Tom,

I haven't done any of the adhesive work yet. I still haven't had enough warm weather to cure the glue. I sure hope within the next few weeks or I am just going boating! :)

Tom,

I am a tinkerer by nature. I don't think I would ever stop, with any boat :) I love my 248!

Tom,

I am pointed in that direction but only when I find something that will work and produce a correct look. I am really digging what Doral did on the Venizia! A hard top on our size boat looks fantastic when done right! :)

Hey Tom,

Where did your Radar Arch come from? was that OEM or aftermarket?

Bought my double jointed anchor swivel from them as well as new S.S lanyards and a new S.S. chain stop. I want the 15Lb stainless anchor but it's not high on my priority list yet.

Tom,

Check out this link..

http://www.marinepartdepot.com/anchor.html

You can get a stainless delta/davis clone for less than half the cost. One of the 248 owners over on the four winns forums I go to, put me on to this company and I've bought some stainless goodies from them, on the cheap!

Tom,

I anchor in a river, anything from rocks to weed to mud and silt. SO far, so good.

Davis #15 (I beleive it's a #15) love it... has yet to not hold...

Tomm,

It's going to be "close" let's put it that way! I may even have to cut the aft side of the cleat down a bit to clear the windlass body. Problem is that the windlass has to go, where it has to go... doesn't leave me much leeway at all!

[img]http://www.westol.com/~brettd/public_html/windlass/0623071721c.jpg[/img]

Tomm,

Yes I have a Lewmar V700 Winlass sitting in the box behind me right now :) I have not had weather good enough to patch the hawse pipe hole in the deck with woven roving and gelcoat so I can redrill the deck for the windlass. A windlass was not an option on pre 08 248's.

Tomm,

You guys don't have SeaTow in Oz? What the heck is SeaTow thinking! There is a great oppertunity! :)

I would never tow anyone... I would gladly wait for help to arrive but I do not own a towing vessel. As I mentioned earlier, if I needed to be towed and was unable to reach my bow eye (which, like you, I would not be able to do) I would use my anchor cleat, it's through bolted and backed.

Tomm,

Firstly, that FIberglass is a LOT thicker than you think.. And given a cleat's purpose, does not need a backer if it is through bolted with an appropriate washer (which it is). Cleats should NEVER be used to tow a boat. Many people have been killed and/or maimed when a cleat ripped out and hit them in the head. If a woman's Stilletto Heel can puncture a human skull, a cleat would have no problems turning the gray matter into salad.

Yes the tow line should be fixed to the bow eye, which is through bolted and backed with a stainless plate and also happens to be in the thickest part of the hull and that would be the Keel. How do you fix a line to it? Simple.. Have the other boat owner back up to your bow and fix it for you!

As for towing someone.. that is NOT your job and your boat was not designed for it (read the manual). That is what //Seatow is for.

And if I absolutely could not get the line to my bow eye, my bow cleat would work perfectly because it's through bolted to a matching cleat on the inside of the locker and also goes through an inch of deck.

See Fig A: [img]http://www.westol.com/~brettd/public_html/windlass/1021071354b.jpg[/img]

Tim,

Yep I would never trust doing it without draining the block first. I actually ran my OD in a tub full of pink and then drained the block and hoses and removed the T-Stat and poured pure pink down into the block and heads and then through all of the hoses with a funnel till pink came out the other end of where the hose went. Then put a new T-Stat gasket in and bolted everything back up so it would be ready to de winterize.

I still need to run some bleach through my holding tanks to make sure any bacteria is dead (esp in the drinking water holding tank) 1/4 cup bleach per 10 gallons I beleive is the ratio (need to look that up) then I will flush the tank and all the faucets many times over.

The weather is certainly not cooperating at all! It's windy and 56 degrees right now! :)

The weather is starting to tick me off.. it's not been warm enough (long enough) for me to finish any of my projects that need 80+ degree temps for more than a day or two. And the rain needs to go away as well!

Hell Crownline has a boat for 20K... There are lots of "entry" boats out there from all the manufacturers, they are all, entry "size".

This past season was my first ever, winterization. Prior to that point my boats were in the garage. That is not the case with my current boat (though a garage will be built). So last season I winterized the boat myself, did lots of research on the net and did it. I finally un-winterized yesterday and it's good to report that everything works just like it did last season and nothing leaks :)

ok I just realized who that is.. Now I feel like an arse..

(goes and sits in the corner)

la la la.... Rainbows and Ponies, Rainbows and Ponies!

WOW... I'd hit that like Bobby Brown hit Whitney Houston!

:)

I always run my blower when launching from the time I pull into the parking area and start prepping to launch, it's running. Much more than four minutes but more can't hurt.. I do not check in the engine room all the time, but usually once before I leave the driveway. I also run my blower continiously when I am running at displacement speeds and always when comming off the hook. I will also run it all the time when the genset is running (when I have a genset).

Yes I run with my canvas up.. Four Winns uses all stainless steel fittings and tube, the canvas is made by Great Lakes Canvas and it's very stout. I try to keep it under 28 knts when the canvas is up, unless the isenglass is in, then I will go faster (easier on the canvas since it becomes aerodynamic). If I have the camper canvas up, I will open the back window and open the bow window so I have flow through ventilation. I have not had either of my detectors (2) go off.

Tomm,

Nothing that "lives" in the bilge of a boat should create a spark. All marine items certified for bilge use must meet ABYC standards. That includes switches, electronics, pumps, blowers etc.

The reason to run the blower is two fold.. It pumps out the fumes and at the same time pulls in fresh air. Any time you create a low pressure area, fresh air will pour in to equalize the pressure to atmosphere.

"Car parts" should NEVER be used on a boat... And LPG (gas to you aussies) is as dangerous as gasoline fumes and there are MANY ABYC rules for how an LPG system should be installed. Problem is with old boats, you never know what kind of jury rigged bag of tricks you are getting.

Just one more reason to have professional marine surveys conducted by SAMS Accredited Marine Surveyors.

Bob and Helen,

Keep us updated! I am going to see if I can beat up Maabru, if I can get them down to 6K shipped I will take it. If not, I will keep looking.

Bruce,

Amen on that... The closer to 6K the more happy I will be :) yes that's a shit ton of money, but hey these things are 10K options on a new boat.

Well I sent an email to Maabru marine in Miami FL to see what sort of price they would come up with. For the Kohler 5.0 ECD-S (Sound Sheild) with Siphon Break, Remote Start Pannel + 25' remote harness plus Circuit Breakers and Transfer Pannel they came up with $7509.00 shipped. That is not a bad price, but I would like to see if I can squeeze more.. I'd be tickled pink with $6500 out the door...

