1979 SPORT 15 Full Refit

[POW]

Hi All - I spent the winter fully tearing down and rebuilding my 1979 SPORT 15 boat. I had never done a boat project before, so I copied our friend dtmackey's wonderful and comprehensive thread 15 Whaler Super Sport Project - Baystar Steering.

First, I started by tearing down the 1979 SPORT 15 hull to a blank canvas. The previous owner had put in a makeshift composite deck interior, which was awful and weighed a ton. In the end I re-used only the original brass fittings. Everything else had to go.

The biggest mistake I made here was going too heavy on the fairing compound coats, which meant a LOT of sanding. Next time I'll do more coats and fewer of them. Lesson learned.


Fig.1. The SPORT 15 hull has been torn down, patched, sealed and faired.

[POW]

Next came priming and painting. I used AlexSeal products (Oyster White). This was easily the most time consuming part of this project. I don't have the tools or skill for a sprayer, so I very carefully rolled and brushed everything.

After painstakingly applying the first coat and letting it dry, I came back to see a lot of little curtains and drips in the paint. It turns out I hadn't thinned it enough, or had been too heavy-handed in the application. I spent probably a day with a razor blade shaving off every curtain or drip I could find, then was more careful with the rest of the coats. I think I spent about two weeks in total getting the hull primed and painted to my satisfaction.

After debating non-skid solutions I decided to just paint over it. I add an EVA foam product in place of non-skid--more on that later. F


Fig. 2. The 15-foot hull after the final coat of paint.

[POW]

I had an old bow-rail that was in good shape, and ordered the side rails, bow hatch and hinges from Specialty Marine. All the other mahogany for this project I made myself from dimensional lumber, but I had a gift card to Specialty and thought I'd make things easier on myself. I'm pretty happy with the quality of their product, though I did add 2 layers of Epifanes varnish just to be safe. This was the stage that I had to drill my first few holes in the hull to mount hardware, and I can tell you I was a nervous wreck. In the end it was a breeze. Just drill a pilot hole, fill with 5200 and screw in by hand. Scary though.


Fig. 3. Bow rail installation.

[POW]

I didn't take any pictures of the interior build process. It was probably two solid weeks of work, starting with figuring out the dimensions. There's really no template or diagram available anywhere online, so I pieced it together through random online sources, other forums (thx again dtmackey) and good old-fashioned guess work.

started with a cardboard template of the side rails which, once dialed in, I traced onto the raw mahogany (from Parkville Wood Products in Connecticit). I decided to raise the seat and console by 3-inches to make the ride a bit comfier, but to otherwise make it look like the factory interior. The woodwork is pretty straightforward, but here are the basics:

• side rails, console and trunk all planed to 3/4 strong
• seats planed to 6/4
• finished with two coats epoxy, three coats Epifanes varnish
• glued, screwed together, AND all screws counter-sunk and plugged

For non-skid I decided to go with SeaDek, with a custom template. It's really a simple process, where you just lay down the cellophane and trace your existing non-skid.


Fig. 4. A template is made for new custom deck panels to be made by SeaDek.

[POW]

Fig. 5. The interior is screwed in place, save for the front thwart seat.

This project is starting to look like a boat.

The kids were tasked with polishing the old brass fittings. I'm sure these haven't been cleaned in thirty years.

They brass fittings were soaked in a tub of vinegar with tin foil at the bottom to chemically strip the grime. Then the kids hand scrubbed with old toothbrushes for a solid hour. The final step was to finish with buffing compound. I like the patina.


Fig. 6. The original hull fittings after 43-years.


Fig. 7. Old brass fitting restored.

[POW]

I bought cushions from Specialty Marine. I've been really happy with the cushions.


Fig. 8. Seat Cushions.

A rod and tackle holder, a Teleflex helm, and a steering wheel were fitted to the console.

[POW]

Fig. 9. Under the seat back a new battery and a Moeller on-deck fuel tank were installed.

This was my first time doing marine wiring, and mistakes were made. In the end, the electrical work came out nice, clean, functional, and safe. The electrical loads are a SONAR, a USB charger outlet, and lamps.


