Well, I don't usually have much of interest about my boating to post, at least I don't think it's all that worthy of posting my/our various adventures.

Told Parrothead of this within a day or so as we have enjoyed some good times together boating, but have told no-one else.
Guess I'll tell everyone tonight LMAO!!

This summer has been a massive roller coaster.

Literally hours before pulling the 1978 Taylor SS "Lowrider", the boat my father bought from the showroom in Enid Okla., out of the garage to prep her for July 4th week vacation, while our backs were turned running errands Lowrider died.
Unknown cause, but I have suspicions involving a full plastic gasoline can (3 actually) and a fan I had been using earlier working on vehicles, the detached garage Lowrider was inside of burned to the ground.




No, no pictures of the corpse, what it looked like exists only in my memory, and that'll fade.
She deserved a better end.

Well, after the week we STILL spent at Grand Lake boat-free (so I didn't have to look at the skeleton every 15 minutes from the backyard pool), and after the clean-up, boat shopping began.

Lowrider's 650hp nitrous-sniffing 454 did survive, is apart right now for a re-gasketing, low-temp bits like the zinc carb and the cast aluminum valve covers melted, fuel pump & distrib. too.

The Admiral was "OK" with my beloved jetboat but, she did want something larger to just "hang out on", and I approved, next purchase would be "hers", long before the fire. Had not fulfilled my promise, now needed 2 boats, since I still enjoy my hot-rod AND the smaller muscle-boat does a better job yanking and cranking kids on toys.


Well, technically my boat got bought the day before hers did, but, she took FOREVER to figure out what she wanted, her fault.


Both are older boats due to budgets and both need a lot of TLC and minor repairs/maintenance, but that is no problem for me.

The I/O systems are 100% new to me and the obligatory SELOC manual has been aquired already.


"Hers", 1990 Magnum Mach 1 2450 Magnum Cuddy Cabin Cruiser.
454 Chevy, Bravo 1 drive, Mercruiser quiet-choice exhaust, Mercruiser trim tabs, 10 capacity.







"His" 1978 Hawiian 20' Bowrider, 454 Chevy, Dominator pump, Place diverter, seats 6.





Both have sunburned gell, can polish the Hawiian in the garage, the Mach won't fit so doing it right now.
Stickers are off, will repaint in Imron most likely, same scheme tho.
Both interiors are functional but imperfect, The mach's back seat and hood are worst, seat is at the upholsterer right now, more parts as I get to them.
Hawiian needs an entire engine cover rebuilt, someomne made some huge bastardization box, wrecks the entire lines of the hull.

The Mach's cabin is in good shape, very good.
The sink in front of the left bucket is good, the faucett is corroded junk, some past owner removed the fresh water tank entirely. We will see if we would like to have it next summer. If so, I'll put one back in, if not, we won't. Tank sat right behind (outboard) of an "ice-box" which had cracked so it leaked, so the guy I bought it from had removed it. Storage space, have not decided how to use it exactly, other than to put a door on it eventually.
Similar area on the starboard side but that is access to the back of the helm. Haven't decided how to best use it either.

Storm cover for the cockpit is present, but in bad bad shape, talked to upholsterer. Found an old side isinglass window to a no-longer-existing weather canvas. Will eventually (by spring) put a bimini on.


Big boating trips like the 4th Holiday will entail taking both, it entails taking kids and grandkids anyhow LOL.


Lowrider's 454 is headed to the Hawiian, maybe by next summer.
The Hawiian's 454 will later get overhauled and tweaked appropriately to work best with the I/O prop and replace the Mach's 600+-hour 454, probably the next winter. Have to arrange an a-frame to swap engines there, and figure out alignment.
The Mach's 454 will eventually wind up overhauled and worked suitably to go into the '93 Suburban which drags the Mach 1 to water.


Boy, I better keep working overtime LOL

Wow you have had quite a summer. Sorry to hear about the fire & loss of the Lowrider. Can't wait to hear about your progress. Good luck.

Nice looking boats, I can't wait to see pics of the finished products... Looks like you have your hands full.

Is Imron hard to apply, and can it be used on aluminum?

Imron is a polyurethane paint (Automotive commonly), probably a lot similar to the aircraft polyurethanes we use at work (Learjet). Takes 3 or 4 hours to dry/cure after mixing. 2 components, sometimes 3, whatever you mix is one-time use unless you have a majorly cold freezer to stop it cooking off.

They form a very strong yet flexible, very hard durable surface finish over anything they stick to. Put down a good binding etching primer (or an epoxy primer like we use @ work) and you can shoot it on anything.

For best corrosion-resistance, Aluminum really should be chemical-filmed (Alodine) before primed.

The cuddy windows are already replaced (all 4 cracked in some manner), you can see the difference in the polished out gell around the windows and the sunburn around it.

Starboard side completely polished, ready for paint and wax/polish, below rub rail, not above yet.
Port side is now deoxidized (as of tonight), de-swirl tomorrow, then ready for paint and wax.

Hopefully paint this weekend, black and 2 shades of grey.

