Checkmate Sportfire Restoration

[marioc]

Re: Checkmate Sportfire Restoration

I hate to say, but I think you will find that you are going to have a full resto when you get into that floor. The good news is it should be pretty easy to do on that size rig. I would check it out for sure, if you rebuild you will know exactly what you have and know it is built right. Good luck man.

I have to agree with you on that! I'm just putting it off until I winterize the boat, in about a month...

I still have a bit if water time, around here... I sold my other "small" 17-ft boat, so now this is the only one I got to use when it comes to putting it into the water by myself... My 23 footer is way too inconvenient to launch for a 2-hour trip, etc...

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: Checkmate Sportfire Restoration

Yea those early 80's colors....Brown and beige.. Yuk!.....I couldnt take it anymore and had to do something about it.

Looks like yer gona need a new deck.....not much to it, one stringer down the middle and your end pc's.

Take lots of pic's and make a sketch.....write down all the dimensions and should be good to go on the tear out.

P.S. Just me ...but if it were mine id dump the 470.....post it on C.L. motor and drive combo.....someone will buy it. Rework the engine mounts for a V-8 :laugh:


Good luck and keep us posted....will be watching!

 

[marioc]

Re: Checkmate Sportfire Restoration

Yea those early 80's colors....Brown and beige.. Yuk!.....I couldnt take it anymore and had to do something about it.

Looks like yer gona need a new deck.....not much to it, one stringer down the middle and your end pc's.

Take lots of pic's and make a sketch.....write down all the dimensions and should be good to go on the tear out.

P.S. Just me ...but if it were mine id dump the 470.....post it on C.L. motor and drive combo.....someone will buy it. Rework the engine mounts for a V-8 :laugh:


Good luck and keep us posted....will be watching!

Thanks! That stringer detail helps... I'll know where to cut and what to leave, for measurement purposes. I watched almost all of Frisco's videos(over the last two years). So, I'm more/less aware of what to/not to do. I'll leave the top skin on the deck near the hull for reference, etc...

As for the 470, I'm keeping it for another season. My focus is to strip/paint the brown/beige and then do the interior. The paint you see is actually not original. And they did a terrible job. Flaking/peeling, etc... I'll sand most of it, then prime/paint...

I have been meaning to ask you about your V8. Do you think it will weigh down the stern more than what you had in it? I haven't looked at the weight difference of 305 and 350...

My 470 with 23 pitch SS (old-style) prop did just under 60 GPS with just me in it(230 ish lbs).

Thanks, again...

 

[marioc]

Re: Checkmate Sportfire Restoration

And let me just say, I don't think I ever want to go close to 60 MPH in this 18 ft boat.

Pretty darn squirly. Bennett trim tabs might help, but that's for another day/year!

-Mario

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: Checkmate Sportfire Restoration

Thats great if you can get 60 mph out of that motor......If its been taking care of and maintence has been done....what i hear on this site is they are good strong little motors......key is maintaning it.

No difference in the weight of the 305 to 350...same block....just different bore size.

Mine came with a V-8 direct from factory as far as i can tell....i am sure im the first under the deck since it was new.....It does sit low in the water in the back......but no diferent than a bass boat......I would say that the v-8 weighs about 300 to 400 more # than your 470...it's all in the hull design.

And yes....60 MPH in that boat is pretty darn SQUIRLY......:facepalm:

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: Checkmate Sportfire Restoration

Marioc,

Nice little Checkmate...still one of my favorite all time manufactures! Someday I'll have a ZT or something? Anyway...head over checkmate-boats.com, there are a slew of people restoring vintage checkmates (seems the light weight design of the boats also means that meticulous maintenance was mandatory for staving off water intrusion?) I belong to that forum too and I cruised it often as Checkmates (of that vintage) were very similar to my Baja (although, they often made stabs at me, in jest of course?)

~brett

P.S. My Baja was a 184BR and I could hit 65mph (GPS) with my Mercury 200 Blackmax with a 14" x 21P SS prop...nothing squirrely about it! :boink:

 

[marioc]

Re: Checkmate Sportfire Restoration

Thats great if you can get 60 mph out of that motor......If its been taking care of and maintence has been done....what i hear on this site is they are good strong little motors......key is maintaning it.

No difference in the weight of the 305 to 350...same block....just different bore size.

Mine came with a V-8 direct from factory as far as i can tell....i am sure im the first under the deck since it was new.....It does sit low in the water in the back......but no diferent than a bass boat......I would say that the v-8 weighs about 300 to 400 more # than your 470...it's all in the hull design.

And yes....60 MPH in that boat is pretty darn SQUIRLY......:facepalm:

The 470 I have has been rebuilt, and seems to be up to factory specs. So, I guess it is as good as it gets...as it stands.
My point with this boat, right now, is something I don't have to go from marina to marina to refuel. I do believe, down the road, I would like to put a 350/Alpha 1 since all the parts for that setup are so readily available.

I appreciate your input...stay tuned! :facepalm:

 

[marioc]

Re: Checkmate Sportfire Restoration

Marioc,

Nice little Checkmate...still one of my favorite all time manufactures! Someday I'll have a ZT or something? Anyway...head over checkmate-boats.com, there are a slew of people restoring vintage checkmates (seems the light weight design of the boats also means that meticulous maintenance was mandatory for staving off water intrusion?) I belong to that forum too and I cruised it often as Checkmates (of that vintage) were very similar to my Baja (although, they often made stabs at me, in jest of course?)

~brett

P.S. My Baja was a 184BR and I could hit 65mph (GPS) with my Mercury 200 Blackmax with a 14" x 21P SS prop...nothing squirrely about it! :boink:

I guess the Baja must have a better hull design for the length of boat.
So, my 470 is rated at 170ish HP(at engine...big controversy at engine vs at prop). Do you think the Baja was lighter than my Checkmate? I would guess that it was...don't know!

I am also using a different ratio on the outdrive. I have two outdrive top-ends. I am yet to rebuild part of the outdrive(top-end) that is original with the outdrive lower. My 23P prop is good for top-end, but terrible for slow speeds and plane at low speed(no trim tabs).

I am a member at the Checkmate forum... for some reason seems like people are not as active as on iboats.

Thanks, again...

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Checkmate Sportfire Restoration

Nice looking boat, I have always liked the checkmate lines, I almost ended up with one, but the guy would never call me back! I think his wife made him put it on craigslist and he just pretended like no one called about it . Looking forward to seeing your work!

 

[marioc]

Re: Checkmate Sportfire Restoration

Nice looking boat, I have always liked the checkmate lines, I almost ended up with one, but the guy would never call me back! I think his wife made him put it on craigslist and he just pretended like no one called about it . Looking forward to seeing your work!

Thanks...I look forward to finishing it...LOL

The story of my getting this boat is long and full of twists and turns. This is my first boat. Since this one I have purchased two more with much less drama.

But, like you said the Checkmate is quite different than a lot of boats out there...

-Mario

 

[marioc]

Re: Checkmate Sportfire Restoration

Little throttle therapy yesterday(excuse the fumbling at start of video....).



This is where she's happy!