'86 Ski Nautique Resto

Duane in Indy wrote: Mike, Nice documentation   Pictures will help you reassemble things a lot. My recommendations now would be to "chart" all the stringer dimensions. I laid a 2 X 6 on edge from one gunnel to the other, starting from the stern as far back as I could go and still drop a tape measure down vertically to the stringers. That was my starting or "datum"point. Then I moved the board toward the bow in 12 inch increments and documented each move vertically to each stringer. .

I did that but not at that frequency. I'm at the point now I can go back and fill in the blanks. Thanks!

Duane in Indy wrote: Leaving small portions of fibre glass where the stringers were will help you set the new ones in the exact place in the hull also. Make the fit between the hull and stringer bottom as good as you can get but don't worry about the top of it yet. Now you glass them in at the bottom.   Next I recreated the vertical dimensions with marks on the new stringers vertically down from the same board.   Connect the dots and that will be a saw line for the floor to set on. This method worked for me to recreate what I had. Sorry for the long thread.   This is just one of many methods that will work.

That make sense, I did see the tip on leaving small area of the original fillet to use as a guide for the new stringer, Not exactly sure of what material to use for the stringers yet. Don't worry about the length of the post, I need all the help I can get.

NCH20SKIER wrote: Welcome and keep the pictures coming

I will for sure, I'm hosting the pictures on my own server so as long as I'm around (Alive) :) the pictures will be there. We lost a ton of information when Photobucket changed their terms.

gun-driver wrote: My 85 had a block left in the right rear under the foam also. As Duane's method worked for him I found it easier to just do one side at a time. That did two things 1) it helped maintained the hull shape/integrity 2) I was able to just mirror the existing side with the new side by simply using a level. You can go to my photobucket to see the pictures of my resto

Yes the one side at a time has merit for sure I can see that, I braced the hull in what some might think is unconventional, I'll post some picture soon on that. A backup plan is always a good thing, Once they are out you can't hardly go back. Kind amazing the lack of wrapping of the glass that CC did on the secondaries. It was probably to keep consistency in the floor still it looks like there was nothing, bare wood near the top.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think you did your rebuild without foam? Which is very interesting. Does the boat seem as solid without the foam?

I wouldn't be surprised if water as been in the foam since the early 1990's because I started noticing small hairline cracks in the gel coat just below the waterline, First on the port side then years later on the starboard. My guess was now after seeing how much water was in the foam it was freezing and expanding during storage causing the gel coat to crack. The glass looks solid but I should probably lay a layer or two on the inside in that area just to be sure, more grinding ARG!

Has foam technology change since the eighties where it's not as prone to absorb water? I do understand that epoxy resin forms a better barrier against moisture then polyester resin used back then, never the less it's a boat some water will get in somehow. The idea of hauling around a several hundred pounds of water is not appealing.

I think I recall seeing your pictures and you had some very elaborate floor bracing to support the floor in lieu the foam. If there was a way to see those again I would gladly host them on my server.

I also understand the use of foam for flotation and safety, not a major concern for me, I was raised around wood inboards, ZERO FOAM in those babies! My dad and uncle had a few wood Century inboards between them. In fact before the Century my uncle bought an Atom skier new, I think he picked it up at the old Pine Castle factory in the fifties. He outgrew the Atom quickly and moved into a Century Coronado. Talk about an extreme upgrade! The Coronado was too big and obnoxious even for him so he settle in with a nice 16' Century Resorter he had for many years until the first glass Century Resorter came around in 1968 or so. Strictly an inboard runabout is my taste, I guy I work with was looking at bow rider clamp-ons and asked me for advice on boats. He was put off when I said...hum... a bow rider? Do you let your kids ride around on the hood of your car? And what the heck is that thing hanging on the transom for?

8122pbrainard wrote: Mike, The block of scrap in the boat was CC's method of cost reduction back then since it reduced their dumpster pick ups. Looking good and yes, keep the pictures coming.

Or maybe Correct Craft was being environmentally conscious even in the eighties by not using the land fill. Or better yet one of their worker was thinking, lets mess with this guy's brain in the year 2017.

My 85 had a block left in the right rear under the foam also.
As Duane's method worked for him I found it easier to just do one side at a time. That did two things
1) it helped maintained the hull shape/integrity
2) I was able to just mirror the existing side with the new side by simply using a level.
You can go to my photobucket to see the pictures of my resto

Mike, Nice documentation   Pictures will help you reassemble things a lot.
My recommendations now would be to "chart" all the stringer dimensions. I laid a 2 X 6 on edge from one gunnel to the other, starting from the stern as far back as I could go and still drop a tape measure down vertically to the stringers. That was my starting or "datum"point. Then I moved the board toward the bow in 12 inch increments and documented each move vertically to each stringer. (measuring from the stringer top to the bottom of the board) .This will generate a blue print to go back to when you reinstall each stringer. The only portion that needs to be really accurate is where the engine sets. Also document the widths of the stringers. Leaving small portions of fibre glass where the stringers were will help you set the new ones in the exact place in the hull also. Make the fit between the hull and stringer bottom as good as you can get but don't worry about the top of it yet. Now you glass them in at the bottom.   Next I recreated the vertical dimensions with marks on the new stringers vertically down from the same board.   Connect the dots and that will be a saw line for the floor to set on. This method worked for me to recreate what I had.
Sorry for the long thread.   This is just one of many methods that will work.

Sunday was spend getting the foam out of the port side and removing the battery box and remaining floor up to the drivers side bulkhead.

Popping the foam out which came very easily by using a flat spade type shovel, someone here recommended. On removal of the last piece on the port side I found something interesting, what appeared to be a chunk of wood on the bottom of the hull buried in foam. Does this perform any function or was one the worker just lazy and left a chuck of wood about 6" square in the bottom when they were foaming the boat?