Hello y'all

[Autococker07]

After months of searching, I finally bought my first boat a few weeks ago. While not nearly as beautiful as all of yalls here, she is a whaler, seems solid, and I cannot wait to get her out on the water!
She is an 89 18ft guardian with an evinrude cross flow 100, auctioned out of us navy service, but left to sit uncovered for about 6 years.
I will be pulling the floor and foam in the coming weeks, and praying that I don't have to reglass the deck or replace the fuel tank, but figure both are probable. The engine runs good, 90psi on all four, but isn't charging, so a stator or voltage regulator is in my future also.
She is not the prettiest, but seems like a nearly indistructable old warhorse, transom is solid, and she is an upgrade to the fractional ownership of a styrofoam raft that I had as a teenager....
I plan to get her on the water my late this month, but hope for sooner! I sure do appreciate all of the knowledge in this forum, and have thoroughly enjoyed reading about these wonderful boats!

[jimh]

Many of us think the Boston Whaler classic 18-foot OUTRAGE hull is a fabulous boat. Your GUARDIAN version is just built with heavier lay-up.

An old OMC two-stroke-cycle engine will probably run forever. Enjoy the new boat.

[Maverick]

Pictures please!

I have an '87 GUARDIAN 18 that I recently restored. Always like seeing another! Where are you located (state)? Great boat!!! Mav in South Carolina

[Autococker07]

Hi Mav, I'm in nw Florida (ft Walton) the boat came from the navy base at Panama City. I'll get a couple of pictures downsized tonight to put up, but she is a sad, dirty sight right now..... I am in the process of pulling the console, but cannot find the release pin for the steering cable, and haven't even looked at the throttle/shift cables yet.... Once I get that off I'll pull the deck and scrape foam (rainwater is standing on the fuel tank), make a decision on repair or replace the tank, and go from there..... I really hope to get on the water soon, but this is my first boat, and last day of school today..... --I laugh aloud--. Pics forthcoming!! Jim.

[Maverick]

admirable Jim. My boat spent some time there too probably working alongside yours. Check your email. The 18 is a great size for all around use and ride...sort of a sportscar but can run big water too. This website has some great folks, and is full of great info and reference materials. Looking forward to your pics and discussion of your new GUARDIAN!!!!!!

[Autococker07]

Wow, it's neat to think that these two were stablemates at some point!! I sure hope I can get mine to look as good as yours, I would never have guessed yours to be a military boat! It looks like a cream puff that sat in a time capsule! Mine is a hard drinking lady that has been in a few fights :D. Although I have not yet had her on the water, she has a really good feel.... I think she will be a lot of fun this summer if I can get the dang console off!!! (By the way, is there an faq on how to disconnect the steering, throttle, and shift cables? I have no pin on my steering gear, or a knurled nut that I can see....

Finally, here are a couple of pics.....

[Autococker07]

Sorry about the double post, my pic was still too big but I thought maybe y'all limited pics per post..... Still learning this silly technology stuff

So, a question about the transom in this picture..... You may need to look carefully, but there is an 8-10 inch deep cutout for the outboard to mount into with what appears to be a cast stainless steel cap over it...... I have noticed that most outrages have a transom that goes straight across, with no cutout..... Is mine normal? Is there terminology for this transom style?

[Maverick]

Hi Jim, great to see your pics. Mine looked pretty rough when I got it...had a lot of problems, both mechanical and cosmetic. Trailer was a mess as well..The whole rig needed pretty much everything but lots there to work with.

You asked about the transom cutout. Mine doesn't have a cut out, but is flat all the way across. Perhaps whaler made them both ways, I'm not sure...probably some folks on this forum that can speak to that with certainty.

I'd like to see more pics of yours, but from what you posted, I think it has much potential. I've owned an 18 OUTRAGE and now this 18 GUARDIAN, a few 17s, a 15, and several 13s, and for a small, manageable boat, the 18 is a really great all around boat...has good ride, big fuel tank, shallow draft, and is self bailing. I'll try and describe what you may wish to do by telling you what I did.

The important thing for me was to find a solid hull, and I figured in time with $$$ I could fix everything. After the test ride, the seller had me hook up to the trailer and pull it out for him...and in winching that very ugly mis-painted hulk onto the rickety trailer, I nearly told the seller no...that I was going to keep looking. Man, was it UGLY!!! The hull was painted with red bottom paint like 2 feet above the waterline in the bow area...ugh!!!! Why, I asked. Gees!!!

But the hull was solid, the t-top very unique, and it was the first and only 18 Guardian I'd ever seen or heard of that had the factory dive door...and that made me sort of reluctantly "write the check", and roll the dice. It was a huge project, and nearly kicked my tail. But it was a labor of love, and the more I fixed, the more I liked it.

For about the next year, I removed everything, sanded the ugly off the sides and underneath, fixed some side depressions where someone had tightened the dive rails too tight, and re-gelcoated where needed. Very tough work...dusty, gotta wear a mask, hot outside, gelcoat not easy to work...sanded, buffed to mirror shine...pretty ok on the sides. New black decals. Hmmm, Looking pretty good. Wife smiled a little.

Then more hard work to come. I pulled the gas tank, and found (lucky for me) several corrosion holes you could stick your finger through...foam had been "holding" fuel from leaking out...a recipe for disaster ...quite the ugly mess, worst case of corrosion on aluminum I'd ever seen. Man, was it bad. I then cleaned, scrubbed, filled screw holes with resin, re drilled, then bought new, correct replacement tank (like $900), installed new USCG approved hoses, gauges, tank wiring, and refoamed the tank in as close as I could to how I found it originally (like Whaler did it).

Sanded and painted the gunwale caps (heavy aluminum) with automotive white primer, then several coats of clear coat with hardener. Did same for leaning post and console. New windscreen. Buffed inside, really lit up with compound and wax. The hull smiled at me.

Redid a soft spot in the floor...cut out old rotted wood, new plywood, lots of resin to seal. Very strong. Looked good. Reinstalled floor, console, tower, leaning post. Rewired everything with tinned marine wire...expensive$$ but worth it. Had everything set up for new motor.

Took boat off trailer, set it on pads in the yard. Rebuilt aluminum trailer...about the only thing any good on it was the aluminum...replaced nearly EVERYTHING else on it, put boat back on trailer. Re-Painted bottom with black ablative.

Saved $$$, researched new motors with a lot of help from folks on this website, and got a "deal" from Evinrude...free stuff on a new motor promotion. And that's about it. My boat fund was broken, but I was pleased with the "investment", and that's what it's really about...enjoying our Whalers. I don't believe I would invest this kind of time in money in any other brand.

SAFETY, UTILITY, RESALE: Boston Whaler

I have a lot of $$ tied up, but I really like the setup...sportscar feel but very very solid on the water...very safe and predictable performance. I hit 50 mph last Sunday for the first time ever...guess motor getting loosened up...me and the dog, about 20 gallons of fuel in it. Felt great. Nothing like this kind of freedom except maybe on the Harley Davidson, hah!

Keep us posted, very glad to see another GUARDIAN 18 in good hands! Best, Mav