23ft sharkcat project boat.

[sharkcat 23]

My boat has finally arrived, heres a few pictures of what she looks like now, its an orginal early (I think) model cuddy cabin, as you can see not in too bad a nick, the floor and stringers have been replaced the the previous owner and thats as far as he got with it, a good clean and a new paint job ( picking colours is going to be a bitch, deffinitely not white) I thinking of add an aluminium cabin similar to a post on here some time back, the interior fitout as its basically a bare interior, the fit up of the twin 2003 200hp 4 stroke yammies that are on the way from the US, (under 350 hours) and lots of questions to ask about the best steering setup for twins on the cat, is podding a good option or just the infil between the motors to stop misting, best location for the transducer, I want to get back into diving,(its been a long while), would putting a door in the rear between the motors weaken the structural integrity of the transom, just to name a few, I'm hoping that some of the very knowledgable people on here can give me some advice to get me going in the right direction.
Looking forward to talking to or meeting with some of you in the future, Doug.

[boatboy50]

Hey Mate,

Nice project. I'm sure you don't know what you've got yourself in for!

Where did you find it, and how much? I'm sure it's every man's dream to find something like that and project it, it's just most of us havn't got the balls!

I hope you've got a good relationship with your neighbour there, if not your in for some fun!

I've had a lot of experience with Noosa/Shark cats, and personally I believe it doesn't get any better than the 23 with engine wells. I don't believe the pods add anything better than the wells, so why go to the hassle, unless you want more cockpit space, but really, how could there not be enough in that boat?

I believe it is an original, probably mid/late seventies? I see a wave breaker has been added to the hull too.

I wouldn't touch the transom to make a door. It would weaken the structural integrity of it. As far as steering goes, you could either run a single hydraulic ram with tie bar, or better still run a seperate ram for each engine.

I'd love one of these with a full wheelhouse like your talking. Always been a fan. I'd add a sink, icebox and stove too, but thats just me.

Before you go too far i'd check the fuel tanks too for leaks by pressure testing them, just in case there's isues, better to sort now before paint and finalising.

What's your time frame for the work? Triple it! Are you doing it all yourself or using a pro for some?

PM where you got your engines from.

I'm up the road at Parkwood and would like to track this project. Keep us updated.

Regards

Darren

[Nathan Tuskes]

Hey Mate,

What's your time frame for the work? Triple it! Are you doing it all yourself or using a pro for some?



Darren

yep allow alot more time then you think, if this is your first project...i thought 4-6months.... almost a year later and i haven't even started fairing on mine and its only 4.5m haha

[No Fear]

Seems to be the month for sharkcat restorations....That little bad boy should come up a treat....
Have you set a deadline as to when it will be completed....or should I say when you WANT it completed???
Boatboy made a valid point RE the fuel tanks. I am making sure that my fuel tanks in my project boat get pressure tested. A tiny little crack will end in tears.
Good luck with the project and keep the updates coming.

[sharkcat 23]

Hi Darren,
I actually found it on ebay with the listing open to offers or buy it now for 5k, quite a few people offered around 3-31/2k, after looking at it for a while I said, F..k it and spent the 5k and bought it, the trailer was rusted out and wouldn't last the trip from Newcastle to home so I winched it on a car trailer and brought it up. I'm sure I dont know what I've got myself in for but it'll be fun finding out, my last project was a 26ft flybridge cruiser that was almost finished when it sank at its mooring in last xmas rains due to the battery running flat, I was in Sydney. No time frame really, just do it as I get the money, the motors were on ebay in the USA, I paid 13K Australian for them, counter rotating, less than 350 hrs, had them checked over by someone I knew overthere not to far away, no controls or props which sort of suited me anyway. its costing me another 2.5K to ship them out by boat through a contact used on this site I found, he been great to deal with. They should be here late November I've since brought the controls and digital gauges and fuel management gauges for it, props can wait a while. After fitting the windscreen back on and looking at it again, I'm thinking of juswt mounting an aluminium roof, removing the sides of the screen and getting sliding windows made for it. I agree with the sink, stove and icebox, have already thought of how I want to do it, a single seat for me and a double bench for front passengers which will hinge open to get to sink & stove, behind that with be another aft faceing seat with an inbuild icebox.
As for the neighbours, dont know, only moved in about 5 weeks ago, the old lady on the side the cats on I've only spoken to once and I told her a was a boat person, since then I've brought my 17.5ft Yaltacraft runabout and my sons 12ft tinnie home and now the cat, I'm going to try and pressure test the tanks next weekend. Most of the work I intend to do myself and I am also a realist, the work that needs to be done by pro's will be. If you want to have a look its at 7 Renmark Court, Helensvale, help yourself. Doug.

