Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/2107
feature 21 September 2009 Another problem arose when Tony scraped off the old carpet from the decks and catwalks and discovered they were paper thin. "They looked like they had been shot with a double barrel shotgun," he recalls. So rather than trying to replace them, Jack suggested they simply remove them and make the cabin a wide body. It was also decided to make the boat one level and eliminate the step-down. "A project like this is not something we do all the time, but we had some expe- rience with re-doing boats and some time so decided we could help Tony out," says Bryan. "He was with us every step of the way, asking questions, helping out and even pitching in to sweep floors for us." They had some surplus windows that Tony bought and used but it was neces- sary to extend the walls out to accommodate them. But that also allowed additional space for insulation. Sailabration put on the cabin, the decks and roof, cut the windows out, installed the two roof air conditioners and replaced many of the steel rails with aluminum ones. After the boat was back in its slip, they installed a seamless, stretched vinyl ceiling. They Sailabration Houseboats builds pontoon houseboats in Powell, Tenn., just north of Knoxville. They have sample plans for boats from 14- by 42-foot to 16- by 72-foot, but will design and build to a customer's specifications. They are now building 18-wide and pride themselves on providing a combination of quality and affordability. One of their features is the use of large pontoons that can be used for storage or to house equipment. Generators can be mounted in them and they can also be made storage-accessible throughout the boat. They also offer cuddy cabins for increased sleeping capacity. For more information on Sailabration Houseboats call 865-947-4234 or visit www.sailabrationhouseboats.com. Photos provided by Tony Joyce More Photos See over 25 more photos of the start to finish facelift at digitals.harrispublishingpromotions.com