While we’re playing the waiting game for engine parts to arrive, Danielle and I have been busy “tinkering” on the Bayliner Bowrider 175 restoration. This phase of the project is all about the details—fixing the small stuff and tackling the massive job of restoring the finish.
Here is the update on where we stand with “Big Dreams, Part 1.”
The Battle Against Oxidation
If you have an old boat that looks chalky or dull, you’re likely dealing with heavy oxidation. We’re using Meguiar’s Oxidation Remover, and the results are night and day.
- The “Squeak” Test: You can literally hear the difference. The oxidized areas feel chalky and silent, while the restored areas have that “squeaky clean” boat sound.
- The Process: We’re rubbing it in until it starts to dry and then buffing it out. It’s like removing years of “soap scum” that has absorbed into the gel coat. Because this boat was heavily neglected, it’s going to take a few coats to get it perfect, but it’s already pulling off that nasty staining.
The Floor is GONE
We officially have all the rotted flooring out of the boat.
- The Cleanup: I had to go in with a screwdriver and manually dig out rotted wood from the tight spots. I’m going to fill those gaps with epoxy.
- The Ledge: I’ve been pulling out the foam from the edges of the wood so we can create a solid ledge to support the new flooring.
Electrical and Hardware Updates
We’re going through every system on the dash to see what actually works.
- The Horn: I put in a brand new horn button, but still nothing. I checked it with the multimeter and verified we have power, so the horn itself is officially dead and needs to be replaced.
- The Cleats: We pulled off the docking cleats. They were rusted to heck and back, so we’ll be replacing those with some fresh hardware.
- The Rub Rail & Bimini: We removed the rubber strip (rub rail) that goes around the boat and took off the Bimini top.
A Technical Pro-Tip
If you are doing makeshift repairs, do not put screws in rivets. A previous owner did this all around the rub rail, and let me tell you, it was a major pain to get those out. Do it right the first time so the next guy (or you) doesn’t have to fight it later.
Hopefully, by next weekend, the engine parts will be in and we can get back to the mechanical side of this build. For now, it’s back to the buffer and the sandpaper.
Watch the full update here: Boat Oxidation & Floor Removed EP #8