# HB Whipray 17.8 Tunnel



## Ckirk57 (Sep 27, 2009)

Well I have had an interesting week, I found a 2002 Hell's Bay Whipray 17.8 side console tunnel a few months ago and tried to buy but the owner would not budge off the price. I just so happened to be going through some old pictures on my phone and saw it and I thought I'd call him to see if he still had it. He did and this time we were able to make a deal. I bought the boat on Tuesday and put my 2006 Waterman 16 on the market and sold it the very same day. It was a tough decision to sell the Waterman ( I really wanted to keep both but I got nervous about all the money I was spending) and its now going to a new home in SC. The Whipray needs to be restored and I'm going to get started on it this weekend. For now here are the "before pictures".
























































































I've got big plans for this boat so stay tuned.


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## AfterHours2 (Aug 2, 2010)

Staying tuned for the restore. But, the boat looks pretty nice from my house


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

Awesome! I would love to do this. The Whipray is my favorite skiff.


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## stasponge31 (Apr 24, 2012)

That is an absolute gorgeous skiff! Congratulations! Can't wait to see the restoration


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## Ckirk57 (Sep 27, 2009)

Thanks guys, I'm going to pull the engine off tomorrow and get started!


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## Guest (Dec 22, 2012)

Who is going to do the restoration? In the last year I know of two 17.8 Whiprays, 16' Whipray and a 16' Waterman all had the tunnel filled in. I would look into why everyone is doing this besides the obvious(draft). Three were built in 2002 and one in 2001. 

You found a Perfect one to re-store.


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## Dillusion (May 21, 2012)

I would never fill in the tunnel even for a fl skiff. Plenty here who would though!


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## Sheremeta (Nov 29, 2010)

Nice find. Your waterman was nice too.


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## HialeahAngler (Dec 18, 2008)

Restore? looks great to me! lol.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

Sweet, Vented Tunnel. I like it.


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

I've got the same rig, 2001 with a 2011 60 Yamaha 4s....one hell of a skiff!

Get yourself some SoftScub with bleach, Bar Keepers friend and some new cushions and she'll look good as new.  I had Tyler at Castaway rip out the under gunnel carpets and replace with new black SeaDek and it looks killer.....good luck.  I know you're gonna love that thang!


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## Ckirk57 (Sep 27, 2009)

I've been working steady on it when I'm not actually at work. I've been struggling with getting the under gunnel carpet off so I can take it to Tyler.


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## Ckirk57 (Sep 27, 2009)

I also took the engine off the other day.


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## AfterHours2 (Aug 2, 2010)

One Hell of an engine hoist you have there. i can tell this isn't your first rodeo. Good luck and keep the pics comin..


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Lol i was about to saythe same thing


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## Ckirk57 (Sep 27, 2009)

Thanks, I got the hoist from a rock mine and I could not live without it. Over the next two weeks I'm hoping to get allot of work done. I've been ordering tons of parts and I'm just waiting on the UPS man!


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## Ckirk57 (Sep 27, 2009)

I worked on the boat all weekend and got allot done. I managed to finally get all the carpet off, put some new wheels and tires on the trailer, welded on a spindle to the winch stand and mounted the spare wheel/tire and hub, installed a new odyssey battery and made a custom stern light mount out of aluminum and welded it to the polling platform, the stern light is a LED Atwood.


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## Ckirk57 (Sep 27, 2009)

I made it over to Castaway Customs to get some SeaDek and then made a stop at Hell's Bay for some new stickers. I also managed to get the engine put back on the boat this weekend.


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## Dillusion (May 21, 2012)

I just saw the photo he put on facebook of your teak seadek...I'm going in next week to get it done to mine.


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## Ckirk57 (Sep 27, 2009)

I finally got around to taking some pictures. Everything is basically done with just a few odds and ends left. I got to run the boat for the first time this weekend too! I was glad to see that it polls just a shallow as my Waterman 16 and runs right up to 40mph solo. Prop is a Mercury Vengeance 3bl 13p with major cup to it. And yes those are alligator seats.


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## Ckirk57 (Sep 27, 2009)




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## BayStYat (Sep 12, 2012)

no words.


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## Ckirk57 (Sep 27, 2009)

THANKS!

















Special Thanks to my father who was a major factor in the restoration. He's beside me in the boat in this picture. I'm pretty luck to live across the street from him and all of his tools, cranes and welders. This is the first boat that I've bought that he would actually work on because he is a Mercury man and all my other boats were Tohatsu's. LOL


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## Dillusion (May 21, 2012)

Any reason the teak SD is going two different directions on the platform and cockpit?


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## Ckirk57 (Sep 27, 2009)

Tyler said it looks funny the other way. I agree


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## JBMitziSkiff (Nov 2, 2012)

Looks good! Seats are just as pretty as my Caiman boots!


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## Shadowcast (Feb 26, 2008)

Wow that is pretty!


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

You done the old girl proud...congrats!


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## TC (Feb 15, 2011)

Beautiful! Nice work.


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## AfterHours2 (Aug 2, 2010)

Boat came out killer. I actually saw it last week at Castaway while I was there. The gunnels were still covered in glue and they were working on it. What a difference the seadek made. I got the titanium teak but liked the looks of yours also..


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## Snookdaddy (Jan 5, 2008)

Kirk,

Nice work on you new skiff!

What size wheels and tires do you have on your trailer? It looks like they're either 13" or 14"...


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## Guest (Jan 29, 2013)

Wow! Skiff turned out awesome minus those Rims! ;D


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## Ckirk57 (Sep 27, 2009)

14" Wheels.


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## acraft1720 (Jul 31, 2012)

Looks great man I think a good friend of mine bought your 16 recently, he's loving the boat. You keeping this one or selling?


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## Ckirk57 (Sep 27, 2009)

No plans on selling anytime soon unless i see another that I like.


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## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)

Wow! Nice Job!


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## rdgregg (Dec 27, 2012)

sick sick sick sick!!!!! love it man!


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## commtrd (Aug 1, 2015)

Beautiful! Nice to be able to do your own work. Noticed the tunnel is a lot different on the older boats than they are now. Much wider and shallower. Finally got to see a picture of the older tunnels to compare. I wonder if they changed the tunnel on the new boats to provide better draft? Supposedly the older tunnel did not increase draft substantially and some say it did Chris Morejohn said it didn't increase draft much at all. Interesting thanks for posting up all the pictures. Great job!


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Very nice boat. Love the jack plate and tabs. Is the PP platform raised to accommodate the engine


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