Boat Restoration Project

[Fishin_Dan]

Well, the time has come for this to finally start... :D ::) :'(

Picked up the boat from River City Marine this morning after they pulled the old motor off. They are taking to the wrecker to get as much as they can for it for me. I will then be painting the outside of the hull, replacing the internal floor, and just a quick "schmick" up (Not the one from Bowen! ;) ) on the whole boat....

So, here are a few photos to start it off. I will start up a project website (The same website that Tengals123 & NQCairns have used), and will post the addy here...

If anyone has questions/ideas/tricks/tips along the way, just give me a hoy!

Cheers,

Dan

[Fishin_Dan]

OK, so this is what I bought originally for $2000. It had the 40HP (Not 50 as the cover says) Evinrude on the back, and boat/trailer was rego'd for 6 months approximately.

[Fishin_Dan]

After many dramas, many motor problems, and a lot of money, I finally decided to pull the pin on the motor fix-up, and decided to go for a new 50HP E-Tec!!!! :D (She should fly with that on it!)

So the boat went down to River City Marine (Top guys - Have helped me no end!) and the decision to rip the damn motor off altogether was made. So off it came, and boat has finally come home to her new house for some much needed TLC...

This is a shot of her just after coming home...

[Fishin_Dan]

This is the inside of the cabin. This is where all the floor troubles have started. The guy I bought the boat off (in his infinite wisdom) decided that there shouldn't be a hole in the side of the boat, so put a bolt and sikaflex into the hole to block it up! Problem solved!!!

Well, would have worked well if it hadn't of been the anchor well drain! :o So of course, as the anchor well is internal to the cabin, the only place for the water to go is into the inside of the hull...

The floor in the cabin has been replaced at some stage in the past, and they have done a poor job on it as the glass is delaminating (I think thats the word) from the hull. (If that's not the word, then I mean that it's peeling off the hull, so it's not stuck down! :) )

You can also see that at the front of the cabin floor on each side, where they have glassed the cabin floor in is coming off. Whoever did it last, did a really crappy job! So the whole floor of the cabin is coming out, and some of the floor in the deck area with it. A whole new one will go in. And it will outlast the boat!!! ;D The anchor well will also be re-designed, to make it bigger, and easier to keep seperate to the cabin. It will also have the drain "un-blocked"!!!!

[Fishin_Dan]

Final one for now... This is the transom since the motor has come off.

The transom is in really good nick (Apart from being filthy dirty!), and seems to be as solid as a rock! So just needs a clean up, a re-paint, and the new motor fitted ;D

[Fishin_Dan]

Web link - http://www.shareaproject.com/pages/projectTut,p,126,00.html

[James_V17L]

I hope the rebuild goes well Dan...good luck mate..I am planning a similar tidy up on the ol haines next year..

[Fishin_Dan]

Cheers mate. She should come up really well. Just a bit of work to do... ;)

Looks like Sunday will be the first of a few days of work.... Will be pulling out everything that needs to come out and giving the boat a good clean. Then removing the transducer/speed sensor and filling up all the holes in the transom (From the transducer & old motor mounts). Then the sanding will start! :'(

[tengals123]

Good luck, will follow this thread closely.

cheers

[Fishin_Dan]

:D Thanks for all your info too mate! Always helpful.

Hopefully everyone will post as much info as they can as well about each stage. That way, everyone can get as much information as possible....

[FNQCairns]

Dan good luck with your project it will be worth it once done. Consider pulling the alum strip over the transom off and donate it to the tip, mix some resin and cotton flock (a bag of that is worth it'sweight in gold imo)till still runny and fill/seal the void with that.
Most freshwater enters through these things and after all your good work a rotted transom would hurt.
Hope your stringers are good when you get there, if the transom still being good means anything you might get lucky but it's a crap shoot.

Ps before cutting consider making the boat and trailer 'one' with each other just in case the stringers need to be dealt with but a good idea for the floor also considering it's a major structural component.
Good luck and look forward to seeing your progress (now that I am past those stages #[smiley=laola.gif];D).

[gavsgonefishing]

Mate good luck with it, takes me back to places I don't want to go again.

