I’m always curious about the psychology influencing the purchase of a boat. And because my good friend Chuck Larson perceives the world through a kaleidoscopic lens, I was especially intrigued when he whipped out his phone at the Lake View Inn bar after telling me and barkeep Wally he was going to look at a boat the next morning. Chuck was quite excited.

“My wife found this cool Glastron on Marketplace,” Chuck said, holding up his cellphone.

“Ah!” Wally said. “A GT-160. That’s a classic.”

“With a 115 Johnson,” Chuck said. “I think this might be that James Bond boat.”

“Not quite,” Wally said. “It was a GT-150 that jumped the dike in Live and Let Die.”

I gave Wally my incredulous “How do you know this stuff?” look before I flicked through the boat photos on Chuck’s phone. This was a blue-and-white 1975 model with that classic wraparound windshield. The asking price was $5,300.

“Chuck, this is an old boat. You better have Dan the Outboard Man go with you to at least thump the transom,” I said. But in the back of my mind, I was thinking I’d really like to have this boat myself. When I was a teenager, a friend had use of a gold metal-flake Glastron with a pair of tall Mercury 100 hp outboards, and the time we spent on Green Lake in that boat is a core memory. All afternoon, other speedboats would challenge us, their skippers giving us the “Wanna race?” signal, right hand pumping a phantom throttle. Nobody ever beat that boat.

I spend a lot of time evaluating new boats, but I really find the lines of a classic boat appealing. Same for the profile of a vintage motorcycle. We own a 1964 Shasta camper and a brilliant chrome 1947 Sunbeam toaster. In winter, I bomb around on a 1967 Arctic Cat snowmobile. Part of the appeal, I think, is that this is stuff that can be repaired, and I can usually do it myself. The initial investment is also low. Chuck could have a lot of boating fun for $5,300 in that Glastron—today, that’s about the price of one Mercury Racing Lab Finished propeller.

Read Next: One Classic Glastron Rescue Leads to Another

Science has identified a psychological phenomenon called the reminiscence bump. There is a key period between the ages of 10 to 30 when we stash away strong emotional connections to books, films, cars, boats, sports stars and especially music. That explains why I could never get into grunge or hip-hop, but the crackling energy of a Jimmy Page riff still excites some deep recess of my brain.

A few years ago, on a total whim, we purchased a pretty little mahogany plywood runabout, a 1951 Dunphy with an Evinrude Lark outboard. This boat has rather low freeboard and a rakish sheer for the era, a big white steering wheel, and—this is so cool—a big chrome spotlight on the foredeck. From a purely functional standpoint, a new boat would be superior in every way. But no new boat pulls at me like the Dunphy. I just love to look at it.

Someone snapped up that Glastron before Chuck got to see it. Now I’m on the lookout for a GT-150 because what’s cooler than Bond, James Bond? Not much.

The post A Craving for Classic Boats appeared first on Boating Mag.

This deck boat was designed for either outboard power or sterndrive or Volvo Penta forward drive (GTD 245). We’ve been aboard too many sterndrives retooled for outboards that were just average performers. However, we tested each version—and all three operated as if they were born to run with their respective propulsion options.

The Mercury V-8 300 hp four-stroke was powerful and smooth. Sure, it ought to be with power steering and electronic throttles, but that only accounts for the ease of maneuvering. It is the relationship of the engine and boat—which functioned as if they were organically grown, not bolted together; that was so with every propulsion platform.

The acceleration is quick and smooth (2.9 seconds to plane), the top speed rewarding (51.1 mph) and in turns, the GTD 240 stuck tight to its line and held it all the way through. Now, there’s a trick from Mercury that helped achieved this—the dynamic throttle fed in power as the boat loaded up through the turns.

That kept the hull on track, without losing speed or chine tripping—all proof of a well-designed relationship between power and boat.

The deck plan is one of my favorites of the new 2020 model year. There’s a double-wide helm console, and the portside console is replaced with a walk-through to the bow. It gives the captain and mate a cozy place to enjoy the ride with enough elbow room to make it comfortable.

The seatbacks flip fore and aft. Aft is the driving position; forward joins the helm seats to the wraparound seating in the cockpit—it’s simple, requiring just a little push from the fingertips.

