Details...Small Details

89 degrees and 110% humidity today in NC.

A relatively slow working day, we hooked up the outriggers, remounted the downriggers, added two new rod holders, replaced the bimini's plastic hardware with stainless, fit the driver side gunnel enclosure, mounted the GPS antenna, finished the install of the cuddy cover, OH Shit handle, installed some trim work and reworked the wench stand on the front of the trailer. We have abandoned the leaning post setup in favor of a swingback seat that has a livewell/cooler/storage in it. This made for a better setup with more room and comfort. We have some ends to tie up prior to the launch, but nothing is a show stopper. Team Hatley is slightly anxious to go fishing. Here are some pics...we are looking at a tower that is for sale on www.thehulltruth.com and if we can acquire that and get the windshield worked out we will be in serious bidnezz.
Ready to fish:

Officially Legal:
Pic of the new cuddy cover and the instrument panel (candidate for change):

Pic of the back...

More Progress, closing in on the Saltwater Launch

We have a firm date of July 4th for the Saltwater launch and have really started dotting the i's. This weekend, we mounted the outriggers, anchor chocks, rope chocks, gps, vhf, rope locker cover, and the cuddy door cover. Recently painted the interior of the cuddy and had a failed attempt to glue carpet to the ceiling (never again). We also received some replacement parts from Bluesea for the switch panel and reinstalled it. We are ready to go fishing.

Last Sea Trial

Phil was able to get the bottom completely painted over the last few weeks, through a painful series of blocking, lifting, sanding and painting the boat while it was still on the trailer...primarily the issues were where the bunks are located. But it is done.


This past weekend, we reinstalled the seats, hatches, bilge pumps, new prime balls, gunnel covers, and some additional hardware...then we went back to the lake and ran the boat pretty hard for an hour and a half...it was the best of the trials, no issues, and no leaks (around the scuppers)...all said it was a great trip.

I also started prepping the cuddy for some work...I would have preferred that Formula NOT have glued carpet into the interior of the boat back in '72...that was not fun to sand off, but it got done and has been primed. Hopefully, will be able to get back and have that done soon...next step will be to get the windshield going. But she will probably get salty before she gets glasses.