81pirate]

Ok so I'm new to this forum, I just typed this well written first post, had a little trouble inserting pics, and the whole thing was deleted. A little frustrated at this point but oh well, I'll just get to the point.

Where is the battery supposed to be located? When I got the boat, the battery was in a fiberglass box on the port side underneath the rear seat. Is this correct? Also, there is a hole drilled through one of the stringers for the battery cables. Is this correct. I'm trying to put a couple of pictures up so yall can see what I'm talking about...and who doesn't love pics?

Thanks for your help. I'm loving this site, keep up the good work.

[amski81pirate]

Just testing how to add pics.

[coeperc]

Battery on my '81 is located in the aft section of the port passenger "L" shaped seat, under an access panel.

[RonT]

If I remember right the battery on the 20' Closed Bow Volante was back in that area, not the 18' Skiers that were the most common boats produced at that time. (their battery is under the front passenger seat) If this is a Volante they were known for being very balance sensitive both fore/aft and port/stb and this is why the battery was located there. As for the construction technique used I can't  recommend  placing the battery where water can get trapped and flood the battery compartment nor drill a hole through the stringer for the battery cables. A/S was better built that the other ski boats of the day but not perfect. In my shop when restoring an A/S I always lean toward improving  on the original.

[amski81pirate]

Thank you for the help.

[coeperc]

Here's where it is on my 18' Skier.  I don't keep the battery in the boat, but you can see where the box is.  Front passenger on the aft section of the 'L' seat.

-Matt

[amski81pirate]

Thanks for the pics and info. Yours is a 1981, correct? Unfortunately my L seat does not have the storage yours does. We are cutting the seat out to pull up the old carpet and rotted wood as part of restore. I like the battery location, maybe we can make our own simple box with the access door like you've got there.

[coeperc]

No problem!  Yep, mine is a 1981 AmSkier w/ 351 Ford Commander engine.

[amski81pirate]

Transom question (the pics are of the transom, right? sorry, still new to the power boat world, I'm used to sailboats)

What's up with it being molded into the stern? Usually you see them as a detachable piece, and the shape is different too.

Thanks for your help.

[MaxA]

Hi, i have the same exact boat as you.  So i thought i would share what others have told me.  Your boat is a closed bow volante.  The pictures you took are of the swim platform.  On the volante, the swim platform is molded into the transom.  I believe this is called the euro style transom.  The basic swim platform is made of teak or fiberglass.  These are held on the transom by two medal brackets.  That is the removable style you were thinking of.   Those are just mounted on the transom with two metal brackets.  Hope this helps, MaxA

[MaxA]

Whops, repeated that last sentence twice.  Is there a edit button on here?  I cant find it.

[amski81pirate]

Awesome! So a Euro-style huh? That's cool, pretty unique I guess.

It's a Volante, you say.
What others models did they make in 81?
What are the differences?

[MaxA]

I think they only made the volante, and the original 18' skier.  I think the volante was bigger, and the different swim platform.  MaxA

[Midskier]

82 - 84 closed bow volante apparently some in '81 , a few '85s and the one and only '86 is in my driveway right now

closed bow volante was the fancy model 21' tip to tip, using the same hull and deck was the closed bow volante "Barefoot Skier"
usually but not always more bare-bones no back seat etc all the BFSkiers I've seen have a Hardin Chevy instead of the Commander Ford
'85 was the first year for the advance and technically the end of the closed bow volante - but yet there are some that crossed over model years - and there are "Barefoot Skier" Advances as well - confused yet........ 
75/76 - 84 we had the 18' skier
82-84 the closed bow volante
85 - 90 something the Advance and so on

the dead give away on the closed bow volante is the built platform - the only model that had it
and most if not all (minus my 86) had the battery in the back
good luck

Dan T