Forward, Glastron uses that wide starboard console to build a large head compartment. The door opens upward and overhead, revealing a wide access way to a roomy compartment. It can be equipped with an electric flushing head or a simple portable head. A filler cushion between the full beam aft-facing bench seat and the forward-facing bench converts the entire area into a sunning pad.

Other boatbuilders will be trying to copy this new style in 2021.

High Points

⋅A windlass option adds anchoring convenience.

⋅Dual stern ladders are angled away from the motor for safe reboarding.

⋅Portside boarding step adds a third entry point.

⋅Close off the cockpit with a wind dam and windshield.

Specs

LOA: 24′4″

Beam: 8′6″

Draft (max): 1′6″ (engine up)

Dry Weight: 4,250 lb.

Seat/Weight Capacity: 14/3,100 lb.

Fuel Capacity: 60 gal.

Price: $60,133 (with Yamaha F200 XB and custom trailer)

How We Tested

Engine: Mercury V-8 FourStroke

Drive/Prop: Outboard/Rev 4 18″ 4-blade stainless steel

Gear Ratio: 1.75:1

Fuel Load: 20 gal.

Crew Weight: 250 lb.

More Information

Glastron Boats – Cadillac, Michigan; 231-775-1351; glastron.com

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The kids gotta surf. But you’d rather fish. You could do both from one boat if you check the right option boxes when ordering the new Glastron GTDW 205 Surf and Fish, a 22-foot deck boat that’s surfable because it’s powered by the Volvo Penta Forward Drive and fishable with a package that adds a baitwell, rod holders and a bow casting platform.

The key feature of the GTDW 205 is the Forward Drive, a sterndrive with forward-facing contra-­rotating props that pull the boat through the water. Because those props are located below the boat — 26.5 inches forward of the prop location on a Duoprop outdrive — it’s safe to wakesurf behind a Forward Drive-powered boat. The GTDW is also equipped with a set of Wake Worx Super Surf’R surf tabs that can be used to further enlarge and fine-tune the surf wake shape. A water-ballast system is not offered, and without that added weight, the surf wake is about knee-high to an adult.

The GTDW mission is about all-around fun, and so it has a sun pad with an adjustable backrest over the engine, seating that wraps around the cockpit to the port console where there’s a cubby for an optional 25-quart cooler ($80), and room for four in the bow. There are dark windscreens on top of each console, but in cooler climates consider the optional full glass windshield ($1,000). The Fishing Package ($2,067) adds bow and stern casting platforms below snap-off cushions, two casting seats, four rod holders in the ski locker, ­wiring for a 24-volt trolling motor, and a baitwell below the port console seat. A trolling motor ($1,220) and a Lowrance Hook-3x sonar ($300) complete a casual ­angling setup.

We really like the way the Forward Drive makes this boat handle. With the props always buried in the water, steering response is immediate, and there’s excellent thrust in reverse because the props are never fouled by exhaust gas. The 4.3-liter V-6 engine is eager and spunky, and adds to the fun factor that this boat delivers.

High Points

• You are wakesurfing for about half the price of an inboard tow boat.
• Gunwale is cut down to port amidships to ease dockside boarding.
• Extended boarding platform has been engineered to withstand the water pressure of low-speed wakes.

Low Points

• Watersports tower and board racks are a $3,600 upcharge.
• No ballast system, and Zero Off speed control is an option.

Toughest Competitor
The 21-foot Regal 21 RX Surf ($61,225 with 240 hp Forward Drive and no trailer) has a traditional bowrider layout with less room forward than the Glastron, but it comes equipped with a sport tower and six-speaker audio system, plus surf tabs, 1,000-pound ballast system, and speed control that functions through the RegalVue touchscreen display.

Price: $60,533 (with test power and trailer)

Available Power: Forward Drive

How We Tested
Engine: 240 hp Volvo Penta V6-240-CE sterndrive
Drive/Prop: Volvo Penta Forward Drive/Volvo Penta K3 stainless-steel propset
Gear Ratio: 2.32:1
Fuel Load: 10 gal.
Crew Weight: 370 lb.

Glastron Boats – Cadillac, Michigan; 231-775-1351; glastron.com

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Glastron is making a name for itself as a surf-boat company, and it’s not doing it with rough-riding inboard systems. The company is doing it with Volvo Penta’s trimmable Forward Drive, a system that gives the boat better maneuverability than most other drive systems and the smooth ride only trim adjustments can offer.