ROTFLMAO Scott!

Sadly that's me.. but with blonde hair...

Ahhh who am I kidding.. I can't get no women.... Sorry I lied! :)

I always walk my woman getter around the beach.... :)

[img]http://www.themoa.net/b2evolution/blogs/media/stop1.png[/img]

Good ol Rob Van Winkle!

It's not the East Siiiide or the West Siiiide... It's the Dark Siiiide....

Muahahaha :)

Works every time! Glad I could snag ya with the hook and reel you back over to..... THE DAAAAAARK SIIIIIIIDE! :)

[img]http://www1.istockphoto.com/filethumbviewapprove/437828/2/istockphoto437828giantsmileybig_smile.jpg[/img]

Rollin in my Five Ohhh Five.. Got the main sail up so my boat can blow.. The girlies on stand by, waiting just to say hi.. Did I stop? Hell naw, I just blew on by! Frank, Frank, Baby, too cold, too cold... Frank, Frank, Baby, too cold, too cold!

I didn't go to work today :)

I powerwashed the front of the house yesterday and spent Sat/Sun waxing the boat.. My arms are freaking killing me and I went through nearly a quart of Dri Wasn N' Guard (at $45/Qt) but my baby is gleaming!

Tomm,

I could probably just "buy" the 258's optional stainless arch, it will go right on (same beam, same height, practically the same boat) but FW wants WAY too much.. like 3K too much!

I can get someone like Atlantic Towers to build the same thing out of heavy gauge stainless, hinged, with radar mount plates, antenna and TV antenna plates and powdercoated white, for probably 2K less than what FW wants. It's going to be 2K maybe 3K for a tube arch custom made.

Tom,

I am proud of this whole thread, so go ahead, post on! Anything that keeps me at the top! This is the single most successful thread I've ever created on the internet in nearly 2 decades. :)

My water tank will be low in the belly. The genset weighs in at 200lbs "wet" and it will be in the same location where a 21 gallon (always full) water tank was.

Ken,

The only thing that runs off the gen is the Nukebox, stove, AC, Water Heater and Refer/Charger. The Boombox is DC :) the Battery charger draws 8 amps the AC draws about 8 when running, 15 momentary. Not sure about the nuke box and stove, the stove is a constant 700 watts I'm guessing 15A.

5.0KW @ 41 Amps would be sufficient. Bear in mind it's very unusual for everything to be running at once. and if i had to turn the AC off to cook for 20 minutes, that certainly would not inconvinience me :)

The 5.0ECD puts out 41.5 Amps @ 5KW. That is MORE than enough smoke to run all the goodies.

Ok, there has been a shift in my plans. None of the "Instant" water heaters are very feasible. They make a 110 volt version that draws 25 amps and raises the water termperature a whopping 17 degrees.

I decided to keep the hot water tank and move my 21 gallon fresh water tank which will free up the starboard side of the bilge. I have an open spot in the mid cabin for a 16 gallon tank (where the gray water tank would have been). I am going to move the fresh water tank to that area. I am also going with a 5.0 Killowatt Kohler rather than a Westerbeke. I can get into a Kohler 5.0EDC for $4800 without the sound sheild.

Tomm,

If that's real teak, you can keep it! :)

Stacey,

WOW I feel famous! (Or, is that infamous?). Hey Travis, where's my TT Custom Marine T shirt? :)

And to pick thier brains about details of the install. Someone on the fourwinns forums said not to use a scoop through hull, and I always figured you need one if you want to run the genset while underway. So there are some areas I need to brush up on before I start drilling holes and shelling out the BIG money :)

Tom,

Welcome aboard! Sorry about the extensive read time, I can get rather long winded! :) I really appreciate the compliments I thank you kindly!

This stuff does not get that hot in my opinion. But my opinion may also be somewhat skewed. My last boat was solid red gelcoat and on a 90 degree day the gelcoat was 110+ and this teak will never get that hot. Yesterday was 85 degrees and the ESP was in direct sunlight most of the day and the teak was nothing more than warm to the touch, nothing that would ever bother my tootsies and as you stated if the ESP got that hot, there is always the transom shower.

The best part of all is that I have full carpets for this boat and they are all rubber backed "lay in" (no snaps) so if I wanted to put the berber over the teak for whatever reason, I still can do that!

Do you mind if I ask what kind of arch did you get? Was it an OEM Larson unit or something else? My problem is that my canvas was not designed for an arch so any arch I add is going to have to bolt to the outsides of the gunnels and be high enough so the canvas can deploy under it. I found one "universal" fiberglass arch on the net and it looked horrible (well, it would look fine on a 1980's style boat) but on the 248 it has to be a swoopy contoured arch and I'm not likely to find anything like that in glass or aluminum that will fit.

So my only option may be an Atlantic Tower custom made hinged tubular arch. I am thinking a white powdercoated tube arch may work well. I can even have some rod holders welded on.

Ken

I will keep you in the loop! I have to call an authorized dealer to get a firm price.

Ken

I am able to do the research. I appreciate the offer. I do believe we may be making some assumptions on how the battery charge circuit works on the genny. We are assuming that it has a harness for the charger but remember it has a DC+12V and DC-12V to start it. What if it utilizes those same connections for the charging circuit?

The only persons who are going to be able to help me with those questions are going to be a Westerbeke dealer.

And again I am able to run my air conditioning\refer\charger\hot water heater off 1600 watts@13.5 amps. I am fairly certain that nearly double the wattage and amperage will do the job without breaking a sweat.

Right now I am running a pair of group 27 deep cycles. The onboard charger is a Guest blue ocean cruiser series 10\10 amp multi stage.

It would actually be easier for me not to use the genset charger so I wonder if it is defeatable.

Ken

I have no choice on model of genset that I can use. Most oems use the kohler gensets they are more cost effective they are also larger and more noisy. I have no choice because I have dimensional constraints to contend with.

The westerbeke 3.0 is more than enough for my needs.

Here is the updated starboard rear piece that wraps around I will post a before and after. That was the only sore spot with this layout and was my mistake. Travis did a hell of a job as usual!

[IMG]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0812first-real-shots0006.jpg[/IMG] (Before)

[IMG]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0905first-real-shots0008.jpg[/IMG] (Afer)

Honestly Ken I find it hard to beleive a nearly 6 thousand dollar generator would have worse technology in it than a $200 dollar Guest Charger. Westerbeke is pretty much the best Genset money can buy.

I am not eliminating the dual bank charger, I will still use it on shore power, but while on internal AC it will be disabled.

