My 2014 upgrades

[cbus]

@GiddYupJoe nice find on the locks. Ordering now. Was it hard to install?

 

[Ronnie]

Ronnie are you going to take some decibel readings before and after the sound deadening project?

That was my plan but unfortunately no I won't be taking any baseline readings. My trailer is ready for paint which means it is not road ready (no winch, safety cable or chains, veve guides, boat buckles, spare) so going boating isn't possible right now. I will video some post install decibel readings, maybe someone else can take some pre install readings the same way for a better comparison. For now, like I did on my last boat, I will just rely on my crew to tell me if they notice any difference. I thought it helped the last time around but I may have been in a fools paradise considering how much time, effort and money I out into it.

I spent sometime staring at the compartment tonight, planning on how to attack this. It should take two days If I measure and rough cut all the panels on one day and do the detail cutting and installation another day but I will build in another two days just in case.

 

[GiddYupJoe]

@cbus it took about 5 min to switch out. Fit like a glove!

 

[Ronnie]

I was able to install the front mounted hitch to one of my tow vehicles and it made moving the boat in an out of the side yard a lot easier. I also finished prepping and painting the trailer (now I just need to put it all back together) as well as rough cut the sound deadening material for the underside of my engine cover/seats. I'll try and post pics tomorrow.

 

[Ronnie]

I got up early this morning to reinstall the trailer's lights, veve guides, winch, boat buckles, safety cable, spare tire and wheel covers. When I got home tonight I fitted the new safety chains and cut some hydro turf for the tongue and winch. I'll add pics soon, just been busy lately. Tomorrow morning before work I'll probably install a new wire harness and will wire up the guide post lights as well as reinstall the trailer's camera cable along with a few pieces of hydro turf.

 

[Julian]

Wow....you are a busy guy! Great stuff....looks like you are having lots of fun! I put a couple of stickers on the boat and cleaned it so far! Am half way through my squirt gun mod...and can't find the time to finish it!!!!

 

[Ronnie]

This is a little premature since my trailer upgrades/refurb work is not complete but I think I'm over 90% there now.

After removing just about everything, I treated the rust with "rust reformer" than painted the entire (galvanized) trailer and rims (except the spare) with truck bed liner paint. I also replaced the wiring harness, put on new guide pads/covers and lights before adding hydro turf here and there along with wheel covers and new safety chains (actually its just one with the same spring loaded hook at each end, no more messing with carabiners). The new Fulton F2 Wide track trailer jack came in the mail yesterday along with a few other things I will install soon.

Next up sound proofing.

 

[Ronnie]

I installed the new trailer jack and did some touchup painting where the other jack was. I cut the bolt down on the stock mount and grooved it as well for the u-bolts of the F2, this way it looks as close to stock as I can get it without (hiring) a welder.
At this point other than replace the emergency brake cable I don't think there is much more I can do to the trailer since I already triple bolted the bow stop, installed boat buckles and a boat buddy ii. However as I'm typing this I realize that I also want to install a spare/temporary pin and two magnetic D keys via wires on the tongue. I have all the parts so maybe I can do this tonight.

 

[Ronnie]

I installed new 1" thick sound absorbing / deadening material today to the original locations. This includes reinstalling the thick piece on the panel that makes up the front of the hatch (so the material there is about 2" thick instead of 1".
I also reinstalled the pipe insulation tubing around the hatch opening.

Lastly, I took readings to compare against those I took last weekend in the same way but after I removed the original foam and pipe insulation tubing that I put in sloppily last year. So this is a less than stock baseline.

I used a decibel meter app on my iPhone 4S and recorded different sessions from no wake 1 through wide open throttle. The center window was closed as was the center door, no music was playing and all readings were taken from the helm.

The results were very surprising to me. I will post them and pics tomorrow, I'm just trying to get ahead of the write up tonight.

 

[Magic]

Way to write a cliff hanger @Ronnie !!!!!

 

[cane.mba]

Way to write a cliff hanger @Ronnie !!!!!

+1

 

[Lspeedss]

Way to write a cliff hanger @Ronnie !!!!!

