We’ve hit a major milestone on the Bayliner Bowrider 175 restoration. The floor is officially in, the boat is starting to shine, and—most importantly—the tunes are playing.
This project has been a massive learning experience for us, and while there’s still plenty of “ugly” left to tackle, here is a quick look at where the “Big Dreams” build stands today.
The Interior: Progress You Can Stand On
The biggest win this week is the deck. We’ve finally got the marine plywood situated and the ski locker hatch cut out.
- The Ski Locker: We used a coffee can to template those perfect radius corners for the hatch. It’s not finished yet—we still need to fiberglass a structural lip around the opening—but having a solid floor makes the whole boat feel like a different machine.
- Audio Setup: The radio is officially installed and powered up! We’re even looking into mounting a subwoofer under the dash and hooking up an amp to give the system some real punch. We’ll do a full review on that setup once it’s dialed in.
The Hull: Shedding the “Chalk”
If you saw this boat when we first got it, it was covered in white, chalky oxidation. Danielle has been a rockstar with the buffer, and the difference is night and day. The fiberglass is actually starting to reflect light again! However, as you move toward the stern, you can see where we still have some serious work to do. We’re tackling it one section at a time.
The Logistics: The Garage Fit
As we shared in a previous post, we had to cut the tongue off the trailer to get it into the garage.
- Current Status: The cut is clean, and the boat is all the way back against the garage wall.
- The Fix: I’m in the process of installing a swivel tongue kit. This will allow the hitch to swing out of the way for storage but lock back into place for safe towing. No more leaving the tongue leaning against the trailer!
What’s Next?
This boat restoration is a “learn as you go” process. We’re figuring out the fiberglassing, the wiring, and the mechanicals together. It’s hard work, and I keep getting greasy fingerprints on Danielle’s freshly polished fiberglass (she loves that), but we’re getting there.
Watch the full update here: Boat Floor In And Radio On EP #22