Our vision when transforming a boat is to bring it back to life, restore it to an exceptional standard, while adding a modern touch via the premium accessories our business offers.
FEATURES
Inland Marine one-off transformation
Fresh Air Exhaust system
New Isotta steering wheel
In-house, custom designed Seadek floor
Roswell Aviator Pro Tower and Soft Top Bimini
Roswell’s award winning Triton Strapless Board Racks and Mag Swivels
Roswell Marine Audio including the patent pending R1 Pro Tower Speakers
Perfect Pass Stargazer Wake Edition S
Acme 1579 Propeller
Custom PTM Watersports, Nautique branded mirror.
Full trailer restoration by Vic Blast & Coat
Arrow alloy wheels and tyres from Speedy Wheels
Brand new vinyl interior with Nautique underliner
In May 2020 we purchased a 2008 Super Air Nautique 210 Team Edition to become our next project boat, having sold our Malibu VLX.
The boat was in good condition. Cosmetically it had a few blemishes in the gel coat, the interior looked tired but still quite serviceable. Mechanically it had a regular service history and had been very well looked after by conscientious owners.
The first task was removing as much as possible from the boat. This included all interior, hinges, gas struts, carpet, dash panels and grab rails. The existing Kicker audio system was also removed, despite being less than 6 months old. Removal of the original Flight Control Tower took some muscle but came off with a little convincing. All in all, a relatively easy task and one that can be attributed to the quality design and build of this era of Nautique.
At this stage we also removed the factory fitted Zero Off speed control due to the LCD gauge being impossible to read.
Being 12 years old the boat had its usual share of knicks, scratches and gouges. The largest being a significant area of prop burn on the hull from the previous owner running a prop that was too large in diameter. Although all minor and totally cosmetic spending the time to remove these blemishes was worthwhile.
The next and most time consuming task was a complete wet sand, machine polish and buff of the deck and hull amounting to more than 20 hours. Over the years we have tried many products and techniques to give gel coat back it’s true depth and lustre but have found none better than the 3M range of Perfect-It and Finesse-It. When used with a wool polish pad and a synthetic buff pad long lasting results are achieved. To finish, we used a ceramic coating. This is the first boat we have ceramic coated and it wont be the last! We’ve always been sceptical but it certainly measures up to being the ultimate method of long lasting protection. Not only does it enhance the shine, it provides a barrier that we put to the test. After leaving the boat in the Edward River for 5 days, the scum line just wiped straight off!
No transformation is complete without a complementary trailer. For this the boat needed to be removed and the best option was to utilise the lifting rings and suspend it from the roof trusses in our shed. It was a daunting task but with the use of two block and tackles the boat was lifted, trailer slowly removed and before breathing a huge sigh of relief, lowered down onto heavy duty truck axle stands.
The trailer was stripped of any non welded accessories in readiness for Vic Blast and Coat to undertake a media blast which involved removing the existing paint whilst not damaging the protective galvanising. The trailer was finished with a custom paint colour, matched to the Nautique ‘Silver Cloud’ gel coat.
Before lowering the boat back onto the trailer, 36 new wobble rollers were fitted along with re-carpeted trailer bunks and wheel arch guards, new wiring, signal lights, an electric brake controller and a Fulton F2 winch. Lastly a set of new, custom machined, correctly load rated 18 x 7 inch alloy wheels and tyres from Speedy Wheels were fitted.
With all the preparation done we were now at the exciting part - the refit!
We pride ourselves on attention to detail and this boat was no exception. All stainless steel components previously removed including the hydrogate from the transom, where given a machine polish prior to being refitted. The throttle and hydrogate knobs, hydrogate dog hair and numerous stickers were all replaced with genuine Nautique parts that identically matched the original fit out.
UPGRADES
Roswell Aviator Pro Wake Tower Our sole choice. An OEM style tower packed with premium features unmatched in innovation and design. The Roswell Aviator Soft Top Bimini seamlessly adds to the Aviator and provides ample shade and headroom. We had previously used the Aviator on our Malibu VLX and we could not fault it's quality, nor design.
Roswell Triton Strapless Board Racks It's true, once you've tried a Triton, you'll never go back! We combined these with Roswell's Mag Swivels for a smooth and easy to use operation for all onboard.
