# Ballin on a budget... 01' waterman



## nsbsurfer15 (Jun 2, 2014)

Looking forward to some pictures !


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## FlyFisherK (Jan 27, 2012)

What a tease! Let's see some before pictures.


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

This is all I have at the time. Should of takin a picture of the wiring. Probably been to embarrassed to post it.


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## nsbsurfer15 (Jun 2, 2014)

Looks like it used to be a tiller setup ? If so are you going to keep it side console or convert it back to tiller ?


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Ya it was a tiller. One of the reasons why I had them gut it and rewire from scratch. I'm having my tabs, switches, and 12v plug moved to the console. I was on the fence about going back to a tiller so I let the next good deal on a motor make the decision for me.


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## Lifeaquatic (Jul 18, 2010)

What kind of performance were you seeing with the Yamaha?


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Never GPSed it but right at 30mph WOT. I don't know what pitch prop either and it didn't have a tach. It got on a plain instantly tho. I don't think it was the right prop. Other people have told me 34-35mph with the same motor.


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## hferrell87 (Jan 28, 2013)

Go ahead and get the platform powder coated... Mine turned out really nice. It won't cost too much to have done.


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## Snookdaddy (Jan 5, 2008)

> Go ahead and get the platform powder coated... Mine turned out really nice. It won't cost too much to have done.


My advice is to stay away from P. Coating... The 1st time you nick the coating is the last time you'll ever want it. IMHO


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

^^^ I hear that alot. But it looks so cool. lol My budget is quickly reaching its max so its looking like I'll have more time to think about it.


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## Parrboy (Nov 18, 2012)

Are you allowed to use the term "ballin on a budget" when talking about a hells bay?  nice boat


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

When your 25 working two jobs and spend every spare $ on trying to build your dream skiff, yes. Lol. I have another thread floating around somewhere. Check out my daily driver. I'm the dumb kid that spent 5x more on his skiff than his transportation. What can I say. I got the fever!!!!


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Some pre/during...

With the old F40 (That jack plate looks hideous)









I warned you about the wiring    Not even a fuse panel, all in lines. 









Gutted









Here's where my ballin on a budget comes in. I do not have a lenco brain (Wanted them hard wired.) So using switches was easier and cheaper. My throttle location is mounted way to far forward and I don't want to get into any glass repair right now so I opted to mount the tabs on the other side of the 12v to make it look clean.


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## grovesnatcher (Sep 25, 2007)

It looks good nice and clean. I'm also a budget guy, just took me 20 years of wheelin and dealin to get my boat, so your way ahead of me  when I was 25 I could only afford a leaky bass tracker, but we caught fish, just not as stylin and stealthy. Once I sunk the bass tracker on a flat in the banana river I knew it was time to start upgrading. Man I could have bought a whip for 10k but I only had $4500 so ended up with a old maverick. Got the fever and never looked back, enjoying the friendships and catching fish is the real deal.


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

^^^ Now that's a DOORMAT!!!


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Started the rewire. Hoping to have her back friday but its looking like early next week. Putting a new Odyssey 680 in it too.


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

There goes my budget...








Patched and gelled


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

You know what they always say. "Boats are great investments"


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## hferrell87 (Jan 28, 2013)

Looking good!!


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## Godzuki86 (Nov 30, 2013)

> You know what they always say. "Boats are great investments"


I thought it was "BREAK OUT ANOTHER THOUSAND" lol


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Got the motor hung and had a new piece of aluminum cut and bent for the transome. It's takin longer than expected and have had a few set back. But Tyler is making sure everything is done right as if it was his skiff.


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Picking her up Thursday and I'll take some detailed pics.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

Never thought I would see Waterman and budget in the same sentence. 

Very cool boat. There is something very special about those older HB boats. Maybe one day I'll retire my Ankona and buy myself one.


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## IRLyRiser (Feb 14, 2007)

If Tyler was treating it like his own, he'd take it apart and let it sit for 2 years.


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## IRLyRiser (Feb 14, 2007)

Also, your going to love it.


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

^^^ Funny. Ya he said he almost bought my boat before me just to fish it. I guess he's been rebuilding his Whip for quite some time. He told me his merc dealer called and said he's going to have to start the warranty on his merc in the crate. Guess he's had it for a while and it just sitting there. Never been stated.


