sprink58

I spent this weekend scrubbing and cleaning making final preparations to start installing all the stuff I have been collecting.

In doing my cleaning I was back in the bilge with de greaser and a brush and spraying water washing out the bilge. the way I was parked the boat was a bit "nose down" and some of the bilge water ran forward beneath the cockpit to the cabin. There is only a 1/4" hole that communicates to this area of the cabin that is below the floor.

I'm adding a cabin bilge pump to my 255 because there is a deep well at the bottom of the steps that runs all the way to the bulkhead of the V Berth. I plan on putting a 500 GPH Rule Automatic in and tie the discharge to the sink drain with a wye. In a heavy rain 100 gallons+ could work it's way into that area and there is no way for it to run out.What is a worse possibility is if in heavy seas a hatch failed for any reason the cabin could quickly flood with no where for the water to go. Several hundred gallons in the bow of a 255 could take it down even from a hatch being left open while docked or anchored in a heavy rain storm This is the first design flaw I have found in the boat. Every other T-Bird I have owned had a pipe connecting the rear bilge to the cabin so at least forward motion would force water aft to the main bilge. The addition of the bilge pump will not be my final move addressing this issue.
Later on I plan to pull up the cockpit floor over the fuel tank and route a run of 1"~1 1/4" PVC connecting the cabin low point to the bilge.

Living here and boating in SE Florida for 25+ years has taught me a few things. One of those is if your boat doesn't have a self bailing cockpit like a Mako or Contender...you make damn sure you have a very quick and positive way to get water out of the low points in your boat. I don't leave the dock without a bucket and a manual bilge pump.

I put in a new vent window on the port side and I am in the process of replacing all of the glass that is not an original "Water Bonnet" tempered piece. I have all new tempered glass being made and don't trust non tempered glass in a boat...too dangerous.

Any way...got her scrubbed clean and backed her back into the shop. I got my Milwaukee buffer out and went over the entire hull, topsides and fore-deck with 3M Finesse [IMG][/IMG] and again with Colonite Marine Fleet Wax [IMG][/IMG]. White boats don't polish up like darker colors do but I will tell you for sure...you can see yourself in the reflection on the sides of this old girl. She's 33 years old and still shines up like you painted the back side of a sheet of glass.

Stay tuned.I have the entire shop to myself while my boating partner is vacationing in Big Pine Key for all of June. My expectation is to have the 255 ready to drop engines in before July 4. I can't wait to get this 'Bird in the water and see how she performs[IMG][/IMG]

VideoFrank

Looks great!

Let me know how you went about drilling a hole from the cabin to the bilge... I have a pump in the cabin, but I'm not comfortable with that solution...
I'm redoing the cabin as we speak.. removing the 1" shag headliner was fun.... but at least I discovered a leak coming from the railing screws.

sprink58

Frank,

I'm pushing the bilge connection down the road and going with the bilge pump.

sprink58

OK...got a few things completed and getting closer to "Drop In" day. Here are a few pics of the bilge with new 4" blowers and hoses along with new Automatic Rule Bilge Pump.The Bilge Pump is 12" down in that square cavity in the center....I used 1 1/8" Red Tracer Clear hose for the bilge discharge. I also built new mounting shelves for the 2 new Bravo Trim Pumps.

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Close ups of the trim pumps. I still have to figure how to attach the old pre-Alpha pig tail to the new pump wiring. Any ideas would be appreciated. That crud on the sides above the bilge is carpet glue....looks like crap but I am undecided weather to put carpet back up there. It came that way from the factory. Remember...this was a "Luxury Sport Cruiser" that was one of the first of it's kind. That's the way Formula does stuff...like the full inner-liner in the bilge.

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Here are a few pics of my warehouse where I am spending most of my off time lately working on the 255. It's hard not to notice how the Liberator dwarfs the Mako 23footer sitting next to it. My boat buddy is doing a re-furb on it for a client. Every body that walks by the 255 pounds the sides with their fist when they walk by. The common statement is " Damn!!...this this thing is built like a tank!!" Yes it is

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She still shines and turns heads after 33 years. We have a few other boat guys in this warehouse complex and it's fun to share things like beer and tools among us. We usually throw some burgers on the grille on the weekends if the weather keeps us off the water.

I seem to be the only guy in the crowd with I/O's...every one else is into outboards.

We keep big fans running to keep cool...I even have a 36" portable in the boat when I'm in it working. The nice part about this place is that we are about ten minutes from the ramp at Port of Palm Beach so it's easy to "Sea Trial" things right after we finish.

Stay tuned.

Sideskraft

She's looking great John! That polish really does the job on the hull.

masi242

Keep up the great work, love the warehouse makes working on the boat a little easier. You are right about people saying the boat still shines I don`t know what Formula did with the gellcoat but my 242 still out shines many of the newer boats. All white is great.

sprink58

A bit of an update...I pulled the trigger on the exhaust today.

After all of the research and shopping I ended up following my instincts and went with Mercruiser OEM cast iron center riser. With the new casting techniques and the quality of the materials, fit and finish...plus less than $1000 out the door for both engines it makes a lot of sense.

I also decided to go with Bravo Y-Pipes through prop with the exhaust. At the end of the day I just couldn't justify cutting 4: 4" holes in the transom of such a well preserved boat. I did quite a bit of research on this and with no more cam than I am running with near stock Vortec heads I wouldn't be gaining anything except noise anyway. Maybe on the next boat with BBC's..or LS engines....not this one.

Again...my goal is not focused on top end in as much as it is to have a strong, reliable cruising speed in the 50's hour after hour...with the ability to approach 70 if I get the itch. I might even consider Bravo III lowers on this one down the road.

I visited my buddy Billy Flint in Ft. Lauderdale and got hooked up on all the brackets I need for Power steering, Alternators, and remote oil filters. I will say this about the Flints...if you need good clean used Mercruiser parts at a fair price check them out. If it's Mercruiser they have it.

Stay tuned...getting closer to a launch.

sprink58

Today was a beautiful day in West Palm Beach, Fl...calm winds, seas <1' out to the Bahama Bank...clear skies and 90+ degrees.

Where was I? Sweating my a$$ off in a hot warehouse sandblasting and painting pulleys and brackets!!!

I guess that's the sacrifice we make with DIY boat restoration

Sideskraft

Welcome to the Liberator resto party John!!

befu

Yep, well I am up in SW Michigan for our 10 day vacation during this week of the 4th. Original plan was to bring the Formula up and see how much gas we burn in a week of camping. Instead, we made the 2 hour drive north in one vehicle with just the camper while the boat still is in the shop.

So, mid 90's all week, 1-3 foot waves tomorrow on Michigan and I am in the camper with our 9 children. One camper, one suburban, one wife, 9 kids and one daddy. Oh yeah, I miss work at this point. I also now realize I am building a boat that will no longer fit our current family.....

Some days I just shake my head. I am blessed, but sometimes I wonder..... Ha ha ha.

Brian