1989 Saltare - My god Spock, what have I done???

Thanks guys, that means alot coming from my Salty brothers.

Yeah, black's a concern with the heat, but I'm a sucker for black & it matches the hull. Plus, it's a cut pile that won't show edges when I start wrapping seat bases (the edges of the floor panels turned out well) and honestly because it was cheap surplus. Also, with my planned new interior layout - I won't have much actual floor space with a full width rear bench and rear facing chaise behind the driver. Hopefully damp black carpet won't be too hot on the feet. Maybe just some additional radiant heat build up in the interior? Trying to come up with a white/light gray scheme for the vinyl with some accent black piping.

Also got the two Optimas installed and wired with battery switch, vsr, and on-board charger - working with 2/0 and 4 ga in such cramped quarters was no fun. I built a divider wall under the port storage area & put the batteries in a cut out behind the observer's seat base. The switch, vsr, and charger are all mounted in the port storage area (pic is from the glove box hole).

Attachment 7784

Here's the area under the front bilge hatch - front ballast pump, front bilge pump, and relocated fuel filter/water separator. You can kinda make out the paddle wheel pick up bottom right. Took me awhile to get the courage to drill that one and the one for the 1-1/4 ballast intake. After everything checks out on the lake test, I'll tie/support all the hoses/wires.

Attachment 7785

Yeah, sybr i went with charcoal 20 oz carpet myself. A friend said you might have to wet befor standing on it sometimes but Im like you. I like dark colors. I liked my dark/maroon carpet but I think it dated it and im UP-DATING my the look of my boat right now. Pics coming soon!!

Jet,

I've got 3 buss bars. One for uw led's, fuel sender, rear bilge pump, blowers, and transom nav light (still one spare on the 6x12 ga multi conductor to the helm). One common ground buss (10 ga to helm). One for the trim tabs (4x12ga to the helm). Figured this was easier than a custom harness.

The two top switches are nav (new led bow & transom)/anchor (led on tower) and courtesy (led interiors). Then left to right - blowers, accessory (initiates an auto-up feature of the trim controller on power on or off), courtesy (uw led's with blue indicator light to match the led's), bilge (manual override of the two bilge pumps that are on a common float switch), and stereo (will control power to head unit).

Attachment 7786

The switches for the two reversible impeller ballast pumps are in a separate panel just above the throttle.

Attachment 7787

The controller for the trim tabs is behind the steering wheel where the 12v outlet used to be. I'll do a complete write up on the trim tabs once I verify operation.

Attachment 7788

The uw transom led's are 27 watts each with glass bezels and s/s rings. For less than half the price I could find comparable state side, I took a chance and picked them up off of ebay direct from China. The seller's no longer listed, but it was a good transaction ("dear customer, please ignore the value listed on the customs declarations form"). Haven't had em in the water yet, but damn they're bright. The blue has some "blacklight" to them and florescent colors really pop.

good for you sybrmike! damn it, i'm jealous...everything looks great. i'd love new switches and don't forget about the hydraulic plate.

you can't win on the carpet color. anything is going to be hot in this weather.

Beautiful job man - I love it! Hope all goes well with your lake test

Looking really good...thanks for the update. That removable floor hatch in front of the engine is brilliant. ;)

Where are all the ballast bags going to go?

Thanks Okie, but not too brilliant actually. I wasn't thinking when I mounted the fuel filter/separator and it interfered with a block I glassed on the underside to keep the panel from shifting reward. A little quick cut on the block with the chop saw and a lot of prying (my glass skills were better than anticipated) and it clears now. Still gotta go back and seal up the end of the block where I cut.

I've got two 400# sacs for the bow under the play pen (one port & one starboard, but I can offset if needed since I reconfigured the bracing so it's all open under the playpen seating now). One 400# sac in the rear ski locker. Two 450# X-2 sacs under the rear bench (1/2 full with seat down, 100% full with seat up as sun deck, can fill either one or both). And I'll have an extra fill line tee'd off the front pump to fill a 750# surf sac beside the engine. I'll use manual valves on each sac for flexibility. Probably never fill them all at once. Only have two pumps (I'm cheap & usually not in a rush while at the lake), but I calculated around 15 minutes to fill a normal load. I can always add more pumps later if needed - but that's a ways off yet...

Good news - She runs! Hauled the Salt up to Lake Bryan (small power plant lake) yesterday with some friends in a chase boat (just in case) since all the major lakes in the area are drying up. Thanks rtpaxton2 for the lake level updates and advice. She fired right up & I idled at the dock forever - double & triple checking gauges, levels, bilge, etc. Only had to bump the idle up a bit to keep from stalling when put in gear. Putted around the lake for awhile at 15-20 mph just to get a feel and check things out one more time. Finally stretched her legs a bit - and WOW! The combination of that 454 (rebuilt carb, air gap manifold, mildly worked heads, electronic ignition, etc.), the new 541 prop, updated rudder, light weight (for a Salt - no foam, no interior, only 2 people) - she accelerated like a drag boat and handled like a go cart. I never opened her up all the way, but was getting 10 mph on the gps and speedos for every 1k rpm at 30 and 40 - so probably a true 44 - 46 mph top end. I did get the dreaded "click, click" at the starter once and towed in. Tightened all the connections at the batteries, switches, starter, etc. & she fired back up. Played around with the new trim tabs & they do a good job of adjusting the bow attitude, but as expected, only a little list control since both tabs are centered on the hull. Did look like they might help shape a surf wave at low speed, but have to check that out more later - the little one was anxious to go tubing behind "her new boat". Pulled her a good long time & then stopped to switch gear so I could get a slalom pull.

Bad News - I then whacked my knee on the raw fiberglass edge of the storage pod opening in the walk thru. Laid it open real good over the knee cap & couldn't stop the bleeding, so had to abort the boat test. Wrapped it up, loaded up, headed home, then a trip to the ER - 4 internal stitches, 3 staples, 1 tetanus shot, and antibiotic scrip. Sore as hell today, but should be able to start on the interior this long weekend. I didn't take any pics (thought I'd have time later in the day), but I think my chase boat took a few so I'll post when available. Getting closer, I can't wait.

Maybe it's the pain pills, but I'm still smiling.

Awesome...that is quite a nervous and exciting feeling isn't it. I was like you...boat on the ramp on the trailer running for about 30 minutes before I felt I was ready to let her off to float on her own. Hope the cut heals quickly.

Sorry you had the injury. Isn't it odd that you were injured, in a benign way, just in walking throughout the boat as compared to all the times you could have really been injured during the rebuild.

Glad everything checked out and that your knee was taken care of.