Preparing the Trailer

We have begun prepping the trailer for painting. We've cut off rusted hardware, replaced the winch, sanded rusted areas, removed the axle and salvaged the good brackets. This is a much better project than sanding.

Sanding the Boat

Whats worst then having hot metal spikes plunged into your eye sockets? Sanding. We have officially begun sanding the boat and trailer. Were using an orbital sander, a belt sander, and a 7" grinder. It's one helluva job that we'd rather avoid...but as you can see the boat needs some TLC....and so we must sand, and sand, and sand, and sand, and sand......

Nissan Parts Manual NS70A2

Parts Manual

Nissan NS70A2 Information

70hp
2-stroke
Year: 1992
Serial#:360I23354
Spark Plug#: NGK B8HS10 or Champion L78C

The Water Pump

Today we attempted to dismantle the water pump located in the tail section of the motor. We discovered several problems. The biggest being the complete destruction of the impeller. The second being the disintegration of the gasket. We also snapped three of the four stainless steel bolts that attached the upper section from the bottom section. This was very disappointing, but a fairly simple repair. Luckily Nissan sells a general water pump repair kits for our model, but much of the original parts are no longer manufactured.

The Owners Manual for the Nissan Motor

Owners Manual

The Color of the Boat

We are thinking about painting the exterior shell a neon yellow or Bright Yellow. What do you think?
Glossy or Matte?

The Gutting of the Boat

Today, Christmas Eve we gutted the boat. We removed the motor, the wiring harness, the throttle cable, and the shifting cable. We also removed the center console and the tail shaft from the motor. It was glorious drunken mess. We also sold a pool table and made $50.00!!! Merry Christmas!

The Running of the Motor

The motor is running on a completely different mix of oil thats why you see the white smoke. 50:1 is the correct ratio. We are also using an automotive battery to run the electronics instead of a marine battery... enjoy.

The Transfering of the Boat

The trailer that came with the boat is really in excellent condition... except for the fact the rollers and bunks are almost completely decayed and destroyed and are rubbing on the underside. So we have built two stands to hold and level out the boat, one for the rear and one for the front. Once the boat is removed from the trailer we can work on both with little concern for further damage.

Our original plan was to use a hoist and/ or crane to transfer the boat off the trailer, but instead we decided to use pure muscle.... Yeah were pretty much bad asses. With great success the transfer went smooth and the boat fix surprisingly well on our forms.

The Beginning

My brother-in-law and I were given this 17ft fiberglass vessel with trailer that has been sitting underneath a shaded tree for about 2 years or more. The boat looked in pretty rough shape. Most people would have abandoned it, however we saw a beam of hope. Our plans are to fully restore, customize, and have the 'Sea Banana' seaworthy by Spring 2009.

We have started to evaluate the condition of the boat and were very satisfied with the results. Upon first glance the boat looks very different then most boats in this area. We're unsure of the style, but we've heard some talk of an Australian design but were unable to confirm that suspicion. The outboard motor is a 70hp 2 cylinder Nissan with a stainless steel prop. The motor is surprisingly in fair condition. We will be replacing the spark plugs, but that's about it in the motor compartment at this time. Aaron believes there is a problem with the water pump. It circulates water when throttled, but stops once idled. We plan on removing the tail section for further inspection. The Steering system is a Teleflex Safe-T quick connect. The current cable is trashed and will be replaced along with the helm. From engine to helm its about 20ft of cable. We pulled a 22gal gas tank out of the stern which we plan on reinstalling. The fiberglass throughout the boat is great condition overall. There are a few small cracks and a section underneath the stern that needs full fiberglass repair. The railing is constructed out of 2inch PVC pipe which has been removed. The railing will be replaced with wood and the side walls of the boat will be reinforced.

After cleaning the debris out of the boat we were able to salvage a lot of useful items including an anchor, a ton of rope, a compass, a 15gal plastic gas tank, a bilge pump and plenty of stainless hardware.