86' supra sunsport rebuild

[lively]

Hello to all !!

I have just newly became a owner of a 1986 supra sunsport , and have found out that i will be doing a CAP OFF restoration :

With that said here is what i plan to do ....

- remove motor ... done

- remove top cap of boat .... done

- remove flooring and foam and clean inside of boat ..... done

- replace stringers and lay a new drainage throughout the boat with no FOAM ....... done

- repair previous owners mistake mounting wake tower with out back plates ( fiber glass cracked ) ......done

- Re build seating bases and re upholster the whole boat ..... done

- install rudder seal and check for wear and alignment

- install new flooring , new carpet ...... done

- re seal swim platform and replace hardware and fab up backing plates and thru bolt assembly

- install new exhaust manifolds due to being cracked , depending on if i try and braze them .. ( prob not) .... replaced with new PCM

- remove supertrapps and replace with 3.5 stainless tips with integrated flapps ....done

- Drink A beer ... ran out .... got more

- find a wake plate assembly and install , a guy called "wakeup"said he has one so still waiting to hear back ..... not an issue

- I am still contemplating on painting the boat due to how much it cost and ive never painted fiberglass ..... it's at the paint shop !

- Install new wiring for radio and update the fuse breaker box ... 8 infinity's 6.5 10" infinity sub x2 , 3 alpine pdx 2 channel amps

- run new wire for speakers and LED accent lighting .... later

- install new radio and new speakers

- install new rub rail

- drink a beer

- fiind out how to lift boat off trailer to rework the trailer and bunks

- rebuild velvet drive , due to no reverse , anyone ever done this ?.....done .... very simple

- put it all back together ...

tell me your thoughts , concerns , "been there done that " , do do this ... ect

Thanks alot for all the help and look for updates along the way http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/1313436915.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/1313436916.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/1313436914.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/1313436917.jpg

[Salty87]

good to finally see your boat. sounds like a great plan with one exception...i think you'll need more beer!

[lively]

so today i found some douglas fir locally for the stringers .. will be picking that up next week , this weekend i will be building a A frame and hopefully removing the cap , i dont have alot of time to work on it this weekend like i planned due to a friends wedding but ill at least get the cap off ... Ill post pictures throughout the removal....

Ha ha SALTY ! your prob right , this is gonna take awhile ... i'm hoping to be done by May 2012

[lively]

Got a Question guys ! I was on ebay looking at fiberglass .. and found some good prices .. but its for ( Fiberglass Cloth Roll 10oz X 60" X 30 Feet woven roving ) What is this used for far a structure goes ?


I plan to get 1708 stranded mat and some good thickeners for the stringers and the lay up , but was wondering if that 10oz would be good for the decking and 2x4s for bracing ... any help is greatly appreciated .. -Lively-

[Salty87]

got a link? woven roven is usually heavier-duty. i used that on the 2 main stringers. it's heavier and harder to make bend but worked great. when you're grinding away, you'll notice a thicker weave that the factory used in the hull.

i have a roll of lighter cloth. i don't remember the exact details but i'd be willing to send that your way for the cost of shipping. i'll check into it if you'd like. pretty sure it's 36" wide but not 100% on that.

[lively]

yeah brother that would be great .. here is the link for that cloth http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Fiberglass-Cloth-Roll-10oz-X-60-X-30-Feet-woven-roving-/180710661530?pt=Boat_Parts_Accessories_Gear&hash=item2a1331dd9a

and I think i want to get some stranded mat I heard that it is pretty strong , just PM me for the details on shipping ! thanks alot !! lively

[Okie Boarder]

Definitely need more beer...LOL!

I used 1708. I liked that it was fairly heavy with a biased weave layout to it with the mat attached on the back. The woven roving is thicker and builds up more thickness, but can be a little difficult to lay around corners / radiused areas. I went for the 1708 from a personal preference standpoint for this reason. I used only 1708 for everything structural (stringers, ribs, tabbing deck to stringers and outer hull). I used 6 oz cloth and 1 1/2 oz mat for the deck. I found US Composites usually had the best price without having to spend a bunch of time bargain shopping.

[rlhahn]

good to finally see your boat. sounds like a great plan with one exception...i think you'll need more beer!

I totally agree...lots of beer involved with it. Margarita's on the weekends.

[lively]

OB- Man thinking about this boat makes a fellow wanna drink lol this is by far the largest resto i will be doing yet !!

But i do plan to use 1708 for the stringers , just seen this on Ebay for $30 and it usually goes for $130 @ 30' so that sound like a good price but i just dont know wht thicknesses are used for what type of application ...


I have been looking at paint also while the cap is off im going to give it a NEW look (BLK/GRY/burnt orange) my buddie is in auto body paint so ill have him spray it !!

Im so stoked about starting this project ..

[rludtke]

Thickness? Just keep slappin' laminantes on until you just can't stand it any more...

[lively]

ok so what is the difference verse (poly resin) and (epoxy)? There is a huge price diff but says they will work the same ...... and another thing how much resin do yall think i need for this project ....im not completely gutting the stringers just whats rottin hopefully lol ,, thanks guys

[Salty87]

that decision is very much like the ply vs lumber choice...personal preference.

the factory used poly so there's a line of thought that epoxy is overkill and $$$$.
however, epoxy creates a stronger bond to old fiberglass. if you prep the surfaces good enough, shouldn't be an issue.
with poly, you must lay down chopped strand mat (CSM) before the cloth or it won't wet out properly. some of the new fancy weaves incorporate mat into the cloth.

i used 20 or 25 gallons of poly on a total rebuild. it was my first big glass'n project so there was some waste.


edit: checked out the roll of glass i have leftover. it's 36" wide, something like 6 oz, and there must be 10 or 15 lbs on the roll. i used it for the top and bottom side of the floor, not sure what else i used it on. what's your zip?

[lively]

Ok well ill think get 3 gallons to start and see where that takes me of poly , that is alot of POLY ! lol thanks man

[bens250ex]

i bit the bullet and went with epoxy, i dont want to do this job again. i now have a total of 10.5 gal sitting at the house

[lively]

that decision is very much like the ply vs lumber choice...personal preference.

the factory used poly so there's a line of thought that epoxy is overkill and $$$$.
however, epoxy creates a stronger bond to old fiberglass. if you prep the surfaces good enough, shouldn't be an issue.
with poly, you must lay down chopped strand mat (CSM) before the cloth or it won't wet out properly. some of the new fancy weaves incorporate mat into the cloth.

i used 20 or 25 gallons of poly on a total rebuild. it was my first big glass'n project so there was some waste.


edit: checked out the roll of glass i have leftover. it's 36" wide, something like 6 oz, and there must be 10 or 15 lbs on the roll. i used it for the top and bottom side of the floor, not sure what else i used it on. what's your zip?

hey Salt - my zip is 76054 hurst,tx and that would be awesome man !

