BLINGING OUT (Polishing) my 99 Crestliner Fish Hawk,,,Cosmetic Restore [Archive]

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MikesOcean

01-08-2013, 11:23 PM

This was suppose to be a weekend project that took almost 2 months with work and family as well in the mix. I purchased this boat about about 2 years ago and have enjoyed it very much.
There was really nothing wrong with the boat, I just wanted to clean it up and have it look nicer for me. I was originally going to strip the paint off and repaint again. But after some thought, I realized that I love the way fixed up aluminum boats looks when I am out in the ocean. Soooo, Why not? I figured this couldn't be too hard, right? Well....not so much hard, Just tons of elbow grease. I'm 90% done, just have a few touch ups to do. Even thou my motor is 2 stroke it has been running great, and I can't justify at this time putting $ on another one when this one has been doing great for me.

This is how the boat looked before I did anything!
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/mikesocean/AEA28D97-E2CE-427D-8DAF-FDBD72ADC8BF-595-00000032F7F106DD.jpg

The first thing I did before I started this project was change all the bearings.
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/mikesocean/DA24C88C-F966-484B-B42D-425029CB8E7F-595-000000326ADE83F2.jpg

Then I started something that I thought was just going to take a couple days!! haha
I used Jasco to remove the paint! (Don't let this stuff touch your skin..OUCH)

As you can see the paint starting to bubble
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/mikesocean/C4B51AF2-3DEC-472F-AA26-DC89194B9DC4-595-000000331CAAC10A.jpg

And with it almost completely off!
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/mikesocean/0E2CB4B4-7095-4E25-B265-DAC1C691268F-595-000000333BD57311.jpg

Here is a Pic after a million hours of wet sanding
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/mikesocean/F1E0986C-254F-4A91-8F9C-32FF1F8B865B-595-00000033998A1812.jpg

At this point I stopped the outside and decided I will continue after I fix the inside up.

I started by painted storage lids.
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/mikesocean/122252AE-2727-4512-8841-CCD4A9B768D9-1691-000000D5D57A8E3B.jpg

I put new carpet and painted side walls.
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/mikesocean/602453AF-794B-4962-884F-72F7549A541E-1691-000000D911E6D7D4.jpg

The boat had dirty painted wood at the bow where the trolling motor went and had electronics so instead of putting new paint on wood I wrapped it with stainless steel sheet metal with 90 degree cuts.
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/mikesocean/312881E3-74F0-47DD-8234-2D689B67D481-595-00000034C8A5C77E.jpg

I loved the way this looked so much, I had to wrap the side console in stainless too. So I Did! Then I started to the dash board which was almost completely hopeless.
So here it is before I did anything!
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/mikesocean/DDCF6BE8-9925-4739-8398-05ABC9531CAD-595-00000033FC3587A1.jpg

and here I started taping off
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/mikesocean/2CF4E03B-C1FB-4ED8-AD3D-1F0200A0F6FA-595-000000341B25F991.jpg

http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/mikesocean/7A3337FC-6EC3-45E5-AFFF-19306D73B896-1691-000000DA94E464F0.jpg

side view with stainless steel console
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/mikesocean/FDABC29F-AB4D-4C65-91C2-8B63C065E792-1691-000000DAB4109118.jpg

So now back to the hull! I knew I had to do a full acid wash on the aluminum before I blinged (polished) it out for it to turn out good!
Heres a pic after the acid wash.
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/mikesocean/C407528F-5060-4F68-9550-855FF2940BD6-595-00000033BCFC7B32.jpg

What I did with this hull, I will NEVER repeat this whole process over again nor would I recommend anyone doing this with all the crazy work involved. It looks totally BAD *****, but the upkeep will probably be unrealistic with me rather wanting to fish then polish!!

Before I started the whole process of polishing, I did a sample polish at the stern of the boat.
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/mikesocean/C049A3C7-5C07-41BF-AF07-4FF578057515-595-00000035CB19469D.jpg

and a close up pic. (Notice the mirror affect)
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/mikesocean/AA4B9473-914E-4451-8223-597E18C188F7-595-00000035E3BE9A8F.jpg

FINISHED PRODUCT!!!
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/mikesocean/3D8DED5E-225F-4D09-97F3-1C9C767AFCCC-1691-000000DE718DC72D.jpg

Thanks for Reading!
MikesOcean

Cadillyak

01-09-2013, 12:00 AM

Quality work for sure. You can tell the job was done right! Wish I had that type of persistence.

fishinone

01-09-2013, 12:29 AM

Wow, bling it on!

That looks great Mike but I think you're nuts.

OC ANGLER

01-09-2013, 01:07 AM

bad *** turned out great ! now do the trailer and everything will be lookin nice :)

flybynight

01-09-2013, 05:02 AM

Heck of a good job..now go catch some fish.

christopherstellar

01-09-2013, 05:49 AM

I love how there are starbucks cups all over the floor! The power of coffee is amazing, great job bro!

cutbait

01-09-2013, 05:58 AM

That looks great.

Like Ron I thought you were nuts but now it looks SHARP!.. Your hard work paid off on that thing.

Looks bad to the bone brudda

DockRat

01-09-2013, 05:58 AM

Wow, bling it on!

That looks great Mike but I think you're nuts.
X2

That stainless can burn you on a hot day.
DR

MikesOcean

01-09-2013, 07:16 AM

X2

That stainless can burn you on a hot day.
DR

X3. I think i am nuts too! Probably will just let it oxidize. I hear you on the stainless steel. I am going to put a clear coat on it. I think that will help quite a bit.With all the outside work I kinda regret doing all this work. Well it will look bling for just a little bit. If anyone wanted to do this, I am sure I would discourage them.