On the GTD 225 Surf and Fish, counter-rotating dual props face forward, and they’re set forward of the transom, well away from riders behind the boat. Exhaust is funneled through the prop hub, keeping the air behind the transom fresh and safe. Our 280 hp system gave plenty of thrust to move big crews, and we proved it in our tests. Our expert surf rider liked the ride for its long, forgiving wave with excellent push. Ballast and Zero Off speed control enhance the ride experience. Couple those with a full crew in the arena seating and the ride will be epic.

The open deck plan maximizes seating, first by adding arena seating from port to starboard amidships and aft to the transom. And you can still have a walk-through to the transom; just lift the starboard sun-pad cushion. Keeping that propped up gives you a reclining lounge. Forward seating is generous too. Long and wide port and starboard lounges allow access to the anchor locker with its bow boarding ladder. That arrangement makes the boat ideal for beaches and sandbars.

The portside boarding gate is also convenient and unique. Lift the coaming to reveal a step to the deck, maximizing easy boarding options.

We found a convenient pop-up changing room under the forward lounge to starboard, and on our test boat that compartment was equipped with a portable head. The lounge seat cushion under which it resided flipped vertically and held its position thanks to the special hinges, forming a useful space with some privacy.

Glastron offers an exciting exterior finish, and it doesn’t skimp on interior style either. Quilted vinyl insets and multiple textures add good looks to the supple fabric. The marine-mat high-density-foam sole cover snaps in and out for easy cleaning. Underneath the mat is a nonskid ­fiberglass sole.

High Points

• Livewell, fishing chairs and trolling motor are available with the fishing package.
• Extended swim platform is roomy and eases reboarding.
• Open deck plan maximizes passenger capacity, enhancing surf wakes.

Price: $65,467

How We Tested
Engine: 280 hp Volvo Penta 280-C/FWD
Drive/Props: Forward Drive/K4 stainless-steel Duoprop propset
Gear Ratio: 2.32:1
Fuel Load: 25 gal.
Crew Weight: 400 lb.

Glastron Boats – Cadillac, Michigan; 231-775-1351; glastron.com

The post 2019 Glastron GTD 225 Surf and Fish appeared first on Boating Mag.

An express cruiser like the new Glastron GS 259 OB is designed for weekend getaways, and outboard power adds to its versatility by enabling more stowage space within the boat than a sterndrive would allow and making it easier to extend the season. Outboards also may make more sense for coastal boaters since, unlike a sterndrive, the engine can be tilted completely clear of the water, and so will better thwart corrosion. However, for the traditionalist cruiser buyer, we’ll note right here that forward of its transom, the GS 259 OB is identical to the sterndrive-powered GS 259 that’s been in the Glastron line for a decade.

There’s lots of lounging space in the cockpit, with a pivoting backrest on the aft seat that can also fold flat to create a sun pad. The ­backrest of the doublewide helm seat also pivots so it can be used as a sociable aft-facing seat. A Dockside Power Package ($4,867) adds a cockpit galley console with cooktop, sink and refrigerator, plus a water ­heater, cabin microwave and, obviously, shore power and a battery charger.

As is the case with many cruisers less than about 38 feet in length, high freeboard gives this Glastron a chunky profile but makes the cabin more ­livable. There’s a V-berth for­ward and a queen-size ­midberth with 3 feet 6 inches of headroom, an enclosed head with more than 6 feet of headroom, and plenty of light thanks to a large ­overhead hatch and two additional port lights in the foredeck. Molded steps make it easy to reach the foredeck and anchor locker.

The extended boarding platform is designed to double as a bracket for the Mercury Verado outboard. In place of the inboard engine, the GS 259 OB offers a 2-foot-deep stowage pit below the aft cockpit sole and seat. Outboard advantages include the self-draining design, which is good for late-season ­boating, a 150-pound weight savings over a sterndrive, and very quiet operation. With a 300 hp Verado, performance is just adequate. Minimum planing speed with our light load was at about 4,500 rpm, and best fuel economy is all the way at 5,500 rpm. That won’t improve with more gear and people on board.

High Points
* Outboard power is smooth and almost silent from the helm.
* Enough cabin space for comfortable weekending.
* Cockpit seating options enhance socializing and lounging.

Low Points
* We miss the lift and handling offered by a twin-prop sterndrive.
* Low rails on the foredeck don’t offer much security.
* Batteries are buried in the transom.