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

ItsNotLupus. I wish I had the 10-15k a lot of people have been throwing into these classics. But I just don't have the extra $ at this time in my life. It's probably best. I tend to be hard on my stuff. I guess Ill just fish the $hit out of it for now and pretty her up when I'm a little older and more responsible.


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## Godzuki86 (Nov 30, 2013)

Sorry if I missed it, but why did you ditch the f40? Old? Lots of hours? Weight? Looked to be the olde carbed version.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

> ItsNotLupus. I wish I had the 10-15k a lot of people have been throwing into these classics. But I just don't have the extra $ at this time in my life. It's probably best. I tend to be hard on my stuff. I guess Ill just fish the $hit out of it for now and pretty her up when I'm a little older and more responsible.


I think what you have going is really cool. Bumps and bruises tell a story. If I had one I would make sure it was structurally sound and then fish the hell out of it. These older HB skiffs are beautiful on their own and the history behind them makes them cool, something people are proud to call their own. I believe that things that are used hard are loved even more so than boats that are get babied. 

I compare it to repainting that classic car that's been sitting in a barn for the past 25 or 30 years. You would be doing it an injustice by painting it, the patina tells a story that words can not. Throw a fresh coat of clear on it and let it tell it's own story. If I am ever lucky enough to get my hands on a classic whip I am not so sure I want to make it look like new, not unless it was required to make the boat structurally sound.


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Skeg was cracked, carbs needed to be cleaned, and the trim and tilt needed to be rebuilt. It just didn't seem worth the money to me. I also didn't like having the manual jack plate so it would have been more $ to get the transom built up or have Blue Point build me a riser. All in all I got a newer motor with less hours that was more of what I wanted for not much more money tham fixing my F40


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Got the boat back a few weeks ago. Sorry I didnt post pictures sooner. 

Rewired the whole skiff









New motor (Well new to me)


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Moved all the switches from the back bulkhead to the console. 4 switches a 12v plug and the 2 switches to the right are the trim tabs. As of right now only 2 switches are being used (anchor/NAV lights and bilge pump) But I plan to use the other 2 for under gunnel LEDsand a bubbler within the next few weeks.


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## Lifeaquatic (Jul 18, 2010)

Looking good.


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

She's taking shape nicely!


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## flytyn (Aug 21, 2012)

Yes sir very nice


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## Dillusion (May 21, 2012)

Nice, you got the other 40hp off Tyler's shop wall?

I got the second one he had in Nov of last year....you got the cowling I didn't want from my 1999- I took yours ;D


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

He told me that Matty. THANKS!!!! He said he'll have glasser paint it for me real cheaper. Just waiting to get some more money together so I can have him do some other stuff while it's there.


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

And thanks guys. She's coming together. Going to add some LEDs and a bubbler soon. Then I'm going to fish the hell out of her till next year. Then the plan is to have the top side reawlgripped and the hull sanded and buffed with a few minor gel coat repairs.


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## Reefmaster (Sep 10, 2014)

Are you using the oddesy of 680, what accessories are you using? And what kind of use can you get out of it after a full charge running those accerories?


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## Reefmaster (Sep 10, 2014)

*pc not of


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## Dillusion (May 21, 2012)

> Are you using the oddesy of 680, what accessories are you using? And what kind of use can you get out of it after a full charge running those accerories?


I'm using a PC680 on my Merc 40 + LED navs/bubbler/bilge/12v/tabs and it works just fine.


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

^^^ What he said!!!


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## Reefmaster (Sep 10, 2014)

Sweet, I'll be running two on my skiff, because I plan on having gps, led flood lights under the poling platform for night bridge fishing and a PowerPole micro in addition to the basics(live well,nav lights,bilge, 12v acc., etc). Plus I will only be running an etec 25, which will only be able to prolong battery usage time and not recharge them with the amount of equipment I will have.


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## Dillusion (May 21, 2012)

> Sweet, I'll be running two on my skiff, because I plan on having gps, led flood lights under the poling platform for night bridge fishing and a PowerPole micro in addition to the basics(live well,nav lights,bilge, 12v acc., etc). Plus I will only be running an etec 25, which will only be able to prolong battery usage time and not recharge them with the amount of equipment I will have.


I would just get an Odyssey PC925, then....not two PC680's!


