Express gets a rebuild - sort of.

[Hornet Rider]

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My 1994 Express was a bit worse for ware, so for Christmas she got some loving:
1. Old floor & foam stripped out
2. All inside hull welds re-welded - Phil @ Viper Boats Nambucca - $375
3. Hydraulic steering re-fitted - Garry & son @ GD Marine Services - good price
4. 3 sheets CD ply 2400 x 1200 x 17mm - Mister Plywood Geebung - $195
5. 3 sheets Foamula 2400 x 1200 x 50mm - Austech Pinkenba - $240
6. 150 s/steel hex screws & washers 30mm x 20 gauge - Russ All Industrial Alderley - $38
7. 2lt Bondall timber sealer - Bunnings $48
8. 2lt Gloss enamel - Bunnings $28
9. Hours & hours & hours of lost fishing time

Could have epoxyed the ply but too hard, too messy & too expensive. Foamula is expenisve but much more robust than styrofoam & doesn't absorbe water.

cheers, HR

[Chimo]

Hi HR

Interesting project. How many welds had let go? How many hadn't?

Did you use that stuff to stop the stainless hex screws reacting with the aluminum?

How much heavier is the boat after the rebuild?

Should be great in the surf now by the way!

Regards
Chimo

[Mike Delisser]

I used to love these boats, I was looking for 1 a few years ago but not too many around.

[Hornet Rider]

Hi Chimo,

After drilling the holes to fasten the floor I sealed the holes in the ply with Bondall & used duralac on the s/s screws to combat the dissimilar metal issues. Only 3 welds had let go about a meter back from the bow, just the place you'd expect given that's the area of most punishment. None of the cross members/ribs had let go, just 3 smaller connecting sub-ribs. The guy at Viper Boats reinforced all the internal hull welds & added some reinforcing 3mm plates under the c/console. The foamula is actually lighter than styrofoam, but the 17mm floor would be about 10kg or so overall heavier than the 15mm one it replaced. Did a test run yesterday in the passage at Bribie with 15-20kts making some nice chop. The express did well, solid as.

cheers, HR

[Hornet Rider]

Mike, they are easy to fall in love with. My c/console gets very wet in a chop but what c/c doesn't. They're not flash & spiffy, but will handle some very marginal conditions with ease & predictability.

cheers HR