[Jarrah Jack]

Very honest with the info, well done.

Lets hope the boat doesn't live up to its name.

[tropicrows]

I will watch this resto as it's always good to see what others get up to. Keep a log of every cost (its an eye opener) and take plenty of pics. My resto (my Avatar) cost me much more than I planed and a lot more time than i ever thought it would.

[Scooter101]

Hi Doug,
I have recently purchased a cat that looks like it is about the same age. I have started to rebuild her as well and have rented a shed to put all the crap in. We have finshed fixing and glassing all the cabin and deck areas and are high build priming her this weekend. I will post some photos next week of her, and keep in touch on how your project is going.
cheers, Scott

[sharkcat 23]

Hi Scott,

Yeah mate in the process of the same thing at the moment, spent last 2 weekends fixing unwanted holes etc and rubbing her back, its a big job but will be worth the finished product. What colours are you doing your in. Hope all going well with your project mate. Send some photos when you can.

Cheers Doug.

[sharkcat one]

7463174637
7463674635746347463374632 Hi Guy's,

My shark cat project started off looking alot worst than your photo's . But after alot of hours and money I finally finished it . I sold the boat about 1 and a half years ago (needed the money at the time ) . One thing I can suggest is to blank in the transom and put your engines on pods, you gain about 2 feet in the cockpit and the boat rides better with the engines further back.( have included photo's ) . Very muched missed.

Cheers,

[sharkcat one]

First time that I have put photo's up , may have done it wrong ?

cheers

[The Woo]

I haven't seen a "new member" area so I'll say Hi folks! here :)

Mate, great project. I have a serious soft-spot for the original 23' Sharkcat.

My father and I owned one many years ago, a 1986 model with a pair of 200 Mariner 2 strokes on it. Purchased from Currumbin Air Sea Rescue and semi re-fitted by the factory after purchase. Installed a free stading hard top with removable 360 degree clears (would suggest you do the same rather than bolt on a boxy and hot enclosed wheelhouse, was a great setup), a moulded in bait tank between the engines, rocket launchers, and a few other features.
If you're familiar with Peter Webster's 1986 cream/brown 23' named Take Two you'll know how it looked.

IMPORTANTLY, the boat's deck inspection ports were seized closed, so we butchered them to inspect within the hulls. Luckily we did, because the starboard hull stainless tank had cracked and the compartment was full of a couple hundred litres of fuel! In an air sea rescue boat! haha
Sure enough, the deck came up on both sides and we replaced both tanks.

Re the outboard well versus pod arrangment, I truly believe they run better without pods, as the pods tend to make them fractionally bum-heavy. This rings particularly true with your model, as it is a pre 1985 model with the flat foredeck and slightly narrower sponsons (by 3 inches or so). Isay that as I've spent hundreds of hours at sea in both configurations.

You could modify the trasom to allow a walk-through setup if you can find a way to make it stong enough. We couldn't, not for reasonable outlay anyway, and instead utilised the rear centre seat moulding as the basis for a nice size live well.

I guess you can tell my excitement about and love for these boats with my rambling post! haha

We're mid-way through another refit now, so I will echo what several others have already said, and that is allow at least double the time, and quite a bit more cash too. Especially if you wish to have a completed job to be both long lasting and proud of.

I'll be watching with interest!

