# 1996 Classic Gheenoe Build " Water Strider"



## Guest (Jun 24, 2009)

Thanks for all the help from everyone. I took a lot of other members idea's and used some of my own. Brett, thanks for answering all my PM's! You are the " Man with All the Answers"!  I started out buying the "Full Deck Gheenoe" which Joe W. had made from a guy Joe had sold it to.  It had all the things I wanted: 2003 Mercury 15 2 stroke, Electric JP, Carbon casting platform, Stiffy Push pole and so on. I launched the boat three times before my wife and I decided that this lay-out was not going to work for the plans we had for her.    SORRY JOE!  This was the first time I had ever done anything boat related let alone fiberglass, hull painting and trailer re-build. I think the layout works real well for us.

This was what I got:


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2009)

First thing was to pull the deck off and try to re-use as much stuff as possible. The blue paint was in poor shape as was the trailer.

I then cut-out the live well,  front seat hump and sanded the boat what seemed for days.


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2009)

I put in a 3 gallon tank with 1 gallon reserve located up front and fixed the four holes that were cut through the hull (two bilge, fuel vent and live well). Sanded and re-painted the outside. Completely broke down the trailer and re-built it from the ground up. New wheels, hubs, springs, buddy bearings, u-bolts, bunks and LED lights. I painted some Galvanizing spray I could only find in Melbourne and painted the rims black with a clear coat.


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2009)

After that I cut and glassed the underside of 1/2" Marine plywood for the front deck and false floor. This is where my wife started to get interested and help build the rest of the boat now that all the dirty stuff was out of the way.


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2009)

It was then time to Glass in the front deck, false floor, exposed foam and other places. I used Interlux bilge coat for under the front deck, under the false floor and rear bilge area of the boat and start priming.


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2009)

After priming the inside, two coats of Tuff Coat were added to the front deck, middle section of the boat and top of the stern. A front hatch was installed where the 3 gallon tank, spare 1 gallon, PFD's, other stuff is stored. The front casting platform was cut down 4" and Sea Deck was installed. The rear poling platform was made from foam cored fiberglass, marine plywood and PVC and fitted with Sea Deck. I installed a cooler with tie downs which stores all our tackle and such. Went up to Gheenoe and had them install new rub rails, nose cap(will paint black) and push pole holders. The electrical was kept simple. JP switch, front Navigation light, (rear LED navigation light suction cup to motor) bilge pump, 12v outlet and maybe future LED lights. The wires and fuel line were run under the false floor. A tiny tach was installed(still not working).


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2009)

After the boat was done and we took it out a few times. It was time to head down to Flamingo for 6 days and see if my work had been a success or would the boat fall apart. My wife and I had camped at Middle Cape last April so we decided to do it again. BIG MISTAKE! With all the deet, thermocells, mosquito netting and such the bugs were too much. When Jan talked about the bugs at the boat ramp Fathers day (I guess he has never really been around bugs)LOL. I have been all over the world but, when you bend over to pick-up some fire wood and a few hundred mosquitos are biting you on every exposed body part and your only way out is to swim in the water where a few moments before Crocs and sharks were just sighted, its time to leave!!!!! We spent the next four nights at the Flamingo campground where as long as you were in the tent before sundown it felt like The Four Seasons Hotel. We had a great time after the first night. Caught a few dozen redfish, snook, jacks and had lots of shots at small tarpon on Snake Bight and huge ones just out-side East Cape canal.

First fish on the boat( we jumped a bunch of Tarpon the afternoon before).










Shark action






































Our new found freedom


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## Tom_C (Dec 10, 2006)

Looks Great [smiley=1-beer-german.gif]


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## B.Lee (Apr 29, 2008)

Great transformation man! She looks real good.


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

Looks great! I love the new look much better.

Flamingo, gotta love that place. The skeeters haven't been that bad. As much as people talk about them, I expected them to be worse. The only place they bother is at the ramp, and it's not AS bad as I expected. The horse flies, that's a different story. Whitewater Bay is horrible right now with the bugs though. Out front it's like they're not even there.


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## Un-shore (Sep 27, 2007)

THUD! 

Thats the sound of me falling off my chair knocked out by the work you did! 

Great job and great catchin'!

[smiley=bravo.gif]


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## OSWLD (Apr 20, 2008)

well you did an awesome job. its hard to believe tat was your first rebuild, turned out great!


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2009)

> well you did an awesome job. its hard to believe tat was your first rebuild, turned out great!


Thanks. It took a lot longer then I expected, but I took my time to make sure everything was done right.


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## TomFL (Oct 2, 2007)

Man you did an awesome job. The boat looks very clean and fishable. 

-T


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## HialeahAngler (Dec 18, 2008)

that thing looks badazz.


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

Good stuff. A buddy of mine has an old Gheenoe (but made by somebody in GA?) that he wants to work up exactly like this. I'll make sure he sees yours!


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## Guest (Jul 8, 2009)

Sweet boat. I love the way it turned out.



> Good stuff. A buddy of mine has an old Gheenoe (but made by somebody in GA?) that he wants to work up exactly like this. I'll make sure he sees yours!


I think a while back a company in Georgia made gheenoes also.


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## FSUfisher (Jul 16, 2007)

> Sweet boat. I love the way it turned out.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's about right. Years ago a company in Winder, GA was contracted to make Gheenoes. After a while, they separated, took the mold, and kept building 'noes under the name "Riverhawk". The rest is history... I'm sure others would be glad to elaborate or offer corrections.


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## markpriester (Jul 16, 2009)

Water Bug was another one .I had the 13footer


quote author=766365565943585542300 link=1245883577/17#17 date=1247097719]


> Sweet boat. I love the way it turned out.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's about right. Years ago a company in Winder, GA was contracted to make Gheenoes. After a while, they separated, took the mold, and kept building 'noes under the name "Riverhawk". The rest is history... I'm sure others would be glad to elaborate or offer corrections.[/quote]


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## Eric_Greenstein (Mar 29, 2010)

Mind if I ask why you didn't like the completely decked out design? Was it top heavy? Comfort?


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## Guest (Jul 22, 2010)

The full deck was kind of cool, but did not suit fishing two people and such for my needs. You might just roll over the side on a sharp turn. ;D It was stable though, and we all have different needs.


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