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

> > Sweet, I'll be running two on my skiff, because I plan on having gps, led flood lights under the poling platform for night bridge fishing and a PowerPole micro in addition to the basics(live well,nav lights,bilge, 12v acc., etc). Plus I will only be running an etec 25, which will only be able to prolong battery usage time and not recharge them with the amount of equipment I will have.
> 
> 
> I would just get an Odyssey PC925, then....not two PC680's!


He probably would be fine with just one pc925 but theres one difference between his setup. The etec. Matty your motor is carbd and requires zero battery to start (emergency pullstart). The etec requires at least 9 volts (basically all fuel injected motors) to start because in order to start it has to send voltage to the computer, relays,to the injectors, to the electric fuel pump etc. If you dont have 9ish volts you can turn that sucker over all night (yes it will still turn over but not start at that voltage) and it wont start. The other drawback is that once it is started its not going to charge for crap beacause its using half of its output power which isnt much in the first place, to keep itself running. Thats just the way it is with small motor charging systems. On a carbed motor all of the charge goes to the battery.


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

SFinally stopped being a little girl a drilled a whole in the boat. Wasn't a big fan of putting a hole saw to her. I wish I could of gotten the drain a little closer to the bottem but because of the flange on the mounting bracket I had to move it up a 1/4". Gel coated inside the hole just to be safe. I have to screw it in place this weekend.


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## noahb195 (Oct 18, 2014)

Awesome boat man. Those Hell's Bays have beautiful lines for sure, I tried searching for the thread with your daily driver but couldnt find it. I'm sure its just as nice as the boat!


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

This is my other baby. She's been in tha family since 1992. 

When I first lifted her on 37 swampers.  (Just had to have some knobbies. Even thought she's never seen the mud)









And when I got my head out of my ass on 35 mudterrains. (Yes my parents were right. They will never let me hear the end of this one lol)


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## noahb195 (Oct 18, 2014)

It looks great! They have to look good going down the road together. Sweet rig [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Thanks TailCrazy. She bounced back between my uncle and his father-in-law a couple times before I picked her up for $1600. It has a brand new crate engine installed by sterling chevrolet, new transmission, and new front end from knuckle to knuckle all done within the last 20k miles before I bought her. She had been sitting for about a year so I had to replace the battery and fuel pump to get her going. Then just added some stuff to clean her up and make her mine. (New headliner, headlights, bow ties and emblems all the way around. 3" body lift, 35' cooper discoveries on 15' polished bullet hole wheels, tented the windows, and CD player.) She's been a good weekend truck. If it wasn't for my company car I couldn't afford to drive her though. A solid 7.5mpg with the swampers and around 9-10mpg with the mud-terrains.


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## tomahawk (Mar 9, 2012)

Nice ride! I love that body style. I have a 94 with 112k on it. I wish it was 4wd but it was my grandfathers truck and I'm not getting rid of it. I've had it 10 years. My kids will end up with it one day.


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Damn she almost looks new, super clean. I had a 91' single cab that I sold before going into the military. Kicked myself in the but till I got my Blazer. I don't think I'll ever sell it either. I just love this body style. To me it will never go out of style.


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## Godzuki86 (Nov 30, 2013)

Damn! Y'all driving around in a Buncha hillbilly trucks!!


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Tomahawk
are those rims off of a 454 ss pickup?
That truck ie amazingly clean


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## tomahawk (Mar 9, 2012)

Thanks guys.

I think they are cut, the SS center caps were different though. They came on the truck, it must have been an option on the Silverado package.

Full disclosure, the truck was painted about 2 years ago. The inside looks just as good as the outside though and I decided to go with the clean look with no moldings or badges after the re-paint.


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## GTSRGTSR (Nov 10, 2009)

Dumb question, just for my edification....when you drilled and fitted the drain, did you seal the insides of where you drilled through before you installed the drain?I see a nasty gap in the backside which is going to let water into the core, maybe...


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Yes I put 2 coats of white gel coat my next door neighbor had laying around just to be safe. The hole was in between 1" and 1 1/4" so I just went with a 1 1/4" hole saw and I'm going to use a sh!t load of 5200 to make sure it's sealed up nicely. Then I'm going to do a nice bead around the inside and wipe it smooth with a Qtip.


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## Dillusion (May 21, 2012)

> Dumb question, just for my edification....when you drilled and fitted the drain, did you seal the insides of where you drilled through before you installed the drain?I see a nasty gap in the backside which is going to let water into the core, maybe...