[lively]

i bit the bullet and went with epoxy, i dont want to do this job again. i now have a total of 10.5 gal sitting at the house

Ben - are you doing a complete stringer job ?

[rludtke]

Resins have a shelf life, so I would consider not purchasing all at once. I have a local retailer of bulk commercial fiberglass materials and resins. He buys resin by the barrel, and repackages it into quarts. I purchase what I need for a small project, or what I think I will consume in a week or so. It doesn't pay to by large quantities, as he doesn't offer any price breaks for larger purchases. So I would rather it sit on his shelf than mine.

[stellergoal]

Color me ignorant but I can't seem to figure out how to post here. Have some questions about a a boat I got that needs to be put back together. not sure where all the pieces go.

So I traded an 84 Monte Carlo I never finishe for an 84 Supra that my friend never finished. he did new stringers, floor and all the vinal. So I have no idea where the blower goes or how it wires/ hooks up. The gas tank is not hooked up. and the (filter, glass thing) for the water to cool motor is just sitting in the engin conartment. Pics would be great if someone has a prodject going. or if there is a book/service manual . Any help would be great. Thanks.

[Ed G]

welcome to the forums Stellargoal!

You accidentally sent your question to yourself as a visitors message, so I added it to your post.

Looks like you got it figured out, now.

regards

e

[bens250ex]

Ben - are you doing a complete stringer job ?

yes every piece of wood is bein replaced

[oldman]

i bit the bullet and went with epoxy, i dont want to do this job again. i now have a total of 10.5 gal sitting at the house

You won't regret that choice. Remember you can't use woven roving with epoxy. Clean and wipe down all surfaces with acetone or equal before applying
epoxy. Some epoxy will amber blush, so clean if going over epoxy that has set.

[lively]

Well guys today was 105 outside and all I got around to getting done was the gantry and I mean to tell ya it was pretty hot !! Felt like I was I'n a dryer all day ... I'll post some pics later ..

[stellergoal]

I got replying to a thread just can't seem to post a new one.

[lively]

Lol although this is a repair thread not how to post ;) when u open the area u would like to post in then look top left ( blue bar says post new thread ) click that and you should be able to write as u please ! Welcome to supra forums !

[lively]

Well guys today was 105 outside and all I got around to getting done was the gantry and I mean to tell ya it was pretty hot !! Felt like I was I'n a dryer all day ... I'll post some pics later ..


here are some pics of this 12' gantry lol http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/5bbb10df.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/e56066fc.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/4e90d918.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/5b077630.jpg

[bdumas35]

Lively,

A-frame is looking good. Looks like you have a substatial cross beam laying on the ground. I couldn't believe how heavy my big block and transmission were. I think I used 2 2x10's with a 3/4 ply sandwich glued and screwed for my beam.

The top cap is a piece of cake though. I bought a 1 ton engine stand at Harbor Freight and it collapsed.

JUST SAYING... OVERBUILD when you can.

Keep it going!

[lively]

Yeah man I'm using a 4x6 for the hoist beam and 4x4 to tie into the 4x6 for added support and structure and 2x4s to notch the hoist beam from moving ... Thanks !

[lively]

hey guys was doing some shopping online for paint , now interlux , awlgrip .. ect are pretty expensive , i came across this paint and wanted to know if anyone has ever used this type of paint or if the brand is good ... should i stay with a 2 part top coat ?

Basically i want to paint the bottom kote white with interlux , bow to middle with black top coat , grey stripe with top coat, and rear orange top coat

thats why im trying to figure out if (top coat) can be used all above the water line ..

and also how much sq ft would a quart go on two coats ? thanks for any help !

[lively]

Well guys I have got the boat on some 1x4's and have to drain the gas tank in the AM , I am having to rethink my hoisting points due to the top is pretty flexible so im going to get something figured out in the morning ,

down fall is the City of hurst , tx where i live does not like the 12' Gantry in my back yard lol so with that said i have to set the top cap on the ground
and dissasemble the the hoist , sux but o well ...

what is the best way to get all this foam out ? sawzaw?


ill post pics tomorrow .. thanks for all the help !

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/5033e27c.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/ba67c7a8.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/17c5b1cf.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/ec8ac525.jpg

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/157b19b3.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/1a004ad5.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/cfd4b515.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/4ed5318a.jpg

[Blackntan90]

Great pic's, can you get a couple more straps on that? Keep up the great work!

[lively]

what is the best route to remove this foam !!!?

I also need a little guidance , on Glassing to the old , do i need to grind or sand down to a rough texture to make a more curable bonding ?

on the cross supports mine are fairly rotted , what would be a better lay out for this boat ? Im trying not to remove everything just replace whats bad , and the deck that was on here was screwed into the cross supports and some parts of the stringers when i ripped everything out
can i grind them down and glass over ?


any help is GREATLY APPRECIATED due to i have never done any of this type of work ... thank you , kyle

[sybrmike]

Congrats on reaching the point of no return! Let the fun begin...

Foam stinks (literally - especially wet foam)! I used a sharp shooter garden shovel to cut it into sections and pry out in blocks (kinda like cutting brownies out of a pan). A floor scraper worked good for cleaning up the sides of the stringers and hull bottom. Wide putty knife for the nooks and crannies. Others have used air chisels, pry bars, etc.

Yes, you need to grind & rough up any surface you're glassing. 40-80 grit flapper discs in an angle grinder work well. Messy, itchy work. You want to knock down any ridges, humps, etc so that the glass will lay down flat.

[Okie Boarder]

I used an air chisel for my foam removal. Definitely need to grind te hull to flatten, scuff and remove any material that was attached to the hull itself so you can get a good bond directly to the hull from there. I'd take out all wood and replace if I was you. You've already gone to the trouble of seperating the hull and starting to tear into it...why not replace everything?

