Ultimate project? Help me lord!

[boatboy50]

Hey Guys,

A friend had this, and was going to sink it, so silly me agreed to buy it. ;D

My wife always says I see the potential in anything.

I will start this off as a thread, and hopefully add to it as I complete each stage of the project. Note guys it is a long term project, which I am in no hurry to complete, as time allows.

I have never completed a project of this size before, so will rely on any advice you guys can hand out (Blaze where are you!). I am VERY green at this sort of thing, and wanted to use it as a learning experience, whether thats a good or bad one!

Heres the run down.

1. It is a Haines Hunter V16R hull.

2. The previous owner has cut away the deck, engine well and the deck sides, and turned it into a centre console. This has weakened the deck substantially, and there is probably 30mm of flex in the hull sides as it is.

3. The transom appears reasonably solid, although I can see some delamination between the outer GRP skin and the timber (through the engine holes).

4. Due to #2, the floor will need to be replaced completely, as will the side pockets, and I will need to rebuild the deck again and strengthen it all up again.

5. I intent on making it a bass style boat, as per the technical ;) drawing attached. My thoughts are to make it a side or dual console, with a raised forward casting platform (storage under), under floor fuel and kill (albeit small) tanks, redesigned engine well with bait tanks, new anchor well, new side pockets and rod holder storage, re-paint and any other brainstormed ideas I come up with!

Do you guys have any comments to make? Where do I start?

Questions first.

1. Can I extend the current side decks with marine ply and glass over them, making them a 90 degree angle for strength, with braces to the side pockets? Any suggestions as to a better way. It will need to be curved toward the bow, and I plan on a flowcoat finish for the whole deck above the gunnal anyway, with 2 pack externally below.

2. Is this also the best way to build the transom engine well and bait tanks?

3. Can I make the consoles out of ply and also glass over them, or is there a better way (buy aftermarket?)

4. Should I rebuild the transom now (even though i'm sure its probably 80-90% ok) because I have easy access to it now?

5. What is the best way to build the floor (12mm ply glassed over and flowcoated?)

6. The last stringer where you can see it broken away is also stuffed. What is the best way (materials) to rebuild this one with. From what I can see the longways stringers are solid.

Any comments (hands to help! :P), would be greatly appreciated, as it's all new to me.

I've followed the white ants and Blazes projects (great job guys), but only ever done reborn projects, never rebuilt.

Regards

Darren

[boatboy50]

Sorry guys,

Heres the tech drawing!

Regards

Darren

[Mercury16]

Look on the bright side, It came with a free Fender. Although it could do with some air.
all i can say to you mate is i wish the best of luck to you and cant wait to see the finished product. :)
cheers Peter

[Spaniard_King]

Yikes Darren,

looks an itchy job that one :D

[boatboy50]

Lol,

Why the bloody hell would a poly owner go back to glass anyway? ;)

The things we do to keep ourselves amused!

If it wasn't such a good hull it would be on the bottom right now i'm sure.

I think I will need some serious advice here!

Regards

Darren

[blaze]

Hi Darren
what about if you was to bring the casting deck on the front maybe 2/3 of the boat, mount the console onto the deck. My thoughts would be to make the casting deck about 100mm below the height of your exsisting gunnels and mould some new gunnels down onto the casting deck. Before that casting deck was put in you could use all the sub deck area for storage, fuel, rod lockers, live well etc - by doing this you will be not only building support for the deck but creating a rigid front 2/3 of the boat. Now by the time you put an outboard well in there will only be a small section left to strenthen possible by fitting some parcell type shelfs between the back of the casting deck and the front of the outboard well which will tie the front, back and sides together.
Try and use and reseach a product called dyfinacell (spelling) close cell foam, light and made for the job.
interesting
cheers
blaze

[Chimo]

Hi Das

A good little challenge and I think Blaze, he's not just a pretty face, has made a bunch of very good suggestions which will deal with multiple issues ie stength storage and also take care of aethetics at the same time.

Depending where (and how much) you put fuel and batteries and fresh water it could end up a nicely balanced little rig.

What are you going to power it with apart from a Suz? What HP?

A pod could give you a bit more aft room too and avoid the space loss a well would take plus would it not be be an easier and simpler way to tidy up the tail end?

Cath certainly knows how to get you out of the house...........

Cheers
Chimo

[blaze]

just to add a bit on dyfinacell (spelling), It is very easy to work with, shape with a stanley knife, bends to 90 degree by put cuts in the inside of where the bend will be, can be glued toogether with QCELL and only takes tooth picks to hold it all together. So basicly you can very easily make up any shape you want, the down fall maybe that it needs to be encased in matting other wise it looses its strenth.
cheers
blaze

[Deiter]

Boatboy50, I am looking into my crystal ball, and i can see you some years down the track, you appear to screaming "NEVER, EVER, BLOODY EVER AGAIN!!!!!!"
;D ;D ;D

Seriously mate, good luck to you. I have undertaken a similar project on a 5m carribean safari, though only have myself to blame for cutting the front section away. I will post some pics and my "tech drawing' when i get home. TIP - mine has been on the go 18 months now, and i am just starting to see a light at the end of the tunnell.

