Vintage Inboard Cruisers to Centre Console Conversion

[gazza2006au]

Guys im just going to leave the pocket out i dont have a way of getting plywood home and if i were doing a pocket the front face of the pocket would need to be pulled in to the side as like most boat pockets the face sheet isnt strait it bend as the hull bends so without screwing one in and glassing it it will be hard to keep that curved shape permanantly

I was about to go gurni the hull and thought what would the paint stripper do to my thermolite transom bung hole so im going to seal the foam and gurni the hull tomorrow

[gazza2006au]

I just decided to gurni it and wash out the boat this is how she looks, my hard work is showing

https://ibb.co/86Q44tP

https://ibb.co/8rJRhSf

[Noelm]

How are you going to attach the lid on the fuel tank section? I thought you were going to glass some bits around the outside, but down the side a bit to sit the lid on.

[gazza2006au]

Im going to measure my tank and the fuel tank cavity than work out what thickness timber i need i plan on using some untreated pine just probably 4 pieces say 90x45 trimmed to fit i'll coat them with epoxy before gluing them in

The fuel tank cavity isnt being painted untill the blocks are glued in but the rest of the wall and floor is being painted asap

I have to paint the fuel tank cavity seperate so i have a way of jumping out of the boat when the floor is painted

[blacklab]

Make sure when you fit ,what ever, to sit your lid on, you check that the tank can fit in and is removeable once supports are glued/fitted.

Ask me why I'm pointing this out ....
My method had to be changed, in my quest for a snug fitting custom made tank..

Col

[gazza2006au]

Haha yeah Col the tank has to go in first so i can center the tank than measure my timber for the mountsand mark where the mounts are to be positioned

The mounts need to be cut 18mm short of the floor level this will allocate 15mm for plywood 1mm for the bottom lamina te and 2mm for thetop laminate

[gazza2006au]

Decided to put my fuel tank in this afternoon for a test fit i may install the fuel tank mounting blocks before painting the inside, the inside will be all painted in one big session after the sun goes down one day soon than i'll jump out of the bilge area over the transom and tie the tarp down, let it sit for 48 hours than takesome pics for u guys

[gazza2006au]

Fuel tank fits i need 50mm wide pieces of timber to screw the tank too, im going to get a neck welded over my tanks cap hole so i can run a hose up to a filler nozel in the centre console so its easier to fill up the tank

I took all measurements of my fuel tank cavity about to calculate the biggest fuel tank i can go with if i go that option down the track

https://ibb.co/3Y55vyh

https://ibb.co/7rDgXMQ

https://ibb.co/bHmDS19

[gazza2006au]

I calculated my fuel tank cavity minus a few cm in dimentions and i can fit a 139 litre fuel tank in my boat

[gazza2006au]

Going to attack that glue with the grinder shortly 24c couldnt be a cooler day to be stuck cramped up under the bow sitting down with itchy fiberglass blowing strait up the leg portion of the old shorts..

Hopping to get the glue sections sorted today and the floor sanded tomorrow

Than painting begins

[gazza2006au]

Just out here in the boat under the tarp listening to the birds chrip while it rains i just ground all that nasty glue off shitter of a job but its done just finished vacuuming and contemplating sanding the other half of the hull or packing up i dont like working mostly sanding or grinding under a tarp due to the amount of fibreglass and nasties in the air i like working in a open boat

Anyhow a few more pics of the glue removed

I just basically have to sand the floor front to back than sand the gunnel bracing and finally sand all the bilge and fuel tank and wash it all down ready for paint, i forgot someone has partly painted the walls in black acrylic paint for whatever reason and it was flaky so i ran the grinder over it

I guess the old resin tub came handy as a seat

https://ibb.co/Rz1R8Vr

https://ibb.co/6Z6csZj

https://ibb.co/XpPmcV0

[blacklab]

Now your making some good progress......

C

[gazza2006au]

Thanks Col, im paying for todays 1 hour session i was sanding with the grinder blowing all the dust strait up me skirt... not really but shorts lol today is one of my bloody most itchy days ever thighs and inner thighs itchy like crazy very uncomftable i had a blanket of fibreglass dust head to shoes, had a scrub after it but can see it being a restless night

[shakey55]

Really starting to take shape Gazza. I for one am really looking forward to seeing the inside all painted.

Keep up the work, nearly there


Sent from my iPad using Ausfish forums

[gazza2006au]

Hey Shakey im hopping to paint when the sun shines again atm its raining so cant do much other than sand and prep for paint day