HOORAY!!! I think I have Wet Foam

It looks great! Very nice workmanship.

Nice work on the stringers. However, Im curious as to the reason for only two scuppers on the inboard stringers, none on the outboard stringers ( that I could see), and none in the boxed out areas?

Water will get in there again, ya know!

More photos- just had a scare where all of my boat restoration photos disappeared- Dang Friday the 13th. Thank goodness this is my lucky day. The photos are back and now backed up on a flash drive.


Floor in with CPES on top and layer of cloth on it. The floor to hull joint has thickened epoxy and taped to the sides of the hull with 2", 4" & 8" tape.






I was so busy I neglected to take photos of the installation of the copper exhaust pipes, harness, gas tank, new cutless bearing, strut, shaft and coupler.
I adjusted the position of the prop shaft through the shaft log. At first the prop shaft was not centered in the shaft log opening (it rubbed on the side and top of the hole. I adjusted the strut by putting a washer under each front bolt hole between the hull and strut. I then had my assistant move the strut slightly until the shaft was completely centered in the shaft log hole. I tightened it down and have perfect alignment through the hole and plenty of 3M 5200 sealer on all hull protrusions.


Carpet is down, access panels over battery, rear access and second rear access under back seat. I'm having a problem with the back access panel. The exhaust sticks up because I used one piece exhaust tips instead of the pipe and trim ring that were original to the boat. The one piece tips cause the exhaust hose and copper pipe to rise up and prevent the panel from laying flat onthe stringer tops.


Panel sticking up- not sure what to do to fix this. I am considering notching the panel for clearance.


The back seat covers the rear access panel completely.
I may need some help on what to do about this- any suggestions??

Well, to no one's surprise except mine, I didn't get the boat finished to take on vacation. I still had a great time- as great of a time as you can have for 10 days in a cabin with 5 women (all related to me and I'm not from Arkansas!!). I worked as hard as humanly possible but fell short. We skied behind an 18 inboard outboard and I was pertty down in the dumps every morning at 7:00, looking at Otsego Lake when it was like glass and wishing I could fire up the V8 inboard. We are back now and I am ready to finish the boat but not rush the job. I've come too far to cut corners now. The following photos detail the progress up to June 30th, when I admitted defeat and left for up north the next morning.


All of the fiberglass done, 2", 4", 8" and Biax on both sides and over top of the stringers


Supports installed, PVC through the bulkheads


Through hull wood glassed in


Exhaust and Lift eye ring wood glassed and Biax'd in.


Time for the floor to go in- no foam, no noodles. floor CPES'd and bottom side has a layer of cloth epoxied on it


Luckily I have plenty of large, heavy rocks to weigh the floor down until the thickened epoxy dried

Very nice work. You're getting there..... keep pushing forward!

wwchevy wrote: How is this for a clueless boat guy who is eternally optimistic: I am going on vacation the week of the fourth of July and want to take this boat with me (and ski behind it!) My plan is to be done by then. I wanted to state my idiotic goal in public so that it will motivate me to work night and day to meet my goal. I'm just saying....

He's looking for us to pump him up, motivitate and help him get er' done. Don't be so negative Pete. he might have the rest of June off.

Great job, looking good she's coming along. Ya got exactly 3 weeks left. Drive on with a vengence!

wwchevy wrote: Wife: how long is that wood going to be in the house? Me: til I put it in the boat. Wife: So, you are saying it is here permenantly? Me: &^%$#@)(*&^

I'm still laughing over this one!

Wesley,
I'd say you are optimistic for the 4th but just keep going and see what happens. It may work out.

So far the job is looking fantastic.

OverMyHead wrote: Ty Pennington can build an entire house in a week, I'm just saying.

How is this for a clueless boat guy who is eternally optimistic:

I am going on vacation the week of the fourth of July and want to take this boat with me (and ski behind it!)

My plan is to be done by then. I have been buying parts for the boat all winter- gas tank, fuel pump, fuel hose, rebuilt the carb, exhaust hoses, copper pipe, New damper, rebuilt trans, ladder, the list goes on and on. I wnated to state my idiotic goal in public so that it will motivate me to work night and day to meet my goal. I'm just saying....

I haven't posted in a while, been busy working and going to school- plus sneaking in the stringer replacement job when I can. It has been alot of hard work that has been made easier by the people who have gone before me. I really learned alot from reading on this site and have had no real surprises, except for the cake decorating bag of molten epoxy that I had to throw out of the boat to prevent 3rd degree burns on my hands
I thought I would post a few photos:






Pulled out 2 stringers that were good for templates


Thank God for Tyvek suits and asbestos rated full face respirators


4 1/2 inch Angle grinder and 15 36 grit flap discs

I have two that are not in use if want to get serious.

You just trying to slip the picture of the turbo by everyone or what??

John,
I hope I never submarine my boat like that, but my wife may drive occasionally (after several weeks of intense instruction) so the boat may see that kind of crazy driving.

Eric,
I am not going out in a row boat- too much work. Foam of any kind is probably not going into my hull, I just seem to have that thought creep into my mind every now and then.

I have a serious question though, when disassembling my engine and trans I found a bunch of rust flakes covering the top of the trans cooler. Obviously not a good situation but I assume the water flows from top down. In your experience does this mean my manifolds are flaking, cutting off water flow to the cooler and contributing to killing my trans?

I am not a fan of noodles after I found the heavy as concrete noodles in the bilge of a boat I restored. One must wonder about the quality of the foam used in a cheap toy VS U S Composites closed cell flotation foam. Another thought I have, that I have no research to back it up, but it seems logical to me, is that by increasing the surface area of the foam dramatically as using multiple noodles does, it seems logical that it has much more surface area to absorb water through.

If you use your boat like this I believe some type of flotation is appropriate.

Flotation

Hey Guys,
Thanks for all of your input. I am putting the Chrysler engine back in because it is the original engine. The reason I considered changing to a Chevy is that I have an opportunity to buy a marine 350 engine (probably still going to buy it). I think I have made up my mind to use douglas fir, CPES, no foam, drain holes, extra ribs added for strength and leave the exhaust cavities accessible with removalbe panels that span to the secondaries. If I throw some pool noodles in before the floor goes on it will be a last minute decision. I was at that point where I needed to pick a path and move forward and I have. I'm feeling pretty good about the direction I have chosen and believe that based on what I have learned on this site I can do a good job even though I have never worked with fiberglass before. I appreciate all of your opinions and hope to lean on them as I progress and regress all at the same time.
Thanks, Wes