[lively]

ha ha , man i took a sawzaw with a 4" blade and have only got maybe half a side out lol it was so hot i had to quit for the weekend , ill try that (cutting brownies trick) ....

and i was noticing that pocket of fiberglass that is in the center of the bow and where the cooler would drain down on i was vacuuming up water and it just keeps coming out so i think i have a hidden pond of some sort ...

i am using a skillsaw to rip up the floor , but how would you go about cutting around the bow ? should i leave a overhang for floor reference ?

And another thing on these cross support bracing , can i remove bad , grind , dry , and glass over the notches to totally remove them and just glass in new supports in between the inner and outer stringers ?

Thanks for all the help bud ! this is going to be a fun winter

[Salty87]

and it was only 110 degrees or so? looking good

foam is a nasty pain in the butt. use whatever you have. sawzall and floor scraper did most of mine. the hull is tough on blades.

you've got many hours of grinding ahead. flap discs work great
http://www.lehighvalleyabrasives.com/catalog/fd-thumb.JPG

once the foam is gone and before you grind, wipe the hull real good with acetone to remove any grease or contaminants. you don't want to grind that into the hull and then lay new fiberglass on top of it. it will hurt your bond between old and new glass.


just saw your questions....yes, leave a lip of floor all the way around as reference of floor height. 2" should be plenty because you'll have to grind it away before you're done.

notching stringers for cross supports is a terrible design when they are encased in foam. i think they're a bad design even without foam. most of us did not notch our beautiful new stringers after rebuilding. you've gone so far as to split the boat in 2, some corners aren't worth cutting.

[lively]

OK guys so lets say i gut the stringers could i grind off one side of the glass dig the wood out and lay new pieces into the same mold ?

my thing is the motor support ? is this a bear to tackle ?

i really just want some type of reference point for the stringer to lay in cause this is all new to me .... I mean i know i can do it just wanted to be prepared ahead of time ...

[lively]

and it was only 110 degrees or so? looking good

foam is a nasty pain in the butt. use whatever you have. sawzall and floor scraper did most of mine. the hull is tough on blades.

you've got many hours of grinding ahead. flap discs work great
http://www.lehighvalleyabrasives.com/catalog/fd-thumb.JPG

once the foam is gone and before you grind, wipe the hull real good with acetone to remove any grease or contaminants. you don't want to grind that into the hull

and then lay new fiberglass on top of it. it will hurt your bond between old and new glass



just saw your questions....yes, leave a lip of floor all the way around as reference of floor height. 2" should be plenty because you'll have to grind it away before you're done.

notching stringers for cross supports is a terrible design when they are encased in foam. i think they're a bad design even without foam. most of us did not notch our beautiful new stringers after rebuilding. you've gone so far as to split the boat in 2, some corners aren't worth cutting.

HA ha i almost bought these sat at homedepot , hey what type of sand paper should i used for the gelcoat? (im painting the boat )

[Salty87]

OK guys so lets say i gut the stringers could i grind off one side of the glass dig the wood out and lay new pieces into the same mold ?

my thing is the motor support ? is this a bear to tackle ?

i really just want some type of reference point for the stringer to lay in cause this is all new to me .... I mean i know i can do it just wanted to be prepared ahead of time ...

with a sawzall you can cut the stringers out mostly intact. keep them for reference. keep the lip around the edge and set strings across. make your new stringers to that height. some people have made cardboard templates of their old stringers. lots of ways to skin it.

[Okie Boarder]

I would totally remove the stringers instead of trying to reuse the shell of the fiberglass. Do like Salty said and cut them with a sawzall blade as close to the hull as possible. If you're really nervous about getting them back in the right place, do one at a time. Cut it out, grind, clean, cut, shape, fit and bond in place, glass, then move to the next one. You have the other stringers there as reference points to get a level surface for the deck and to take measurements you might not have thought about.

I used resin sanding discs rather than flapper discs. I primarily used 24 grit IIRC.

http://www.tvactools.com/catalog/5543and5548BK%204,5%20and%205in%20Coarse%20Resin%2 0Fiber%20_thumb.JPG

[lively]

OB- so what do those disc mount to0? cause i think i have almost every tool known to man lol .. are those peel and stick ?

[Okie Boarder]

Just a hard plastic / rubber backer that attaches to the grinder.

[lively]

ok ill do some looking and hopefully get this foam out , i haven't ordered my resin yet due to shelf life .. i think poly is what im going to use ....

i have 38"x40' 6oz of chop strand mat / 50" x 40' wovin rovin 10 oz

and will be using douglas fir timber for wood replacement

do you think this will be suitable for the stringer and deck ?

[Okie Boarder]

I used primarily 1708 biaxial cloth for all the structure and mat/cloth combo for the deck. Salty used woven roving for his structural pieces so he can speak more to using that. I know he has mentioned before you want to use poly with woven roving. IIRC I used 50" width 1708 and I think I used a total of 25 yards, but I'd have to go back to my tracking spreadsheet to see exactly what I used,if you want the specifics.

[lively]

OB - yeah man check it out for me would ya ?!

I bought 56yrds today of stranded mat for 80$ of Craigslist !! i was doing late night shopping and found this guy local ... what would use just strande mat for , deck? or could i bond stringers with it too ...?

Hey lol i know my ?s are adding up sorry .. but for the (peanut butter mixture) do i use that for my stringers to bond to the hull ? and where else would i need that thickness at ?
Thanks a million guys!

[Okie Boarder]

OB - yeah man check it out for me would ya ?!

I bought 56yrds today of stranded mat for 80$ of Craigslist !! i was doing late night shopping and found this guy local ... what would use just strande mat for , deck? or could i bond stringers with it too ...?

Hey lol i know my ?s are adding up sorry .. but for the (peanut butter mixture) do i use that for my stringers to bond to the hull ? and where else would i need that thickness at ?
Thanks a million guys!

I'll look in the next couple days and let you know for sure. I primarily used mat for the deck. From what I recall reading about it, mat provides good strength because of the random alternating orientation of the strands, but it takes quite a bit to get a build up thickness desired. The 1708 has a biaxial cloth with mat stitched to it, so mat does serve a valid purpose.

The thickened epoxy (peanut butter) will be used any time you are wanting to bond. Stringers to hull, ribs, deck, etc. You will also want to make up a mixture that is similar to lay fillets with prior to laying the glass down.