@oc angler. I did want to do the trailer too, I'm just burnt out of working on this and I want to fish! Haha maybe later!

tree

01-09-2013, 08:09 AM

gorgeous job!

TUNAVIC

01-09-2013, 09:47 AM

5150fishn

01-09-2013, 09:59 AM

Wow, Labor intensive but it came out SWEET! We all have a project like this that we will only do once but are glad we did it. Nice work.

TroutOnly

01-09-2013, 10:21 AM

Dude when the sun hits that boat the reflection is going to scare all the stripers away,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,lol,,,,,,,,,,,

MikesOcean

01-09-2013, 11:04 AM

Wow that looks awesome! I'll keep an eye out for it. You gotta live close to me,I've eaten at Munguia's quite a few times,noticed it in the background in your first pic.Do you live in Whittier? Ok take care,very nice work. ha just noticed your profile Lives in Whittier,cool,that skiff in your avatar looks like a 18ft bayrunner I used to have.

Cya Tuna Vic

Hey TV!

Yes I live up the street at the bottom of Spyglass! I frequent Munguias quite a bit myself. Good food if I have to say. We must bump into each other often. I am at that starbucks every morning with my buddies before work. Where about do you live?

@Bob! Ya I'm gonna make sure I'm next to you when we are fishing. Hahaha

fishinone

01-09-2013, 11:25 AM

It really is shiny Mike.

Did you clear coat it?

I did a search for aluminum clear paint and found lots of stuff.

MikesOcean

01-09-2013, 07:41 PM

It really is shiny Mike.

Did you clear coat it?

I did a search for aluminum clear paint and found lots of stuff.

I originally put on Sharkhide a clear coat. It was difficult for me to do this. The boat kept streaking and frustrating me. Then I had to go through the whole process and remove it again. It is crucial that you don't have a drop of dirt on the entire boat or it streaks. I finally gave up and decided I will let this be and let nature take its course.

CAPT'N

01-09-2013, 08:33 PM

Absolutely 1st class, you are out of your mind :EyePop:

Hometown

01-09-2013, 09:02 PM

yea and so can gloss white I found that out on my first boat 30 years ago

troutsniffer

01-09-2013, 09:33 PM

Damn that's sick man!

troutsniffer

01-09-2013, 09:49 PM

I originally put on Sharkhide a clear coat. It was difficult for me to do this. The boat kept streaking and frustrating me. Then I had to go through the whole process and remove it again. It is crucial that you don't have a drop of dirt on the entire boat or it streaks. I finally gave up and decided I will let this be and let nature take its course.

I do a bit airbrush and stuff on the side!Your suppose to go very light on the clear coats the 1st two sprays, then go heavier after that. But like I said. Sick @$$ job man

trail blazer

01-09-2013, 09:50 PM

Wow!,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,You gotta new boat,i got 1,,C/B has got 1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,new boats everywhere,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but NONE that shine like yours!!NICEEEEEEEE

Just remember,,,,,,,,STAY away from me when the boiling starts cause what T/O says will happen just might,,,,,,,,LOLOLOL

WTG MIKE!See ya soon.

TRAIL BLAZER

tree

01-10-2013, 08:25 AM

awesome DIY job! looks great!

drifter023

01-10-2013, 05:44 PM

Hey tie a couple big hooks on the back and cruise slow side to side will look like a old chrome cotton cordell top water lure, might get the lake record. :Bug Eyes: Just kidding but hey you never know oh yea nice job....

FISHINGVATO562

01-10-2013, 05:53 PM

Hey Mike even though it was a lot of work, the boat came out nice. I think the pics dont do it justice. hopefully we can get it dirty with a little blood, dont think youll mind. Again nice boat man!

cutbait

01-10-2013, 08:07 PM

Thought I'd share.

Drove to Castaic today to check on the stocking situation and spotted MikesOcean out on the water, looks like he was checking out the West Ramp area

Looking good Mike

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u290/kluna2/mikesboat_zpsb398cd3d.jpg

dk4885

01-10-2013, 08:36 PM

MikesOcean

01-11-2013, 07:25 AM

Hey Mike even though it was a lot of work, the boat came out nice. I think the pics dont do it justice. hopefully we can get it dirty with a little blood, dont think youll mind. Again nice boat man!

Thank you Mike(FISHINGVATO562) for all the help!
We had great times and some good fish killing days in 2012. Lets make 13 even better. Yes now I just need to get this thing covered in blood!

As far as scaring the fish with the boat is the last of
My worries. There are a lot more other factors that are more critical.
Like making too much noise with the trolling motor,
Or running over the boils or yelling to loud. We can be worrying
About moon phases much more. Haha.

But thank you all for the nice comments and funny jokes. I will try putting hooks in the
Back of the boat to see if it works. Hahaha (good one)

DEVOREFLYER

01-11-2013, 09:07 AM

mikesocean I will never ever complain again about polishing the aluminum rims on my boats trailer after seeing your pics. Well done, a world class resto job, well done!!!! :UDaMan:

fishinone

01-11-2013, 01:34 PM

You need to worry that a Great White doesn't mistake that boat for a big casting spoon.

Stalker Of Fish

02-07-2013, 11:07 AM

It might just as easily attract the fish like a giant flasher blade. Who know what will happen until you get on the fish .
bare Aluminum boats have done well on the Stripers for years .