Long time waiting....NEW INTERIOR in the ULTRA!

[Blazen Js]

I met this RAD chick in Parker, back in the late 90's while boating. We were young, jet boats were fun, but our friends were all steppin up and going to the Lake. In 2004 the girl marries me and we buy OUR first boat as a wedding gift for ourselves to go honeymoon camping on the Lake. The boat, when we got it, was a 10yr old Ultra 23 in fair condition with newish interior, 454MPI/Bravo1. WE LOVE IT!! and spend about half the summer in Havasu, every year since making memories. The years and now kids have taken their toll on the interior, but we held off a redo with dreams of something newer. I've feverishly looked at upgrading for years, but cannot find anything that makes more sense for how we do Havasu. In 2017, the boat still shines, and our family still finds this boat does everything we want just perfectly. So, its decided, this 1994 ULTRA Custom Boat is forever part of our family. Follow along as we throw some $$$ at this biatch with upgrades, new floors, and interior by Martinez Marine Interiors, in Corona.

 

[Blazen Js]

Interior is all out and new floors already in. Floors are done very nicely. All stainless hardware and everything glassed in. Stringers in excellent shape. Replacing in floor ice chest with a second ski locker with subfloor. Eddie Martinez suggest we build the speaker boxes into the bow seating, freeing up some floor space. Also going to open up the walk through panels for easier access under dash. I think the dog will really like that part. These guys have had lots of suggestions and creative ideas so far to help us dream up what we want. So far, the Martinez team is delivering on what he promised in a timely manner and they have been super easy to work with. They are obviously very busy this time of year, but Eddie always seems to have time for me. The Martinez family has been doing marine interior for decades and their knowledge is making me feel confident I'm gonna be happy. Kinda hard to see your baby tore up like this!

 

[RiverDave]

mI can honestly say I don't think I have ever seen a 23 Ultra before? Is that the Warlock mold?

Looking forward to watching the progress.

 

[2FORCEFULL]

cool thread and cool boat:thumbsup:thumbsup I like the colors and you should be happy they didn't throw a bunch of pink stripes in with the colors they used..

it would be hard to upgrade from that boat as it's a perfect size....hit that bad boy with some miguiers 105 and it will shine like new...oh and add a triple axel trailer for the total head turner look.... can't wait to see the new interior...those guys do some amazing stuff...thanks again for posting:thumbsup

got any rear pics?

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

Cool midsized boat.....reminds me of the Howard 22s of the same era. :thumbsup

 

[Thunderhead1]

Excellent decision Mr J....

This ol'e girls is getting what she deserves... Glad you went this route... You wont regret it....



Mike

 

[ToMorrow44]

Looks a lot like a 23 Warlock we had. Really great boat, very big 23, deep cockpit, good rough water handling. Overall excellent family boat. Sold to a friend who still has it and it's going strong.

Great project and I look forward to the results!

 

[ArizonaKevin]

My FIL has a Ultimate 23' and it looks very similar, I am guessing it is the same mold. I will pass this thread along to him to see if it can motivate him to throw some updates at his old girl.

 

[Blazen Js]

Thanks for your interest! This ULTRA Custom Boats hull is from the same mold Ultimate Warlocks, and Warlocks were being pulled from back then. I have seen only but a few similar 23 ULTRAs from this time period. It's layed up really heavy, done very nicely, and built with quality parts from the era. The gelcoat was love at first sight for my Wife and I loved the classic design. Over the years, I have really taken a liking to the colors as well. Even in 2004, when I bought it, ANY pink was a deal breaker for me! This boat is a really good size for my family. We now have two kids and a dog and enjoy burnin fuel. Typically we'll run from Pirates to the Springs and tube in and out of a dozen different coves along the way each day on the water. There's a few favorite spots for socializing with boat sodas as well, you all know the spots. While not huge by today's standards, this is a big and tall 23' boat, but I find it easy to manage, dock, and even manuever through the channel on busiest of weekends. I feel this size boat is great for keepin my daughters safe while learning to ski. She whips around like a tounament boat! I would most closely compare the hull to the Howard 22 of that era, but with a bit less bow angle.

 

[snafu]

A buddy had one of the first 23s from Ultra, similar graphics red,blue, gray on white, had the marine fabric interior, took the 454 to Jeff Blosdale and had it built. That boat was scary fast for the time. Your boat is a cool reminder, look forward to seeing the update.

 

[RiverDave]

I like the look of the interior that was in it! (dog pic).

Kids on the water skis in the driveway is priceless!

 

[Blazen Js]

Hey RD, that interior is for sale complete....come on what could you use it for? I'm thinkin if I can't pass it along to someone for use, it may end up as patio furniture at the Lake house. Has lot of memories associated, just lookin at the old interior, stacked here in my garage, makes me want to drink beer. Definitely has some life left in it. Any RDP member gets a deal!

 

[boatnam2]

Tell you how much things have changed, 1993 ultra regatta there was 1 23ft'r and everyone was olgoling over it like it was a 35ft dcb, 80 21ftrs and 1 23ftr boy how the times have changed.