The interior was completely reuphostered. We selected fresh complementary colours and provided a Nautique underliner for the backing to add a finishing touch rarely seen on a restoration project. The vinyl was given a quick coat of 303 Marine Protectant before being refitted using all new hardware. Just like the removal the refit was simple, no stripped or crossed threads, all mounting points were secure and reinforced with large washers and backing plates.
Venture to any boat owners, ski or wake forum and you will understand what a minefield marine audio can be. We had a simple goal for this boat, stand out quality audio with a visual display like no other.
Roswell R1 Pro Tower Speakers When Roswell released these we knew they just had to be on our next project. Sight unseen they were ordered with the expectation that they would deliver a unique marine audio experience and they do that in spades! With a visual experience like no other thanks to the translucent housing with colour-changing LED lights to their unmatched clarity, those that have seen and heard the boat in the flesh understand and fully appreciate this choice. The addition of the Roswell RGB Remote & Controller allows selection of pre-programmed colours and patterns, or modes that react to the beat of the music.
Roswell R1 1000.1 Amplifier, Roswell R1 650.4 Amplifier and Roswell R1 550.2 Amplifier Besides the performance and marine durability that these amps offer, the ability to minimise the space lost was crucial and that’s why we installed them with Roswell R1 Amp Spacers. This allowed all three amps to be stacked giving an integrated solution for our multi-amp set up.
Roswell R1 10” Subwoofer This subwoofer with built in RGB lighting was selected so that we could utilise the existing Nautique sub housing and location.
Roswell 6.5Inch Classic In-Boat Speakers Chosen for the quality sound they provide and ability to fit in existing mount locations. They also work flawlessly with Roswell LED Night Rings which provide discrete in boat lighting that doesn’t detract from the interior’s style and function.
Perfect Pass Stargazer Wake Edition S Installing a Perfect Pass system is a relatively simple process especially on drive by wire boats or boats with a pre-existing Perfect Pass or Zero Off system as it is mostly plug and play.
Isotta Marine Steering Wheel The original and dated Nautique steering wheel was replaced with a luxury new steering wheel from Isotta. Made from stainless steel and covered in black Italian leather, it feels as good as it looks!
PTM VR-140 Elite Mirror & ZXR-300 Bracket There's no denying PTM makes the best mirrors in the tow boat industry. We were fortunate to have PTM make a custom Nautique branded VR-140 Elite Mirror. To say we are delighted with this one-off mirror is an understatement.
Acme 1579 Propeller Acme propellers are the industry standard and having removed the propeller that caused damage to the hull due to being too large in diameter we installed a new 1579 to match our intended use of the boat.
Fresh Air Exhaust The Nautique ‘Surf Pipe’ wasn’t a factory fit back in 2008 when this boat was manufactured so a new FAE with exhaust flappers and blended welds was fitted. As impressive as all the new, custom and upgraded parts on this boat, the biggest single improvement was the FAE. The reduction in not only noise but fumes has made boating much more enjoyable. Our end of day headaches are a thing of the past. Astonishing to think after 25 plus years of boating without an FAE I thought my headaches were caused by the sun and lack of hydration, but it was simply the carbon monoxide produced by exhaust fumes.
Last but certainly not least, the floor. Something that we thought endlessly about throughout the entire process. Such a large space can have the means to make or break the overall impact of this transformation. Seadek throughout the boat, platform and trailer is modern and if done right looks fantastic. However, we just didn’t want a generic off the shelf version. Fortuitously we have an in-house graphic designer that put together a custom design that not only compliments the curves and lines of the boat, it is elegant and individual. Seadek installation was a first for us but while being fluent in the application of vinyl decals, installing Seadek followed a very similar process and one that we would not hesitate at doing again.
So that’s it, a classic 210 updated and completed as per our original goal.
Finally, we’d like to acknowledge those that assited and encouraged us through out the process: Vic Blast and Coat, Roswell Marine, PTM Watersports, Apex Audio Visual, John Speirs, my partner Nicole and our enthusiastic, ever so patient boys, Sam and Nate. It was a long winter with stock arriving slow due to COVID-19 but the feedback and memories we have made definitely outweigh the at times tedious and frustrating journey.
If you would like further information on the processes or products used please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our 210, is Inland Marine's demo boat and we welcome you to take a closer look at the products we not only sell but personally use. If you see us out and about feel free to come over and say Hi, we are always keen to talk about the transformation process and encourage others to do the same.
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