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Hi all new member rick1234, I am about to start restoring a newport 17 and would like all the advice i can get. I would like to change the helm area to a center console but concerned about the value or should i care. I also want to repower to a 90 hp. 4 stroke Suzuki, the motor is 341 lbs. is this to much weight for the hull. I also need a new rub rail,console windshield and bow windshield too. start. thanks Rick.
Welcome aboard, take time to tour around and do some reading of old threads and articles. In the articles section (banner toward top of page) you can look through the different engine choices members use. It does not contain a Newport that I can see so that question will require a little more knowledge than I can give. On the sponsor section (right side of page top) give Sue at Twin cities Marine a call, I couldn't believe how much cheaper it was to get a Boston Whaler rub rail from Boston Whaler than using Ebay or other resources. I started a restoration of my boat many months ago and really wished that I had done more reading and research of this and other sites. Asking questions is obviously better than blindly jumping in and making a mistake but I didn't know what questions to ask at times because of my lack of proper research. I highly recommend cruising through the members project albums and personal pages which the personal pages could take some time, but some minor tricks and details can easily be over looked so view them often.
1963 13' Sport 50hp Evinrude
Maintaining a level of sanity that is socially acceptable
On your modification, you are not the first to want to change the console.
Several owners have made the change, using a used Montauk console. With this change, many refer to the boat as a "Newtauk". (Newport+Montauk)
There is a guy who has a large inventory of whaler consoles in TX but I can't recall his name at the moment. Maybe Tom, Joe et. al. can post it.
As for sources for the windshields, do you have the original forward windshield? If so, it may be easier to get a local glass/plexiglas shop to fabricate a new one.
Hey Rick, I have also been fixing up a Newport 88 and decided to stay w/ the original console. I figured if I wanted a center console bad enough then I should probably just sell the Newport and roll it into a Montauk before doing all the necessary work. I did find the passageway from the front (left of console) to the aft tight, but helped the situation by moving the main flip seat towards the right by about 4 inches. Clearance to the aft from the front became much simpler as the only tough section is the width of the console and it can now easily be accomplished w/ a short one step sideways shuffle. I also liked the idea of keeping the long run of protected floor space along right side of boat. I grew up on a Katama and often missed this protected area (compared to Montauk and outrages I've owned) when it came to water skis or fishing equipment which I did not want stepped on. If you plan to use the boat primarily for fishing go get a Montauk. However if you would like the feel of a more family friendly boat w/ the lower front seats (no rocking cooler or bar in your back or headsnap into the glareshield railing), along with the wider step side rails and larger console stick w/ the original setup. I also used the wider console to house a pair of 9 1/2 inch speakers and a JBL marine radio. I will put some pictures up when I get home. If you do decide to move the main seat make sure you leave enough space for a comfortable full reverse motion on the control quadrant if you have one that is side mounted off the console. This also makes it more comfortable when driving while seated, almost as if you are a pilot. I am also eagerly awaiting new rear side rails (outrage type) from CMI Marine - Fred Caldwell in MA. Let me know what you decide on and perhaps the info I mentioned and some pictures I will post will help you in your decision. Good Luck Paul "ledzella"
I just moved the side console to the center on my Newport 18. I like the Newport console as its lower and is nice when running while sitting down. Your beam is a little narrower than my 18. I have just enough room on either side of the console to make it comfortable to walk around. You may want to measure that. Take a look at my personal page picks and you can see it in the center. That was you retain original parts per se and make it a little more user friendly
I have a 1981 Newport that I am fixing up. When I had purchased it from the 2nd owner I kind of wanted a center console yet I liked the wide gunnels and all the additional storage (oh, and I liked the red rubrail as well-I was the kid who said "I want the red one" :>
Anyway in working on the boat I discovered that the RPS had been moved over in much the same way as the previous poster suggested. I thought about moving it back but decided that it made sense in that it gave me more passage area. My wife likes it that way as well. It makes the Bilge access off center to the RPS but that has presented no problem.
My Newport came with a nice aluminum tank located under the Console (it was too long to locate under the RPS). I wanted to reclaim that space so I am having the tank cut down to fit under the RPS. I am using the same fittings that mirax uses for my new Fill neck, cap and mechanical gauge. I am going to set the tank up a bit above the floor (about an inch) so I can snake the fuel line under the tank (between the mats) and down into the bilge to run back to the motor. This way I will not need to make another hole in the deck. My reconfigured tank will hold just shy of 24 gallons so that will be plenty adequate
:>