Toughest Competitor
There’s no similarly priced, similarly sized outboard-powered cruiser with which to compare to the GS 259 OB, but the 23-foot-7-inch Cutwater 242 Sport Coupe ($119,937) comes close. Its pilothouse design offers great season-extending weather protection, combining helm space and living space in its deckhouse. Another option is the 24-foot-4-inch Jeanneau NC 795 ($90,000), also a pilothouse-style cruiser that combines overnight amenities in the enclosed deck cabin and a more modest V-berth cabin belowdecks.

Price: $91,367 (base with test power)

Available Power: Outboard

How We Tested
Engine: Single 300 hp Mercury 300 Verado outboard
Drive/Prop: Outboard/14.6″ x 15″ Mercury Revolution 4 4-blade stainless steel
Gear Ratio: 1.85:1
Fuel Load: 50 gal.
Crew Weight: 700 lb.

More Information
Glastron Boats – Cadillac, Michigan; 231-775-1351; glastron.com

The post Glastron GS 259 OB appeared first on Boating Mag.

Last month, my “Restoring a Classic Glastron” feature detailed the restoration of a 1978 Glastron GT 150 — the boat James Bond skippered over a levy and a pot-bellied sheriff. That restoration inspired the second part of this series about the restoration of a 1979 Glastron Carlson CVX 16. If you missed the before and after pictures, you can find them at boatingmag.com/glastron-restoration.

The Barn Find
Boating was in my family’s blood, but over the years, life pulled us away from Lake of the Ozarks where we grew up.

That pull to the water gets stronger over time, though, and when I started emailing my brother, Brent Vance, images of what I’d nicknamed the “Bond” boat, he poked around on Craigslist. Within a week, he was sending me phone pictures of what really was a barn find.

It was a 1979 Glastron CVX 16 with a ­Johnson 115 outboard. The motor wouldn’t run but had compression, and the starter would kick it over. The gear case seemed sound as well. Even though it had been dormant for years, it had been covered and kept in an actual barn since 1978. Still on its original custom trailer, the barn find also had the original orange shag carpet, baby (think Austin Powers), but the original bronze upholstery was trashed. It had a misshaped tow pylon, was missing a front seat, and somebody had removed, but at least saved, the original dash.

Fifteen hundred bucks bought it, and Brent towed it to his garage where he tinkered with the motor until he gave up. For $300, a mechanic specializing in classic outboards got it humming — but only on his portable fuel can.

The internal fuel tank, like everything else but the dashboard, was original, steel and rusted. The sludge inside was an awful mixture of varnish, rust and water, without even a resemblance to the look or aroma of gasoline. The fuel tank was our second hurdle and, it turned out, an easy one.

Before he’d done anything else, he was boating.

Deck Rot
Once the seats were out, the carpet followed. Underneath turned out to be fairly solid deck everywhere except a spot with a small hole near the transom by the motor well — the very spot where water might sit and accumulate during storage. It was so small, going over it with a couple of layers of laminate sufficed, but Brent’s glass man added a fiberglass panel over the deck and glassed it in too. The front seats required a little building up of the deck to support the Springfield Aluminum Trac-Lock 12-way adjustable seat mounts. The glass man did the deck and pedestals for $150. Afterward, Brent carpeted the boat and mounted the seats himself.

Steering System
The steering was failing. A new SeaStar Solutions No-Feedback system was added ($250, westmarine.com). When you restore a boat over 10 years old with pushrod-style steering, assume it needs replacement. The penalty for a broken cable can be severe, and the peace of mind is better than cash equity. Even if the original steering is functional, modern systems feature no-feedback mechanisms which counterbalance the prop torque. Without these, turning against the torque requires excessive muscle, which can be awkward enough to be unsafe and at least inconvenient enough to make the system price tag a cost-effective upgrade. The steering wheel itself was found on eBay, and its smaller size was accommodated by the reduction in torque.

Motor Cover
The cowling was damaged and faded, and the decals were peeling. Brent did all the fiberglass filling, sanding and masking himself, then found a professional painter to spray-paint it perfectly for $150. Surprisingly, there were still replacement Johnson decals available too ($80, ebay.com, Phantom Decal FX).

Audio
It’s not a real boat without a real stereo. He found an inexpensive JVC source unit and a Polk four-channel amp on Craigslist, then added a powered subwoofer that he tucked back into the bilge. You have to imagine the fish worry when he passes overhead.