Hell's Bays are made out of closed cell foam, even if he didn't gelcoat it the foam would not soak up any water at all.


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Ya I figured that because the holes that were cut out at the factory on the rear bulkhead for the switches and tabs werent sealed. I really did it to make the hole a smig smaller and just to be safe I guess. How hard is it to switch out my hull drain plug Matty? Is there any drilling involved or do I just pull the old one out and screw the new one in?


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

> Thanks guys.
> 
> I think they are cut, the SS center caps were different though. They came on the truck, it must have been an option on the Silverado package.
> 
> Full disclosure, the truck was painted about 2 years ago. The inside looks just as good as the outside though and I decided to go with the clean look with no moldings or badges after the re-paint.


I like the no emblems look. Super clean. Like I said these are my favorite years. I think this body style is timeless. I wish I had the 95+ interior but I like the pre vortec engine better.


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## Dillusion (May 21, 2012)

> Ya I figured that because the holes that were cut out at the factory on the rear bulkhead for the switches and tabs werent sealed. I really did it to make the hole a smig smaller and just to be safe I guess. How hard is it to switch out my hull drain plug Matty? Is there any drilling involved or do I just pull the old one out and screw the new one in?


You mean the transom drain(s)?

You need to remove the old plastic black drain and screw in/seal with a 5200 a new captured drain.

Before...coated with gelcoat










after installed


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Thanks. How hard is it to get that plastic ring out?


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## Snookdaddy (Jan 5, 2008)

You can pull it out with needle nose pliers...


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Thanks snook daddy. That and wiring a bubbler is my next project


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## Snookdaddy (Jan 5, 2008)

P.S. Ran through the travel lane in the pole and troll zone last Saturday and Sunday and didn't see your friend's push pole. Sorry for his loss!

Feeshing on fly was good! Even with the wind..


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## swampfox (May 9, 2007)

Spruce I have mine out and can text you a pic if you want PM me your number. It's pretty straight forward. It's actually threaded. But the threads are so fine you can pull it out. And Attwood makes the drain. You can get em on a Ebay for $23-33 range.


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## Flycast (Aug 29, 2012)

I'd like to replace my drain plug also, but its the brass tube style and uses the rubber stopper. As easy to do as the plastic ones?


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## swampfox (May 9, 2007)

The brass ones are some times a bit long. So you may be able to tap it from the inside and get it loose. If you use a blunt nose plier. Do it from the left and right side not top or bottom. That way if you scratch your gel. The new drain will cover it. I just fought a large plastic livewell drain on my Guide. I ended up using a sawzall and cutting it in thirds from inside the hole. 5200 can be a bitch sometimes


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Thanks swampfox. And ya the drain I just put in the port rear hatch is an attwood. I got it off amazon. Should of bought 2. Didn't even think to replace my transom drain. I'll have to get another one when I order my 12v bubbler system.


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## Dillusion (May 21, 2012)

> I'd like to replace my drain plug also, but its the brass tube style and uses the rubber stopper. As easy to do as the plastic ones?


There's two ways to do the brass drains, and one way to do the black plastic ones.

The black plastic ones need to be removed and replaced with a 3/4" SS captured drain.

The brass flanged drain tubes need can be left in, and you can install an 5/8 ORCA SS captured drain inside of it without removing the brass tube. OR you can tap/hammer out the brass drain and replace with a 3/4" captured SS drain.

Problem is finding an ORCA drain plug. The company was bought out and I dont know if they continued making them. I was able to get them up until summer of 2013....


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Thanks Matty. I've never really paid attention to which one I have. I'm guessing the plastic one. Does Attwood make a 3/4"?I think the one I just got for my rear locker is a 7/8" but I could be wrong.


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## mwolaver (Feb 6, 2014)

I've got more than my share of experience with this drain issues. My '02 waterman suffered. With help from Snookdaddy and Jonathan, I replaced it with the stainless garboard and sealed the hole with 5200. My particular problem was that it had been leaking around the plastic sleeve for quite a while before I bought the skiff. The transom foam was fairly saturated with stinky saltwater. I tried a bunch of methods to dry out that foam; I did not want to drill or open up the transom. Long story short, it took a long, long time for the water to stop dripping. By the way, quick-cure 5200 will cure in proximity to water....... Mark


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