Restoration on my Novurania

[ocgrant]

Pulled the dinghy last week, got a new tube and now doing some more upgrades. Even got the wifey involved doing a fresh coat of paint. Already finished rebuilding the bottom end, and a complete service of the Yamaha 50. Very excited this thing is looking great again… Time for some new upholstery next

 

[RBB]

Pulled the dinghy last week, got a new tube and not doing some more upgrades. Even got the wifey involved doing a fresh coat of paint. Already finished rebuilding the bottom end, and a complete service of the Yamaha 50. Very excited this thing is looking great again…View attachment 116760View attachment 116761View attachment 116762View attachment 116763

Geez, looks very nice sir!

 

[Stee6043]

Looks awesome. You leave that guy in the water I assume? I can't say I've ever seen a bottom-painted dinghy around my parts.

 

[Shaps]

Grant, guess you are keeping it?

 

[Havana Shamrock]

Nice love the flooring we have a 360 with very low use I may consider doing the same. Minus the bottom paint…

 

[ocgrant]

Looks awesome. You leave that guy in the water I assume? I can't say I've ever seen a bottom-painted dinghy around my parts.

So back in Cali when I bought this thing used in 2007 it was kept in the water but with a liner. Moved to FL and put it in the water up the river so mainly fresh but no liner as it wouldn’t work in this spot. Had it cleaned with the boat. Now fast forward to today. Picked up a lift for the dinghy, installed it last week. I pressure washed it hoping to remove all the bottom paint and buff it but after years of paint and abuse it is clear I need to have it sanded and re gel coated. Since right now I have so many other things going on it is not the time to tackle this so I decided just to put a fresh coat of paint on it so at least it looks good. This time I made sure not to paint the new tubes so at some point I can sand the bottom and make it look new again. Plus the wifey misses her dinghy in the water as we take that thing everywhere around Ft Liquordale on weekends. Looks great for a 1998 model year and now getting new upholstery hopefully this week as I was told by the admiral it has to be in the water for New Years Eve night out.

 

[techmitch]

So back in Cali when I bought this thing used in 2007 it was kept in the water but with a liner. Moved to FL and put it in the water up the river so mainly fresh but no liner as it wouldn’t work in this spot. Had it cleaned with the boat. Now fast forward to today. Picked up a lift for the dinghy, installed it last week. I pressure washed it hoping to remove all the bottom paint and buff it but after years of paint and abuse it is clear I need to have it sanded and re gel coated. Since right now I have so many other things going on it is not the time to tackle this so I decided just to put a fresh coat of paint on it so at least it looks good. This time I made sure not to paint the new tubes so at some point I can sand the bottom and make it look new again. Plus the wifey misses her dinghy in the water as we take that thing everywhere around Ft Liquordale on weekends. Looks great for a 1998 model year and now getting new upholstery hopefully this week as I was told by the admiral it has to be in the water for New Years Eve night out.

Looks great. Would mind elaborating on the new tube(s).

 

[ocgrant]

Grant, guess you are keeping it?

Well…yes. This is where it gets complicated. As you know I am planning my trips to the Bahamas and this year both Abacos and Exumas I need a dinghy to get around as it is too shallow for the 48 to get to the “cool” places. I was looking at getting a “smaller” dinghy to fit on my Hurley rig since my 48 does not have the hydraulic swim platform. But for a new Highfield outfitted they way I want is $20k. I have been looking at used 11 footers and they are all junk for the money. My Novurania is a 430 so it is big and fits the whole family plus. I was planning on keeping it anyway as we always fill it and cruise in it around here going to dinner with friends every weekend on the ICW as it fits up to 7 peeps max. Now I am thinking again after investing in cleaning this one up again to just bite the bullet and buy the Sea Lift I was looking at during the boat show. The Novurania is a little big for the Sea Ray but would work and definitely be ideal for my upcoming trips to explore as there is 5 of us plus 2 dogs and a parrot . Admiral actually said it yesterday that I am crazy looking for a second dinghy just buy the lift… God bless her if she only new it is 30k… lol

 

[ocgrant]

Looks great. Would mind elaborating on the new tube(s).

Yes technically it is a tube but the term is always tubes. So the tube on all inflatables is replaceable. If it is a center console it usually makes financial sense to do it. A new tube for my boat is upwards of $10k for a factory one or $5k for a custom one from a shop around here. So a buddy who runs a shop here and has helped me in the past with a leaking valve calls me to tell me that he got a tube from a Novurania boat like mine if I want it for $2k installed. It came from some mega yacht tender that the owner bought new in 2020 but wanted his tube to be grey and match his yacht better. So he removed it which is easy and wanted to sell it. He knew I was in need of a new tube so called me. I got a deal and he made a few bucks. Both of us are happy!!!

 

[ocgrant]

So 50+ hours later

• Rebuilt lower end seals and bearings
• New water pump
• New spark plugs
• New prop
• New fuel lines
• New flooring
• New upholstery
• New tube
• New fuel gauge
• New under water lights
• New deck lights
• New bottom paint
• Buffed interior fiberglass
• Filled some old holes with glass and gel coat
• New Fusion stereo system
• 
  Going to launch tomorrow because the wifey wants to go see Christmas lights. I still have parts coming to finish more stuff
• Carb rebuild kits on backorder
• New switches for the panel
• New leds for the panel
• Still looking for a deal on a newer motor…tired of carbs…
  
  
  

 

[techmitch]

Looks sharp, great job.

 

[tc410]

@ocgrant that looks fantastic! Not to mention your connection on the tube set. That’s too good to be true!

 

[ocgrant]

Great day dinghy cruising in 80 degree south Florida. Got her home on her new lift

 

[carterchapman]

Great thread! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Bob Holser]

So 50+ hours later

• Rebuilt lower end seals and bearings
• New water pump
• New spark plugs
• New prop
• New fuel lines
• New flooring
• New upholstery
• New tube
• New fuel gauge
• New under water lights
• New deck lights
• New bottom paint
• Buffed interior fiberglass
• Filled some old holes with glass and gel coat
• New Fusion stereo system
• 
  Going to launch tomorrow because the wifey wants to go see Christmas lights. I still have parts coming to finish more stuff
• Carb rebuild kits on backorder
• New switches for the panel
• New leds for the panel
• Still looking for a deal on a newer motor…tired of carbs…
  View attachment 117221 View attachment 117222

NICE JOB! Looks great.

 

[ocgrant]

Finally got my custom mount back from HiTide boat lifts so I could remove my temp mount and be able to swing the boat around to clean and maintain. Got it installed and all wired up. Very happy

 

[brewster16]

Grant do you own or rent the seawall and slip?

 

[ocgrant]

My friend owns 3 slips in this little marina (14 slips) and is incharge of the whole co-op. I rent from him and do most of the facility maintenance and upgrades with him. It is older and he is the only owner that still has a boat in the marina. It is a hidden little gem of a place right on the New River very well protected from storms.