Rivercraft Revival

[steelo]

Hello friends and fellow forum members.
My name is Stephen and I was the South Aussie who bought Matthews Rivercraft earlier this year.
I've had it for a few months and I am plenty impressed. The engine, (supercharged Lexus) and jet (212) combo is fantastic.
It's coming into winter over here and time now for a bit of a clean up, patch up, perhaps a re trim and colour change.
Forum member and Local Hamilton Jet Guru Kim has been for a ride and given me plenty of ideas. I hope to be able to make intermittent use of his technical prowess and I am counting on you giving me your 20 cents worth. Matthew told me of his own ideas on how he planned to proceed with the boat and I've got to admit they made sense as well.
I hope you like a few photos because I thought of making a pictorial record.
I've stripped the interior, sprayed all the carpets, engine, engine box and hull linings with CT20, (an industrial truck cleaner) before going to town with the high pressure cleaner. They all came up great. The engine will probably need another clean and treatment with the Alloybright (I've head about on this site).
My trimmer recommends taking all the external fittings (bimini) and cover tie down points off the hull and deck, there are new ways of fitting apparently. Makes it easier to sand down, tap out and fill the hull for the painter as well.
I think I will have to take the jet nozzle and exhausts off to paint the hull and I would appreciate any advice.
Cheers for now.
 

[Nigel]

Sweet.... welcome and remember..... WE LIKE PICS!!!!!!


 

[mof]

Good to see some more love lavished on a Rivercraft. 

That is a great boat, nearly as fast as a near std chev... 

[Nigel]

That is a great boat, nearly as fast as a near std chev... 

That depends on who you talk to MOF

[steelo]

Thanks for the interest.
here are a couple more photos. Gotta love that engine.
Some of the hull where it has taken a few hits.
I'm hoping we can get right inside the hull and knock them out.

[LJD]

I'm hoping we can get right inside the hull and knock them out.

invite the builder over for a visit he will get it out 

[steelo]

Thanks all for the comments.
Mr Gobbles, are you the original owner? Phat gobbles?
You boys are plenty hard on your toys. I'm going to give it some TLC. When Kim came for a ride the other week, he took it up to about 4600rpm. Made my hair stand on end, I never dreamed it would go that hard. I felt guilty revving up to 4000 and used to sit it around 36 to 38.
I've had a good look on this site and I have seen a couple of Rivercrafts but none with this deck design. Was that a special build. I think it looks excellent. Very J73'ish.
I remember that red one of Matts from when I was a kid and dad bought a J83 from Hamiltom marine in Adelaide.
My brother lives in Sydney, Greg, and he's restoring a J53. He got me onto the newsletter and hence the boat. Matt was a convincing salesman.
If anyone has any more snippits of history of the boat or interesting photos, send em in. Any ideas for a colour scheme. I'm sort of leaning towards a black jet, coloured deck, white hull, black underbelly (where it has the slipcoat now) and dark silver grey (tinted window) effect on windscreen. If I dont get the seats recovered, there is some special paint which can be sprayed over them. I'm only thinking of doing that if there is a real conflict in colours. I love those up visors for deflecting the wind. They need a good polish though.
I've also attached a photo of one of my crew.

[Clark]

Mr Gobbles, are you the original owner? Phat gobbles?

it would be much more dented if Mr Gobbles had owned it! 

[mof]

it would be much more dented if Mr Gobbles had owned it! 

No, it was never Gobbles' boat. His boat has a good working relationship with an aluminium boat repair business.

It had a relatively easy life in Matthew's hands, but prior to his ownership, well it might be best if you don't know everything about that boat, just understand that it is a testament to the quality and strength of the Rivercraft product.

Gobbles operates his boat outside of the realm of "foreseeable" impact, as understood by the very experienced designer and builder of the Rivercraft product.

[steelo]

OMG.
Starting to feel slightly ill now. A bit feint.
Thanks for that info. May be best if I never find out its full history.
I wondered how a boat supposedly only 6 or so years old looks like it has just been unearthed out of a pyramid. A little bit of fitting and aluminium corrosion here and there.
You are not joking about the strength of the boat. It seems unburstable though.
I read somewhere that some members use their planing strakes as shock absorbers. This must be the boat they were talking about. Not too bad that they couldnt be cut off or re done if required. Doesnt seem to affect the performance on the water.
Except for you guys.
The little old lady used it for Bridge (run) on Saturday, Church on Sunday.

[TuiMan]

Just the usual.........One lady owner

thats no way to talk about matt

[browny]

The only thing wrong with that boat may be the colour.

[steelo]

Thanks "Mike"
I'll take all the positives I can.
I looked at about 50 photos before I bought it and they showed all the problem areas so I wasnt blind.
I knew it was going to be a project boat but with more than the basics all there.
I'm not disappointed at all. Quite excited really to turn it into an exceptional example. Hope my cheque book will keep up with my plans.

Hi Browny
I wondered about the colour as well.
My fear was that as a newby, if you do something wrong, people look at the colours and think "[email protected]***r"
They are sort of growing on me though

[browny]

The problem with changing the colour of the boat is then you`d really have to change the seat colour too. That money would probably be better spent on fuel.

[mof]

Gobbles is a much better boater than I, I wish to learn from his experience and wisdom