25' Checkmate Convincor I/O to twin O/B's

**Instigator** · 05-13-2021, 05:32 AM

Pulled it out to get some air and check hitch height on the new Boat Tug.

**Instigator** · 05-30-2021, 02:49 PM

Why it ain’t done yet, and as a close friend says, never will be.

On the other hand, did find new wheels for the new boat tug.
Should be here today.

**keefallan** · 05-31-2021, 04:56 PM

Great job on the woodworking 'Gator! Really nice.

You get the two thumbs up!!! What did you use for the finish? Clearcoat? Varnish? Sikkens?

**Cary 29** · 05-31-2021, 05:28 PM

Excellent work as usual Gary. Very nice. Class act

**XstreamVking** · 06-02-2021, 02:33 PM

The old girls looking sweet....Come a long way....lotta work and it shows.

**Instigator** · 06-02-2021, 06:34 PM

Not ignoring your question but keep forgetting to look when I’m in the shop.

I changed mid stream too.
Bulkheads are one thing, doors another.

I do know to get red mahogany tint I wanted, it was “gunstock” stain.

Originally Posted by keefallan

Great job on the woodworking 'Gator! Really nice.

You get the two thumbs up!!! What did you use for the finish? Clearcoat? Varnish? Sikkens?

**keefallan** · 06-03-2021, 03:46 AM

Originally Posted by Instigator

Not ignoring your question but keep forgetting to look when I’m in the shop.

I changed mid stream too.
Bulkheads are one thing, doors another.

I do know to get red mahogany tint I wanted, it was “gunstock” stain.

No worries Gary. I was just curious. I am a very passionate woodworker...and I was just curious about the finish. I keep going back and forth with what kind of finish to use on my boat stuff. I have used all of the ones I mentioned.....except clearcoat on wood(boats). Sikkens, teak oil, spar varnish.......all been used by me, and they all fail eventually.......its just hard to keep woodworking pristine on a boat. But, where you have the wood, water wont be an issue. My wood sees water on a big basis. So, I get the privilege of re-doing my stuff every few years. I get to redo my transom cap on my crab boat because of the water. The swim platform was just completed a month ago........3 coats of spar varnish.

Keith

**Instigator** · 06-03-2021, 05:45 AM

I like Sikkens and was going to use it but was already but was already filling grain w/spar varnish and Sikkens said not to overcoat other finishes.

And you’re right.
My wood will see way less harsh conditions than a real boat.
Part of why I did it.

Originally Posted by keefallan

No worries Gary. I was just curious. I am a very passionate woodworker...and I was just curious about the finish. I keep going back and forth with what kind of finish to use on my boat stuff. I have used all of the ones I mentioned.....except clearcoat on wood(boats). Sikkens, teak oil, spar varnish.......all been used by me, and they all fail eventually.......its just hard to keep woodworking pristine on a boat. But, where you have the wood, water wont be an issue. My wood sees water on a big basis. So, I get the privilege of re-doing my stuff every few years. I get to redo my transom cap on my crab boat because of the water. The swim platform was just completed a month ago........3 coats of spar varnish.

Keith

**Instigator** · 06-23-2021, 06:54 AM

Finally getting back on my feet after starting a new job that thoroughly kicked my ass for the first two months.

Helm is basically done other than wiring the GPS.

Just wired nav and cabin lights and VHF.

Is to the point of being safe on local water and very close to being Lake Erie worthy.

Did some playing w/scales and weight yesterday.

Dont want to change much on weight distribution yet as I haven’t run it w/full tank yet and know it will change everything.

The water jug goes in the anchor locker and will supply a galley/sink when I build it and porta potti will go in entry of vee birth.
(Supply tank is full of water on scales.)

As you can see, pretty much out of space on helm.
Fuel gauge is bellow/forward of throttles ��

Based on the tiny bit of seat time, and seeing 70 on the meter, even w/one motor down 1200 R’s, which it no longer is, I expect this thing to be an absolute rocket!

If it runs like it should, I may blow off painting the deck this Winter and instead, build two p.heads.
What do you guys think?

Should we start a poll ��

**Instigator** · 06-23-2021, 06:55 AM

Oh yeah, and found wheels for the new Boat Tug.

**SCT** · 06-23-2021, 08:51 AM

Gator, I’ll be interested to hear how the Convincor rides in Erie chop compared to your Sonic. I’m sure it’s faster.

**powerabout** · 06-23-2021, 08:51 AM

engine rebuilds and paint sound like 2 perfect winter jobs
Plus a thread on your 225HO/250 cook book, we need an engine thread to revive this site.

**sonicss33** · 06-23-2021, 04:27 PM

Coming along nicely. Did you consider putting the 2 shift levers side by side instead of on the outside of throttles? It’s a personal preference but I liked mine close together, as it was easier to crab walk the boat when docking for me. Using only one hand. But I do have big paws.

**Instigator** · 06-23-2021, 05:25 PM

I had that damn box apart and back together a dozen times just for that reason!

I did it the way I did it because I like keeping them separated so I don’t grab the wrong one by mistake.
But I do like your thinking and we’ll see how it plays out.
That’s a big bonus to keeping the motors down so the boat reacts around dock.

On my first 24 Sonic where I had the motors to the moon you couldn’t even spin the bow into the wind!

Second one where I left them down it reminded me how much fun it was to know how to dock a boat in a crowd :-)

Originally Posted by sonicss33

Coming along nicely. Did you consider putting the 2 shift levers side by side instead of on the outside of throttles? It’s a personal preference but I liked mine close together, as it was easier to crab walk the boat when docking for me. Using only one hand. But I do have big paws.