[Fishin_Dan]

Dan good luck with your project it will be worth it once done. Consider pulling the alum strip over the transom off and donate it to the tip, mix some resin and cotton flock (a bag of that is worth it'sweight in gold imo)till still runny and fill/seal the void with that. Most freshwater enters through these things and after all your good work a rotted transom would hurt. Hope your stringers are good when you get there, if the transom still being good means anything you might get lucky but it's a crap shoot.
Thanks NQ! I remember you having said this beforehand, so had that in the back of my mind.... I'm not too sure on the stringers... The "U Bolt" at the front of the boat (That you winch cable clips onto) slightly moves at the moment, so that main one right at the front I think is gone... Will just have to wait and see!


Ps before cutting consider making the boat and trailer 'one' with each other just in case the stringers need to be dealt with but a good idea for the floor also considering it's a major structural component.
Good luck and look forward to seeing your progress (now that I am past those stages [smiley=laola.gif];D).
Not sure I understand quite what you mean there mate... I'm assuming you are saying to make sure the boat is tied onto the trailer really well... Is that correct?

[Fishin_Dan]

Mate good luck with it, takes me back to places I don't want to go again.

Thanks Gav. I'm trying not to think about that side of it yet... Will just put myself off if I do! ;D

[Fishin_Dan]

OK, I've gone and bought the paint today... I've had a change of mind about the colour scheme. I was going to paint the hull blue and the top white, but I've decided to just do the whole boat white! ::) I'll use black rubber stripping around the hull join, and will look at getting some custom decals (Either a pinstripe, or a thick "racing" stripe) in a blue or red to break up the white a little...

I bought the Interprotect Primer(1L), Perfection Undercoat (1L), and Perfection Snow White top coat (2.5L) for $300! :-?

So firstly need to do the floor, then the re-paint. Then get the new ETEC fitted, then go catch big FISH!!! ;D

[FNQCairns]

Hi Dan, your centre stringer if you have one probably wouldn't be much more than 3 inches high so if the front U bolt is moving it might be the glassed in backing of ply that needs to be replaced before painting, unless it is just loose. I would guess the U bolt will be above the original floor height.

He plugged that hole because when heading into waves they blasted through the anchor well and wet inside the cabin I guess, a 5 dollar clamshell cover over the drain hole would have fixed the problem.

Also is there any underfloor storage in that box built up front? I would bet the real floor is at the same height as the rest of the floor and is still original, in place and in tact. It could still be good and not need replacing, just that box as an option.

With the bulkhead, judging by the pic and the original looking glass work to either side it needs one although maybe not that high running left to right in that boat, boats with these above floor usually have none below floor. Although the original floor will keep the hull solid while working on it but if you remove both during your work, like I did! it opens up a can of worms.

I meant make sure the trailer supports the hull as perfectly as you can get it ;) so there will be no trailer mediated twists or bends when the hull loses some of it's structure.

Dan totally serious here about glass fibers from sanders/sanding and grinding will probably kill you (fibrosis) at least as surely as asbestos fibers although it will take 15 to 30 years so at all times wear a quality mask with proper filters not those medical style ones, buy an industrial one. 10 minutes or less is all it will take to shorten your life in most probability. No matter what even if just going inside to measure something a month later after sanding wear the mask! Only water will get rid of the stuff from the boat and even then I wear the mask while wetting it down.

Hope I am scaring you, it's very very scary if you are still young - like under 60!!.
Cheers fnq

[Fishin_Dan]

Yeah, you're right there I think NQ. The U-Bolt is above the floor line, and I'm guessing it's just the wood backing as well. I just need to be sure...

There is a clam shell cover over the drain hole!!! :-/ Who knows what the guy was thinking!

Yeah, in the cabin, the floor is raised with the original floor underneath to make storage. The glassing on the original floor to hold it in however is coming off the side of the hull, so even if the wood is ok, it will need to be re-glassed down. I will take some photos of what I'm talking about on the weekend when I get into it a bit. The floor under where the driver stands is slightly soft, so there will need to be some replacement of floor. I just need to get parts of it up to see how much/little...

I just went through the trailer skid setup the other week to get them all nice and even, so hopefully she will be fine. I don't plan on removing the whole floor, and hopefully doing it in sections (cabin & deck), so that should leave me pretty well covered for hull strength.