[sharkcat 23]

Hi,
Yeah I've read several threads on here about fitting pods, most seems to say dont do it, several have said its a must, will have to investigate further before making any decision on that.. As for the cabin configuration, with the front windows as they are I would need to add about 300mm in height to put a roof on, I had thought about infilling this area in glass to match the existing with a set of sliding windows mounted on the side to replace the existing triangle pieces, still have to chase that up, yes clears are an option I hadn't thught about, but if I do the front in glass, I stay dry and get a better view and with sliding side windows I can get the fresh air thought, we'll see, money might win out on that one. Time doesn't worry me, I get little enough time off as it is so I work on it when I can, no hurry, want the job done properly, what set up did you have on the steering, still looking for the best system/setup to suit the cat.
Thanks Doug

[Scooter101]

74667746667466574664746637466274661
Gidday Doug,
Glad to hear that you finally got started on your project. I have been going a few weeks now, and finally got some primer on her this week. There are many repairs to be done but she will come up a treat. I am not sure what colours to paint her, but I was think a white superstructure, then maybe a light grey or silver hull to break it up. I have a hard top from the windscreen back about 2.5m and was thinking of raising it about 6 inches and fitting clears around the screen, I have rocket launchers and poles to fit on top of the canopy. Do you know what year she would be. The previous owner said 1982 model 24 ft? Do you know what the tank arrangements are in them, I was told 3 fuel and one water, but the breather hook up all look to be fuel. The ugly bow rail is gone!
Keep in touch and I will post more photos soon.
Cheers Scott

[sharkcat 23]

Scott,
There are a lot of people on here better suited to answering your question on year model, apart from it looks exactly like mine and mine is a late 70's early 80's I have no idea. Theyre a big hull and a lot of work but as you said, should come up a treat. If possible could you post a couple of pictures of your hardtop, still thinking of how to do mine, if money permits I'm trying to stay away from clears at the front purely trying to stay dry if I get caught out, I'm going for clears at the back of the cabin only. As for the tanks, I have 2 x 200 litre fuel tanks only, when pressure tested I had a small leak inone which gave me an excuse to take the floor up in that area so I knew exactly where and what the tanks were, before that I was worried about mounting anything as I didn't know where they were, I also want to mount 2 water tanks, one either side just infront of the fuel tanks. Everything I've seen on these says there 23 ft not 24. Sorry I haven't really answered most of your questions, there seems to be a lot of variations, especially in what the previous owners had added or changed. Anyway mate, good luck should be a great boat when finished, what motors are you putting on her and what steering does she have or are putting on her.
Doug

[The Woo]

Hi,
Yeah I've read several threads on here about fitting pods, most seems to say dont do it, several have said its a must, will have to investigate further before making any decision on that.. As for the cabin configuration, with the front windows as they are I would need to add about 300mm in height to put a roof on, I had thought about infilling this area in glass to match the existing with a set of sliding windows mounted on the side to replace the existing triangle pieces, still have to chase that up, yes clears are an option I hadn't thught about, but if I do the front in glass, I stay dry and get a better view and with sliding side windows I can get the fresh air thought, we'll see, money might win out on that one. Time doesn't worry me, I get little enough time off as it is so I work on it when I can, no hurry, want the job done properly, what set up did you have on the steering, still looking for the best system/setup to suit the cat.
Thanks Doug

Everyone has their own unique view and idea, mine is thus. I hope you don't mind me sticking my nose in to talk cats? :D
You're in Qld, so seldom will you be forced to but up with extreme cold. You'll have far more days on the water when its just bloody hot, and flow-through ventilation is king. In my experience, no matter how well ventilated and how many sliding windows and hatches in an enclosed wheelhouse (What the Sharkcat factory called an "Express" version), it will still feel stuffy and be hot in summer.

With the awesome new generation of clear curtains available such as StrataGlass, I'd definately be running with a free standing hardtop similar in exucution to our old girl. You'll then have the ability to open is right up as much as you like depending on the weather and how sporty you're feeling.
I'd prefer personally to view over the top of the screen with the clears panel rolled up that through solid glass any day, even if it means ducking the occasional bit of spray :)
With glass you'll need wipers (with fresh water washers to avoid scratching), and you do get a distorted view.
Enclosed wheelhouses are normally quite a lot louder too, as it tends to keep the sound of the engines in. People tend to close the cockpit door (if there is one) to avoid the noise, but then it gets stuffy.