My Honda EU2000i is a 1600 watt continious @ 13.5 amp generator, it will for a very breif time put out 2000 watts at 16 amps. It runs my AC, Refer, Battery Charger, Hot water tank all at the same time. I turn the AC off to run the microwave or stove (and I am ok with that). I don't have a huge AC unit, I have a 6K unit, after start up I beleive it draws about 560 watts to run. The Microwave is small, it may be a 1K watt start up load, not sure about the stove but I think it's like 700 continious.

At any rate... If it runs the AC, refer, hot water heater at once that's all I am concerned about. The battery charger may get nixed because the genny charges the battery. Or worst case, when the transfer switch is on, the dual bank charger will be defeated and the genny will be charging the battery. So that eliminates the charger from the picture.

So I got to thinking the other day (and sure as $hit that always gets me into trouble).

By golly I want a Genset.. Not a generator. Last season the few times (honestly less than a gallon and a half of gas) was run through my new Honda EU2000i generator. And for all intent and purpose, it really is a remarkable piece of equipment. In order to use the thing you need to strap it to the swim platform, pray it stays there, drag the shore power cable along and try to run it as unobtrusively as possible, which isn't easy with a 0/0 welding cable!

I want a GENSET!

So I got to looking around and if I ditch my 6 gallon hot water heater and replace that with an instant water heater I can free up the whole port side of the bilge practically. Westerbeke makes a 3.0 Killowatt genset that's a twin cylinder gasoline job that runs at 2200 RPM, doesn't need a sound sheild, burns .5 gallon per hour at full load, does 3.0KW continious at 26 amps. That should be enough to run my AC, Refrig, battery charger, Stove and Microwave too.

So I plan do install it myself but it won't be cheap. Best price I've found on the net is $5400.00 for the genset and I figure approximately another $1000.00 for the thru hulls, lift muffler, remote start pannel, sea strainer, hose and AC Transfer Switch.

Should be interesting and most likely the ONLY 248 Vista with a Genset!

I like ponies... And rainbows...

Actually I am still here.. Yes it's late (or early) 2:00 AM but I took a nap when I came home from work, big mistake, then starting hitting up the coffee pot (even bigger mistake) and here I am! :)

I did want to add: Up here in the summer we average around 80 degrees, we do see some 90+ days, some 100+ days but that's not the typical summer. Four Winns did a bang up job of placement on the port windows of the Vistas. I can actually open all my ports, put in the screens and be very comfortable on an 80 degree day/night because of the cross ventilation in the cabin. It's never stuffy at all! The Generator is always needed though, since I do take food that requires heating/cooking but I do also use the AC and did try the reverse cycle heat on two occasions.

Anywho... Since everyone wussed out and went to bed.. I am going to float around some of the other forums I spend time on! :)

I wouldn't sleep on your boat either! You have fricken sharks down there!!!!

LOL

And to be completely honest I am not sure why FW didn't offer a genset option for the 248. Sure it would add another 7 to 10 thousand to the sticker price, but there is room.. For example, I could ditch my hot water heater (6 gallon) replace it with an instant water heater (they work!) and have the whole port side open to install a small genset, all you would need is a Westerbeke 3.0KW gasoline job. I also have an opening under the midcabin for another 16 gallon tank (where a grey water tank would be) could be used to carry even more fresh water, or could be used for a secondary blackwater tank. I find that 21 gallons of fresh water is more than adequate for the weekend, but 16 gallons for the black water is not enough.. Figure each flush of the head is at least a gallon of water, I add a gallon to the empty tank with a bottle of thetford campochem treatment and that means I am already down to 15 gallons of capacity.. That's 15 flushes or less! :)

Tomm,

It's a Honda EU2000i (non marine). It's not the ideal setup, but if you understand the dangers of CO and fume buildup it's no more dangerous than any other generator (including gensets). The nice thing about the honda is that it's above deck at all times and has a hard shut off for the fuel tank (no venting fumes). at night it's on the ESP and all the windows and doors to the cabin are shut. CO is slightly lighter than air so it doesn't lay if there is a breeze and it's not going to enter through sealed doors. Plus I have dual Fireboy Marine CO Detectors (same one's I'm sure you have) one in the forward cabin and one in the mid cabin and they are appropriately installed. And you can send them out to Fireboy one every season or every two seasons and have them recertified for $50.00 each and they replace any faulty hardware and rewarranty them (considering they cost closer to $150 each new, that's a bargain!)

LOL Tomm I forgot the Powerwinch RC30 11,500LB remote control, wireless, electric winch (with loading light!) :)

Tomm,

I'm not sure where the generator will "live" now. I tried up on the bow deck and that's NO good! how anyone can run a generator up there and keep their sanity is beyond me! It works great on the ESP but I am always afraid of it going overboard.. I need to come up with a better method to secure it without drilling! It will still go on the platform at night, but while I am zipping along during the day, I think it will fit on the port side rear ice cooler mount, and I can just keep the cooler on the ESP or not take it at all.. Not a whole lot of use in a cooler when you have a refrigerator.

Max,

26' 2" Length Over All, 23' 10" of hull, 21' of wetted surface, 8'6" Beam, displaces approx 7000lb full of fuel and water, 70 gallon fuel, 21 gallon fresh water, 16 gallon black water. 280 horse volvo Gi DuoProp runs about 41 MPH maxed out, comfortable 28MPH cruise, has Air Conditioning, Heat, DVD, LCD TV, HD Over The Air Tuner/Antenna, Microwave, Ceramic single burner stove, 6 gallon hot water tank, 20 amp dual bank battery charger, dual group 27 batteries, Clarion Sirius stereo, 6 disk cd changer, full cockpit and extended swim platform PlasDeck synthetic teak, Lewmar V700 Windlass, 20' G4 Chain, 200' 8 plait 1/2" Rode, 15Lb Davis Plow anchor, stainless dual joint anchor swivel, Raymarine VHF, Standard Horizon CP180 Chart Plotter/GPS, Automatic Halon fire system , Bennett trim tabs etc etc..

Ya huh.... Last season! (and it wasn't recessed then either) :) My saving grace is that is usually where the generator sits and I haven't had anyone go swimming off my boat except by accident (don't ask) and yes I miss my $375.00 pair of prescription Ray Bans... That won't ever happen again! :)

Tomm,

I've not had that issue with my handle yet. I think I am keeping it as is, but you never know.. I may at the last minute change my mind.. Have sharp knife, can cut! :)

Max click on my name above any of my posts to go to my profile and click on my "photos" and you can see all sorts of pictures of my 248 it's very photogenic :) (yes I am biased).

Travis,

I agree at 6'2 it needs to be tall! My Bimini/Camper on the 248 is 8' so that's not an issue but any arch I'd have made would have to be 8' + so the bimini could deploy under it (unless I wanted to have sectional new canvas made $$$$).