I am just putting a list together now of all the parts I need to do the painting... Rollers, paint brushes, etc, etc... Have already planned on spending a bit of cash on a complete overall suit, gloves, and proper mask. Thanks though for your love and thoughts! ;) he he he

It's all going to be alot of work, but hopefully it should go pretty smoothly. I'm not doing anything TOO major, so it should be fine. As long as I plan everything out properly first, then it should all be good.

[FNQCairns]

He H e I really did try hard to scare you!!! :) Wishsomene had done it to me when I was 18 and bogging up a car, I didn't bother with a mask back then.

That dust is a real PITA!! even dealing with coveralls afterwards has it's problems. With the big grinder and the chunky sanding disk I can liberate by volume a litre of glass in in like 15min around 40% of that are these microfine glass fibres :o

Anyway shame you do need to do some floor work but it will all be better for your efforts in the end. They sure know how important these boats are to us judging by the price of your supplys.
Lok forward to your pics. cheers fnq

[Fishin_Dan]

Jumped into the boat yesterday arvo to have a quick look. Have updated the Project online. I'll just post when I update and the link rather than filling up Ausfish with pictures... 8-)

I am also creating a Word document with the whole thing which I will then turn into a PDF at the end. I will post that somewhere so people can download it if they want to see the whole project.

OK, so the updates are here:-

http://www.shareaproject.com/pages/projectTut,p,126,00.html

[FNQCairns]

Gee Dan! a picture tells a thousand words :o.

Does look like the entire floor will need to come out in the end, what manufacturer uses nails through the stringers to hold the floor down! thats very bad form. They also did not glue the floor to the hull side either just a very thin glass and gelcoat job, at least that is what it looks like.
Astounding what they do cover up with fiberglass and gelcoat, I guess from the manufacturers point of view a hull needs only to clear the warrenty period.

That delamination in the pic looks like it was simply a poorly prepared surface considering the bond will be a mechanical one, the surface must be clean and sanded heavily to obtain some mechanical bite for the resin or the stringers/floor (nails!! :-?) and the weak looking bulkhead job have all conspired to flex the area until the glass gave way. All just guesses you would know better than me. Hard to tell for sure with only pics to look at.

Seeing your boat pics and armed with memory's of mine I would be thinking twice about giving it a go unless you have the time, there is half a year of weekends in that boat for one person if no shortcuts are taken.
Shortcuts would be a good idea IMO no crapy work just rebuilt to last like a good new boat. Even going hard at it with shortcuts it will still be a few months of full weekends I predict.

Not trying to turn you off the idea it is an experience to say the least.

I know I could have built 3 17 foot plate boats in the time I have spent on one glass 18 foot full rebuild.

One thing for sure once finished it will be miles ahead of the boat it was and you will notice it in the handling and general feel of the boat on the water also [smiley=2thumbsup.gif].

Cheers and good luck with it Dan, fnq

[Kiktz]

Good Luck with her Dan,

Certainly looks like she is going to take some effort to get back to 100%.
Hope things work in your favour,

Cheers Aj

[DNO40]

Certainily a braver man than I am. All the credit to you guys that take on these projects.

Not my cup of tea though. Good luck with it, I'll follow the project to see your finished product. It must give you great satisfaction seeing what you started with and what you finish with and knowing that you have done it yourself.

Goodluck, can't wait to see her finished ;)

[gavsgonefishing]

Had a good look at those picks, my humble advice is to bite the bullet and rip the floor out. This will save you a lot of potential dramas later on. For me there seems to be too much delamination or rot forming, and the nails, yes.......

[Fishin_Dan]

FNQ - I'm not sure that it was the manufacturer that did the job of the floor... I think someone else has done it at some stage (And I'd take a blind guess at NOT a professional!!!)

I don't know what's happening under the floor, and won't know until I get it up. I don't think it will be that big a drama though as it should all just come out in one piece.

The delamination does just look like the surface wasn't prepared properly... I think that's half the reason the floors in the state its in now. It should come up well though! ;D

I guess the thing with it too is that the photos are of the worst parts, and in the context of the whole project, they're not too bad I don't think... But, I have been known to be wrong before... :o

I'm a little more hopeful about the time line though, as I really want this back on the water ASAP. I'm hoping for about 2 months... 8-)

[Fishin_Dan]

Cheers guys! I can't wait to have it finished!!! I will be so happy when people see the boat, and say "Nice lookin boat" and it's because of the work I did :D

Keep an eye on this post, because it should fly ahead I hope!

