My 87 Crest II Project

I've decided to get a pontoon boat, in January I moved into a new home and now live on a chain of lakes that has almost 9000 acres of navigable water. My budget didn't allow very much and I've been looking since last fall. Then two weeks ago I found what I felt was a great opportunity. The Crest II with 24' toons and a 20' deck. It had no pontoon furniture except a new captains counsel. The deck and carpet was shot, but the aluminum pontoons and aluminum rails all seemed very good, just in need of a good scrubbing, It came with a trailer, new cover, new steering controls, new lighting, and about $700 in fishing graphs, and the motor ran fine, a 35hp Force. Not my favorite make but had very few hours on it. The person I bought it from got it last year from an estate and it had just sat outside un covered from the last owner for the last 25 years. He had the motor gone over and was looking forward to getting some good use out of it. Until medical problems left him needing some cash. I picked it up for $1500. Now to totally rebuild it.

The first day drove 120 miles each way to get it home and in my garage. Got off the railings and the aluminum edging on all four sides. That's all the time I had yesterday. Today I got the captain's counsel off and all the flooring removed to the back of my pickup to take to the dump. Now I want to clean the pontoons, I got some JJV's Best but it looks like rain everyday this week till the weekend so I'll have to wait till then, I dint want to do that in the garage. So this week I can start scrubbing away on the rails n sides. That I can do inside the garage.

I ordered the carpet kit from PS and can get the wood locally. Hopefully I can get that down next weekend. Still a bit cold here in Northern Wisconsin, but I have a heated garage so I can bring up the temperature that I need for the blue to set up properly. Can't use it anyway there's still ice on the lakes. After the carpets down ill order a new interior, Bimini Top, and ladder from PS. And get them installed.

As soon as I figure how to post pictures I will post some as I progress.

Wish me luck, at 67 yrs old this ain't easy anymore.

Edited by Jim Myers - 04/10/2017 at 4:48pm

Hi.  Welcome to the forum.  You say you can get the wood for the deck locally.  What kind of plywood?  It should be CCA Marine Plywood.  Looks like a good project.

Awesome start OLDTIMER! I just went through a rebuild last year. I hope to put her in the water for the first time in the next couple of weeks....Lot's of tips in my rebuild thread if you have the time....

Edited by curtiscapk - 04/28/2014 at 9:00am

Coming along nice. Keep the pictures coming.

Well i got a break in the rain and pulled the Toon out of the garage to get years of scum off the pontoons.  I used JJV"s Best.  I was really pleased on how easy it worked in combination with a powerful power washer.  I stacked the 5 sheets of plywood and tomorrow im going to treat the edges only with fiberglass resin.  A tip i got from a friend that worked restoring and repairing them for years at a pontoon rental place in town.  I got the paint ordered for the repaint of the Captains Counsle and all attachments removed, now just sand and shoot when it warms up a bit or ill ust turn on the heat in the garage.  Its beige color just dont cut it with the gray/navy blue im redoing the interior in.

Edited by Jim Myers - 09/24/2014 at 12:47pm

looks great!

Oh man that will be tough to do alone! I tried doing the carpet alone on my 24 ftr! Don't do it I barely was able to get everything done by myself. I was at the lake all alone though so I didn't mind.

Dang man you are a monster!

Well I put the rails on the plywood so I could get exact measurements. Made one modification from my original layout. Kicked one armrest and added a Lay back on the front seating, port side as it has no door. Placed the order seats, Bimini, ladder rear Bimini light. The radio arrived today, I'm going with 4 6 1/2" speakers, new 12 gal tank and line is on the way. Still a lot to be done. Almost 10:30 and I'm bushed, have been up since 4am. Was in the garage working on her at 6am coffee in hand. I'm real lucky to have a real deep 3 car garage. My car and truck in the drive, as is my fishing boat. I keep my sons car in the garage as he is in Afghanistan right now. But just before I put the toon in the garage I backed my fishing boat in to get it ready. I don't back up as good as I use to, can't turn all the way around, and backed the boat motor into the rear left quarter of his car. So it's in the body shop $5800 damage. You see it under a cover in some early pictures. It's a 67 Camaro convertible. We restored it together about 4 years ago. At least I have more room now

Edited by Jim Myers - 09/24/2014 at 12:48pm

nice process and beautiful place!!

looks great! check your pm...

I got the carpet glued and edges stapled today.  also the 12 gal fuel tank came in, it fits nice.