You will make your own decision, but there's no doubting I'm a fan of a more convertible structure :)

We purchased the hardtop moulding from the Sharkcat factory. It is the factory moulding used for the Express version. The outriggers look a bit silly in this old photo because they're not tensioned to the gunwale.

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q301/bennythewoo/photo-1.jpg

[The Woo]

what set up did you have on the steering, still looking for the best system/setup to suit the cat.
Thanks Doug

Ours had a single large ram Morse Teleflex system, with the ram between the engines out of view. That is a long time ago though, and now I reckon you'd be much better served going with a Hydrive setup, it's very nice stuff made from nice quality materials and is designed to last, unlike many modern popular systems. http://67.18.218.201/~hydrive/
A single ram will do the job if it's set up correctly. A bonus with single rams is you don't get the creep that twin ram setups are succeptable to (when over time one engine starts pointing differently to the other, requiring a valve to be opened to allow you to correct it. It's all so unnessesary.)

[The Woo]

I replied to this thread a few hours ago. It said a mod would need to approve the posts. Still nothing.

Is it just me or? :-?

[Scooter101]

74687746907468974688
Hi Doug,
The boat came with a couple of 2 banger 150 Yammies with hydraulic steering on each engine. One needs a new lower crank bearing, both run though, and both need a good service which I can do myself (marine mech) She does around 40 knots WOT and 28 at 3000rpm. I am not sure what to do with the canopy yet, the photo I attached is the fiberglass hardtop with ali rear when I purchased it. As I said I am thinking of raising the hardtop by around 6 inches, then adding alloy to rear at the same level. I purchased a set of powdercoated rod holders and game poles on ebay in good nick for $370 to go on top. Not sure what colours to paint her now as silver or grey will show all the blemishes up.
Cheers

[The Woo]

Edit - duplicate post

[sharkcat 23]

Thanks Woo,
Did you buy the mould or just the fibreglass top from the sharkcat factory. If you brought the mould I would love to have a chat to you. Thanks for all the information its good to get different perspectives.

Doug

[The Woo]

Oops sorry, it reads a bit wrong. we bought the actual hardtop from the factory, not the mould.

[Scooter101]

754277542575426


75424


Hi Guys,
After heaps of sanding and filling we finally have the top coats on the old girl and she is looking a lot happier. Now is the time to put her back together and go boating::)

[boatboy50]

Hey Guys,

Just bringing this one up from the dead.

Any updates on any of the projects on this thread?

Darren

[Scooter101]

Hi Darren,
Mine is all finished, took a lot longer and a lot more $ than expected, but came up well. Will post some pics when I get back.
Cheers

[sharkcat 23]

95385Sorry its taken a while to post an update, things move very slowly when your sanding and filling and then sanding 95384again, and theres so much boat to do, not to far off being ready to start painting. Since I got her I have removed a section of floor to check the 95383stringers and generally have a good look around, checked the fuel tanks, pressure tested the tanks for leaks, replaced and glassed in the floor. I a95382lso found the canopy on ebay and after check measurements I brought it and have spent a lot of time mounting up it, its not your average sharkcat de95381sign, but I don't think its looks to bad, at this stage the colours with be black to the rubber then a burgundy over the deck and side of the cabin.95380

[ozynorts]

Hey mate you need to use the go advanced button to post pics. You need to manage attachments, import them, insert inline and then they post so we can see them.

[sharkcat 23]

95395953949539395392953919538895387953919539095389 95388Thanks, thought it was too easy,95387

[sharkcat 23]

maybe third time lucky

[sharkcat 23]

Its been a while since I posted an update of the cat rebuild, between FIFO and working on the house the boat had to take a back seat until
Adam Milne could get the work done that I wanted. All a really have to do now is get someone to finish the small bit of aluminium welding, and fit it out which hopefully I can get done over the next two swings at home.

[Spaniard_King]

Adam loves his pic taken :)

Are you going to tow this on the road much if so what is your expected towing weight?

Looks great!

[sharkcat 23]

Garry, I'm not sure, I would think ready to go in the water 3 1/2 ton, when I take it home from Adams next time I'm home I intend to take it over a weightbridge to get some idea of what it weighs at the moment, I dont beleive the electronics would wiegh much more, the batteries, fuel and water I can work out to come close to a complete tow weight