[tengals123]

hi there Dan. I just checked out your shareaproject site. Super site that!

On to your project. I can feel your excitement. AWESOME!, GO HARD OR GO HOME i SAY.....


ANYWAY, I'd pull the floor totaly. I was in a similar position and thought.....i'd gone this far, better to be safe than sorry. As far as the nails are concerned, it was quite common for boat builders for 'our' years to nail floor and stringers together. Mine was the same. Of course you re-floor using s/s screws.

I look forward to following your progress.


Keep up the great work.

cheers

[Fishin_Dan]

OK... I went to Whitworths and spent about $100 on thinners & Epifill yesterday... I also went to Bunnings and spent about $120 on tack rags, rollers, sanding cork, sand paper, etc, etc, etc..... And FNQ - I made sure I splashed out onto a really good mask!!! ;)

Soooo... In theory I now have everything I'll need to start the project. Sunday looks like my day free (Went and booked myself fishing the rest of the weekend!), so will update next week. Will be taking loads of photos too...

[FNQCairns]

"I made sure I splashed out onto a really good mask!!!"

[smiley=2thumbsup.gif] [smiley=2thumbsup.gif] cheers.

[Fishin_Dan]

I put it first on my list especially for you too! ;D

[2iar]

I made sure I splashed out onto a really good mask!!!

Since the project has aesthetics as a key perfomance indicator, you've already reached a major milestone :D

Quick win :D

Good luck wit her Dan,
Mike

[Fishin_Dan]

OK, I did a bit of work on her yesterday... I got the angle grinder onto the offending bolt through the Anchor Well drain, pulled off the old winch ready to put the new one on (Thanks Reefmaster!), cut out most of the anchor well, and ripped out the whole floor...

Check out here for the full story to date:-
http://www.shareaproject.com/pages/projectTut,p,126,00.html

[Fishin_Dan]

I also found out my boat had inbuilt ballast!!! :o

This is what I found when I pulled up the front floor at the bow... Not a good thing!!!

[gavsgonefishing]

Its amazing how "small" turns into "big" by just having a "little" look.

Are you going to totally seal the stringers and cross members underneath from any water access, or will you let the water still drain underneath the floor?

[Fishin_Dan]

He he he - I know what you mean Gav! :D

I plan on replacing the stringer & cross members in exactly the same way they are here, except I will encase them all in glass. I will also put in some PVC tubing of about 12mm glassed into the cross members to allow water flow. Being 12mm they shouldn't block up with cr@p if it happened to get in there... And it will also allow any water to run out quickly. I'm also going to look at putting in foam flotation as well... Not entirely sure how I'll do it yet though...

The floor will be completely sealed as well, so there should be no water getting into there at all... ::) That's the theory anyway!!!

Once the new floors in, I don't want it to ever have to come out again!

[gavsgonefishing]

I am not even close to being an authority on any subject whatsoever, BUT, I would think twice about the foam, The whole underneath of the original flooring in mine was foam filled, or should I say water filled. They are small boats, which attracts lots of water, it only takes a minute crack or misplaced screw, you know what I mean.

I sealed several of the sections off completely from water, gives the floation without the worry of the foam filling up with water.

Just an idea

[Fishin_Dan]

I had a thought of making a fibreglass "casing" and filling that with the foam. This would then give the flotation effect, but wouldnt get waterlogged...

Would that work?

[tengals123]

I would pass on the foam altogether personally. I have heard horror stories on that stuff. It feeds on moisture.

Back to your project. I know how you must have felt. Before you go ripping the stringers out (if you havent already), get that water out and let the exposed hull sit in the sun for a week or so. Then yank, hit or kick your stringer to see if there is any rot or not. If they have been sealed well you might just find they are usable. Re seal them and away you go. If any are rotted then replace as needed.

As a rule of thumb. Soft floor means rotted floor, means compromised hull, means water intrustion, means rotten dtringers, generally speaking, but not always.

