dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

I have it somewhat cleaned up, but not enough for pictures . Going to get a water trial in tomorrow. I expect to spend some time adjusting throttle and shifting, but we shall see. It doesn't idle for anything, but it didn't before either.

I have a lot of resin drips or resin fingerprints on my cap in places. I hope since the surfaces were dusty and dirty these won't be too hard to get off. I'm going to go at it with acetone and a scotch brite pad first and see where that gets me. The textured deck gets dirty FAST and is difficult to clean.

 

[GT1000000]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

For the drips, try a hard plastic spatula with a sharpened edge, as much as possible, to pop the drips off from the bottom up...

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

I wish I had taken some before pictures, but these two areas were stained and spotted with resin prints. Scrubbed with a scotchbrite pad and acetone and it cleaned up fairly well.

Here is one trim piece I used rusto vinyl paint on. That stuff works great!

These two shots were before I cleaned the hull today, but its nice to see in the water! It cleaned up well, but it is dull.

The boat performed flawlessly. Well, aside from not wanting to idle...at all! I swear it's like I picked up 100 horses. The boat is so nimble and quick now I love it.

 

[GT1000000]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Congratulations on getting it splashed!
Looks sweet sitting in the water...
Nice refresh on the vinyl...saves on some upholstery work and obviously much faster.
Now that you have it cleaned up, you might try some buffing on the gel...you might get lucky and bring back some shine to it...
Don't forget about us and keep posting pics/vids of all the fun you'll be having blasting around...
Happy and Safe Boating!

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

I'm taking her on a week long trip to lake hartwell next week. I will be sure to take pics to post! I definitely plan to buff the gel out and wax it. I think it will shine up nicely. I can't feel the flakes in the blue so I think it has plenty of shine left to get back.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Congrats!!!!

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Congrats. Enjoy the week!

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Thank you sirs! I'm not completely out of the woods. I have a slow leak at the transom. I can see it running down at the bottom of the inner transom plate. I hope it is a bellows issue. I sealed around my gimbal housing with 5200 ( I know it isn't necessary) and that seal looks good all around. I don't see how water could be seeping in at the transom seal. But what do I know?

I am going to diagnose this when it cools off. I guess I'll start by filling the bilge with water? If I wasnr concerned with it creating rot inside the keyhole over time I wouldn't worry about it. I have an automatic bilge pump and I coated the keyhole with epoxy.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Strap her to the trailer, take her to the ramp, back her in, till the drive is buried then get in and start inspecting. I bet you'll figure it out.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Congrats on the splash. I hope you can make short work of the transom leak.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Well I was out for a couple of hours. I tried to watch the leak, but I canNOT get my head positioned appropriately to see it run in. I am going to hold my phone down there set to video a time or two while we are out next week and see what that shows me. Honestly, at this point, if I do need to pull my motor again this winter and add some glass to my transom, so be it. I just wanna figure out for sure what it is before I proceed.

My transom was 2", but only just.

 

[sphelps]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Congrats on the splash! I know it feels good to finally go and have some fun after all the hard work ..

 

[Big Island Lifer]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Have some one trim your outdrive up and down while sitting in the water- I bet you'll see the water squirt in while the motor is trimmed up. If it does replace your bellows.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

I hope! I know little about bellows, but when I reach in the drive shaft and shift bellows seem secure on both sides. The bellows are new, but I can't guarantee I didn't do something wrong. It was a pain in the butt. I'd hate to have to pull the drive and motor again.

I had the most trouble with the shift cable bellows, as far as getting it seated and tightened up well. Can the shift cable bellows allow water to trickle in below the inner transom plate?

On a lighter note, she's performing great this week! Was pulling 2 kneeboarders off the tower today, with me and two others on board, and she pulled them up and planed out better than ever before.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Few pics from this week! Have a few small problems. It's tough to get into neutral from drive. It is either a neutral switch or an idle issue (the idle surges some and is a little too high on the upper end of the surge). Along with the transom leak that's about it. I think the transom leak is a bad shift bellows seal, but I'm not sure yet. She runs like a top aside from the idle. Faster than before and much better takeoff.

I really like the dual swim steps on the rear. The wires to the tower speakers and the fuel tank hatch are temporary. I'm running wires through the tower next week, and eventually glassing and gel coating a proper fuel tank hatch. I'm really impressed with the 4.3. I'd planned to go with vortec heads and a 4 barrel, but I may just leave it alone now. Pulled boarders up with 4 on board with ease.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

And here is me learning something new behind her .

One more shot for good measure!

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Doing aerials from that hydrofoil~seat thing yet?

Looking great!

Enjoy the rest of the season w/ her! Just get that shift bellow leak addressed....

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Will do. I wound up with an extra shift bellow, but I hope I can get it by adjusting the one that is there. It kept slipping off its perch as I tightened the cable clamp. I got where I can get up easily, go for a good controlled ride. Steer left and right, and make the air chair go up and down. Didn't get any successful jumps and keep riding. Well, I did, but not on purpose.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Can the shift bellows introduce water into the inside of the drive? Or just inside the boat?

I would say this will be an ongoing thread as I update my interior, and do some more customizing.

I have considered putting a bench seat on port side, and doing away with the pedestal seat for a little more room.

I have a sneaking hunch it will get painted one day.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

You've tackled the tough part, so use it for a season, decide what you'd like to change/improve/modify and work on that in the off season. It won't be nearly the huge laundry list of NEEDS TO BE DONE, so you can shuffle the order around to fit time/funding and do whatever you deem most important/useful this go around.

Even a quick paint job from the rub rail down could be done late spring/early summer & still have you in the water for most of a season.

Nice caveat:

Well, I did, but not on purpose.

:watermelon:

Seen that chair before, but never been there to see one in actual use.

Can't help w/ the I/O bellows questions, sorry.