What Have You Redone On Your Boat Since You Bought It?

[The Dog House]

At the risk of making ourselves cry, I thought it might be reassuring to those who purchased a boat recently to know what we've redone since buying our boats. My list is:

New gauges and senders
New bilge pump
New cabin door lock
Repaired front hatch screen frame
New V berth cushions
New wiring
Repacked stuffing box
New hydraulic lines to trim tabs
Installed door handles on cabinet doors
Had transmission and V drive rebuilt
Rebedded front window
Reinforced cockpit floor (in-progress)
New engine hoses (planned for early May)

I purchased the boat 3 years ago for $3,000 and put about another $5,000 into it. I had a 3 year plan when I bought it and so far I'm about on schedule. Hopefully by the end of this year all of the "big" stuff will be taken care of and I'll only need to worry about the little stuff that goes wrong. Whenever I start thinking about how much money I put into her I remind myself that a new boat of this size would cost over $200,000. I then feel pretty good about the boat I have.

[prowlersfish]

Added radar and GPS out riggers off my last Trojan moved anchor light, then a few years ago I upgraded to a larger open array color radar added 2 VHFs and a lower helm Radar station , added a extra GPS .Better Antennas replace the canvas . Taller out riggers with spreaders . Added a small crane to lift the rib . Added a 6 person inflatable life raft (canister ) a PLB and full ditch bag


Engine wise 1 turbo and a starter when I first got it up graded the alternators to Delco , 2 after coolers ($$$) and added a air-sep type breather system and some injection pump work , 2 new props (22X22)

6 batteries

And a few thousand gallons of diesel fuel

This is over 9 years of used
And worth every dime

not included normal wear and tear / impellers, packing, oil --------

[gitchisum]

So, I may regret putting this in a list, but here goes.

Initial purchase was 6k, after negotiations from survey results. ( Still the best money I have spent)

Since then,

all new thru hulls and seacocks
re-wire all 12 volt circuits and replace selector switches
new batteries
new shaft, rudder, and tab zincs
Swapped all navigation and spreader lights to LED
New scuppers and hoses
New tab hoses and seals
New stereo
PLB and ditch bag
re-core cockpit and new awlgrip
replaced downriggers with new highspeed models

This spring - re-core foredeck and sidedecks, new awlgrip on that
sand and refinnish all toe rails and coverboards
re-bedd all deck hardware
new bilgecoat in anchor locker
16 feet of blue LED strip light for indirect cockpit lighting
new blower (Jabsco flangemount) and mount blower cover ( Thanks Bob! )
new temp sender

Then finally about July when the last of the ice melts on lake Michigan, I'm going fishing!! As most will attest, about that time I won't have cared how long my list was, or how much it cost!

I purchased this F-26 because so much had already been done. She was already converted to hydraulic steering, autopilot installed, good electronics, recent bottom blast and seal, new stringers to the bulkhead, ~1000 hours on rebuild.
I know I will never get back what I put into this lady, but she is mine.

[k9th]

Well I bought SeaDog in October of 2008 and since then I have replaced the following:

Entire galley with new refrigerator, cabinets, cook top stove, sink with faucet, counter tops, microwave, and back splash
2 new 125 gallon aluminum fuel tanks and all associated lines and hardware
All new salon furniture with new sound system & TV
New curtains in salon
New bridge canvas
New water pumps on both engines
New distributors on both engines
New electronic ignition on both engines
New AC system
New VacuFlush forward head
New Master Stateroom mattresses
All new bridge electronics including, Garmin Chartplotter, Radar, Icom VHF Marine radio,
New trim tab hydraulic system
New carpet
New dock bumpers


Altogether I have probably spent about $12K but I can't do any of the work myself, or very little, so had to pay to have most of it done.

But we love our Trojan and don't mind the upgrades to keep her ship shape.

Forgot to mention in original post that I replace all batteries every three years and had the bottom totally redone and barrier coated which alone cost an additional $8K

[Stripermann2]

Replaced starboard engine
Replaced a/c system
Replace head system and holding tank, new hoses
Reupholstered sette cushions
Ripped out lower carpeting, replaced with flexible teak like flooring
Replaced salon carpeting
Installed new nav equipment to both stations
Installed floscan
Replaced windlass
Replaced all batteries- several times.
Replaced fresh water pump-several times...
Replaced manifolds and risers, hoses - a few times...
Replace ignition system to electronic
Replaced my carburetors
Added more rod hold holders
Replaced 3 windows in the salon
Replaced windshield cover
Welded flybridge ladder cracks
Replaced garbage disposal in galley sink
Replaced fridge-twice...
Replaced stove-top to glass burner
Replaced all hatch gaskets
Installed two flat screen TVs -several times...
Haul out generator, service and repair

I'm sure there is much more not including the regular maintenance, shaft seals, servicing, painting, cleaning, etc...

[trojanmanXS]

I think it would be quicker to tell you everything I have NOT had to do with it .


The cleats were in awesome shape when I bought it !!

[Paul]

I think it would be quicker to tell you everything I have NOT had to do with it .

+1

After thinking about it, the only things that I haven't touched are the bow rails, cleats, rack & cable steering assembly and the vinyl walls in the head. Everything else has been updated, upgraded, replaced, repaired, adjusted, modified, refinished, re-upholstered, re-designed, custom made, re-wired, added on, re-located, re-painted, powdercoated ..... Woah, I'm getting dizzy!!!

