My perfect SR4 project

[craig_c]

I have always loved searider's but never owned one

until now....

One Sunday evening I happened to be browsing the scumtree and found an advert I just had to click on. A quick phone call and 1 hour later I became the proud owner of this!!!



The roughest searider I've seen in a long time. A7 valves, one of which was holding air with just the cap. Just for fun I tried acetone and nitro mors on the tubes which had little or no effect on the paint! I've allready removed the ply and pine console.

The plan is to keep it simple. The tubes are not worth saving so she will get a retube, which I intend to do myself

Before the retube it will be sanded back, repaired and painted. Probably navy blue hull, I'm not one for tradition. I am also intending on making it a tiller steered boat. I have a little longshaft 15hp Johnson languishing in the shed however ideally a 30-50hp yamaha 2 stroke would be my first choice.

The main reason for making her tiller is usable space. I've always felt a jockey console on anything less that 5m is cramped, and I like simplicity and weight saving on a tiller boat.

Apart from the tubes I can't see any major horror stories with the GRP. The transom is rough but solid. Looks like theres been an elephants tube or similar at some point. I should know more once I sand the hull back.

I will be looking for any advice from people who have fitted their own tubes. I have a rough idea however I don't want to assume anything, especially with dealing with something so crucial.

I'll try and make an update every month, and I am going to film all work from start to finish for a youtube video.

Cheers

[willk]

Originally Posted by craig_c

Before the retube it will be sanded back, repaired and painted. Probably navy blue hull, I'm not one for tradition...

Blue hull, Arrange topsides - the traditional route for Team Redbay...

[Ribtecer]

Brave man!!!

[A1an]

you will need some weight up front if you are going for tiller steer.

[craig_c]

Tubes bought! I've decided against DIY fitment. Too much to mess up and I can't be trusted with glue. Henshaws really came through and found me a set on the shelf. Lucky!



Boats sat for 2 weeks, so it's time to get to work. Local tube guy is going to fit the new ones. He's asked me to keep the tapes intact so I whizzed the tubes off with a stanley



Transom has been looked over, appears solid but it's going to be glassed again for strength. No chequer plates here thank you...



The last vital piece of the puzzle was bought yesterday morning, however its yet to arrive. Not my first choice but it should make this a quick little boat!

[ollyit]

will look great - those old tubes were defo past it

[craig_c]

It's scary to think, but this boat was in use last summer and with kids onboard.

I picked at a scab on the transom, then stripped the extra GRP off the top. There was a tiny gap in the wood and I pulled at it revealing a second plank ontop of the original transom!!!!!



The wood was soaked, not 100% mush but black and not worthy of the new tubes so out it came!

I'll need to wait until after xmas so we can make the transom. Flipped her over and found the sides need glassed where deck and hull meet. Also the forward V part features the rare forward dewatering hole too




Cant believe how ridiculous these little ribs are. Reminds me of top gears toyota hilux

I am not 100% sold on the hull until it's perfect, but hey it got me motivated to build something!

[samt]

Good find with the tubes, do they have any more? [emoji16]

Can't help but think they deserve to go on a better hull though, be a better investment. I sold a nice late moulded deck SR4 hull, with no tubes for not much more than £100.

[craig_c]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCzA...ature=youtu.be

[craig_c]

Originally Posted by samt

Good find with the tubes, do they have any more? [emoji16]

Can't help but think they deserve to go on a better hull though, be a better investment. I sold a nice late moulded deck SR4 hull, with no tubes for not much more than £100.

Probably the best for the tubes to do it that way. This boat is salvageable, but it will always be an early searider thats been glassed and glassed.

[beamishken]

Craig i know someone who has a delux searider hull for not a lot of money but its down in preston & would need collecting.
I nearly bought it myself but I actually prefer the standard hull.
I'm doing a similar project to you but I'm going to fully strip back the standard hull I have as you get more space in the boat without the internal moulding.
If you want to go down the delux hull route pm me and I'll put you in touch with the guy

[craig_c]

Another rib bought then...

Anybody want these tubes?

[rik_elliott]

how much would you want for them? I could be tempted! PM sent.