1963 Duratech Neptune - resto

[JoeMan]

New to the site today. Here's just a little show n' tell on the Duratech.

As you can see, she was an ugly thang when we reeled her in. She was a hull and that's about it. Everything was broken or trashed.


Inches of muck, 30 bee hives, dead frogs, algae and scum up the walls, "custom" seats (nice huh), cracked windshield, rotted floor and transom...I could go on...


Here's one of my brother Dean (left) and I as we did some re-engineering. He found her for me and was my main inspiration, as he'd done a dozen of these aluminum restos before this, my first.


Here are just a few taken after she was completed.






Time to get out and use her. My daughter, nephew and me out on Lake St. Clair late this past spring in MI.

[welder]

Joe , Nice job on the redo.

Keep up the good work and WELCOME to the site.

Lester

[dave]

WOW! That is a beautiful restoration.

[Daddy'O]

Nice boat there JoeMan!

Looks like a lot of fun.

Oh, and welcom to AAB!

Wayne

[JoeMan]

Thanks guys, very nice of you. Good to see the aluminum boat site here in it's early days.

[Ironwoodtuna]

Welcome Aboard JoeMan!

Very Nice Restoration Job!

She's a real classic & pretty looking lady now!

1. Did you glass bead the girl or just do it the old fashion way and sand her down naked?

2. How long have you had her painted now?

3. How is the paint holding up?

4. Is she just for pleasure or do you fish her?

marty

[JoeMan]

1. Did you glass bead the girl or just do it the old fashion way and sand her down naked?
2. How long have you had her painted now?
3. How is the paint holding up?
4. Is she just for pleasure or do you fish her?
marty

Marty, I used a medium sand blast media, but the tool used was actually made for masonry sand blasting. It hooked up to a 2000 psi Honda and draws water and sand. Sounds like you've blasted some alloy, and you surely know that some dry media blasting can wave it up. The water keeps the alloy very cool of course...so it stripped the 4 layers of all types of paint off without a single wave or problem for the aluminum.
We used good automotive primer and self leveling paint; painted it in May of 2006. It's holding up perfectly. That velvety finish from the blasting really made for a great surface to receive the primer. I recommend the process highly for those who are going the blast route.
When I take the wife or daughter out, it's pleasure only, which is fine with me. When my brother or Dad come to town...it's a quick cruise and then the crawler harnesses and crappie bait hit the water.

[71Marlin]

JoeMan,

I have a 1971 Duratch Marlin. Decent condition but needs work. The seats need to be re-done and she needs paint. Any advice you can give....?

71Marlin

PS i would post pix but havent figured that out yet!

[JETTYWOLF]

Is Joeman back on here???????

Absentee for a while since joining.

Don't let all the heavy metal shy anyone away. We likes lookin' at them all.