[lively]

ok sweet , i was also told i could cut up some of the stranded mat and use the strands while mixing to make it thicker is this true ?

and to make it thicker do i use the cabosil powder ? and mix ? i mean how do i know how much to mix ? thanks for the help man it sure makes things make since

[Okie Boarder]

I used just cabosil for the bonding and about 20% cabosil and 80% glass bubbles for fillets. Basically you just mix in enough to get it the right consistency. The first couple times it will take a bit to figure out what will work. You basically want it to be thick like peanut butter or frosting. You should be able to hold it vertical on a spreading stick and mot have it "drip" off.

[Salty87]

these thoughts are not in any particular order, just some things i noticed trying to catch up

with poly, you need to lay down chopped strand mat or the cloth/woven won't wet out well. the mat acts like a sponge and holds the cloths down. the chopped mat helps with strength but not really a whole lot. it's pretty light by weight. def better than nothing.

cabosil works good in poly but keep in mind that it doesn't add strength. if anything, it weakens the resin a bit. shredded csm is much better. in reality, a combo if the 2 is best.

another method to consider is PL Premium Construction Adhesive. home depot carries it in big caulk tubes. it's probably not cheap compared to resin bought in bulk but it's convenient.

i found a local supplier of 5 gal buckets of poly, those are so much easier than 1 gal cans when you're glassing stringers or other large items. check around for industrial suppliers. i know this isn't local to you but this gives you an idea of the type of company i'm talking about....http://www.joscoproducts.com/ . that's where i got 5 gal buckets in austin.

[lively]

Salt - I plan to use the PL adhesive to bed the stringers ,

If you dont mind can you give my a lay out of what you used far as what kind (#) resin , and what would be a good type of fiberglass to use

I mean if i need to use epoxy i will , just have no clue what to get , like :us composites: has this 404 tooling poly and then has some 5 gal 435 standard layup resin for 121.00 , I like the price of poly but is that going to hold up well with the cloth i have or should i get something different ?

Would it be better to get some 1708 biax ? thanks for all the help

AND what is CSM ?

[Salty87]

i'm 90% sure i used 435 when i bought from uscomposites.

everything gets csm (chopped strand mat) first before cloth or roven. so, you'll need alot. when i bought the 5 gal buckets locally, they had a little 'kit' that included hardener and enough csm for the 5 gal to wet out. i haven't used the biax. from the little i know, it has csm built in? if so, would prob be easier and quicker.

pretty sure i used 6 oz cloth for the top and bottom of the floor. that's what i'm sending you (someday, lol). it might be 10 oz.
i think i used 18 oz woven.

biax says csm is buit-in...
DBM 1708 Biaxial
+/- 45degree
Contains double bias(17oz) stitched at 45degrees
along with one layer of 3/4oz mat.
Thickness: 0.044"

[lively]

ok then ill get the 435 poly ... its got great prices ! ha ha

I think ill get some 1708 for the stringers and ribs and then lay my CSM for the deck .. what kind of wood would you recommend for the deck ? im using douglas fir for the stringers but i was thinking of pre laminating the deck pieces before i install and then using that PL stuff to bond and finish laminating to the sides and main stringers ...

How long did it take you to install the stringers ?

man im so stoked about this build ! lol and thanks to you and all the others help ill have this thing back together in no time !

[Salty87]

i used 1/2" marine plywood for the deck. pre-laminated the bottom and running a fat bead of PL is exactly how i layed the deck. followed with screws into the stringers...slather sealant on the threads. then glass it over.

stringers can go slow or fast depending on how close you get with your initial cuts. trimming and grinding to fit for fine-tuning takes time. also takes a bunch of climbing in the boat with the stringer, check the fit, climb back out with stringer and take a little off with saw or grinder...repeat. depends how anal you are too.

this is really a project where you can go super quick if you're clever. you can take forever if you want too. if you're smart about rigging supports that hold the stringer in place while you bed it and then glass you can go faster than if you are relying on the accurate fit to hold the stringer in place.

[lively]

where did you get the sealant for the screws ? and what about drain holes where did you put those at ?
on the bed side of the stringers .. will those be angle cuts or are they all level plains ?

Thanks for the help salt .. i think i have got a pretty good idea what i gotta do now ...

[Salty87]

PL for the screws. i think i used some 5200 that was leftover too.

for the drain holes i put some in the main stringers just forward of the engine. you can barely see them in some of the shots in my thread. i also put some behind the engine under the exhaust pipes where they angle down. for the outter stringers, i put some at the transom...none in the middle. bow rise will drive any water trapped outside of the outter stringers to the transom.

the outter stringers sit mostly flat. the main stringers have an angled edge that can be tough as the v of the hull gets more steep up front.

[lively]

well my puter connection at work is not letting me see the pics so ill have to look when i get home ,

i was reading on the foam you installed with trash bags , did you like the outcome of that . and did you foam everything ?

did you cut out the bubble of glass upper front bow under cooler ? if so how did you form new glass to make tha same shape ?

[Okie Boarder]

A couple items to note to catch up, as well.

I also glassed the deck pieces on the under side prior to installation.

The main stringers are definitely tricky up front. Compound angles, basically.

You might try deciding whether you're going to do foam or not early on. There are some schools of thought about foam vs. no foam relating to drain / limber holes. Many good points can be made regarding not using drain holes when using foam.

Up front under the cooler, I removed all that was there and I installed a flat piece in the vee to level it and have a slight downhill slope back to the bilge pump. I also put a ~2' square hatch in the floor to access that area between the engine and the cooler. That left the area under the cooler very wide open and allowed me to hide a ballast bag up there. There is enough room for ~500# of weight up there. Something to consider, for sure.

[Salty87]

the foam worked out very well. outside temp makes a huge difference in the expansion rate. other than figuring that out, it was easy. i'm not sure how effective my foam job is and i hope to never find out. i foamed all compartments.

under the cooler in a saltare is different than a sunsport. our air intake hoses route under the floor below the cooler. a real design mess. i modified it so that any water that might get into the air intake will find a way to the bilge pump.

[lively]

salt- on the foam making the blocks like you did , does that allow them to float inside the cavity to let water run underneath it and out the limber holes ?