I've put enough money into this 26ft boat to actually purchase a 38ft boat. And the hours spent working, toiling, cutting, sanding, polishing, painting, scraped knuckles, cut elbows, bruised forehead ....... Bottom line is that I wouldn't have it any other way. This boat is my hobby and my wife is definitely in on this as well. We enjoy working on it as much as we do using it. And for a 36 year old boat, it still turns heads when we visit unfamiliar marinas and anchorages. As for the 38ft boat for the same money, it would not be in anywhere near the condition of my 26.

[rickalan35]

New bilge pump
New hydraulic lines to trim tabs
Re-bedded aft cabin windows
New engine hoses (planned for early May
Replaced a/c system
Replace head system and holding tank, new hoses
Reupholstered sette cushions
Ripped out lower carpeting, replaced with flexible teak like flooring
Replaced salon carpeting
Installed new nav equipment twice over 17 years
Replaced all batteries- several times.
Replaced fresh water pump-several
Replace ignition system to electronic
Replaced windshield cover
Replaced fridge-twice...
Remodel galley
2 new 125 gallon aluminum fuel tanks and all associated lines and hardware auuughhhhhhhhhhhhh
All new salon furniture with new sound system & TV
New curtains everywhere
New bridge canvas
New water pumps on both engines
New Master Stateroom mattresses
New trim tab hydraulic system
New dock bumpers
all new thru hulls and seacocks
New stereo
design, build U-shaped cockpit seating cockpit with accompanying upholsery
Install New-Teak in sole
Enlarge swim platform
Remodel aft cabin
new water heater
replace anchors
replace fresh water tank
replace rear door
remove rear-facing aft cabin walls and replace


Sigh

Rick

[rickalan35]

Some of the above is wrong. I cut and pasted everybody else's stuff, so I could simply delete the ones that didn't apply and then sent it prematurely. Sorry. I should have previewed it first. The sigh was correct though

[gettaway]

I think you should all post photos of "What you have redone on your boat since you bought it"

[rickalan35]

I think that replacing the original gas tanks in my tri-cabin was the toughest job of all. They were a real weak point for boats of this style and age (although I suspect this problem is common in other makes and styles as well) Mine required entire disassembly and temporary removal of the salon walls and floor and made me regret for almost six weeks the fact that I'd bought the boat. My old tanks had pin holes everywhere and were literally weeping, seemingly out of nowhere.

Literally every other project was enjoyable as we worked through them. Like I have mentioned here before, last summer's install of the air conditioners along with the ducting and thermostats plus the redecorating of the aft cabin was my worst example of time management. My predicted three week spring window turned into a splash down during the 3rd week of August.

[MattSC]

Replaced Cockpit Deck, with glass over plywood painted with Awlgrip
All new interior cushions made
New interior carpet (twice)
Had custom Radar Arch Fabricated
Installed New Electronics, to include 4kw Radar and chartplotter/Sonar which was recently upgraded to a Raymarine E7-D
Replaced the head with a Thetford MSD
Had previous MSD thru hull filled and glassed
De-greased and painted the bilge
added second bilge pump
added fresh water pump/washdown and fixtures in the cabin
replaced ice box with refrigerator
added a Charles 20a battery charger
ran all new wires for the AC system
currently replacing 12v wiring with new
replaced original chrysler 318 with 330hp 5.7L MPI crusader
Engine stringers replaced with new (professionally done by a Brewers Yacht yard while undergoing repower)
new transmission, dripless shaft seal, shaft
new 14x10 cupped Nibral DJX propeller
all new gauges
New strut and cutlass bearing
sound proofed engine compartment
New Taco 17' outrigger poles
new canvass to include camper back
replaced deck coring with high density foam coring
had the boats gelcoat re-sprayed from the Hull-deck joint up (waiting for warmer weather to add the new non-skid pattern)
all the deck hardware has been re-chromed
New Headliner (currently installing)
New cabin windows and re-bed the frames
New horn
switched cabin lights to LED's
replaced the teak veneer on the outer cabin bulkhead
replaced rack steering system with teleflex no feedback system
added raw water strainer
bonded all thru hull fittings

This wasn't all done at once, it's my 20th season with the boat. I'm sure I've missed a couple of items. I'd do it all over again, it's been a great boat.

[prowlersfish]

Added radar and GPS out riggers off my last Trojan moved anchor light, then a few years ago I upgraded to a larger open array color radar added 2 VHFs and a lower helm Radar station , added a extra GPS .Better Antennas replace the canvas . Taller out riggers with spreaders . Added a small crane to lift the rib . Added a 6 person inflatable life raft (canister ) a PLB and full ditch bag


Engine wise 1 turbo and a starter when I first got it up graded the alternators to Delco , 2 after coolers ($$$) and added a air-sep type breather system and some injection pump work , 2 new props (22X22)

6 batteries

And a few thousand gallons of diesel fuel

This is over 9 years of used
And worth every dime

not included normal wear and tear / impellers, packing, oil --------

Oh forgot Transom door and hause pipes opps

[Stripermann2]

Some of the above is wrong. I cut and pasted everybody else's stuff, so I could simply delete the ones that didn't apply and then sent it prematurely. Sorry. I should have previewed it first. The sigh was correct though

Thief!!

[rickalan35]

I know, I know......... It seemed like a good idea at the time. (like a lot of my ideas)