Aft Deck Restoration

[carl]

Back at my AFT Deck restoration. Three photos pre-application Interlux Bilgekote Gray...More to come

[carl]

Two photos post-application Interlux Bilgekote Gray.

[Hiramsaint]

Thanks for this thread, Carl. I'm looking at an M that will definitely need this kind of attention. Now, if I can make a few things go in my favor!!!

[carl]

Today I cut the twelve holes for my Aft Deck lighting, Blue flush mount LED. More to come...

[carl]

There is a whole lot more to an Aft Deck restoration than just replacing the Aft deck. Once I pulled my decking off I had user friendly full access to the fuel tanks, rudder packing boxes, rudder linkage, bilge blowers, trim tab pump/reservoir, hydraulic steering pump, wiring harnesses, exhaust system/mufflers and the entire bilge itself. I cleaned and painted the bilge using Interlux BilgeKote paint (great product), performed bench top preventive maintenance servicing both my trim tab pump and my hydraulic steering pump, installed new blowers, I wired everything much better that it came from the factory using terminal strips, this will make changing out a bad blower motor for example a whole lot less painful under the deck when I'm cramped up in a ball to reach it, I purchased a third blower and have it prewired so that it will be plug and play should I ever need it. When servicing my hydraulic steering pump I upgraded the pressure gauge to a good quality accurate stainless steel glycerin filled gauge doing away with the small faced cheap gauge that had been on the unit, this will make checking the pressure from afar with a flashlight a quick task. The air pressure in this hydraulic steering pump is important and must be maintained checking it periodically, simple task now. Today I will secure all of the wires properly against movement/vibration and move on to installing new fuel hose to my fuel tanks, then I will be reinstalling my exhaust systems. More to come...

[jralbert]

A thought: While the area is open consider installing access panels to those places you'll need to reach later.

[carl]

Your a smart man jralbert...like minds must think alike...got that covered and will post pictures of my access ports as the restoration progresses.

[Rockit]

Wow! Great work.

I assume you've checked the rudders and bushings--think you said that--but have you also thought about putting in a rudder angle indicator? You can get by without one, but there have been times . . .

[carl]

Joe, I haven't touched the rudders or their packing boxes at this time. When my boat gets pulled I will be dropping both rudders, inspecting them and replacing the packing boxes at that time. I don't even want to touch them while she's afloat as these original nylon packing boxes are prone to cracking, mine are 28 years old. And no I will not be installing Rudder Angle Indicators. More to come...