Not real fond of those non standard side windows either.. Ask a current Baylier owner, they still use them too and in time they can leak. I would hope that Doral would use better materials because they sure do command a whole lot more money. My 248 specs out aroun 109K I'm sure the Venezia is a 150K knowing Doral!

Honestly though.. my next step is probably a Silverton 36 Convertible... And that will be the end of my trailering days, so I am not sure at this point in my life if I am ready for that commitment. Like you said, the guy with the 16' boat uses it more.... It's true.. When I had my 16.5' Stingray I would go anywhere on a whim.. Those days have changed and I know my EC isn't the biggest boat out there but at 9K on the trailer it's a different strategy!

Max,

The heck with the Maxum.. I'll sell ya a good boat! Buy my 248! :) Since I know you, I will make you a special deal! Today only, I will sell her for one easy payment of $70,995.95 But wait.... Buy now and I will throw in a trailer too! And I will even top off the fuel tank! Yes, it slices, it dices, it makes mounts of Julianne fries!

:)

Yep 25' with 21 foot of wetted surface that's about the same as mine, but has almost a foot and a half more beam! And it sure don't look like a 25 footer.. The hard top is to die for! Another thing I wish I had.. In fact I have been trying to find a place that makes radar arches because I want one so bad.. In the end I may wind up going to Atlantic Towers and having a stainless tube arch made.

Travis,

We get off topic here often. It's one of the best things about the boaters, we really do cover it all :)

I will try to stay warm, may even have to fire up my Wood Burner! (Hey Doc, got any teak ya want to send me? I need some fuel!) Hehehe :)

Doc,

You are brave indeed! :)

Living on the water.... Hmmm that's a dream that will have to wait for retirement and if I keep working I.T. I don't think I will ever have a retirement! :)

Captain,

Yes the Venzia is a Doral boat, www.doralboat.com

While it doesn't appear to be any larger LOA than my 248, it is a full 9' 4" Beam which means it can be had with twin V8's (which would be a mistake IMHO) or can be had with a single gas or single diesel. A single Volvo GxI with DPS or XDP would run this boat up to 40/43 MPH and would leave plenty of room for something I so desperately wish I had, and that's a Genset... As much as I love my Honda EU2000i generator, I wish I didn't have to take it along... I spend lots of time on the hook, no time on the dock and I love to sleep the whole weekend on the water... A Genset would be invaluable to me!

I have to say, I haven't seen a Venezia in person (not sure if it really exists yet) but this EC has LINES!

[img]http://www.doralboat.com/images/landing/landing_109046.jpg[/img]

Next seasons project:

[img]http://www.theboaters.com/app/vault/photos/originals/boat155_1005970411.jpg[/img]

Teak/Holly :)

I swear I've increased the value of my boat 10K with all the goodies I've put on... And I am right side up on this thing!

Next stop? 36 foot convertible??? shrugs all I need is a raise! :)

Travis,

I still need to get you those offset dimensions for the handle, that way you can do it either way. I will get the offset's tomorrow. I came home from work tonight and decided just to lay on the bed for a few minutes.. Well that was like five hours ago... LOL Shot this friday night right in the ol wazoo!

I haven't gotten the cockpit piece trimmed yet. I started on it but I am not happy with the fit yet. As soon as I get it done, I will ship you down a template for it. You were right, using the carpet for templates, not a good idea! But I couldn't really get the mylar down in there so it's just going to have to be a trim/fit process then once I get it where I think it needs to be, I will template it.

You were right, the stuff does cut like butter! cutting out the ladder hatch hole was simple. Temp wise we have not gotten any higher than 74 so far but this weekend we are supposed to get SNOW flurries.. And I JUST took my winter cover off the boat and put all the canvas up! I really can't do squat until the temps get in the 80's and stay there. So the question needs to be asked...... Where is this Global Warming that Al Gore promised us? I sure haven't seen it :)

LOL

Scrub, Stain, Varnish and repeat many many times.

I'm an oddball when it comes to wood.. I slayed all the trees in my yard because I got sick of them. I'm not real fond of wood furniture unless it's either natural oak or something exotic like figured maple, bubigna or some other weird figured woods.

Not even real big on teak on boats, just decking. I have seen lots of boats with teak all over and it doesn't really do it for me.. I love Doral boats but they need to ixnay on the teakay!

Waterdoc,

Yeah so does Bob from Enzite :)

[img]http://blogs.zdnet.com/images/enzyte1.jpg[/img]

Travis,

Welcome aboard!

Fantastic post!

At the end of the day I know one thing for sure.. I love my PlasTeak and I am tickled pink by the job you did on it. It could not have turned out better if it came right out of the factory!

my guess would be $400 USD

bump :)

Tomm,

FANTASTIC! Can I have yours? :)

Wonder if I could hang my generator off that :)

I actually have stainless fender baskets on my bow rail (very limited storage in the rear)

[img]http://www.westol.com/~brettd/publichtml/fujifinepixS6500FD/20070103first-real-shots0019sm.jpg[/img]

[IMG]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/0408081706.jpg[/IMG]

Posting the swim ladder hatch I talked about earlier.. Look at Tomm's pics to see how Four Winns did it.. I decided to just surface moun it.

Yea/Nay?

Stacey,

Yep I listen to country! You know what you get when you play a country record backwards? You get your wife back, your truck back and your dog back! :) I listen to every genre of music, just depends on my "MOOD" :)

Tomm,

You guys got all sorts of deadly creatures.. As much as I would love to come to Oz, I dunno... For pete's sake you have the worlds only venemous Plattypus!! ;)

Stacey,

I was going to type that!

Thanks Stacey,

See I knew it... Girls love my tractor! lol

I don't like how much open space FW put around the swim ladder hatch handle. I am suface mounting my hatch hadle so the teak goes under it. I was going to flush mount it but decided not to.. I will post a photo and you can critique the surface mount.

Ken,

You think your deck gets hot? LOL! Try stepping on the deck of a red gelcoated boat... Flexi will be cool in comparisson!

that wasn't me.. all my boats are in my profile even the one I would do ANYTHING to own... :)

you may have seen bigger... it's not about size... :) I can dig a deep hole :)

I should make my own lake in the back yard, then I wouldn't have to trailer very far! :)

Anytime anyone crosses my path, I just invite them down to see my tractor...

[IMG]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/tractor/P1040448.jpg[/IMG]

And that's all I gotta say about that!

I am Guido! :)

Don't derail my thread! I'll sink it... I'll do it! :)

w00f.. expensive Tomm! But dang nice!

Next big ticket purchase on my list is a Radar Arch... It's positively rubbish that FW doesn't put an arch on the 248!