@Ronnie . What the EF? Dude that was just mean... Lol

 

[Ronnie]

Sorry about the teaser guys, life has been keeping me busy.

Here are the before (baseline) and after (stage 1) pics. Installed the new material with the hatch in place. It took less than 10 minutes and I had no issues with sagging. I used spray on glue to reattach the stock piece to the front wall of the engine compartment, again I had no issues with sagging. It took longer for me to cut and attach the new pipe insulation to the hatch opening. The new fit is very tight but still secure. I trailered 60 miles on the freeway without a cover and didn't have any problems with the hatch opening while towing. I'm hoping to install the remaining material throughout this week and be done my next Monday at the latest. Hopefully, the material sticks to the carpeted walls as well as or better than it does the rest of the compartment so far.

I will post the decibel reading tonight when I get home from work.

 

[Ronnie]

I spent most of the day boating (in my drive way). Specifically, installing sound absorbing material in my engine compartment. I also took a baseline reading of the boat at idle , hatch closed while it was on the trailer. I'll post the before and after data once I get the chance to get back on the water, probably not until late June though.

Once again, actual installation was a breeze, just peel and stick. Getting to that point took hours though (e.g. to remove all of the obstructions, make the templates from paper, cut the material than "refine it" before installation. It looks great so far, just need to complete the forward wall/bulk head in the engine compartment (I am still debating putting any in the fuel tank compartment or on its lid), put aluminum tape on the lower end (side closest to the bilge/bottom) of each piece, perform other "touch-up" and re-install the blowers and air filters. Hopefully the remaining tasks will only take two or less hours (but like today, I'll budget at least twice that amount).

 

[0627Devildog]

This is a little premature since my trailer upgrades/refurb work is not complete but I think I'm over 90% there now.

After removing just about everything, I treated the rust with "rust reformer" than painted the entire (galvanized) trailer and rims (except the spare) with truck bed liner paint. I also replaced the wiring harness, put on new guide pads/covers and lights before adding hydro turf here and there along with wheel covers and new safety chains (actually its just one with the same spring loaded hook at each end, no more messing with carabiners). The new Fulton F2 Wide track trailer jack came in the mail yesterday along with a few other things I will install soon.

Next up sound proofing.

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Have any details on the backup camera? I have been looking at wireless submersible camera's and my search stalled. What is it and how do you like it?

 

[Ronnie]

Here is a link to a recent post on the subject. I have the ebay link to the camera system itself if it isn't already listed within the referenced link, just let me know. The short of it is that I love my system but only recently wished I would have gotten a 3 camera system instead (would have helped a little if I had a third camera on the front to help me line up the trailer to the front hitch). Don't be too surprised a "good" system with multiple cameras capable of constant running should cost $200+.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/rear-view-camera-on-boat.929/#post-12069

 

[0627Devildog]

I already have backup camera's on both my trucks, so I was just looking for one for the trailer. . . . Thanks for the info.

 

[Ronnie]

I just finished my sound deadening project and I'll post some pics tomorrow/tonight. I still need to reinstall the airfilters/boxes and secure some hoses but other than that the boat is ready to hit the water (when I get back from vacation) Here is a pic of another mod I just did to my waverunners' trailer. For clarification, I'm typing about the "YAMAHA" I installed in the hydroturf. These are the raised letters found on many of our boats (it was a left over from some other project). I was killing time between bigger marine projects at the time.

 

[0627Devildog]

@Ronnie - With all that reflective foil lining the engine compartment, are you concerned at all about running hot?

 

[Ronnie]

Not at all. I did just about the same thing in my previous boat but actually split the engine compartment in two by effectively sealing the top off from the bottom/engines. Back than I was concerned with heat so I planned to always run with the blower on. I also took some post installation temperature readings but in the end heat was never a problem. Here it should be less of a problem if any because I didn't split the compartment and I didn't change the stock venting configuration.

Ironically, I installed a digital thermometer in the compartment last year but forgot to take readings (or forgot where I put them) before this years work. Still, I will reinstall the thermometer and take reading the next time I'm out (if i remember to anyway).