OB- I like the ballast idea ! how much weight you put in your boat ? cause i have like 4 flotec pumps 360 gph that im going to fix up in there for ballast ,

[Salty87]

i did foam blocks to allow for drainage. poured foam is nasty when wet. it sticks to ANYTHING and sticks very well. foam will form a skin once it dries. my thought was that any water that got in there would be able to drain off. if the foam was poured without the bags, it will clog everything up.

another possible problem with poured foam and limber holes is that water can back-up into the limber holes if you forget the plug or something. you don't want the foam to get soaked. the blocks won't absorb water.

i was afraid noise would be loud and i wanted some flotation. i might skip foam if i were to ever do another.

okie's ballast/storage idea is a good one. are you putting the factory ski pole back in?

[lively]

salt - No ski pole was on the boat so i removed the plate and i have a tower already , I think on the foam ill pass . i want this thing to be dry ... i also have 3 new blowers that the guy gave me i thought of putting 2 where the air intake goes into the floor and 2 on the rear for forward and outward air flow ..

I still need to find a wake plate .. there was never one on here . so if you or anyone else know where i find one please let me know .. Thanks

[Okie Boarder]

OB- I like the ballast idea ! how much weight you put in your boat ? cause i have like 4 flotec pumps 360 gph that im going to fix up in there for ballast ,

I typically run about 1300# of weight. The space under the cooler in the bilge has enough volume for about 500# of weight, but I don't have the right sized bags to fit it all down there. I'm eventually going to get a custom bag made, most likely. Currently I run a 350# bag down there and a 250# on top between the doghouse and cooler. I also rebuilt the rear seat base so it is one large area, along with putting support underneath the ski locker (I have the drop in plastic style). The two bags that go in the rear are ones I bought off a Moomba owner that were standard bags. IIRC they are 10 x 16 x 72 and give about 400#. So I have the two bags in the back that total ~800# and the two bags up front that total ~600#. None of them fill completely so I estimate I'm getting about 1300#. It makes a nice wake. I'm running one Simer pump and manually connecting to fill/drain. This winter I plan to plumb in a manifold with valves and hosing to each bag so with the one pump I can fill the bags one at a time with the flip of a switch and turn of a handle until they're all full. If possible, I'll get the custom bag for down below too.

[lively]

I typically run about 1300# of weight. The space under the cooler in the bilge has enough volume for about 500# of weight, but I don't have the right sized bags to fit it all down there. I'm eventually going to get a custom bag made, most likely. Currently I run a 350# bag down there and a 250# on top between the doghouse and cooler. I also rebuilt the rear seat base so it is one large area, along with putting support underneath the ski locker (I have the drop in plastic style). The two bags that go in the rear are ones I bought off a Moomba owner that were standard bags. IIRC they are 10 x 16 x 72 and give about 400#. So I have the two bags in the back that total ~800# and the two bags up front that total ~600#. None of them fill completely so I estimate I'm getting about 1300#. It makes a nice wake. I'm running one Simer pump and manually connecting to fill/drain. This winter I plan to plumb in a manifold with valves and hosing to each bag so with the one pump I can fill the bags one at a time with the flip of a switch and turn of a handle until they're all full. If possible, I'll get the custom bag for down below too. Heck ya man , sounds like you got some weight in that puppy ... the sacks are pretty expensive ... you think it would be cheaper to weld some tanks up instead ?

[lively]

well guys its friday and the weather is not so bad today we were supposed to get rain but just like everything else it get's passed on a few days ..

so today Im planning on removing the rest of the deck and remove all the leftover foam ... Then i plan to take measurements of the stringers and start cutting on side out ... Im ordering the resin next week and still looking on C.L. for a used table saw .. so wish me luck and hope yall enjoy your labor day holiday weekend .. ill post some more pics this weekend . -lively-

[Okie Boarder]

Heck ya man , sounds like you got some weight in that puppy ... the sacks are pretty expensive ... you think it would be cheaper to weld some tanks up instead ?

I doubt it. I started looking at tanks and it didn't seem like it was going to be very cost effective compared to bags.

[Salty87]

below the deck and integrated into the stringer system is the best bang for your buck. i'm cheering you on, we've all wanted to do it but it's probably something like running an extra mile after a marathon. (won't ever catch me running one so i'm just guessing)

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/ff0b6100.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/12863642.jpglate night foamin lol http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/3450bd54.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/c3af52d8.jpg

This foam is no fun ! But it's out

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/fb95fc57.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/c63d845c.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/d0f5a820.jpg

Instead of ballast what about a wedge right here http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/aada5090.jpg

[Okie Boarder]

Looking good. Man I remember what a pain the foam was and how many trash bags we filled...LOL! The wedge is an option to consider. The one thing you need to understand is the amount of force it will apply to the back of the boat and reinforce it accordingly.

[lively]

yeah it was no fun ! and im still looking at wedge designs trying to figure it all out and if i can design a sturdy enough transom to hold that amount of downward force ... but thats just farts in the wind for now lol ...

This hull got quite flimsy when it was all de foamed and ribs were taken out , I put 4x4s and 1x4s on top of them to support it better while im working on the stringers ..

Question : when grinding , what is enough ? and what did you use for the motor and trans mounts ? i see salty put 4x4s but i was thinking of a 4x6 and cutting to shape , cause mine are 4x5 in the boat now ... , i plan to get one side out this weekend and start grinding , I took as many measurements that i could , but with a boat nothing is plum , level or straight lol , so Im just hoping for the best ...

[sybrmike]

Congrats on the foam removal - that's a big milestone.

Grinding - I went ~6" either side of each stringer. I left a lip of the old glass for reference while cutting new stringers & then ground it down just prior to bedding each stringer.

Mounts - I used layers of plywood on end with glass between each layer, but most others I've seen are a combination of cut 4x, 2x, and ply. Take lots of measurements, make lots of marks, etc. I made some cardboard templates spanning the bilge and mounts, but even then I ended up with my floor 1/2" high? While it's best to get it right the first time, "modifications" with wood and glass aren't too big a deal.

[lively]

I am thinking of dropping snap lines to help with the deck height or at least give me point of reference ... But im also doing one side at a time so i can make cut's one time and one time only ... The only thing i am sketchy about are the front angles ... how hard were those for you ?

[Salty87]

one of the nice things, if you can call it nice, about rotted stringers is that the wood falls away from the fiberglass skin. keep the skins. cut everything as close to the hull as you can. do the same for the engine area.

strings make good reference points but they get old stepping over them. i spray painted some reference points in the middle bilge channel. it was all eventually ground away by the time it was painted...front of engine area, rear, cutouts at front of dog house.

grinding 6" on both sides of whatever you're glassing is good. don't skimp down to 4" ;)

i like that there are no right angles, level lines, or anything plumb. just slather some more glass and resin in there and it should be fine.