Fuel Tank
Moeller Marine, maker of custom fuel tanks for many boatbuilders and replacement tanks for other boats, had a perfect replica of the old steel tank, but in a modern, roto-molded design. It came complete with a sending unit and special clips to secure the tank. It fit in the exact same footprint as the original tank. We had to make a minor adjustment to the tank platform to fasten the forward brackets, but after that, it clamped in firmly, and the fill hose, outflow and vent pipe fit precisely ($190, plastic-mart.com). We added a 10-micron fuel-water separator from Sierra for $50. Don’t leave home without one of those.

Seats and Upholstery
This required a fresh start. Wise Company supplied dual bucket seats in a standard yellow and white ($300 each) and sent matching vinyl to create cockpit bolsters and aft seating ($130). Then the boat was delivered to Grandview Upholstery, which is experienced with custom cars and boats and fully understood the challenge ($1,300, grandviewupholstery.com).

TurboSwing
We wanted rid of the tow pylon but didn’t want to change the look of the boat with a wakeboard tower. The TurboSwing was so successful on the GT 150 that we wanted it on the CVX 16 too. It keeps the rope out of the water and helps keep it clear of the prop. It also keeps the rope in sight of the skipper and spotter. Bolting it to the engine bracket and mounting bolts took about an hour but required no modification to the boat, except two additional bolt holes through the engine bracket and transom. We drilled those and used silicone sealant in them to eliminate water intrusion.

Props
Turning Point Propellers designs a series of compression cast-aluminum props touted to approach the performance characteristics of stainless steel. We tested both the three- and four-blade models and would have to concur. But, ultimately, we selected the four-blade model. Check out the performance report at boatingmag.com/glastron-redux.

This 1979 Glastron CVX 16 was found on its original trailer in a barn. See how far it came with some hard work and creative sourcing of parts.

The post One Classic Glastron Rescue Leads to Another appeared first on Boating Mag.

Read the full story of this incredible budget restoration, here.

Check out the in-depth restoration of a classic Glastron GT-150, here.

The post Before and After: Glastron CVX 16 Restoration appeared first on Boating Mag.

zachstovall.com +1 407-492-8774 1877 Karolina Ave. Winter Park, FL 32789 USA

I was 16 when I was invited on my first boat date. She was my age, pretty, tall and slender, with dark hair and an olive complexion. She was visiting our resort and rental marina on Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri with her aunt and uncle. They had an Art Carlson-designed Glastron CVX with a taxicab-yellow and metal-flake finish. The dagger-shaped skiff was pushed by a Mercury “tower of power”: six cylinders stacked straight up that generated a righteous 115 hp. I fell in love with that boat. I’ve forgotten the girl’s name.

Since the beginning of fiberglass boatbuilding, few hull designs warrant the term “classic.” Unlike any 40-year-old car resurrected from a scrap heap, most old boats are just that, and less.

But when one of the first makers of fiberglass boats, Glastron, teamed up with Carlson, the renowned go-fast boat designer of the day, what emerged was so edgy, the creations were featured in action scenes in the James Bond movie Live and Let Die. The craft influenced the hearts of boaters for decades. And they continue to inspire boaters today.

I had my eye out for a GT 150 — the boat aboard which James Bond jumped over a levee during his historic chase scene. So, while testing boats in Syracuse, Indiana, I spotted a faded-silver metal-flake GT 150 with a “for sale” sign, and I called the number. It turned out, Randy Rinker of Rinker Boats owned it, and we struck a deal that included him shipping it to Florida on a load of new Rinker boats.

It was mechanically sound, but the hull was visibly aged like an old woman’s wrinkled brow and stooped back. In spite of the cracked vinyl, rotted floor and mushy transom, I bought it anyway.

Interested in restoring a classic boat? A Glastron GT 150 is a great platform for doing just that. Its classic lines and movie-star good looks make it instantly recognizable and popular with fans of all types of boats.

At home, I hoisted the motor to my garage rafters and pulled off the deck to get to the rotted transom. I cut up the floor, removed the stringers and forward bulkheads (think the fire wall of your pickup), and was down to a Glastron-shaped bathtub.

I started the job in 2006 and recommissioned her in 2012, a graduation gift for my daughter.