Max,

Also make sure the dealer doesn't short change you on the trailer. Lots of dealers have been guilty of putting boats on trailers that are just barely adequate. Make the dealer commit to a brand/model and then research it from the manufacturers web site. Whatever boat you are buying, check the manufacturers web site for the "dry weight" then add a full tank of fuel ( 6.5 Lbs per gallon x total gallons held) and if the boat holds fresh water / gray water / black water also total that up ( 8.5 Lbs per gallon x total gallons held) add 50 lbs per battery and add `150 lbs for "Miscellanious". Then buy the trailer that is rated to handle 1000 Lbs OVER that total figure.

Don't get short changed!

Tomm,

Is that stainless rail on your swim platform the factory Four Winns deal? How much did that thing cost? Looks FANTASTIC! (Is it strong?).

Water doc,

To each his own. I love the look of teak but hate real wood.. For me synthetic is the way to fly, there are others that would never even consider anything synthetic and I'm ok with that, since I don't have to maintain it! :)

Ken,

Milk jugs are white.... :)

Ken,

The cleat on the inside of the anchor locker is to terminate the bitter end of the anchor rode. It makes perfect sense to me to have a cleat in there :)

Tomm,

I have heard about the flexi turning gray, you aren't the first to experiance that problem and it has something to do with the plasticizers in the material not being UV fast (or UV fast enough). They do not recommend using cleaners which contain harsh chemicals or oils which can dry out the PVC and cause cracking of the material or even worse, cause the decking to release from the adhesive.

Not too much longer I pray (for the sake of my sanity, or what's left of it!)

I still have another HUGE project on the table... (This project)

[img]http://www.westol.com/~brettd/public_html/windlass/1021071357.jpg [/img]

[img]http://www.westol.com/~brettd/public_html/windlass/0623071721c.jpg [/img]

And make it look like this:

[img]http://members.toast.net/boatguy/wswitches.jpg [/img]

Which means I have to fill the hawse pipe hole, gelcoat it, let it cure and then cut most of it back out! (I have to cut a 4.5" and a 2.5" hole to mount my Lewmar V600 windlass!

Ken,

Heck no! It's barely touched anywhere near 70.. Last night it was 38. I am not unwinterizing till it gets in, and stays in, the 70's :)

It works fine as a floor mat :)

I still have to remake the template for the starboard rear piece so that we can make a new piece to fix my "screwup" it's going to look even better with the new piece. I am hoping that the weekend will cooperate so I can do the new template and do some other templates that I promised to do for Travis and as soon as the temps get into the mid 70's and remain there.... it will be glued down! :)

Notice how "clean" it looks in the second photo? I assure you I did NOT clean anything.. That non skid is still that filthy! Sad part is, before I packed the boat up for it's winter slumber I had that non skid perfectly white.. Just a few trips onto the boat during the off season to measure for templates and the first photo is the outcome.

Read my lips.. I HATE WHITE NON SKID! :)

And any brand names aside.. I think these two photos sum it up...

[IMG]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0728first-real-shots0010.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0812first-real-shots0020.jpg[/IMG]

Nuff said!

Tomm,

Don't sweat it mate! Ken is entitled to his opinion and I am not here to sell any brand.. But I am here to say that I am tickled pink with the service and product that I received from Travis. I wouldn't put just anything on my 248, I'm fairly particular as I'm sure my photos show :) If my 248 would have been factory optioned with Flexi brand, this would be a whole different thread because I would have had no choice but to do the cockpit with flexi :)

Ken,

Just doing my part to be earth friendly :) Next week I will trade my Hemi for a Prius!

Frank,

Speak english.. I have no clue what a YJ15 is.. Yes you can patch synthetic teak (any brand) how good your patch job turns out is dependant on how good you cut the bad section out and how good you fit in the new, sort of like piecing carpet, it's an art form.. I don't think any patch job I would do, would be worth a hill of beans.

Ken you are full of shite :)

I've been on the big money boats with flexi and I have the Plasdeck in my hand and I can say, You are full of it! So I hope your post was TIC.. If not, then you really have the rose colored glasses on! :)

We're men.. we will obviously debate anything :)

LOL

Nope you didn't :)

Yes Ken the fact is that it is warranted for 10 years (DIY or made by one of the select installers). That is not the case with flexi. It doesn't matter to me who you go with, in my opinion they all make a nice product but Flexi turned me off with the way they handle DIY and the pricing. TekDek would be my second choice, I suspect TekDek will be the route you wind up going (since you want the groovy kinda love) :)

Updated above thread!

Stacey,

From TT's web site:

PlasDECK Tongue and Groove Decking

Thank to today's technology an elegant teak deck is no longer just for large yachts. PlasDECK is virtually indistinguishable from its traditional forerunner, however it features the benefits of sophisticated scientific and production technology.

Unlike real wood, PlasDECK is virtually maintenance free. It requires no oiling, varnishing, sanding or scraping. The material is non-porous so it is impervious to gas, diesel and red wine and can even be pressure washed without damage. PlasDECK is completely UV stabilized throughout the material and carries a full 10 year warranty, twice that of its nearest competitor! Traction is not an issue. Its flexible structure makes it impressively non-slip and even offers more grip when wet!

PlasDECK is consistently rated as the number one choice in synthetic teak decking available on the market today. It is a very easy material to work with and unlike the competition, a do-it-yourself installation does not effect the warranty. Aside from all of these great features, PlasDECK simply looks and feels more like real teak than any other product.

The material utilizes a tongue and groove design and each easily managed strip includes its own black caulking line. A utility knife, vinyl snips and an adhesive spreader are all the tools needed for the average handyman to lay a truly convincing deck. Just look at the customer installation section of our photo galleries for proof or visit our online store for more information and pricing.

The best feature is, of course, the price. A full custom installation costs about half that of real teak and you won't have hundreds of screw holes in your deck. The raw materials are even more attractively priced. Whether you are replacing a wooden deck or just want to add a touch of class to an expanse of bland fiberglass, PlasDECK is the product of choice.

Gerald,

Apology accepted. I am very harsh on one time spammers, I did not realize you were going to be part of the community and contribute. If you plan on contributing, then you are more than welcome here in my eyes.

