My I/O pontoon build

[TurboM700]

I have done two this way. Its every mans dream to take something apart that he never has to put back together and this was a great opportunity for this. Plus working on 20+yr old I/O in the boat just SUCK. I have alot of respect for boat mechanics after building this boat.

 

[motojunkie101]

B.O.A.T. = Break Out Another Thousand

So what did you end up naming her?

 

[TurboM700]

It have kicked around alot of names over the yr. Non have them have stuck.

I keep going back to "turbo-toon" but then I would have to add a turbo.

Wife wanted it named "Happy, Happy, Happy" after Duck Dynasty but I'm not a fan of doing things based on a fad.

 

[motojunkie101]

The first thing that came to mind with your paint job was the bad guys car from grease. I had to do some googling but it was called Hell's Chariot.

Also, the color scheme is completely different now that I've seen pictures of the car. My memory is going to hell in a handbasket.

 

[villain]

As a boat mechanic I wouldn't feel bad about pitting around 330 hp through a gen 2 alpha. The gen 1s and the pre alpha drives are a lot weaker. The easiest way to tell them apart is the gen 2s will have c clips on the tilt ram bars instead of nuts. Hell of a build man! Congrats!! Should be A great boat for you and your family.

 

[Gone Sleddin]

awesome build. I had almost the exact same boat and would still have it if I was as handy as yourself. mine was an 89 party barge with 91 90hp Johnson (that I later found out was probably only putting out about 50hp). if I would have had a good shop to work on it during the winter months I would have put in new floor, carpet, and seating. settled for a new bimini, cover, stereo, and decals. oil and water pumps went out of the motor and it was going to cost more to fix than I paid for the boat. sold it as is to a small resort looking for a rental and picked up a 24' deck boat of CL. would have much rather had your end result. the buds and I had way more fun on the old raft than I have on my newer looks like everyone else boat.

 

[TurboM700]

As a boat mechanic I wouldn't feel bad about pitting around 330 hp through a gen 2 alpha. The gen 1s and the pre alpha drives are a lot weaker. The easiest way to tell them apart is the gen 2s will have c clips on the tilt ram bars instead of nuts. Hell of a build man! Congrats!! Should be A great boat for you and your family.

Whats weak about them? Can I make a gen or or pre-alpha last if I'm nice to it? What are the does and donts when it comes to making them last.

I'll keep my eye open for a Gen 2 but just wondering if there is something I can do in the mean time.

I have heard people say they will last just dont go from a dead stop to wot. Then I have heard others say the second I put it in gear the back transom will split in two and the boat will sink killing all my un-born childern. THese same people thought a I/O pontoon was a waste of time.

awesome build. I had almost the exact same boat and would still have it if I was as handy as yourself. mine was an 89 party barge with 91 90hp Johnson (that I later found out was probably only putting out about 50hp). if I would have had a good shop to work on it during the winter months I would have put in new floor, carpet, and seating. settled for a new bimini, cover, stereo, and decals. oil and water pumps went out of the motor and it was going to cost more to fix than I paid for the boat. sold it as is to a small resort looking for a rental and picked up a 24' deck boat of CL. would have much rather had your end result. the buds and I had way more fun on the old raft than I have on my newer looks like everyone else boat.

Thanks your pictures remind me of all the body work I did. Yours look much simpler. Is that paint or vinyl decal?

I think my hand are style numb from all that paint stripper(yes I wore gloves)

 

[Gone Sleddin]

I was going to pull the panels off and strip or blast and paint them. no way they were coming off with out wrecking the floor so my buddy who owns a sign shop just printed off a full vinyl wrap for it. looked pretty good but could still see small flaws up close.