# Cobia SunSkiff 177 Rebuild



## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

Well the fiance and I had been in town for one entire week without a boat and that just wasn't right!  Got in touch with Capt. Dan who was graciously holding the SunSkiff for us and we picked it up on Saturday.  Beautiful drive across the state through the cane fields and small towns that truly are Florida! We arrived at Capt's place mid-afternoon, looked over the boat, chatted, traded pieces of paper, hooked up the boat, and cruised on home.  The ride was great heading back and the trailer performed admirably considering its looks!

Well we got home with the boat about 7pm and immediately ran into a problem... The trailer is 2" wider than the garage door, oops. So right now it is sitting in the parking lot but I have a plan to get her inside. The tires are sticking out about 8" on either side of the trailer so they are coming off and the trailer will ride in the garage on dollies until it is time to swap trailers and splash.

So far the boat is what we expected except the transom: it will probably have to be replaced, it appears spongy. Capt said he stood on the motor and got no flex but the motor bolts/nuts/washers have the transom compressed more than I think it should be. Otherwise the floors have to go, including the front deck and rear boxes. The console and flip back seat will be removed and refurbished. I like the design of the seat, it has a nice oval well for a bait well and the console is overall okay for now. Oh and it has a nice built in poly fuel tank in between the stringers behind and under the flip seat.  

The dimensions are all on paper and now it's time to start sourcing materials and tools. Hopefully the rebuild will start in the next two weeks and by Halloween the boat will be ready for the water.

Here is a direct link to Photobucket and a few to get y'all started!

http://s37.photobucket.com/user/OuCns/library/Cobia SunSkiff 177 Rebuild


----------



## Andrewp (Jul 23, 2010)

You definitely have yourself a project there, sir! 

What's the order of business? What gets worked on first?


AP


----------



## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

You're going to make me double type everything, aren't you AP? ;D

First order of business is to get the motor running, would love to drop it on a stand at CutRunners place and bring the boat home to start work but that's just selfish. Haha.

This is my work plan:

1) Removing all of the wiring
2) Remove & save console & seat
3) Cut out rear boxes, floor, and front deck
4) Inspect and possibly replace transom
4a) Inspect, clean, and re-install fuel tank
4b) Foam undersole
5) Install new sole/front deck
6) Install new rear boxes & splashwell
7) Fill and fair console & seat (this will be ongoing upon removal)
8) Remove bottom paint
9) Fill & fair hull
10) Paint - Epoxy primer hull and Brighsides on Interior
11) Rewire boat
12) Go fish!

The stringers seem sound, they appear to be thick - heavy box stringers made of fiberglass and foam filled. The inside edge of the stringers is exposed in the bilge - knocking it on sounds solid; let us all pray the stringers are good!


----------



## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Looks good.
Your going to replace the floor and transom, redo some wiring before halloween?
Ambition!, I like it
Haha
Just pullin ya chain.
How are you with fiberglass?


----------



## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

Well I let SWMBO that it will take two months of many long hours in the garage! So lets hope I have any skin left once the boat is done... But in reality if I can get in 10-12 hours per week I imagine it will go quickly.

Have not worked with fiberglass much in the past but between all of the other building projects I've got under my belt, glass shouldn't be too bad. Build some speaker boxes, bolt on casting deck for the old 'noe, and my fishing rods & handles.


----------



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

It is hard to find info on these types of boats. Is it possible that the 177 is the newer version of the 156?


----------



## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

Not sure FC. Going to reach out to Mav/Hewes/Pathy/Cobia to see if they have any info on these old boats.

Questions for the gallery - does anyone have experience with the Harbor Freight Oscillating MultiTool? Kind of want to buy the Fein or Bosch but for 1/4 of the price the HF unit looks reasonable. I figure it will come in handy for cutting out the existing stuff, scrap out the old transom wood, and precision cuts as needed.


----------



## Recidivists (May 9, 2011)

Yeah, I saw the coupon for $35. I am thinking about getting the variable speed one from HF.

I bought the Fein as a Christmas present for a working friend. It is everything you would expect, an excellent tool. I doubt any other brand could match it, but I won't be using it much. Beware cheap blades from HF. Fein had the best blades, followed by Bosch. I'm not familiar with the HF head. You might have to buy an adapter for different brand blades.


----------



## Recidivists (May 9, 2011)

I just talked myself out of the HF. CPO had 2 open box quick-in Feins (tool only for $139).


----------



## Capt Dan Medina (Apr 28, 2008)

is it strange that I actually miss seeing her when I walk out the door in the morning? looking forward to the rebuild pics and glad you guys had a safe trip. 
- Dan


----------



## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

I have a $20 some odd one from HF. Has worked great for the last year.


