Thread: 1996 Blazer VL100 Restoration to Crappie Chaser

Moving again on the little boat. Although trying retirement too many old customers are having none of it! While doing a final pass on the bottom of the running surface with the 6ft straight edge I found a small hook was still right in the C/L of the keel. Well that just wouldn't do. Anyway built it up, did a final skim for pinholes, a little sanding, then VE Primer time. The hatches were next, can work on them in the A/C. Marked all the hinges for direction and location first then stripped off all hardware & carpet. You can see from the picture I may have had a few more years of service out of this carpet but I wanted SeaDek so the carpet got canned, Literally! A old school retro gelcoat job is on the horizon so Gray VE Primer is going on the static waterline down and white VE Primer on the rest. Will post another update after priming.

Looking good. How’s the fishing?

Originally Posted by BuckeyeCrappie

Looking good. How’s the fishing?

I went yesterday in the Pearl Delta. This is the first year in 7 years to see our normal bait schools back to a Non-Tropical Event level. With non-communicating waterways (no commumication from the West Pearl fed from the Ross Barnett Spillway 200 miles away) tidal flow is not enough to reduce the hot water temps. 90+ surface temps, with clarity those temps are penetrating the surface. Really not attracting any Crappie to move in yet. I kinda approach it from a scientific angle watching and keeping up with the changes in the river system. The big fish are staying deep in the main river and I don't see them coming out of their safe environment so loaded with food till water temps start dropping and hours of daylight start getting shorted. Remember we have the Navy running drills 3 or more times a week firing machine guns, cannons, etc. That keeps the Oxbows pretty free of Crappie. I kept 3 good sized fish and in one off shoot the Navy leaves alone found a fat school of 6in Crappie ready to grow. Their Buffet is more than they can consume and only a Tropical Event will blow them out of there. That's the State line river. Mississippi local coastal rivers I have not even tried. I'm usually doing the Ross Barnett thing this time of year but due to storms spinning off the Texas High ridge flooding the Pearl river headwaters Ross Barnett has some healing to do itself.

Good deal. We may go pull cranks in Central Ohio later in the week. Supposed to me high 90s so will leave around 4A to get on the by 0630 and off by 11.

Well, super humid here. Inside a painter's suit very uncomfortable. Did the Acetone wash on whole hull first. Allowed to completely dry since I cut quite a bit of flake (creates pinholes). Only thinned the Duratec VE primer enough to spray through a 2.5mm HVLP gun. It never ceases to amaze me when you hit a hull with the first primer run how many pinholes show up. My opinion, this is not a step to skip. Filling all the pinholes with primer ensures a waterproof hull. Anyway a spray of Guide Coat will be used to ensure no pinholes are missed.

Pictures show 2 tone primer job. I mixed myself up some real old school Sea Foam, a real rich Sea Foam to boldly contrast the black bottom & rub rail. The white Duratec VE primer is to provide a white ground to ensure a very bright optically Sea Foam, people will see me coming a ways off. Black will be on the inside so the Sea Foam SeaDek pops.

You can see how straight the boat is now. Should get a big improvement on water quality at the prop. No so much aeration.

Also check out the "V" Blazer put in these little boats. My other runs a chop quite well, very comfortable on a windy day.

Awesome work! This is a fantastic blog John.

Awesome work. Looks good. Agreed a very fantastic and interesting blog. Thanks for sharing.

Great work, Awesome attention to detail. Really enjoying the ride for sure...