Thread: Updating and Upgrading My Skeeter F-80 Strada

I hit the ground running this morning. I just got finished gelcoating the repair to the front deck of the Skeeter. I first washed the repair area with water then with Acetone. Afterwards I dropped down to 320 grit paper and knocked down the 180 grit scratches then washed the site with Acetone again.



Amazon had this Total Boat qt of white gelcoat (no wax) for the cost of the freight for a quart from Fiberglast. I had the black tint already and the Dura Tec High Gloss Additive so after a quick mix & tint I shot 2 coats on the repair. Working under the Tan colored awning it throws a Tan cast to the photos.



The first coat was very flat but the deck has quite a bit of "Print Thru" from manufacturing so on the second coat I increased the air pressure to orange peel the finish a bit. Nailed the tint perfectly. I know this is going to be carpeted over but I just can't do a half *** job, it's not in me.



Acetone will wipe off the remaining glue stains when I'm ready to carpet the boat. I have carpet samples ordered just waiting on them to arrive. The Home Depot carpet has to go. The jury is still out if I'm going to install another seat base or not.

I tried the Hand Control Trolling Motor and decided a Foot Control is what I have to go back to. Too much effort was needed when I already know how to use a foot control. Well when I went out last Sunday to smack some Tacos after swapping to a foot control TM onto the boat the foot control was sliding all over the "carpet-less" deck.



Now the front deck carpet is just laying there. The Cockpit deck is still glued. Both fit so well I want to save them for patterns.



I don't fight the carpet removal a scraper on a Sawsall zips it right up without stretching or tearing.



I had to tie up the Hot Foot as I worked up under the console area.



Once the carpet is up on these older bass boats the glue just needs to be kinda cleaned off. I have to move the boat around into the other shop where all the "dirty" work happens.



Got my first two pattern pieces off. The duct tape was used to hold the carpet stretched to fit.



the front deck was already cleaned off and now the Cockpit Floor has been run over with the scraper first then some 40 grit sandpaper on a DA sander. A damp wipe down and I'm ready to install new carpet. Oh, there must have been 5 pounds of sand in the Cockpit Floor carpet.

It's what you get used to using, hard to change, I'm a hand control guy, remote Terrova is all I can use. I'm afraid I'd fall in if I had to use my feets. Sawsall scraper, I did not know about that. how cool, another tool gonna be in my box, tanks. Great work as usual Roj.

Got right back on the Skeeter this morning after a trip to Home Depot for some Adhesive Remover #747.



I pulled the Aft Hatches, there was a plastic TrimLoc piece on the bottom of both hatches. The TrimLoc inserts have rusted and swollen the plastic outer body to the point I'm going to radius the bottoms of the hatches and just wrap the lip with carpet like they do boats today.



Removing the Hardware was first.



I used the Sawsall / Scraper to remove the carpet. On the edges I had to create a starting point with the Mini Wonder Bar before going full bore with the Sawsall.



The wood block and clamp really held the hatch lids well. When using a Sawsall for this and to prevent the scraper from digging in be sure and use the tool with the bevel up.



I spread a tarp down on the shop floor before unfolding & unrolling the replacement carpet upside down to layout the pattern pieces. Maintaining the direction of the carpet grain so all the pieces will have the grain running in the same direction is very important. With this layout I will have enough carpet remaining to do the Aft Compartment when I feel like it. Using a "Everything" marking pen I traced the pattern pieces allowing 1-2 inches extra for fitting later. Once traced all the pieces was cut out.



Taking the carpet job to the next level I ordered a carpet edge binding sample color card to get as close to a exact match as I can with the binding. Once I had the color I placed a order so it binding will come in next week. My plan is to fit and bind all the edges of the carpet that is seen. The 1-1/4in Binding attachment for my Walking Foot machine was a little tight so I had to bend it open a bit so the carpet would pass thru it.



You mix the #747 Adhesive Remover 1:1 with warm water. Right now I have the Rod Locker hatch setup and soaking in the shop with a good spraying of the mixture. It doesn't work fast, I will post a working time so others get an idea of what to expect.

That red and white is going to look sharp.

I like the change from gray to red!


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I like the feel of a nice carpet and this boat was screaming for a little color. By binding the edges when I decide to polish out the gelcoat masking the the carpet off will be a breeze.

Well the #747 didn't scratch the glue on the hatch covers. I used a gasket scraper but tried a razor blade scraper and that was the ticket for glue removal.



After scraping I ran over the 3 hatch lids with a DA loaded with 80 grit paper.



So before I apply the glue to the hatch I traced where it goes on the carpet to maintain the carpet grain direction. Then I trowel on the adhesive just on the top.



After placing the carpet like I wanted and smoothing it out I put the hatches outside in the sun which set the carpet glue within a few hours.



After the top glue set I brought the hatches back inside to do the final fitting of the carpet then glued the rest of the carpet down with contact cement. Carpet trimming was everywhere on the floor.



Once the carpet gluing was finalized I put the hatches in the boat where they go to finish curing.



It's starting to come together. The binding arrives tomorrow. The boat really needs a wash too.