Have you identifies HOW the water came to rest here? Where it entered from? These are important questions.

cheers,

Grant

[FNQCairns]

Hi Dan, I read above you will be using screws to hold the floor down and I suspect also that you will be mounting into the floor with screws for seats etc. In this case you are probably better to give the foam a miss this time because it will probably cause some problem later with water logging. Foam will not waterlog from below unless submerged for a very long time, only then because of the positive pressure and capillary action (only if there is enough water below) but it will easily from above because of gang up effect of gravity and diffusion and it will do it in secret over long time frames.

Why use screws through wood anyway? It's the lower quality mass produced style of boat building, along with no limber holes and no glass over stringers etc. Cannot last because of condensation as a minimum but will get the boat through warranty to the second/third owner and out of he manufacturers hair.

Liked your pics good luck with your next stage. cheers fnq

[Fishin_Dan]

Hi Dan, I read above you will be using screws to hold the floor down and I suspect also that you will be mounting into the floor with screws for seats etc.

I had a quick look, but couldn't see where I had said I was going to screw the floor down...? I am not entirely sure how if I will or not yet. Trying to decide if I should screw it down then glass over the top, or just glass it in... Any ideas?

Currently I'm not planning on putting in seats either. I have fold up seats for the boat... That way I have more fishing room! ;D However, I may add some in the future...

I was not sure on the foam. A few people had mentioned it, and I had thought about it, but it sounds like it might be a bad idea... Oh well. I guess that's less money I have to spend! ;)

[Fishin_Dan]

From what I have seen, it looks like the water has gotten into the hull at the bow. I think it has all been linked back to the anchor well drain having been blocked up. The wood behind the U-Bolt has rotted out, and then the water would just run down the point of the bow (inside the cabin) through the floor. The worst rotting in the floor was right at the bow. Plus that is where all the water is trapped due to the blocked drainage holes. If it had leaked at the stern, it couldn't have run up to the bow due that blockage...

The new floor that goes in will be sealed in glass before fitting. Then I will epoxy in the edges to the hull, then glass over the whole thing. This should ensure a very strong floor and keep as much water as humanly possible out of the hull. And with the drainage done properly, any water that does get in there, should run out easily!

I don't really want to muck around with the stringers/cross members, so I would prefer to replace them all. They are not 100% from the look of any of them, and as I should be able to get the materials at cost price (Uncle's a Cabinet Maker), it won't cost me too much... My cousin (The Uncle's son) was a cabinet maker by trade, and then a glassy, and now an industrial arts tech teacher, so he'll help out where possible (The glassing - I've never done it other than repairing surf boards! ;) ). He had a look at estimate prices, and I should be able to replace the whole floor & supports for around $400. That's all glassed in as well!!!

Now I've just got to get him to come down and help me out ;D

[blaze]

Hi Fishin dan
I would double check your figures, even at cost it seems way to cheap
cheers
blaz

[gavsgonefishing]

Yep I was about to say double it and add a bit more..... glad to hear your replacing the stringers etc. Good piece of mind, and you hopefully wont have to touch it again once its floating

[tengals123]

If I read correctly, your going to cut the floor (non-uniform shape, to fit the hull) totally encapsulate in fiberglass, then fit to the hull, epoxy to the hull, lay another fresh layer of glass over that?
Save some time and money, it would be perfectly fine and strong to do it like this. Cut the floor peices to size, making sure any joins run on cross-members or stringers. Give it two coats of liberally applied resin (poly is ok, but epoxy is better) pay attention to the cuts made. Fit the floor, screw it down into stringers and cross-members, lay glass over the whole floor assembly, including the hull/floor joins. Then for extra strength, give it another layer the next day. It will be though as nails and last a lifetime.

Can someone please explain to me why you would not consider screwing a ply floor to stringers in this situation???



cheers

[Fishin_Dan]

Grant - I remembered you had mentioned that before, so I deliberately left the stringer/cross members in place, and have the boat covered in a tarp. I only really get to work on it on weekends (In between fishing trips ;) ), so it should have hopefully dried out by the weekend... I will probably give it a good wash out this weekend, and then let it dry again for another week. While that's happening, I will look at getting the wood for the new floor, and cut that out. I can then start getting that sealed with resin, while I do other work on the boat. I need to get the measurements for the stringer/cross members to get the replacement wood for them as well. I plan to take each one out one at a time to use them as a template for the new ones. These will then be sealed with resin before they are put into the boat.