Good luck,;)
Damo

[Ian1]

I would suggest using either foam cored or balsa cored composite panels instead of ply for the console, casting deck, gunnels etc. Same sort of stuff blaze is talking about I think. It will save a lot of weight which is always a good thing on an old glass boat. Its also easier to work with. Just cut and glue into the shape you want and glass over. The foam core is probably easier for what you want. Foam is closed cell and made specificaly for marine applications. Some modern sailing boats are built entirly from glass over foam cored panels.

Cheers

Ian

[tunaticer]

I am wondering if anyone has ever glassed over perforated alloy sheet before? it is available and very light and strong anf the glass would most likely treble its strength.

Jack.

[boatboy50]

Thanks Guys,

I will look into it. How do you all suggest mounting the timber/foam to the gunnals before glassing? How can I hold it up in place?

Regards

Darren

[blaze]

make up your section out of dyfinsel foam and glass the inside that you cant access once the y are in place (casting deck aready completed), the mould sections can then be put in place with QCELL by running a bead along the jointing surface of the moulded section, sit in place and wipe away excess qcell making a nice radius on all joins as not advisable to try and glass around square corner.
cheers
blaze
ps
I think ply would not only be impossible to shape but the weight factor would worry me with the amount you need to use

[Dignity]

Another whiteants in the playpen saga coming. Better that any Harry Potter novel. Will watch with interest and the ideas being put forward sound great although likely to have little input. Now if I only had the temerity to bring something like that home to my wife.

[blaze]

this is simular to what I was thinking, its in the for sale section
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/attachment.php?attachmentid=9065&d=1184062912
cheers
blaze

[pilchardjones]

Darren,
My project was very similar - 445R completely rebuilt and converted to bass boat style side console.
Peter Webster has an article that i think he will run one issue soon.
Basically with my project:
new transom 2 layers 15mm ply laminated together with glass
new stringers 12mm ply
12mm floor glassed both sides
sides widened using 2" foam, shaped, glassed over, faired over (i paid somone to do this)
console was made by salvaging the old dash, and joining to it with divynicell glassed both sides, then faired over. (paid somone also)
2 years of work condensed into a 2 minute post but i don't have much time at the moment sorry. I will email you some more photos and PM you my ph no. if you want to chat.
good luck - it will be a great project.
steve

[pilchardjones]

more photographs

[Greg P]

You just might be able to get your hands on that article Darren if you ask the boss nicely ;)::);D

[Deiter]

Steve, awesome looking job there. pm sent for more pics.

2 Q's:

1. Where do you get divynicell and how much does it cost?
2. How do you find the boat's stability when you are standing up high on the bow deck?

Thanx, Damo

[pilchardjones]

Damo.
Get it at the fibreglass supplier you are using, but if you are not concerned about weight, just use 12mm ply in the same fashion. The trick with joining to the existing glass (the console or the gunnels etc), is to grind the existing glass down say 4mm over the length of lap (say 70mm), so that when you lap the join with say 4 layers of 450, it ends up just lower than the exist glass level. This allows you to get a layer of fairing compound screeded over then sanded back.
The photos i email will show it.
steve

[pilchardjones]

and the stability is no worries up on the bow platform, but i generally use in calm waters around hinchinbrook - townsville.
if yours was to regularly venture offshore i would consider dropping the platform to say 400mm below gunnel height.
steve

[lee8sec]

The use of prelaminated fibreglas sandwich panels may work out cheaper and easier. Leigh
http://www.atlcomposites.com/products/composite%20panels/index.htm#

Cut out the shape you need and glue / glass in. There used to be panels available that could be used to build boats in as if you where building a alloy plate boat but they where glass foam sandwich, will see if i can find who stocked them

[boatboy50]

Wow,

Steve, I didn't think there was anybody around as insane as me!

Awesome job mate.

Any info you can provide here or email would be great.

Your pics so far are awesome. Gives me lots of comfort that I havn't bitten off more than I can chew. Especially interested in the bonding of the gunnal sides, the transom and floor rebuild process and the engine well treatment, as these are the areas I have most concern over.

Any rough ideas on costings for the project? I will have a chat with PW and grab a copy of your story, looks the goods.

Again thank you.

Regards

Darren

[pilchardjones]

Darren,
The photos are on my computer at work so can't post here at the moment but its all explained in the article.
Just quickly:

Transom was done by removing top deck about 600mm forward of the transom, chiseling / grinding old timber out, new transom timber 2 x 15mm ply laminated together and all glassed in and bonded to hull and sides 300mm or so.
Engine well was cut down and incorporated into the rear casting platform using a joint between new (platform) and old (cut down well) similar to gunnell joint explained above.

Keep in mind i paid a professional to do the gunnell widening as i was worried about this joint also, but if you look on the photo of the shaped foam running stern to bow (the 5th one), you can see screws at around 300mm centres all along the gunnell. These hold a piece of 90 x 45 wall stud pine up against the underside of the gunnell. This gives you something to screw the foam to and allows it to be bent into shape around the curve. Once you glass over the shaped foam (about 5mm of glass) this timber is removed and the screw holes in the ggunnell top bogged over.

No worries to give me a call if you have any queries.
I like the idea of using pre glassed panels for the platforms and console etc. Saves making your own up with divynicell and 4mm of glass on both sides.
Steve