----------



## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

Dan - Thanks! She is a sweet hull, I can believe it!

Just bought the variable speed multi tool from Harbor Freight, should start the tear down this weekend. Hopefully I can get all of the sole, deck, and boxes out in one day. Gonna marathon this bad boy when I have the time!


----------



## TidewateR (Nov 11, 2009)

> Hopefully the rebuild will start in the next two weeks and by Halloween the boat will be ready for the water.


This was my favorite part  Looking forward to see the dust fly on this one! Keep us posted


----------



## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

Well got the old girl into the garage last night.  Had to remove the tires and whole axle assembly. Rusted arse old bolts were are pita to get off but penetrating fluid, cussing and a cheater bar got it all moving.  Built a makeshift dolly system to get the rear of the boat into the garage; two furniture dolleys, a scrap sheet of plywood, 2x6's, a 4x4, and two car jacks give you this:



Closer look:



The demo fun will start tomorrow, but tonight is a well deserved trip to the Square Grouper for my fiance since she is putting up with my shenanigans! ;D


----------



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Nice! Can you measure from the old stain line to get a rough draft on her?


----------



## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

FC it's about 11" from the stain line to the bottom of the transom. However that boat was not well balanced; fuel tank behind/under flip seat, battery in back, free flow bait boxes that probably held water, and the transom is water logged. Basically it was seriously stern heavy. I'm guessing it will be about 8" once I get done with it.

I don't know how much the hull weighs right now, spec'd at 700lbs from the factory but with the water logged sole and transom it's probably closer to 1k. The rear won't even budge when I try to lift it, without the motor!


----------



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Good deal, you gonna have it weighed when it's all done?

What is your material build plan? Foam core, Marine ply?


----------



## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

> Good deal, you gonna have it weighed when it's all done?
> 
> What is your material build plan? Foam core, Marine ply?


More than likely I will weigh it, mainly out of curiosity.

Sole, frames, boxes, and bulkheads will be 3/8" marine ply covered with 9oz woven or maybe biax. Transom will be two layers of 3/4" marine ply with a few layers of 1708, have not determined the lamination schedule for that yet. All resin will be epoxy.

Exterior will be a very basic finish, probably just primer for the time being. Interior will get roughly faired, System 3 Primer and System 3 top coat in Whidbey or Bainbridge white on the veritical surfaces and kiwi grip grey on the flat surfaces.

FC - How is the Brightsides holding up? 

Again, going for work boat type finish. This will be a work in progress. I want to get on the water ASAP so the finishes will be touched up as time goes on.


----------



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

The brightsides is holding up well, only damage is where it's been smashed into encrusted seawalls and pilings. The Epoxy/graphite coating on the bottom is holding up great, I've beached on oyster bars and it barely scratches it.

On the next project I'll definitely coat the bottom again. However I'll probably try a different topcoat, maybe perfection instead for added durability cause the next boat I'll be keeping long term.


----------



## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

Well change of plans. The Cobia has been sold as there were noise complaints after a very short period of cutting out the floor. Along with the noise complaints, upon removal of the floor more work was revealed than I was willing to take on.

But the Cobia dream is not dead! Found a good looking one down in Miramar that seems to be water ready. Going to look at it on Sunday, will update Sunday night!


----------



## Hotwire (9 mo ago)

Gramps said:


> Well the fiance and I had been in town for one entire week without a boat and that just wasn't right! Got in touch with Capt. Dan who was graciously holding the SunSkiff for us and we picked it up on Saturday. Beautiful drive across the state through the cane fields and small towns that truly are Florida! We arrived at Capt's place mid-afternoon, looked over the boat, chatted, traded pieces of paper, hooked up the boat, and cruised on home. The ride was great heading back and the trailer performed admirably considering its looks!
> 
> Well we got home with the boat about 7pm and immediately ran into a problem... The trailer is 2" wider than the garage door, oops. So right now it is sitting in the parking lot but I have a plan to get her inside. The tires are sticking out about 8" on either side of the trailer so they are coming off and the trailer will ride in the garage on dollies until it is time to swap trailers and splash.
> 
> ...


Are there small holes on the very top in that tray behind the motor that drain down to where the bilge pump is? Or is there just one 3/4 in hole that goes out to the transom in the middle where the motor is. Mine has two small half inch holes one in each corner but I believe somebody put those there just trying to confirm if I need to patch


----------



## Nate38 (4 mo ago)

dang!


----------