 

[RiverDave]

Hey RD, that interior is for sale complete....come on what could you use it for? I'm thinkin if I can't pass it along to someone for use, it may end up as patio furniture at the Lake house. Has lot of memories associated, just lookin at the old interior, stacked here in my garage, makes me want to drink beer. Definitely has some life left in it. Any RDP member gets a deal!
View attachment 554535 View attachment 554536

Being that it was built for a pretty rare boat and add in the teal, I'm thinking your gonna be holding on it for awhile.

 

[Rvrluvr]

Tell you how much things have changed, 1993 ultra regatta there was 1 23ft'r and everyone was olgoling over it like it was a 35ft dcb, 80 21ftrs and 1 23ftr boy how the times have changed.

Was it the black one with green stripes. That was my X BIL's. Had a mpi 502. Did 82 mph all day. We thought we were kings of the river. Thats when the 23 was the monster baller boat

 

[Blazen Js]

Tell you how much things have changed, 1993 ultra regatta there was 1 23ft'r and everyone was olgoling over it like it was a 35ft dcb, 80 21ftrs and 1 23ftr boy how the times have changed.

Hey Boatnam, when I close my eyes, they're all still olgoling......except this time, that girl on the beach, well her top pops off at the exact same time a cold beer flies from my olgoling audience and I catch it, cool, calm, collected and drink it promptly.

"Livin the dream" ain't that right Mikey.

 

[boatnam2]

I thought that looked like your boat, you had it parked on pennisula?

 

[Blazen Js]

Back in 1994, when this boat was made, stripes were the schizzle. Deep, dark colors striped across whole seat backs with varying shades was the norm. Early 2000s custom interiors had to be all white. We are shooting to mix the two and end up with something sporty and classy. Mostly white with some asymetrical striping. We also wanted to gain more usable interior and floor space. We like the offshore style bucket, but they need to be comfy and the wife wants a flat back seat and decklid. A few quick sketches we gave Eddie to get us on the same page.

 

[Cray Paper]

Timeless gel scheme and great looking lines, nice boat. I remember those early 90's Ultras, nicely built with great workmanship on the gel coat. I'm sure the interior is going to look awesome, keep posting progress photos! Once my wife says "OK" I'm going to be doing the same thing on our boat.

 

[Blazen Js]

Panels are being built and resin coated. Lots of progress. It was our intention, and I am really excited to see just how we are going to now be using lots of space behind the panels. In the open bow alone, I can now fit a 6 pack and 4 kicker 6.5" LED speakers where before I had no access. Oh ya, and the USB ports for the kids.....charging/bluetooth. These pockets will also provide opportunities to stray from the Snowhite vinyl. That's Eddie Martinez in the background there piecing together the open bow for me. Check out the box he made to house the shifter and cables! As I look around, Martinez Marine Interiors looks a lot like I imagine Santa's workshop. There's guys harmoniously working in EVERY available space. There's woodworking, gelcoating, foam shaping, vinyl, stitching, colorsanding, polishing, assembling all going on at once. And there's a bunch of badass boats in here, from restored, rare and classic to new manufacture prototypes. As I wander my way through the shop, I come somewhere near the end of their "assembly line" where I can see someone else's finished product. You can sense the custom, I felt the quality, the stitching by Eddie's Dad, Jose...unbelievable. I can't wait! Eddie promises me it will be ready for Desert Storm.

 

[Waffles]

I was going to ask if you were gonna stick with period correct styling or go with the offshore/poker run design......that sketch answered my question lol

 

[Blazen Js]

We are going with a custom offshore style, lowback bucket, but with a more welcome entry and smaller bolsters. They'll have armrest and therefore we do not need the bulky shoulder panel. Should open up the cockpit a bit. Just the shape frees up some space over the older boxy style. One thing we are pushing to do is achieve as much open cockpit space as possible. No bolsters across the backseat, too racey, going for more sporty, classy, pleasure than raceboat. We are going to cover it all in a striped design inspired more from the 1994 era and play nothing but Nirvana and UB40, loudly.

 

[Blazen Js]

Quick progress! Just starting to get the foam.

 

[Blazen Js]

A few more. Some sculpting starting to happen.

 

[Blazen Js]

Rough viewing. Lookin Great!

 

[Headless hula]

Rough viewing. Lookin Great!

Did she catch anything?!?
Pic of your daughter is awesome!!!
I still have the pink "snoopy" pole around here someplace....

Interior work is looking really good man, thanks for posting.

 

[Deano]

Awesome, Jeremy. That thing is going to be bad ass. I'll see you out there next week for DS.

 

[Ultra247]

Awesome thread. We did the same thing with our 21 Eliminator a few years ago! It's a great experience and she will be gorgeous when you're done. I ended up going to Dana (now marine west) and getting the new offshore style shifter, updating all of the cleats and vents, etc. Also do a stereo upgrade while you're in there. The double ski locker is amazing. Be sure to have them do a built in frame in the floor for the cooler to fit under the drivers dash or the passenger dash.

40 oz carpet is key. It made ours feel like walking on clouds compared to the original.

Looks great! keep the pics coming!!

 

[Blazen Js]

That's Fernando making up the templates and patterns. Vinyl is being cut and the stitching is beginning. New parts are arriving daily now. Check out the hinges.