1991 Avon SeaRider 5.4 retrofit and clean up

[SurfnRide]

Picked it up a month or so ago and just been working on it when I have time. Luckily the engine was a 2012 50 HP TLDI with about 10-15 hours on it so gtg there.

Started off with the basic scrub down with Aurora boat care products:

1st pic shows just the top left quarter panel scrubbed vs the rest.

2/3rd pic are the deck and inner tubes all scrubbed down. Inside was pretty blackish/dirty before I started scrubbing. Scrubbed so hard I took all the skin off my 4 knuckles.

[SurfnRide]

Bench was hammered and broken down the middle so the seat was flexing.

That's not gonna fly so picked up a nice solid piece of birch and stained/poly's it before wrapping it with waterproof fabric.

Then put thick plexiglass flip up doors that you can get into as long as the seat is facing forward. Kinda nice being able to see into the boxes without having to open the lids. Drilled holes in the back facing corners of the box so it can drain.

Then mounted a swivel fold down chair. 44 years old and the back is shot from years of racing dirtbikes and getting wadded up surfing big waves so I need the back support for the long fishing/diving days.

[SurfnRide]

Need to figure out a removable back seat set up for my fishing/hooping buddies so put together this contraption. Birch on the top of the lid and under the lid to spread out the weight load. Another swivel mount on top of the birch that the seat mounts too.

Mounting 6 big hooks that we'll run 2" ratcheting cam straps down to to keep the cooler in place. 6 so I can move the cooler chair backwards for hooping when I pull out the 24 gallon aux tank.

This set up will stadium seat the 2 chairs so the person in back can see over the captains head.

[SurfnRide]

Needed to mount a bimini and coms so picked up a bimini and a 8 ft VHF antenna along with coms. Going to take this about 20-30 miles offshore so need coms to be safe.

Bimini had to be mounted by cutting 1 inch wide square hard plastic rods into shorter lengths and then mounting a quick release latch on top. Drilled through the rails and plastics and then mounted these on both side with a bolt through it. Came out decent.

[SurfnRide]

Always good to have a trolling motor for around the kelp beds or patties. Or when slow trolling sardines. Mounting dual 900CC amp marine batteries so we can get 3 or so hours of trolling. Eventually will find a solar charger to keep them charged for longer usage.

Newport Vessels 86 thrust troller.

[SurfnRide]

It had an older 500 GPH bilge pump but being 20-30 miles out I figured I better go bigger and keep the 500 as a back up. 2000 GPH now.

Had to raise the water/fuel filter to fit the bigger bilge underneath.

[SurfnRide]

Got the Hook 7 and transducer in

[SurfnRide]

Wiring away and putting in fuel shut off valves and a splitter for the 24 gallon aux tank. Rewiring stern light lines, coms lines etc... and getting rid of a bunch of old ass gauges and shit. New ones coming in and should be installed this week.

Put 8 pole holders in. Need room for troller poles, yoyo/flatfall poles, casting surface iron pole and your live bait pole. 4 poles per person.

Yank the aux tank out and push the cooler/chair back so we can fit lobster hoops or dive gear in the middle when we don't need to go farther than the 8 gallon tank in the front allows us to go.

[SurfnRide]

Did the maiden voyage last weekend to make sure it floated and the engine was sound. All went well.

Well enough for the mrs to have a smile on her face.

I'll update more as I keep getting stuff done.

[ncp]

That's a lot of stuff!

How did it mine with the 50hp?