My 68 Duratech

[68Duratech]

Re: My 68 Duratech

Definitely going to paint it, its got so many scratches down to the aluminum all over and removing all the stickers took a lot more off as well. I buffed one side and the parts with paint looked pretty good. Atleast I can see close to what the original color was. Will report back when I start painting

 

[troutchaser-48]

Re: My 68 Duratech

As far as the light lens. I would look on ebay. I have a 1964 orion and I see new and old versions of my light being sold. Yours is different shape than mine though. Good luck finding the lens or a new light. Your boat looks solid and I am sure after alot of work it will look even better.

George

 

[68Duratech]

Re: My 68 Duratech

Thanks George! If you come across one of them lights again a link would be helpful I couldn't seem to find any. And I got the boat registered and everything now. So I think I might go ahead and put the floor and seats back in, put a pump in the motor and go ahead and use it this fall before it gets cold

 

[JoeMan]

Re: My 68 Duratech

Do that, and then post a few pics of her in the water!

 

[68Duratech]

Re: My 68 Duratech

Sorry its taken forever for me to upload more pics, took the boat out last thurs. I think. Motor ran great here idles great etc, doesn't have any power on the water. It might do 5mph with me and my Dad in it. Going to clean the carb and check all the ignition stuff and go from there. Here is some pics of her on the water tho

 

[JoeMan]

Re: My 68 Duratech

Nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[68Duratech]

Re: My 68 Duratech

Been looking for a bigger motor for this thing, Got the 25 running great but its not going to push the boat to fast at all with 2-3 people and gear. But I was wondering if this thing is built to step on the bow when you come up to the beach or a place with out a dock? I don't want to step on it and buckle it

 

[JoeMan]

Re: My 68 Duratech

The construction of my Neptune is no doubt very similar, and I've wondered the same. I am not willing to do it and have not. There is not sufficient enough structure underneath to keep it from buckling under a decent amount of weight, despite they heavy duty aluminum decking.

 

[JoeMan]

Re: My 68 Duratech

Here is a '59 Duratech bow light which would work GREAT to replace your broken one. Different model, but vintage and came off of a Duratech:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Vint...oatQ5fPartsQ5fAccessoriesQ5fGear#ht_500wt_975

If you're reasonably able to do so, I'd put a 40 hp on that boat. The 25 will work, but as you say, she'll be pretty slow with a few (or four) people.

 

[68Duratech]

Re: My 68 Duratech

Thanks so much for telling me about the light! Hopefully I can get it. I'll just leave stepping on the bow off the table lol. That would be a heartbreaker to bend it up. It is kind of awkward being used to open bow boats. But its worth it for such a cool boat.

As far as the motor goes, Ive kept my eyes peeled on craigslist for a junk boat and a good motor. I actually just got a 67 Fiberglass Crestliner with a 71 50hp Mercury that runs great. I really bought it to resell come spring.I've considered doing the swap tho. I'd really like to put a Johnson/Evinrude on the duratech. Even if I only get a 40hp I'm going to widen the transom board and make some braces. I'd really like to put a 50 or 60 hp on it.

 

[JoeMan]

Re: My 68 Duratech

While the specs are for a 40, I have no doubt she could easily handle a 50 or 60. My Duratech specs a 60 hp, that's what I have, but I believe she could handle a 90!! ;-)

 

[68Duratech]

Re: My 68 Duratech

Yeah I want it to clip across the water pretty good Ive been taking the old transom wood out today. Boy is that fun. lol Got it all out with out doing any harm to the boat. Wood was rotten but still a pain. Thinking about getting crafty and building a complete metal transom/brace with just a little bit of wood at the top for the motor to clamp to. I'll start back with pics again soon

 

[JoeMan]

Re: My 68 Duratech

Yep, post any updates...all good for folks to see and learn from.

 

[68Duratech]

Re: My 68 Duratech

Well I won that light you told me about!! Thanks again, it got here yesterday. Looks like it will work good, I worked on the transom over the weekend. I went with a treated 2x12 and trimmed it down. Got it in with out cutting anything on the boat. Then I used 1-1/2"x1/8" angle to brace it. Got most of it welded up but didn't get pics. also going to run another strap across the angle towards the top of the transom. I'll be bolting it to the Original brace in the bottom of the boat. Should hold a 50-60hp fine. If not I can always add to the the metal brace since it will unbolt from the boat !

I love the no motor look, kind of wish it was an inboard. lol I also set the axle on top of the springs after this picture was taken. This thing sit up way to high.

 

[JoeMan]

Re: My 68 Duratech

Nice. I added angle iron pieces like this, but I put mine on differently. Attached them from about half way down the transom out on an angle towards the floor. My boat has aluminum box stringers, so the other end of the 2 angle iron sections was bolted to the box stringers nearly a foot out in front of the transom. Hope that's not confusing. I could likely find a picture and post it if you like. Not suggesting you do that, but if you jack up the hp of the outboard, you may be better with some additional strength. Also, many larger outboards have a much wider bolt pattern. My Merc 60 for instance would be too wide for the bolts to go through your 12 inch wide board. So, you may be limited in size or maybe brand, depending on bolt pattern.

Looking forward to seeing a pic of your boat here next spring...out in the wet!

Just some thougthts...

 

[68Duratech]

Re: My 68 Duratech

Awesome, I have a picture in my head of how you braced yours but it wouldn't be the same until I seen a picture. lol I know how I'm going to brace mine if its needed. But it would still be very cool to see how you did yours! I'm becoming pretty obsessed with this boat. When I walk through the yard I almost run into things staring at it as I pass. haha, And I did do some measuring for the motor/s the two mercury 50's I have here now will work fine. I have my eye on another Mercury 50hp with power trim. Might end up with it before spring. But like I said I'd really like to have a 50-60 Johnson/Evinrude with trim. The mercs are good to tho, the 2 I have now are solid. And they are a 1970 and 1971 lol. I definitely plan on having a good motor on this thing by spring to enjoy it all summer long I also was wondering what some of the guys did with the dash? I'm thinking about pulling mine out and having another made out of cedar. There is a local guy who does amazing work with cedar. I think it would look pretty good !

 

[ezmobee]

Re: My 68 Duratech

That PT wood is going to eat that aluminum.

 

[68Duratech]

Re: My 68 Duratech

That PT wood is going to eat that aluminum.

Explain? -Edit just looked it up, guess it will do damage over time. Good thing I wasn't done yet. lol Good thing I only wasted $12 bucks and a little bit of time. I'll go get another 2x12 and re do it. Thanks a lot for the tip!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: My 68 Duratech

No problem. The new PT is no joke when it comes to corroding aluminum.

 

[68Duratech]

Re: My 68 Duratech

Yeah I sure appreciate it. I'd be very upset if it corroded the back of my boat off. I never even would of thought about something like that! Being lazy paid off for once. Now all I have to do is knock that board out and make a copy of it