Sorry to hear of the loss of your 78. That really bites!

It is cool that someone else on this site owns an older Mach 1. We own a 1990 2350 Condor 22 footer with a 330HP 454 Bravo 1. We have owned our Mach 1 since 2010, and have used it for three seasons. Our boat was a low hours fresh water only garage baby, so I have not had to do any serious work on it as yet. I have done enough to it to know how it is built.

Mach 1's of the 1990 era were built by Freedom Boats in Florida, and are awesome boats. The closest boat that I have found in today's market are the Checkmate Sport Cuddies, but of course are a whole lot of money. The only weakness that I have found with the Mach 1 boats are the extensive use of plywood for the floor and the seats. The hull is a great design and practically bullet proof. The boats are balanced well, ride nice, and are very stable.

When I bought the boat it came with a Stiletto 21 x 3 prop, which will carry the beast at 56.9 MPH per GPS. The boat was sluggish pulling skiers and wake boarders, and we ended up with a 17 x 4 Mercury Revolution prop which sounds like it would be too low of a pitch for the boat, however it works great.

The boat will run 44.9 GPS at 4600 RPM with that 17 x 4 prop, and holeshot is scary fast. I did have an MSD ignition installed with a RPM limiter so that the kids don't over rev the lumbering 454 and blow it to pieces.

Those older Mach 1 are great looking boats. Love the color combo. Can't wait to see what it looks like after your paint job.

Sorry to hear about your having to deal with the worst type of fireworks

I'm interested in watching the freshening-up progress of the new boats!

You say you'll be taking both boats at the same time-- any chance of towing yours behind hers? I ask because I have a hitch assembly all ready to attach to the back of the Mach I trailer if you want it...



My friend added this to the Sea Ray trailer so he could tow PWC's behind it. It worked great, but I had no use for it and I put a cutting blade in my angle grinder and cut it off. If it were me, I'd have rigged it as a bolt-on, but he had it welded up right proper. The thing is sitting amongst the sailboat trailers at the harbor...

Thank for the offer FR, I do appreciate it, but, probably gonna pass.

The 'Burb'd drag it all plenty easy, and I THINK I'd get under 65' maximum (the Burb is biiiiiig), BUT, here in Oz-land, I'd have to put sway control on the Mach's trailer and brakes on the Hawiian.

To pull a double-ball hitch, Ks requires at minimum, sway on the front and brakes on the rear trailer.

The Mach is on a very nice solid trailer and has surge brakes. Tows and stops very nicely, even behind a little 2001 S-10 BLAZER.

Sure needs 4 tires tho, and a couple of the wheels show a lot of rust.
New bunks go on it first lake trip out next year.

The jet is on a pretty crappy U-channel-framed trailer, is a bit funky towing BUT, mostly the tongue is light, too light. Fortunately in the short term, the bow stop and winch mount can be moved fwd. without welding. U-bolts.
There are actually some cracks in a few non-critical places, SO FAR.

Eventually I may have to have a good solid square-framed trailer built.
For now, it needs a full re-wiring and re-done steps (rotted plywood) and bunk/wheel tub pads.

Rain today/this evening, so no polishing. Tomorrow looks likely, then mask up the Mach and shop for paint tomorrow early. MAYBE paint the black sunday. Have all 3 colors done by next weekend.

The rear swim platform teak is back on, cleaned, treated, and sealed. Star Brite system, cleaner, brightener, and then oil/sealer. I like how it worked and recommend.
Three small strips on each gunwale are next, then pieces around the periphery of the cockpit (in best shape there).

The swim deck strips had been sanded some over the years, are very thin (and the countersunk screws stuck up until I countersunk them deeper). As things get "caught up" in the future, I'll get a plank and make new, thicker, strips.

The Mach is up on blocks for now on the old garage slab, need another 8x8 to make some for the jet. Full bearing checks get done and repacked before they roll out of the yard, but, not just yet. Try to pull the Bravo this weekend, inspect, check, lube, make repairs (all 3 bellows).
Skeg is missing an inch, Mach sits so low on the trailer that if it isn't up on TALL blocks (16" minimum, with the bow FULL DOWN), you can't lower the drive fully.
Was no water in the drive when I emptied it last weekend.

Local prop shop can fix the skeg, not too pricey, likely under 100. Met him when he removed the dents and curvature that looked like reverse on a ramp....... $120
Whole lower front of the drive needs painted too. Srut Locks get bought before towing next year.

Prop is a Mercury Mirage Plus
#48-13702
14 3/4" x 21" pitch

Thanks for the information on the Imron paint. For some reason I though it was just marketing form Formula. Now I know its not just regular gelcoat that has been deeply polished.

Dude that totally sucks about the lowrider. Can't believe you kept it in all summer without letting us know.

Good luck and have fun with the new rides. Getting them up to your standards for looks and performance is a lot of the fun.

I'll eventually start a "maintenance" thread as I get to going on the list, as repairs and replacements get done, try to take pix of things like thru-hulls (just ordered 3, all stainless, all non-protruding).