1985 Hydrodyne 20 I/O Restoration....

Thought I'd start at the begining with a link picasa web to the pictures of boat # 2 of maybe 7 Hydrodyne 20 inboard/outboards ever built. These were the pics at the time of purchase in April 2012.

https://picasaweb.google.com/103493629086672686443/1985Hydrodyne20IOBeforeRestoration#

A lot has happened since the initial purchase but the clock keeps going forward so I thought I'd start somewhere, even if after the fact. Restoration pics to follow. This is my third hydrodyne with 1973 and 1975 i/o's in the past 16 years.

KevinB
Brookfield, WI

 

Very interested in seeing the restoration pictures and hearing some of the problems you had. My 83 I/O is still in good condition but it won't last for ever. But I said that 15 years ago and it's still going strong.

Vann Owens
Birmingham, AL

We had a little snow down here Tuesday and the whole town is shut down.

 

Hey Van:

Good to hear from you. Sounds like the southern reaches got a bit of the winter weather this past week. It's been brutal up here through January 2014 and I have questioned why I commit to being on the snow for coaching in these conditions. I still have commitments at 4 nights/1 day a week for the next three weeks but took some time tonight to resize the dissembly and start of the restoration phase of the 1985 (the link is included below).

I did not add a narrative (no time at this point) but would be more than happy to address questions for those that are looking to go through a stringer and floor replacement. If you search for the HD 20 i/o, I explained the levels that it took to bring the gelcoat back to this level. Seven steps and very labor intensive, if the hull is worth doing.

The floor, stringers, transom, and (to some extent) engine stringers on this boat were jeprodized to water intrusion, but not the balsa core or the pylon base (go figure). Will post a link to pics of the transom replacement next when time permits.

https://picasaweb.google.com/103493629086672686443/HD20IODissemblyFloorReplacement#

Take care,

Kevin-

 

Attached is another photo album that I call "Two Steps Forward". the pics were taken with my smart phone so they are the greatest, the last pic is a teaser of what this boat has become. Captioned are the new gauges and carling switches, the trailer in bunks rather than rollers, some shots of the outdrive. the Mercruiser ourdive looks like hell and the aluminum transom plate lost an anode bolt to corrosion which prompted me to buy a new plate. you can see where I dug my fingernail into the aluminum, not good. This discovery prompted me to purchase a new transom plate.... which lead to the replacement of the boats entire transom (which will be posted with the next batch of pics). I started detailing the engine compartment in flat black and discovered the Fglass deflection/delamination in the transom, and pulled the plug. At least the pedistals were going to be salvaged. I included a before and after side by side of one of the seat pedistals un touched and the other after using a brass brush on a drill and then applying two coats of clearcoat. The last photo is a teaser.

Here is the Link.


https://picasaweb.google.com/103493629086672686443/HD20IOTwoStepsForward#

 

This album I titled "Three Steps Backward". The pictures in this album are from a year ago and when resizing, I remembered what a PITA it was to get the old transom out in the dead of winter. With the moisture in the wood, it was harder to remove and I had no means to keep the garage heated 24/7. We did some exploratory cores which show the water intrusion in the transom but not so bad in the engine stringers. I choose to replace the transom ( for obvious reasons) and the stringers to remove any future "?" marks and make it easier to install the transom from the inside of the hull. I did the "heavy lifting" regarding the removal of the old rotted tramsom and the constuction of the new plywood transom to save a few $$ but it still was expensive. The guys at Great Lakes Marine did the transom work and were exceptional to work with.

The link is attached below.
https://picasaweb.google.com/103493629086672686443/ThreeStepsBack#
Kevin-

 

Kevin thanks for sharing the pictures of your hard work. Looking forward to pictures of the finish product. I'm having to remove and reattach my ski platform this winter but no big deal.

thanks
Vann Owens

 

WOW!!! That is going to be REALLY nice when it's done! What ever happened to that 18 you had? That was an awesome boat too! Keep the pictures coming! If you're ever in the Dallas Ft Worth area make sure to flag me! My email address in inharmonydean@aol.com Take care and say hi to Carrie for me!

 

Attached is another photo series for the outdrive make-over. I got a bad batch of zinc chromate primer which had solvent bleed-through early on and had to do the process twice (self-etching my ass). Aluminum is a really PITA to put a coat of paint on. Did do an acid etch prior and wipe down with Isopropanol (rubbing alcohol). This was from last spring. The redo of ski-deck pics to follow.

Here is the link.
https://picasaweb.google.com/103493629086672686443/TheHD20IOOutdriveMakeOver#

Kevin-

 

Hey Dean:

I sold the 18 i/o last fall to a gentleman in Avon, CO in October 2013 (not enough storage space here in WI). It was a super reliable rig and I tried to keep it as original as possible for the past 15 years. Came into the garage in 1998 with minimal issues and kept it up from there. If they are taken care of these hulls really are a great starter kit or family ski platform.

Don't find myself in TX very often but do have an office in Dallas, so will keep in touch.

Kevin-

 

My winter commitments have lightened up a bit so I took the time this morning to find, download, and resize the pics of the ski deck replacement from last summer. Out with the old and in with the new in the case of the old deck, it was beyond restoring. The deck was reconstructed out of ipe which is a Brazilian hardwood and very durable. It also resembles teak which I added back to hull (pics will follow soon).

Attached is the link:

https://picasaweb.google.com/103493629086672686443/SkiDeckReplacement#

Kevin-