[lively]

Salt - thanks for that write up , the stringers I'n boat are still pretty much I'n tact , so will see lol ,

What kind of wood did you use for your stringers ? Oh and check out somebodys nice wanna be repairing
http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/556d4494.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/e2122e81.jpg. So it looks like some more glass work to do .. :mad:

[Okie Boarder]

Grinding...as has been said 6" is good. If you're wondering how deep you should get through whatever is there on top of the hull to the hull itself. You'll be able to tell...get's smoother and somewhat pink/orange color.

Engine mount area...I built it up using two 2x4' stacked together plus a layer of plywood then put the outer layer of plywood on after that.

[lively]

OB- thanks man i was bout to ask how deep lol , I went and got some resin pads 26 grit , flapper disc 40 grit , sawzaw blades for the stringer removal this weekend .. Im only doing one side at a time .. .. Man they really did a crappy job glassing those stringers , i found all kinds of exposed wood with no glass what so ever ... so if my plan works out like i have it .. ill be working on this thing every weekend till its summer time lol ..

[Okie Boarder]

Yeah, I think everyone that has done a rebuild has realized that the glassing Supra did could be better. I'm wondering if it was a decision to be able to produce these boats at a more reasonable price, a decision based on cost / benefit, or an ignorance of better methods that might be more well understood now.

[lively]

well i got one side cut out tonight , that wood was all rotten !! man im so glad im gutting this boat now , the outer little stringer basically fell apart after i cut it lol

I bought this cool scraper for my sawzaw so ill try that out in the morning , post pics tomorrow .. Thanks for all the help guys !!!!

Ok so here are some pics of the cutting http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/572b34d3.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/d39d9f38.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/dfbd6418.jpg I got into it a little too deep I'n some areas but nothin that poly and mat can't fix ...

Question : around the driveline hump , I wAs grinding 6 " from stringer and ran into looks a grinds like bondo or pudy , did one of y'all reglass this area ? If so how did you go about it ?

[lively]

Here are some more pics of what I did .... I used some caution paint I had laying around for some reference points ...http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/9bba20f2.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/36cace5a.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/e5c6711c.jpg

[Okie Boarder]

I had replaced the shaft log (drive line bump area) prior to my rebuild so I lightly ground that area and let my glass overlap it when it needed to. You might grind it enough to get the bilge paint off and allow the new glass to stick to it, if you overlap that far.

You're coming along. Looks like you're learning how far to go with the grinding and it all looks correct to me. You're right that if you grind a little too much it won't be the end of the world and resin/glass can be used to build it back up.

[lively]

Ha ha thanks for the encouragement OB ! yeah the shaft log on mine has either heavy build up of bilge paint or bondo cause i was grinding for a minute ,

So my next step is to get the stringer templates and start a layout for the wood , my resin and 1708 are on there way and ill be getting the douglas this friday at my local lumber yard , PL is what im using for the fillet to bond the stringers , then some glass work ! ugh , this is some work when ur alone on the build ! lol but i got some good miller lite and tunes to keep me sain !

[bens250ex]

what is the PL you are using for the fillet?

[lively]

polyurethane adhesive ( yellow tube ) - home depo has it and so does lowes 6.89 for the big ones or 3.89 for the small .. Im just following saltys and OB's and it looks pretty dang strong from the reviews ...

[bens250ex]

ya i think i might go a different rout from the cabosil, i used some cabosil to fill some holes and jeez it was a mess and hard to work with.

[lively]

Ben - temp and percentage of cabosil you used verse how much resin Has alot to do with the thickness ... Pl adhesive is a premium pre mixed solution for some fillets .... Far as covering holes I'n the boat just sand the back side of whatever u wanting to glass and Lay some mat and resin on the backside and then sand the top side and used fiberglass bondo .. Works great , but only for areas nothing over a foot

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/7a2f15f3.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/908c27c8.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/efba028a.jpgok I have a question about the old glass on this picture here the wood for the strut and the rudder assembly ... Do I need to remove wood and replace ? Or can I grind and glass over the old resin and glass once the bildge paint is removed ? http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/25989d96.jpg

[bens250ex]

im removing mine because at this point there is no point not too. im takin a break from sanding right now and damn it sucks!!!

[bens250ex]

oh yea we are basically at the same spot. I fried my big grinder now im having to use the 4" and its takin forever

[lively]

ben - go to harbor freight .. i got my 7" for 30 bucks and it works great ! and i hear ya on the sanding it took me a while but i had to grind out some bad spots damn near on top of the gel coat .. i got everything to do the stringers but dont have the actual lumber lol ..
oh and i found a local wholsale fiberglass supply place near me .. i got 5 gal of poly and 6 0z of hardner for 100.00 bucks !!


im just ready to get this one side in and start some glassing ... are you going to bed with PL ?

[TitanTn]

... are you going to bed with PL ?

Really? Does your significant other know?

Sorry, I couldn't resist. :)

[bens250ex]

lively my phone died last night before i could get pics ill snap some this morning

[lively]

titan - ha ha thats funny man

Ben- where some pics bro ? lol did you get your stringers in yet ?

[bens250ex]

no i didnt get them in yet. I still got a little more sanding to do, and rain today along with being sick put a stop to everything i will get some pics asap thought

[lively]

well im on call Saturday for work but Friday night im gonna work on some templates and taking more measurements .. so Sunday hopefully ill have some main's lined up and ready for glass ... Im taking my sweet time on this part :cool:

[bens250ex]

how long does it take that PL to cure? i have been sitting here thinking of a way to tack weld the new stringer in and then lay down the final bonding material. I was thinking about buying some of those marine epoxy loctite tubes that cures in 2 hours or less and tacking in the new stringer with that and then go back and fill in the rest with the cabosil or the PL. Good idea or not?