Fig. 10. A four-circuit power distribution panel with fuses, a negative bus bar, and primary power battery switch

[POW]

Fig. 11. Brass fittings re-installed.


Installation of new brass through-hull drain tubes was tricky. To flange the ends I used a flanging tool. I heated and cooled the ends prior to bending [also called annealing]. This made the installation easy.


Fig. 12. A new brass through-hull drain installed.


Fig. 13.The bow cushion.

[POW]

Decals and rub rail were installed.


Fig. 14. Getting the 1979 SPORT 15 back on its trailer required creative use of Physics.

The only thing stopping this from being a boat is a lack of propulsion power.

[POW]

This 1979 SPORT 15 boat originally had a c.1998 Evinrude 50-HP two-stroke-power-cycle engine. When I started the project I'd planned on keeping that engine. The Evinrude 50-HP engine ran like a top and pushed the boat well to about 35-MPH.

In the end, I decided I wanted the convenience, quietness, and reliability of a new engine with four-stroke-power-cycle design. My choice for a new engine was between Suzuki and Yamaha, and eventually I bought a 2022 Suzuki DF60.

The Suzuki DF60 is lighter than the comparable Yamaha F60. The DF60 has much better fuel economy. I did think I needed to increase engine power to 70-HP

My only complaint is the rigging job done by the dealer--it is a mess. They just ran all the control cables straight back to the engine, instead of routing them through the rigging tube. I'll be cleaning that up next spring.


Fig. 15. New Suzuki DF60 engine on the SPORT 15.

[POW]

After about a three-month wait, the new custom-cut SeaDek panels arrived. The SeaDek was super-easy to install. It also feels great under the feet.


Fig. 16. The cleats are now installed, along with cup holders.


Fig. 17. The refurbished 1979 SPORT 15 boat is ready splash.

[POW]

Fig. 17. We are going boating!


Fig. 18. At the launch ramp courtesy dock.

[POW]

This build was an absolute pleasure. I'm thrilled with the result, and I know we'll have this SPORT 15 boat in the family for generations. Final rundown of the work:

• repaired spider cracks
• patched and faired fiberglass
• primed and painted with AlexSeal in Oyster White hue
• installed new mahogany interior and raised three-inches for comfort; finished wood with epoxy and varnish
• installed new side rails and bow rails
• refitted through-hull drains
• polished old brass fittings
• installed TeleFlex steering
• rewired electrical power with four-circuit power panel
• replaced battery
• fitted Moeller under-seat fuel tank
• replaced navigation lamps
• replaced rub rail
• installed custom SeaDek deck panels in saddle color with white grout lines
• installed Martin Marine Design swim ladder
• re-powered with a 2022 Suzuki DF60 engine and remote controls

[POW]

Fig. 19. Underway with family aboard.


Fig. 20. Cooler on bow hatch.


Fig. 21. At the dock at the lake.

[jimh]

Many thanks for the nice photo-layout of your restoration of the 1979 SPORT 15 boat.

I believe that the bow chocks and lifting eyes were probably originally chrome plated over bronze.

I am interested in your technique having aluminum foil in the pan with the vinegar acid as part of the process to remove corrosion from brass. What is the chemistry going on there?

Also, in Figure 9 showing the battery connections, why is there a metal offset connector between the wire connections and the battery terminal connections? I would assume that a marine battery would not have the usual lead posts for making a battery connection as found in automotive batteries and would have threaded posts for attaching ring terminals found on the end of battery cables.

Also in Figure 10, I would suggest that your fused power distribution panel should be one that also has a negative bus. That would eliminate the need for a separate negative bus as you have used. The primary battery disconnect switch would be better located much closer to the battery. As wired, it appears that there is no overcurrent protection from the battery to the power distribution fuse panel. There should be a circuit breaker or a fuse in the feed from the battery to the power distribution panel. Also, there is no need to use such a large conductor to feed the small panel that will only be distributing a few Amperes of current. Conductors of 10-AWG would be more appropriate.

[TFrere]

[The refit outcome is] very nice. Thank you for [posting this thread].

[ginodm]

Bravo complimenti bel lavoro

[Vance's Revenge]

Very nice!