Ken,

I just wanted to post something for your reading pleasure... :)

"When developing the new PlasDECK we found that a smooth back alleviated a lot of the problems we were having with the old stuff. A ridged backing sounds great on paper and gives some really nice marketing points but here is the truth…….. With a ridged back it is impossible to ensure that all of the ridges are evenly filled with adhesive while you are laying the material. Thus, there was a high potential for air pockets…very bad once expansion and contraction of air pockets starts happening. Even worse if those air pockets contain moisture as most do. To remedy this, many installers starting using more adhesive than needed just to ensure there was enough….. also very bad as the adhesive at the outsides edges of panels cured it starved the stuff in the middle of the moisture needed to cure. This left large area of uncured adhesive in the center of the panels, very, very bad. The ridged underside is also more prone to compression when mounting hardware on top of the material. It tends to buckle more when the hardware is cinched down. This is one of the reasons Flexiteek will not warranty anything that was not installed by a certified installer. And even then it only carries a measly 3 year warranty."

Flexi used to be five years, now it's three... Hurm :)

Stacey,

Travis Tea from TT, I fully concour, I wish everyone in the marine industry did things the way Travis does!

Michael,

Yes it will generate more heat on the deck (as will real teak versus a white deck). You can opt to have white caulk lines in the teak which will drop the temps a few degrees and looks really "classy" but I worry how hard the white caulk lines would be to keep clean.

Thanks for the compliments, very much appreciated!

Flexi must have changed thier business strategy, from the get go, they were an OEM supplier. Honestly it's a moot point because I've seen Flexi very close up (on a 348 Vista) as nice as it is, I am very pleased with the direction I went. A premade OEM Flexiteak panel for my ESP was $1400.00 not including adhesives. Let's just say I am into my whole project for just under 2 grand.

Stacey,

I have not heard of NuTeak, I am sure there are new companies popping up daily as they realize the profit potential in this market (for those that will spend the money, they will generally spend BIG money) and these synthetics typically run 65% the cost of real teak (which is still, extremely expensive).

I am VERY happy with the route I went, the product is spectacular and even better, the person/company I dealt with is first rate all the way.

edit

I checked out NuTeak's web site, they are a US Distributor of TekDek brand.

Ken,

Trust me I've heard the sales pitches from all camps, and been on the boat building forums talking to the guys and gals who do these installs every day (on boats that make mine look like a dinghy). If the grooves are a selling point that's fantastic, but there are other issues with that manufacturer's product... :)

I can assure you, I will never have my 248 long enough to know one way or the other... I'm 40 bound... It's just a matter of time! :)

Glen,

Yep I am such a non-fan of non skid (at least sand finish non skid, the uniform diamond pattern isn't so bad) I power wash and a minute later it's dirty again. It gets old fast, just waxing the boat is a weekend project (says the guy with the teeny boat to the guy with the trawler that I just fell in love with!).

We can agree to disagree.. the only material with grooves is FlexiTeak and you can't purchase material from them (they supply manufacturers only). I will let you know how it holds up in 10 years when it's still safe and sound and in place! (Oh who the heck am I kidding... I keep a boat for a season!) :)

Glen,

My install isn't done yet, what you see in photos are the prefinished panels just laying in place. The adhesive for the job is manufactured by Bostik, it's a marine grade, moisture curing (non solvent) adhesive forumated for plastics. I do not have the item number off the top of my head but if you go to www.ttcustommarine.com you will see the adhesive in the online store.

Ken,

Actually mine is smooth on the bottom, Flexiteak's original design had t slots and they had issues with that version pulling up. Think about it this way, the more surface area the better, you are taking away surface area when you cut material out. Now if you was using 3M 5200 which can make use of a good mechanical bond, it may work but 5200 is not the right adhesive for this job.

To be honest, Flexiteak (the company) has changed thier design and also reduced thier warranty because they have had issues with embrittlement of the material (not enough plasticizers to keep the oils in the material where they belong).

And if you want a DIY job, you can forget Flexi... They don't sell for DIY.

There are currently three brands of synthetic teak:

FlexiTeak PlasDeck (what I have) and TekDek

Then there are other materials like seacorck (synthetic cork board)

Glen,

I would imagine it is like anything else in life, all in how you take care of it. For me it won't be an issue (trailerboat, well maintained etc) but a neglected boat sitting in the sun for years out, I am sure it would eventually look faded at least it wouldn't rot like uncared for teak. I will keep you posted!

Hey Gerald,

Have you ever thought about biting me? go to www.biteme.com to sign up now.....

Jay,

Thanks! :)

JF's info is about as spot on as you are going to get. You can also add electronic sensors to measure the levels in the tanks. I have a 21 gallon pottable water tank, and a 16 gallon black water tank (I don't have a gray water tank). I find that the blackwater tank is full after a weekend of boating with just a few people on boat. I empty the tank and then add a gallon of water plus a bottle of Thetford non formaldahyde campchem to that. If you figure, one flush of the toilet is probably a gallon of water so that's roughly 15 flushes with my setup. Not usually an issue since it's a trailer cruiser, I take it home and empty out the tank.

The 21 gallons of pottable water is enough for my needs, plus for extended stays I can hook up to city water.

If you do replace the tanks, trust me, forget aluminum! Go with High Density Polyetheleyne it's a much better setup, no rust, no oxidization nadda... Keep em clean and keep them safe from abrasion and they will last indefinately.

"You know what this boat needs???? MORE COWBELL!!!!!"

Or the classic line from Jaws: "I think we're gonna need a bigger boat!"

If you notice my second set of posted photos, sixth photo down, there is a open expanse of white. That was my fault and it's driving me nuts. When I was making the templates I didn't think that area would stick out and because of that, I did not template it.

That was a mistake! So I spoke with Travis and I am going to make a new template that will be one contigious piece from the rear starboard side and will wrap around to cover the area I did not template. This will essentially seal up any gap and it will all look like one flowing piece of teak as it should.

Again my hat is off to Travis, all through this process he's helped me, given me tips, tricks, supplies and moral support! :) If you nee/want any synthetic teak done, I seriously beleive you won't find a better individual to do buisness with!

Since it's probably a small Chaparral bowrider and that is obviously a LARGE shark.

Honey, I said NO fish larger than the boat!!!!

or

That's NOT going to fit in the 10 quart igloo!

I post metric tons on other forums, I have a total of 10,000 plus posts on my primary forums that I actively participate in. Here, not so much. If it was a UBB forum I would be one of the top posters! :)

Ken,

I have NO intentions on putting any chips, tears or cracks in my boat! :) I have not put a scratch in it.. I let my dad try and dock it last season and he left a nice 4" gouge in the gel on the starb side of the esp.. I need to fix that! My dealer gave me a bunch of factory gel from FW but they put it in a dang zip lock bag and it hardened on me.. Guess I will buy a patch paste kit from Spectrum Color. I am very impressed with Spectrum's product.. I had extensive hands on experiance with thier patch paste (last boat... long story but it's the reason why I don't have that boat anymore).

