1970 Flat Top - Coming Back to life...

Discussion in 'Hydrodyne Flat Tops' started by dill27241, Jun 2, 2013.

  1. dill27241

    dill27241 Hydrodyner

    Joined:
    Jul 15, 2012
    Messages:
    14
    Location:
    Winnetka Illinois
    Boat Model and Year:
    1970 20ft Flat Top
    I want to thank those of you who guided me and provided me reference last fall when I was shopping for a Flat Top - I managed to find one on Craigslist in northern Wi - a 600 mile round trip to go pick it up.. The top has been stripped (corn cob blast will do a hell of a job on several layers of old paint) I'll post more picutres as things come along. The new Gel coat is down and the seats are being built - next steps working on a repower option...the 1973 115 Johnson has seen better days..

    I did want to a pose a question...given that I'm hoping to spend a lot of time pulling my kids around the lake, has anyone ever seen a slick pylon option that worked will on these types of boats? I'm thinking there may be some custom fabrication in my future if not...
     

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  2. kevinb

    kevinb Elite Hydrodyner

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2006
    Messages:
    459
    Location:
    Brookfield, WI
    Boat Model and Year:
    1985 HD 20' I/O 350 (Yep I/O Boat #2 of maybe7?)
    Ski Team:
    NA
    Never seen a pylon on one of these. If I were pulling someone with a handle in their hands ( especially on a short-line) I'd pull from the eyelets to avoid getting hit in the back of the head with a handle, looking at the real estate between the steering coulmn and the transom. Makes for a bad day when your bell gets run, JMHO.

    Kevin-
     
  3. George Mitchell

    George Mitchell New Hydrodyner

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2013
    Messages:
    2
    Boat Model and Year:
    None current
    Nice job!! Any updated or current pictures? I'd love to see what you did. This is one of the coolest boats I've ever seen. I remember it well from my youth and would love to recapture a little part of it.
     
  4. timsprandel

    timsprandel Elite Hydrodyner

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2006
    Messages:
    271
    Location:
    Illinois-Near Chicago
    Boat Model and Year:
    1978 Hydrodyne Tournament Skier, 1984 Hydrodyne 20
    Hello!
    How did you go about getting your new gel coat? I have an overly weathered 1978 18 on the original bat wing trailer that needs a serious lot of new gel coat. Did you spray it yourself? I have heard of new two part formulas that go on like paint. Before my mind slips out of gear, a friend of mine who is very skilled with such things looked at my Dyne's finish and said"that thing is baked". Only not like Earl Scheib. His hull gleams and glitters deep in the dark night since he had it shot with a high gloss Imron. What are your thoughts, please?♒♒
     
  5. dill27241

    dill27241 Hydrodyner

    Joined:
    Jul 15, 2012
    Messages:
    14
    Location:
    Winnetka Illinois
    Boat Model and Year:
    1970 20ft Flat Top
    I actually had the Hull stripped with corn cob and then had the gel coat done by a car refinisher in Madison - About $500 for the stripping and $2000 for the gel coat....
     
  6. dynebob1

    dynebob1 Boat of the Month

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2006
    Messages:
    557
    Location:
    Glen Ellyn, Illinois
    Boat Model and Year:
    1998 18 OB RUA- 250XS.and 1997 Twin Rig /225 optis
    Is it really Gel-Coat or some sort of multi stage paint such as Imron ?

    $2,000 to do a hull that size in true gel-coat sounds a little on the low side.

    Gel coat when sprayed goes on with a heavy orange peel affect. The hard part
    then comes with hours and hours of sanding to get it super smooth again to be buffed
    out to a shinny appearance. That's where all the expense comes in. Paint is much easier.
     
  7. tj309

    tj309 Composite Specialist

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2010
    Messages:
    399
    Location:
    LA (lower Alabama)
    Boat Model and Year:
    1972 18' Hydrodyne
    Ski Team:
    Former Hodag Water shows
    What exactly is stripping a hull with corn cobb? My plan is to do my hull with gel-coat and the deck with roll-on topside paint to save some $'s. I have a local boat builder for the gel-coat but have not got an estimate yet as my hull is not quite ready.
     
  8. kevinb

    kevinb Elite Hydrodyner

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2006
    Messages:
    459
    Location:
    Brookfield, WI
    Boat Model and Year:
    1985 HD 20' I/O 350 (Yep I/O Boat #2 of maybe7?)
    Ski Team:
    NA
    Walnut shells and corn cobb husks are the "green" blasting abrasives as a trade off to silica sand or "black beauty" which was foundry sand recycled. They are for preparation but not for finishing.

    KTB
     
  9. dill27241

    dill27241 Hydrodyner

    Joined:
    Jul 15, 2012
    Messages:
    14
    Location:
    Winnetka Illinois
    Boat Model and Year:
    1970 20ft Flat Top
    Sorry to be so long in replying...the sprayed on gel coat does have some of the "orange peel" feel -
    I actually like it as much of the original "diamond" print in the fiberglass is long gone and if I sanded the whole top down it would be slick as glass....pretty happy with it as is...

    a few additional shots of the boat included...

    Just took it out of the water - intend to do a top off replacement of stringers this winter.
    Anyone out there done that with a Flat Top?

    Looking for a "pattern" from a later Flat Top as the 1970 simply had 2 stringers length wise (1/2") ply - way inadequate and rotting...looking to upgrade to 3/4 and create some additional cross members
     
  10. dill27241

    dill27241 Hydrodyner

    Joined:
    Jul 15, 2012
    Messages:
    14
    Location:
    Winnetka Illinois
    Boat Model and Year:
    1970 20ft Flat Top
    Sorry - promised pictures of the restored Flat Top on the water....
    IMG_1029.JPG IMG_1029.JPG IMG_0819.jpg IMG_1029.JPG IMG_0819.jpg IMG_0872.jpg
     

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