1988 Supra Mariah Floor Restoration

[lmnelson86]

Looking good. What made you decide to close in the front bulkhead area?

If I am understanding your question correctly...

I am not going to use the cooler, so that whole area will be covered by the floor and out of sight. My cooler is brittle already, and I am fortunate that I do not have to trailer my boat everyday to use it. I will drop it in the water and leave it at my cottage for the summer (Barring any issues). When we go out to ski, tube, wakeboard or whatever, we can just pack a small cooler with drinks if we feel like it. We'll be within eyesight of the cottage most of the time, so we can always run back in for food and drinks. I spend 90% of my time riding my stand up jet skis anyway, so the boat will be a nice morning activity before the lake gets rough.

Essentially I am replicating what was there before, but I am just not cutting out a recess in the center stringer for the cooler. The cushion that acts as the cover to the cooler will still be there, so I can also now use the area under the bowrider as a storage locker.

[Okie Boarder]

If you left that area open, it could be storage for ballast.

[flipz96]

Looks great man. Are you planning on using the same rubrail or did you opt for a new one? I'm still on the fence with it.

[lmnelson86]

Looks great man. Are you planning on using the same rubrail or did you opt for a new one? I'm still on the fence with it.

I haven't thought much about it at this point. I am leaning towards getting a new one as my old one cracked in one spot. I think it will look a whole lot better with a new one, and why not spend the money at this point haha. I don't know where to get one, I haven't looked at all. Do you have a source? Anyone else have a source for rubrails?

[lmnelson86]

If you left that area open, it could be storage for ballast.

I haven't given much thought to ballast, I don't know how much I will add. I am OK with the limitations of this boat, and I am just happy to have something nice to drive and enjoy. I may add a fat sac to one side of the boat but we will see how she goes.

[lmnelson86]

Over the past week and this weekend I managed to get a good amount of work done. I installed the subfloor for the seat base so that I have extra "meat" to screw into to reinforce the drivers seat. Lost in my excitement, I forgot to cut the longer board to the same length as the shorter. Oh well, it gets covered anyway. I was also able to finish any small glass work that was left for the stringers. Sunday morning I cut and glassed in two 2x4's up front, layed on their side for a nailer for the floor. I then cut and fit the two rear sections of the floor. I told myself 10,000 times to make sure I cut the front part of the floor on an angle to match the doghouse cover, and I cut it straight. Oh well, easy fix. I hope to have the front two sheets of plywood cut and fit this week one night, and by Saturday have the bottom of the floor coated in one layer of 1.5 oz mat.

Seat Reinforcement:



Outside after a good cleaning with the air hose:





2x4 Nailer:

[lmnelson86]

Starboard Side:





Port Side:



Starting the floor. The 2x4 is just sitting at 8' so that I maintain a flush front seem. Weights to help keep it from moving to easily if I bump into it:

[lmnelson86]

Floor from the back:





Trimmed for the motor area:

[lmnelson86]

Trimmed for the exhaust:






That's where I stopped for the evening. I need to run to the fiberglass supply store and grab a ton of yards of mat and 1708, as well as some gel coat for the bilge area of the hull. It feels good to finally get the floor started, it feels like its been forever!

[Salty87]

Looks like you're doing a fantastic job.

Is that a garage door in the middle of the garage?

If you want the same rubber rail it came with- taco marine has a huge selection. You might get a better price from iboats.

Some have gone with stainless instead of the OEM rubber. I'm not sure if they bought from Donny Bennet or the other guy (can't remember his name). Going way back, when I shopped stainless the retailers wanted a fortune. I think Wotan did this. You might check with him if you want to go that route.