Tomm,

Pressure washer! :)

Regular maintainence is washing with soap and water, that's about it. This is not flexi teak, there are some issues starting to arise with the actual FlexiTeak brand, there was an interesting thread posted on a boat builder forum about all the different synthetic decking materials (Flexi, Plasdeck, TekDek, Seacork etc). Apparently Flexi has shortened thier warranty period and they have been having issues with the plasticisers migrating in the material causing premature cracking and fatigue from loss of oils.

I don't expect I will ever experiance an issue like that (even if I had Flexi brand) since my boat is never slipped is never not covered etc.. As for it staying clean, Plasdeck is darker than Flexi it's actually more the color of real teak, not that this means it will stay cleaner. But I guarentee it will be easier to care for than the stinkin sand finish non skid! :)

More pics!

[img]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0812first-real-shots0001.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0812first-real-shots0002.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0812first-real-shots0003.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0812first-real-shots0004.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0812first-real-shots0005.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0812first-real-shots0006.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0812first-real-shots0008.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0812first-real-shots0012.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0812first-real-shots0017.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0812first-real-shots0026.jpg[/img]

Sho does :) goes like stink too!

Anyway I am audi... supper time! :)

Frank I'm glad I don't have a small light car :)

Bruce- Ford Rollback

Frank,

Ohhh you have the partial brick! That's no where near as un-aerodynamic as the CJ/TJ/YJ :)

Frank,

Ger er up over 60 much? Kinda hard pushing that brick! :) Hold on, I will strap you up to my Hemi! :)

It's all good though! You can go offroad and I get stuck on a snow cone...

Jeep owners are different... (I can say that, two of my best friends, also happen to be a couple and also both Wrangler owners, one Sahara and the other is a Rubicon) Jeep owners are like Canon owners.. :)

DROP OUT! :)

LOG ON!

lemme look at this darn thing.. one sec

someone call me :)

Ok I am on.. Brett248Vista

I really need to upgrade the ram in this thing.. Geesh I am on seven message boards at the moment.

downloading...

I wouldn't need a headset, the laptop has a mic built in :)

I never even looked into Skype, a friend of mine has a full version on his FTP but at the moment his FTP is down, so he must be gaming... shrugs

is Skype a free download?

it was me... I scare everyone away...

Abbys,

Yeah they like to drive fast and have fun... I'm not 50 with overgrown chest hair and gold chains.. I have an affinity for performance :)

Can you beleive <---- This Geek has never Skyped?

Sabin,

Actually It's a Chrysler badged E-Class Mercedes :) The only thing Chrysler is the sheetmetal, emblems, interior and the Hemi.. The suspension, unibody, tranny, rear end, and electronics are good old Benz (could be a bad thing when they break!) It's one of the most comfortable cars I've driven and the friggen thing hauls butt as well (for a 4160LB beast) this is comming from a guy who's also had four Vette's and a high 10 second pro street car.

Stacey,

Yes we are behaving :)

Geek Squad? I don't see any memeber of the geek squad rollin in a 100K boat or this..

[img]http://www.westol.com/~brettd/public_html/signature.jpg[/img]

In short, no... :) I am a second level desktop technician and I support 6000 computers and about 2000 people. Sabin, sorry I am not the helpless desk, I am the IT Guy.. the one who fixes the problems.. First Level is the helpless desk. They pass all the tickets on to me that they can't fix (EG: All of them) :)

And yes I've seen that one on youtube! :)

Rya,

Sounds pretty much like my job only mine are all techie questions... Ohh the life of computer support person! :)

Alien's learned all they have from rectal probing farm boys! :)

The Penguin? That's what I call my missl err nevermind.....

Yeah sure.. Until we encounter Klingons near Uranus!

He He He!

If you are in a tank.. You do NOT want hit by this...

[img]http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/images/cbu97_33.jpg[/img]

Youtube BLU 108

LOL Bruce!!!! Nice save! :)

Accuracy through Superior Volume! (Sorry I don't have my Barret 50 yet!) :)

I have my M4A1 sitting right here beside the door... (makes for a great door prop) :)

And it's all good... I know South Carolina is different.. :)

Yes have someone pee on you.... Aren't there sites out on the internet devoted to that???? evil grin

But yes it does work!

N.C S.C what's the difference.... (besides a couple hundred miles) :)

Frank,

Why? Would you get a sh*tty night's sleep?

A favorite weekend quote (inside joke among friends) "I like ponies, do you like ponies?"

Another "among friends" quote... "Wanna go camping?" and for what it's worth, I don't look good in white thigh high stockings... what a weekend that was!

A favorite qoute I tell my enemies...

"I have a backhoe, it can dig a hole 10' 6" deep, would you like to come see it?"

I've been down the eastern side of the US Map...

See the problem is that US American's don't have maps, such as South Africa and Osama People need maps and such as...

Errr... (If you don't get that, Youtube Miss Teen N.C.) :)

Life's a B**** And then you marry one! :)

I just flew in and dang are my arms tired!

Why does a Chicken Coupe have 2 doors?........ Because if it had four doors it would be a Chicken Sedan!!!

What did the Zero say to the Eight? Hey! Nice Belt!

Why was Six scared? Because Seven Eight Nine!

Boy is Mickey Mouse ticked off.... He just found out Minnie Mouse is phuckin Goofy!

You may be from the south but I am from the BURRRRRRGH! Wanna Philly Steak N' At? How about a flat beer to watch the pixsburg stillers... Hold on I gotta go read up and worsh the clothes!

Muahahahahaha...... My reputation follows me...... I AM.... THREAD KILLER!!!! :)

Who's my unckiedaddie?? :)

I am a bomb disposal technician. If you see me running, you better follow!

"It's better to have loved and lost, Oh yeah? Well TRY IT!" - Robin Williams- What Dreams May Come

Heck yeah a founder and I even have the hat to prove it! :)

Welll I lobster, and never flounder... ah ha! :)

And certainly not "Sexy family stories" LOL

I have a friend who is a self proclaimed naturist.. he has NO issues walking around nekkid. His girlfriend was telling me about his morning ritual one morning, eating Linguini Alfredo (yes in the morning) staring out the window (standing on a chair) nekkid..

Maybe I need new friends... LOL

I'm still here.... But nobody likes me anyways! :)

Giggity Giggity Giggity, Allright! :)

Let's just thank the stars that not all of us are comfortable in the buff.. I would NOT want to be the one responsible for so many people going blind! LMAO! :)

Take two of something and get some rest!

We're all one big happy family here!

David,

I can comment on my viewpoint of how the world works for me. If I had children, what I would do or how I would raise them. Sure I would help my parents, already have in fact.. I've probably done things for my father that most son's wouldn't do for thiers, when he was ill. But I don't beleive that my life revolves around having children so that they can take care of me when I'm old. That buck stops here with me, I guess I better make sure I can take care of myself somehow.