[lively]

ben - this is what i plan to do .... There is that pink 1/2" pink panther installation board at home depot ... what i think will work is if i set 1/4" little squares spaced out every 4"s where the stringers will lay in the hull , then tack down with pl and let it set up ( tubes says 24hr full cure time but is bond-able in 30 45 min ) then once its set up im gonna run a 3/4 " FAT bead of PL right on top of those little pink squares ( this in turn allows good clearance from stringer and hull ) lay my final cut stringer and then smooth the outer edges . but to hold them in place I plan to take a 1x4 x 5' and nail two pieces of wood so that when i lay that 1x4 on top of the stringer the two slats of wood that i nailed up will hold it upright ... now to hold the stringer from moving i will set a temp cross support on front and rear to keep it plumed up ... ( Now once all this is set i will then get some peanut butter mixed up and finish my fillets and smooth out, for the fiberglass to wet out better)

Now on the peanut butter mix up - take some CSM and pair of sizzors and shred up little 1/2 strands .... my formula - resin 1 qt / 8 % CSM strands / 40% cabosil .... / and hardener for poly like 25 drops ... they say that you have to use allot of cabosil to make the right consistency so i would mix up a little batch to kinda get a fill for the resin , also ( what i did is made a mock up mini stringer on a board and played with the resin , pl , cabosil , and csm) it just helps me better understand what im doing i guess lol ... Oh and there is a guy named jay "friscosDIYchannel" on you tube ... that guy has been a great ! help ! best of luck broski !! ill send some pics of what i get done this weekend ...

[Okie Boarder]

Progress...love it. Here's what I did as another idea...very similar to what lively is planning.

Cut and fit the stringer, then prop it up with wood shims and use 1x2 screwed to the new stringer and the one next to it, mix up the thickened resin and squeeze it under the stringer between it and the hull with a ziploc bag with the corner cut out like a frosting bag everywhere except where the shims are, let it set, remove the shims, fill the rest and you're done with the bonding part.

[bens250ex]

okie did you put down a layer of glass before you laid the new stringer?

[lively]

well i didn't get much done this weekend cause of work , but i had some questions on getting these stringers cut , i used some cardboard to make some what of a template but the forward angles are kinda iffy for me and im having a hard time trying to get it right ... what did yall use to get these angles and how ? this is where im at and then i can get to glassing them in ... basically i just wanna know how you cut your out ... thanks again -lively-

[oldman]

Scribe to fit.

[lively]

oldman - what up ! so explain scibing method ? i seen some string methods where you measure off the string every foot from floor height to boat hull .... what did you do ?

[Okie Boarder]

okie did you put down a layer of glass before you laid the new stringer?

No I didn't...just bedded them in the thickened epoxy.

On the stringer cuts, you get them close then scribe and trim away. Scribing is basically using a compass to follow the contour of the hull while the pencil part marks on the stringer. It helps you to figure out where and how you need to trim. I used a protractor on the hull to figure out the angles and used that to help me with trying to get the cuts right, as well.

[lively]

OB- so this is what i got out of it ... do i screw (support stringers) with wood too (deck height) and take a long stick or rod with a pencil taped to it and run it down the hull to mark the stringers ? also how extreme was the main angle ? I'm buying 2x12x24' for main and 2x10x22' for the side stringer ... (Douglas) .... is there a way to use a string line and measure every ft from string to hull and (connect the dots LOL) on the wood ? Im just wondering that if i don't suspend the wood at deck height it will throw me off .. idk (you say compass , like the half moon ones ) ? thanks for answering all these stupid ?s



and how did you use the protractor ?

[oldman]

A compass like the one you draw circles with. A sharp point on one side a pencil on the other. Get with a carpenter or handyman and get a lesson!
Don't forget the angle on the bottom of stringer for a nice fit. You can cut it close by other means to within a inch or so high. Then scribe it in for a nice fit.

[lively]

HA HA oldman- im sitting here reading what i wrote and i start to remember 7th grade again .... its been too long since i have actually use either one of those .. that why i had to ask .. I build Elevators for a living and everything in my world is plumb bobs , levels , and welders ....

So on the protractor , how are you setting it in relation to mark the stringer ? And i never thought of using that for the angles ! it totally makes since though .. I think i might just screw the stringers at deck height and measure/ mark from there ... I am using 12" boards and the highest point is 10" so so it wont be that bad ..... I did a mock up of some CSM and 10oz wovin roving with poly over the weekend ,, WOW ! that stuff is tough , for one layer of each its gonna work great for my small repairs ,, I did wind up buying some 1708 from us composites , ( how many layers for tabing ? and how many to cap ? ) thanks for all the help guys !

[lively]

HA HA oldman- im sitting here reading what i wrote and i start to remember 7th grade again .... its been too long since i have actually use either one of those .. that why i had to ask .. I build Elevators for a living and everything in my world is plumb bobs , levels , and welders ....

So on the protractor , how are you setting it in relation to mark the stringer ? And i never thought of using that for the angles ! it totally makes since though .. I think i might just screw the stringers at deck height and measure/ mark from there ... I am using 12" boards and the highest point is 10" so so it wont be that bad ..... I did a mock up of some CSM and 10oz wovin roving with poly over the weekend ,, WOW ! that stuff is tough , for one layer of each its gonna work great for my small repairs ,, I did wind up buying some 1708 from us composites , ( how many layers for tabing ? and how many to cap ? ) thanks for all the help guys !

[bens250ex]

lively what elevator company do you work for? im about to graduate from college (hence the reason i barely get to work on my boat) and an elevator company is going to be at a career fair today, thought about throwin them my resume.

[lively]

Ben- my company is Oracle Elevators , they are based out of Miami, fl but they have offices all over the USA ... Just look at there web site .. It's a great trade to work I'n and it's fun , I'm on my 6th year and loving every minute

[oldman]

lively
Don't think you have to cut the stringer perfect with one cut. You can cut a little at a time. Getting closer and closer to the proper height and fit. It's easier to scribe the closer you get and then you can even belt sand right to the finish line.

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/5072333e.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/cdb2dc2e.jpg ok so I was thinking hard about the stringer cuts , I still have the old one I cut out ! On the front bow where the stringer is curved I cut them as close as I could and if you look at my last photos there was only like 1" at the most left on the hull to grind , so with that said guys do y'all think I can trace a template with the old and and then that could be close right ... ?

[Okie Boarder]

and how did you use the protractor ?

Actually, when looking it up I realized it's actually called an angle finder. I just set it against the hull and let it show me the angle. Looks like this:

http://www.itechworld.com.au/contents/media/angle%20finder.jpg

[Okie Boarder]

Using the old one as a guide helps. Also, I had taken measurements before cutting the stringer out from the back of the boat to the front in increments. I marked those heights on the board I was cutting and also marked the profile from the old stringer. The two of those helped get it pretty close. I also did the same with the angles.