Fixing the Deck
Two sheets of plywood yielded the stringers and deck ($250). I laminated the stringers in glass. I epoxied the bottom of the deck, then used 3M 5200 adhesive to bond the deck to the stringers and hull and added stainless-steel screws to hold the deck to the stringers while the adhesive cured. I added an epoxy filler to smooth the deck joints at the chines and glassed in all the seams.

Tackling the Transom
The old transom came out in globs of rot, so I had to make a paper pattern and transfer it to plywood I had laminated to 1¼-inch thick — the original ply thickness. Seacast is a fiberglass filler adhesive designed for filling gaps while adding structural strength by way of its chopped-glass filling. I troweled that between the transom ply and fiberglass hull. Using bolts and the aluminum plates that had been holding the transom together under duress, I clamped the wood to the glass, squeezing out excess Seacast product ($92 per gallon, transomrepair.net). It worked like a charm.

Hull Blisters
This puppy had hundreds of tiny blisters. I never got rid of them all, but I sanded and chipped off the worst on the chines and filled the holes.

Painting the Hull
I painted the hull before fitting the deck to make sure the paint carried up under the cap, reducing the chance of visible chipping or wear at the joint. Interlux Epoxy Primekote ($55 per quart, westmarine.com) is sandable, and it filled gelcoat imperfections such as sander marks and hairline gelcoat cracks. Perfection black topcoat went over that ($100 per quart, westmarine.com). I never believed a rolled then brushed paint job could come out so smooth and glossy. With practice, I learned you had to trust the paint to level out on its own as it cured over a week.

Painting the Deck
I laid wood strips across the hull and set the deck on those strips. The Parrot Green paint was available only in the professional-grade Awlgrip, which I found a little trickier to mix and use. More complex curves and edges also presented flow and drip problems. I used a foam roller to apply the paint and a foam brush to tip it. Ultimately, the result was a 10-foot finish — it appeared smooth from 10 feet, but it was not a reflection of Awlgrip’s strong reputation for gloss.

Resetting the Cap
I squeezed a bead of 5200 around the hull rim and then started to remove the supporting wood strips, lowering the deck like a shoe-box lid. Once I was sure the cap was properly seated, I pre-drilled each screw hole, beginning at the transom, at 6-inch intervals.

Cracked Windshield
The windshield was cracked, chipped, crazed and yellowed. Taylor Made Glass Systems had a perfect replacement ($500, taylormadeglass.com). The result was beautiful and so nearly identical to the original that no one could tell.

Hardware and Nav Lights
Accon 4½-inch pull-up cleats ($24 each, acconmarine.com) were sleek and easy to secure using one large backer nut. An Accon Marine stainless-steel pop-up LED navigation light ($195) enhanced the low-profile look. Four SeaSense blue LED courtesy lights (starting at $13, amazon.com) under the coamings added evening ambience.

Wiring
A WeatherDeck six-position switch panel, with fuses in each power-supply line fixed close to the device, and corrsion-resistant tinned wire supplied voltage.

Dashboard
I marked out a cardboard dash template and traced it on 3/8-inch-thick mahogany, then I cut gauge holes with a hole saw. After three coats of Interlux Schooner Gold varnish ($24.99 per pint, jamestowndistributors.com), it gleamed.

Rub Rail
Rub rails are made from better stuff today. I bought the Taco Marine brand 1-inch rigid vinyl rub rail (two at $100 per 20 feet, westmarine.com) and added a ¾-inch stainless-steel insert (two at $120 per 20 feet, westmarine.com). A heat gun softened the rail at the transom corners, shrinking the material to nearly eliminate any bulges. The two side rails joined at the bow under an original trim piece. A rubber mallet formed the stainless-steel cap around the stern corners. This improvement was worth every penny.

Deck the Deck
CoolTeak mats on the bow and stern gave a great look and offered secure footing for boarding. The reversal of the dark teak and light strips kept them cool under the sun and safe for bare feet or thighs. They are easily washed or sanded, should stubborn stains occur. I cut paper templates to fit and sent them to Plasdeck. Mats arrived complete with adhesive (from $36 per square foot, ­plasdeck.com). Lay them in place, tape exactly at their edges and spread the adhesive with a ­3/32-inch notched trowel. Press the panels in place. Remove the tape immediately for a clean edge.