Blaze - I was quite suprised by that small figure too! I assumed that this would "blow out", so wasn't too worried... I guess when it comes down to it, I just have to pay it... Can't have it sitting in the yard lookin at it can I! ;D

Gav - Yeah I don't want to muck around with it... I just want to know that when it's done, then IT'S DONE! Once that floors down, it's not coming back up!

[Fishin_Dan]

If I read correctly, your going to cut the floor (non-uniform shape, to fit the hull) totally encapsulate in fiberglass, then fit to the hull, epoxy to the hull, lay another fresh layer of glass over that?

That was the idea yeah... The floor came out altogether, so I was just thinking of doing it the same way as I can use the old one as a template....?


Save some time and money, it would be perfectly fine and strong to do it like this. Cut the floor peices to size, making sure any joins run on cross-members or stringers. Give it two coats of liberally applied resin (poly is ok, but epoxy is better) pay attention to the cuts made. Fit the floor, screw it down into stringers and cross-members, lay glass over the whole floor assembly, including the hull/floor joins. Then for extra strength, give it another layer the next day. It will be though as nails and last a lifetime.

1 upside to this I could think of is that it would be much easier to look at adding something like an under floor fuel or kill tank in the future as you would only need to take out the corresponding "sections"...

I'm not sure which way to go though to be honest...

[FNQCairns]

*^$^&$&*$^%^ forced refresh!!!!!!! >:( >:(
Just lost another post. If it keeps stealing posts I am jumping ship to fishnet.

[cooky]

*^$^&$&*$^%^ forced refresh!!!!!!!
Just lost another post. If it keeps stealing posts I am jumping ship to fishnet.


you can't leave mate - represent the NQ members.

[FNQCairns]

Na Cooky it was just a dummy spit :-[.

I do have a voice! Who needs a democracy when we have a benevolent dictator ;) :)
Ausfish has turned the forced refresh off it is now an option - Nice![smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

Like posting but hate typing. cheers

[Fishin_Dan]

Where you about to post the answers to everything FNQ? ;)

You can retype it... We will wait for ya! ;D

[FNQCairns]

G'Day Dan I was going to try!! bit like "The world according to Garp". :)

Na I was going to apologize for misquoting you on screws then say if you want foam just do it but there are extra rules worth folowing so it doesn't end up a big headache later.

Also was going to say I am out of my depth understanding the real value of the single stringer multiple bulkhead style of build in your boat and to be careful when pulling it down so it doesn't corkscrew on you if it hasn't already now the floor is out. Something else also but I forget.
Of coarse today you are lucky in only having to read the abridged version. ::)

That last pic real is a shocker, if it also had cork lining the hull I would have thought it was built in the US 20-30 years ago.
Good luck this W'end on it. cheers fnq

PS Edit, If you want i will give you recipe for rebuiling it, it will be what I would do so not nessesaritly the best way etc. Just dont pull any more wood untill you have a good plan ready, you probably have already. Might be worth 'water leveling' the outside chines at the transom with the same ones at the shoulders to see where you are at now and for a benchmark.
Also string line the lower keel front to back and also the outer 'wing' of your hull half way between the keel and side, running the string front to back to check for a hook or large differences between each side.

[Fishin_Dan]

Also was going to say I am out of my depth understanding the real value of the single stringer multiple bulkhead style of build in your boat and to be careful when pulling it down so it doesn't corkscrew on you if it hasn't already now the floor is out.

I haven't noticed any movement in it... It's probably not the easiest thing to see though... I'm not sure why they have done it that way... The cross members run right out to the last chine. This chine is a "reversed chine" where it actually holds water underneath it. This gives the boat its great stability at rest. The floor was glassed onto the inside edge of this. If I stick to the same scenario putting the floor back in (use the old floor as template), then it should all stay in the same shape it was before. The floor should hold it all in.

I haven't pulled out the stringer/etc yet, and was thinking of doing it in steps. Essentially it would go as follows:-

(Starting at the front Cross Member)
* Take out cross member
* Use it as a template to make a new one
* Put the old cross member back in
* Move to the next cross member
* Repeat until at stern

* Once this is done, remove the stringer
* Use it as a template to make a new one
* Put the new stringer back in

(Starting at the front Cross Member)
* Take out cross member
* Put the new cross member in
* Move to the next cross member
* Repeat until at stern


Is there a better way of doing this? I was hoping that by doing it this way, it will hold the hull relatively well? Anyone got any ideas on this? Or is it ok for me to just pull the whole lot out and replace it all on the spot then and there? I am a little unsure to this. Especially as the boat is still on the trailer, and I would obviously need to climb around the inside of the hull to do this work. Will the hull stand up to this?



