Celebrity Makeover
The other week we sat down with a glass of wine each and talked about Muchacha. Every time we went wakeboarding or out for a cruise on the bay we had a great time but we’re fussy and we kept coming back to these “faults”, if you can call them that:
- the wake’s clean but not very big
- there are only four seats
- there’s not a lot of interior space
- the motor’s solid but it’s 27 years old
- it’s difficult to get back in the boat after a ski
- the uncarpeted floor can be slippery underfoot
- the towing cover is stuffed
Not huge problems at all, but they all contribute to the day’s experience so like I said we sat down and talked about whether or not to sell her and buy a bigger boat or keep her.
I did a bit of research regarding what you get for your money in the next price bracket but it quickly became clear that we’d have to spend more than $15k to get (say) a clean early 90s inboard. Not possible. For $8-10k we could get a clean late 80s outboard, but that’s not possible either.
So we woke up to ourselves and tried to answer the faults:
- the size of the wake can be enhanced with some weight
- other boats up to $20k only have one extra seat anyway
- interior space would be nice but isn’t really that big a deal - this isn’t the Freedom of the Seas, it’s a speedboat
- can’t do much about the motor except run it ’til it fades away
- we can add a ladder or a second step to make it easier to get back in ($5)
- we can install carpet ($300)
- we can buy a new cover ($500)
Also,
- She has a brand new spiffy trailer
- She’s in great condition
- She easily pulls out a 100kg wakeboarder
So the decision was made: she’s staying and she’s getting a makeover. We started it almost immediately by pulling out the seats so that we can fit carpet, cleaning the seats down with some special stuff, removing the steering wheel to fit one with less of a deep dish (gets in the way when sitting down), fitting a second step to get back in and servicing the motor.
In the next few weeks we’ll carpet her, touch up some paint chips and install a bilge pump. Then in Spring we’ll buy a proper towing cover and a couple of Fatsacs (for weight) and she’ll be tops! Long live Muchacha!
sim - May 14, 2007, 8:58 pm
what happens when the carpet gets wet and mouldy?
Rob - May 14, 2007, 9:40 pm
lol, it’s marine carpet Sim, not shag-pile! Although that would look very retro!
As I’d guess you (like me) don’t know much about boats, I’m not sure if you are really asking, or just being funny? Either way, I laughed! but sorry for laughing if you were serious!
Rob.
Kate - May 14, 2007, 11:28 pm
HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO MATT’S OLD BOAT. HE SPENT HOURS MAKING THAT BOAT AS GOOD AS IT IS
Ha ha ha, just kidding!! Got you there, hey?!
It looks like you’ve got some great ideas there- we found with both our boats that its really exciting and fun and satisfying to give a boat a makeover. If you need any cool lettering done for the name, let us know, as Matt’s dad now has a professional sign cutter and all the software and materials to go with it. He had his own signwriting business for years- now he’s finally doing it with Corel etc and not just a paintbrush! lol
x Kate
Marty - May 15, 2007, 8:51 am
Yeah we do need to get the name on the side. I didn’t know Matt’s Dad was a signwriter.
If I come up with a design what format would the file have to be? PNG, JPG? Also could he do stickers for the engine cowling too?
P.S. Simon you’re funny.