Interior Design
Scotties Canvas and Marine in north Fort Myers upholstered my boat. It gave me a generous deal, and we settled on a simple rugged white vinyl for looks and price. Scotties took the still-solid wood frames and foam and made new seat covers and bolsters for an awesome look. I added an inexpensive outdoor carpet for about $100 including adhesive.

Audio
Clarion’s CMD8 watertight system was ideal for the project, and I built a compartment between two forward bulkheads that held the 12-volt Optima battery and the source unit. The source unit boasts a CD drive, Aux and USB inputs for smartphone tunes, and is watertight to boot. It’s Sirius-ready as well. The amplifier is bolted to the outside of the compartment, allowing it to breath, and a 30-amp breaker protects it. I installed the subwoofer on the inside of the left seat facing the coamings. It works fine this way and thumps the boat while staying safely out of weather.

Steering Wheel and Throttle Control
Livorsi supplied a Lisotto Italian wheel, now discontinued. The newer Grimani style ($189) would also do the trick nicely. The throttle lever in my boat is discontinued as well, but a billet aluminum model, which would be way more rad, is available for $439 (livorsi.com).

Powering Options
The original outboard ran beautifully. There is definitely something about those old two-strokes that gives them a decadeslong life span as long as you fuel, oil and winterize them. But, with so much work to modernize the boat, repowering with a four-stroke was attractive because it would mean better fuel economy and quieter cruising. Honda’s new technology slimmed down the once chubby four-strokes, and this 90 hp outboard weighed almost exactly the same as the old 85 hp Johnson ($12,000).

The variable valve timing system is powerful in the hole shot, giving a time to plane equally impressive to the Johnson at about 4 seconds. And top speed improved to about 48 mph versus 45 mph on the older motor. The digital gauges were a great touch, but I stuck with the Livorsi side-mount throttle. The prop installed is a Honda stainless-steel three-blade. This boat had portable tanks, so replacing rusty tanks with modern SeaSense SecureStack 6-gallon roto-molded tanks was logical, smart and easy ($55, walmart.com).

Towering Options
For attitude, I installed this Monster Tower ($1,299, monstertower.com) in a matter of hours. It is easy to lower for storage. A bonus is the integrated all-around white LED navigation light on the towpoint. Cool accessories include wakeboard racks, a Bimini top and stereo speakers. See the installation video at boatingmag.com/installing-wakeboard-tower.

Tubing is my most frequent tow sport, so I added a TurboSwing ($599, monstertower.com). A tube can nose-dive and suddenly put hundreds of foot-pounds of energy on the tower. That kind of force can rip it off. But the TurboSwing is mounted right to the engine mounts with the engine mounting bolts. Nothing adds more torque to the transom than the outboard, so this makes a safe towpoint for tubes. The TurboSwing also beautifully distributes the force of the rider, keeping it as close to the longitudinal center of gravity as possible, which improves handling under tow.

The post Restoring a Classic Glastron appeared first on Boating Mag.

This particular project needed a new floor and transom and was restored using modern materials and technology. Check out these before and after pictures, and then read the complete story, here.

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We Say: The Glastron GT-180 stands out for finish, for quality construction and, yes, because it’s just plain fun.

As a starter boat for families with small kids, the high coamings, thoughtful padding and good handgrips make it secure. But when the kids become teenagers, this is also a boat where you can hand over the keys without worrying. It’s not too fast (45ish mph), but it’s great for tubing and, if their youthful hormones overcome them, it’s hard for teenagers to get into trouble. Crank the wheel, and the boat just takes over and cools things down. With normal handling, you can make the turns you want for towing, but get too rambunctious, and the GT-180 sheds speed and keeps things calm.

Our test boat had the XL package (order it if only for the two bolstered helm seats) with well-padded bow seats, backrests and a wide bench aft. Stowage is outstanding, with self-draining carpeted lockers forward, a big center locker and a roomy glove box.

A Mercury 115 FourStroke powered our test boat. You can opt for up to 150 hp, but why would you? We found this power to be perfect. If you’re dipping your toes into boating, you won’t regret the Glastron GT-180. It will stay with you as your family grows.

Who’d Want One: Growing families who want to play on the water for years to come.

Another Choice: Tahoe Boats offers the 18-foot-5-inch-long 450 TS Outboard on a painted trailer for $25,990 (price may vary with freight charge) powered by a Mercury 115 outboard on the transom.

Bottom Line: $27,253 (base with Mercury 115 FourStroke); glastron.com

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