Ken,

I'm sure the best moments in your life have come from your children, I would expect nothing less from a parent. I've had many fantastic moments in my life, none have involved children. It's just someone's life choice.

Stable is certainly nothing but a state of mind anymore.. The thought of job stability, wow that's something I've never known! I've been at the same place I am now, soon going on ten years and that's got to be a record! I think the only place one can actually make a "career" anymore is working for the State or Federal Government (and I don't usually hold such jobs in high esteem).

David,

It's not your children's responsibility to take care of you when you can no longer do so. Just like it's not your responsibility to buy your kids thier first car OR put them through college. I am entitled to only what I work for.. When I am old and decrepid I will become a ward of the state or I will drive off a cliff Thelma and Louise style (but faster and with less estrogen) LOL!!!

Ken,

I actually don't want it to happen. Children are not somehting I seek or long for. I'm quite happy where I am, I never understood or felt a longing to procreate, I dunno.. I guess I am selfish :)

Ken,

Wow your daughters are sharp! I can honestly say I couldn't handle raising daughters! (or childeren in general) kinda hard to raise a kid when you refuse to grow up!:)

LOL I appreciate the enthusiasm! You don't have to hold it.. Mental note made that someone out there is wishing the sun to shine over me! :)

You got a spot on my boat, anytime!

"Yogurt? I HATE YOGURT!" - Dark Helmet

Rya,

I sure hope not much longer.. The weather had been absolutely dreadful these past few weeks, toying with my sanity and emotions. One day 73 degrees and the same night 20.... We had snow again last night, of course nothing sticks but it's enough to make working on the boat almost impossible! :) Keep your fingers crossed for me!

David,

I will keep you posted!

Rick and Cheryl,

I think that's what it looks like, for some reason I can't remember what color green is! :) (well except when I go to the gas pumps!) :)

Hang on, I saw this in a movie once! - Me

:)

Ken,

I think it will be the way to go. Far less upkeep, never have to worry about that dingy white non skid again! :)

Rya,

Thanks! I am super excited to actually get it installed. Just waiting for the temps to reach the 70F mark!

I can't say that I've made any of the common mistakes with my boats but I've gotten a certain passenger (My father) soaking wet, twice now..

The first time was on the first boat, a 16.5' Stingray 501ZP. I was cruising behind a tug which was pushing two wide and four long loaded with coal. I was back from the tug a good ways and was running maybe 30 MPH. Dad was up front (bowrider) settled in... Then I saw it.. The perfect storm type wave! The thing must have been four foot tall (and in a 16' boat that's not good!) the churn of the tug had two waves that combined and made this super wake from hell! :)

What do I do? Throw er in neutral because I didn't wanna go airborne! Of course the bow falls into the water and the wave comes up over the bow and my dad was SOAKED! I personally thought it was hillarious, he did not...

Fast forward to my 248 Vista. I don't consider my Vista to be a small boat it may not be a 40 foot express but it's certainly got tons of freeboard.. My father is sitting in the back of the boat on the U Shaped Lounge and I am running behind a 30+ foot Rinker Express with twin inboards, we are both at displacement speed and I am maybe 40' behind him moving very slow. Apparently we both decided to go on plane at the same time, problem is that his hole was WAY bigger than mine.. I fell in his hole and took a huge wave over the bow, the windsheild and right onto my dad... Again he's soaked and I am laughing my arse off... The guy on the Rinker looked back and was gesturing he was sorry and I laughed and said 'Not your fault!" Good stuff :)

I swear, give me a Carnival cruise ship, and I will manage to take one over the bow! :)

For anyone that may be considering synthetic teak (Flexiteak, Tekdec, PlasDeck) this may be of interest to you.

I decided around the time I was winterizing my 248 that I REALLY wanted synthetic teak as I was sick of looking at dingy white non skid on my practically new boat. No matter what I do, I can't keep the crap clean it's always filthy. I was on a 348 Vista at my dealer with the factory Flexiteak in the cockpit and ESP and I decided at that point, I had to have it.

Much to my dismay when I called my dealer and they called Four Winns, the OEM pre finished pannel for on the swim platform was $1400.00 and that didn't include adhesives or anything! Ok, that seemed a bit much to me. So I began surfing the internet for synthetic products and I found http://www.ttcustommarine.com/

I sent off an email to the owner Travis Tea and we began discussing what I wanted to do with my 248. I wanted the entire cockpit and swim platform done and wanted it to look as OEM as possible. Travis did not have any local 248's he could go out and use for templating. So we agreed I would do the templates and he shipped me a roll of clear mylar and a sharpie.

Part of my plan was to have a heated garage up, before the first snow fell. That plan did not happen thanks to my concrete guy not showing up (he's a friend of mine and honestly no one else can touch his work or prices, he just is hard to nail down). Travis exercised extreme patience with me as the weather was nothing short of lousy all winter. The first 50 degree day we had, I was finally able to get the templates mostly finished. I just finished up the last template a couple weeks ago and just shipped them out the week before last. Travis got the Plasdeck to me the middle of this past week and I had a chance to just lay the pieces on the boat to look and take some photos.

I have to say, he did a FANTASTIC job! The workmanship is on par with any OEM I've seen, and the Plasdeck actually looks a lot more convincing than Flexi (in my opinion). Now all I need is some 70 degree days so I can get this stuff permanently laid.

Here's some quick photos I took.

[IMG]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0806first-real-shots0002.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0806first-real-shots0004.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0806first-real-shots0005.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/brett248vista/Plasdeck/2007_0806first-real-shots0006.jpg[/IMG]

I support roughtly 6000 machines in a massive wan. Guess what I do if I get an infected machine? Can you say three pass DOD Wipe? I don't have time to waste trying to get it out! :)

(At home, I try to remove them, government work ya know..) My home PC has never been infected :)

Yes it will get hot in the sun (as does real teak) but unlike real teak it does not require refinishing. If it does get soiled it can easily be washed and if it ever gets real bad, 120 grit sandpaper brings it back to new.

It's not super thick so getting it to conform to the deck shouldn't be an issue. And if you do your own templates you can save some money, but as Connie said, gotta make sure they are right.. I know 90% of my templates are "right" I am a little worried about the forward face of my swim platform and the piece that will go at the helm. If they are oversized I can trim them to fit.

It's going to cost me $1800 to do my entire cockpit and ESP, now bear in mind, that's pre made parts not just buying plank stock and doing all the major cutting myself. You also need some special tools if you are assembling from plank stock. The material does cut like wood and work like wood, so using table saws, jigsaws, routers etc, are all good to go.