That last pic real is a shocker, if it also had cork lining the hull I would have thought it was built in the US 20-30 years ago.

The hull itself is actually pretty good. It just needs a good clean up to bring it up good. Where the old floor joined will need a good sanding to clean it up as well. This will also help the bonding when I glass the new floor in. Should stop the same delamination happening on the new floor



If you want i will give you recipe for rebuiling it, it will be what I would do so not nessesaritly the best way etc.
Sure! :D If you could email it to me that would be great!


Just dont pull any more wood untill you have a good plan ready, you probably have already. Might be worth 'water leveling' the outside chines at the transom with the same ones at the shoulders to see where you are at now and for a benchmark.
Also string line the lower keel front to back and also the outer 'wing' of your hull half way between the keel and side, running the string front to back to check for a hook or large differences between each side.

Sorry mate, but I don't quite understand this bit... Could you explain it for me (I'm not the brightest spark sometimes... ;) )

Cheers,
Dan

[FNQCairns]

Hi Dan dont think that is the case but will try to explain better.

Water level,
To make a waterlevel get enough metres of say 10mm outside diameter clear plastic hose and fill this with water leaving say 100mm at each end empty.
When the level of the water at one end (unplugged)is alighned with any point above ground the level of the water at the other end (unplugged)will be exactly the same height in 'space' as the original point. Have a couple of plugs to plug each end for when it is not being used.
You can use this to level and benchmark the boat on the trailer using the two outermost points on the hull at the transom. Then you can use this benchmark and the water level to check for any twist toward the front of the hull. Boats are not usually perfectly symetrical so use your own judgement.

String line,
Depending on what you can actually do with the floor now out, raise the boat so that the lowest keel line front to back is above the rollers and get someone to hold a string line at the spot at the fromt where the keel just levels out in a straight line toward the transom, have someone else at the other end of the boat, at the keels end point at the transom. Then check if the keel line follows the string line or if the hull bows up or down over some or all of it's length let me know because depending on where it starts and finishes it may be a design feature on that particular boat or it may be a bent hull because of rot/poor trailer adjustment over time or just plain broken from use. All is fixable but not with new or the old wood still in.

More string :)
Same deal as above just use a spot further up the side of the hull and check for irregularities. eg a common one would be straight keel line and one side also straight but the other bent 3/4 inch too high - because of trailer roller abuse :D

You plan sounds allright but I will bet you a 100 virtual net dollars when you pull the front bulkhead the hull will spring out, this you will not be able to get back in. As you pull the others they will spring also but not so much due to trailer support.
Will email a recipe that ties in how to get around it in the next couple of days. I think that with not that much more extra work/time/money you could have a much more user friendly boat, see what you think when I send. cheers fnq.

[Fishin_Dan]

Cheers FNQ. Await your email :D

[Fishin_Dan]

I've left the hull to dry for another week as it still wasn't quit there on the weekend... I'm in Darwin for the week, so won't get to do much on it this weekend either (I get back Sat. Night).

I do have a query though on what is the best way to support the boat while I replace the stringer/cross members.

Am I best leaving it on the trailer:-
- Only supported by keel rollers & a skid down either side
- high off the ground
- awkward to get into/out of without leaning on the boat alot

or taking it off the trailer and putting it on old tyres:-
- Lower to the ground
- weight distrubuted more evenly over more of the hull
- easier to get in/out of


My cousin has an old hull on tyres in his garage with no stringers, and that's how he's always done it, but just wanted to make sure it was the best way to do it. Before I take these out, I will have the replacement ones, as well as the replacement floor ready, so I should be able to have the new ones back in and glassed in the same day, and the new floor in the next day (maybe the next weekend after at the latest). I will be putting the boat onto old tyres when I repaint the hull (Lie it on one side and paint the other, then reverse), so if I have to get them now rather than later, no major issue...

Everyone's advice is always welcome :D