[lively]

yea i think im gonna get some masonite and trace a template , i seen those at harbor freight ! ill go get one today , should have known lol i swear i seem to over think about somethings ...

[sybrmike]

I did similar to Okie - took measurements every 6" of the old stringer while it was still installed & transferred to the new stringer. I measured both sides of the stringer to get an idea of the angle with the hull. Rough cut to shape, then used an angle grinder and belt sander to fine tune the fit. It doesn't have to be exact, but you want to get a fairly uniform gap so that you don't have any hard contact points with the hull when you bed the stringer. Don't forget to make allowances for the thickness of glass on top of the stringer. I think that's where I screwed up & ended up with my floor ~3/8" high (had to trim the inner liner of the cap to get it to sit down properly).

[lively]

Mike- Hey thanks for the write up ! I would have totally forgot about Lay up thickness and relation to the deck , I still have the other side in so i can take some more measurements like you did ... and see what i get with one of those angle finders that OB used

[Okie Boarder]

I did a similar screw up by setting the boards at the height the glass should have come to. I think I ended up about 3/16" or less too high so I didn't have to trim, luckily. My cuts weren't all that great and I actually cut the boards more on the short side, so my gap was pretty big in some spots. That wasn't the end of the world...just ended up using a bit more thickened epoxy when I bed them in. I did all my cuts with a circular saw, believe it or not. I just would adjust the angle as I went along. When I test fitted I would scribe or mark the areas that needed trimming and make adjustments. I must have climbed in and out of the hull 20-30 times with each board.

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/d7f7ae6d.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/692ba61b.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/f2670ce8.jpglet's just say with all the help from y'all made my cutting go smooth as he'll !!! First cut atleast 93% contact and I'n the morning I'll make some angle cuts and start some glass work ... Thanks for all the advice guys !!!!

[Blackntan90]

This is cool to watch, keep up the great work!

[oldman]

Don't forget a couple coats of cpes on the stringer, to insure a long lasting job.

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/40e39065.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/a27dffc3.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/e4456ca5.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/11754de1.jpg

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/d4c0d040.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/ba4b3a0c.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/f223b926.jpgSO WAS THIS THE PEANUT BUTTER YALL WERE TALKIN ABOUT LOL HA HAhttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/17262bb4.jpg

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/9d48a6c1.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/2427cd90.jpgIM OFF TO START THE GLASS WORK , ALL FILLETS ARE COMPLETE TO THE BEST I COULD DO , THAT PL GLUE WORKS BETTER WHEN ITS COOLER , IM GOING TO MAKE SOME SMALL BULK HEADS IN BETWEEN THE STRINGERS , THEN GLASS SOME CLEATS TO THE STRINGERS FOR THE DECK TO MOUNT , BUT I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU GUYS , MY STRINGERS ARE ABOUT A HALF " HIGH , WHAT WOULD BE A GOOD WAY TO CUT THEM TO DECK HEIGHT AFTER ALL MY TABBING IS CURED ?

[bens250ex]

is that PL stuff your using sim to 5200? could 5200 be used for the bedding?

[lively]

5200 is some pricey stuff ben , but it can be used to bed the stringers, i used 1/4" foam squares to get a good gap , then cut the hole tube and emptied into a bag (pastry style) and used that to pack it in there .. and smooth out with putty spreader , just know that you want to put weight on to the stringers the whole time till your ready to start tabbing them to the deck , i used 1 part CSM and 1708 on top of that and wet them both together , the 1708 is some great stuff to work with ... it will conform to alot of tough areas ... good luck and share some pictures ... and when you cut your stringers take a little off at a time .. my angle was 21 degrees to a twist ... lol that was not fun !

[Salty87]

it's great to see all of the progress. everyone manages to put their own signature touches on rebuilds, that's the best part to watch.

do you have a guide for a circular saw to trim the stringers? also, you'll want to take the corners off the tops so you can wrap cloth. it won't make a 90 degree angle worth a damn. you might practice wrapping a scrap piece. grinding a crappy glassing layup off your new stringers sucks.

i'll ship that cloth this week, it's been in may car for weeks.

[bens250ex]

i think i am going to go home this weekend so i will try to get mine cut and laid. question though, where the engine mounts is that sittin off the hull or is it bedded? Also i thought that PL stuff was around 12 bucks a tube? i have seen 5200 for 12 bucks a tube?

[sybrmike]

Great progress - keep it up!

Salty beat me to it - but I second the recommendation to round over the top edges of the stringers. I used a router and 1/4 or 3/8" radius bit to get a smooth curve that the glass would lay over. Also, wooden tongue depressors work good for laying down a nice fillet (but I used some roven woven in my hull/stringer joint layup & needed a wide fillet). It doesn't have to be baby butt smooth, but spend a little time prepping the fillets & radii and the glass will lay down so much easier.

[lively]

salt - whats up brotha , well i wanted a tough solid floor so i went 2x everywhere ... lol , i plan to take a round over bit with my router to make a rounded top .... but , one thing i didnt do was compensate for the fillets as much as i needed too .. im only 1/2" high toward the bow , i think when i round them over it will pop up on my tape , ?? So i Tabbed both stringers with one layer of CSM and one of 1708 biax ... how many layers do you think ill need ? cause that 1708 is some tough stuff but i wanted to make sure so i layed the CSM before ... lol I used nearly 5 gal just on one side !! and man poly is some strong stuff !! let me know what the shipping is and ill mail the amount to the return address .... thanks for all the help too ....( I have a rip gauge for my circular saw that what you meant right ? )


Ben - PL runs 6.99 for the big tubes where i live ... at Homedepot . For the engine mounts i used cabosil and 1/2 CSM strands to make the fillets , I used some left over doug fir and some stainless through bolts .... to squeeze them togethere

[Okie Boarder]

Looking good. I definitely agree with rounding over the wood. For your spot where you're too tall, you can attack it in a lot of different ways. If you can really get a good mark on the wood so you have a nice straight line and have a good guide for the circular saw, go that route. Other wise you might try a power planer and then a belt sander. Before you wrap that wood put some thinned resin or CPES on it...that will help the wood be less susceptible to rot.

[lively]

how many layers did yall used to encapsulate the stringers ?

[bens250ex]

i have heard 2 on outter and 3-4 on main?

[Okie Boarder]

As I mentioned before I exclusively used 1708 on the structural pieces. I put three layers on the main stringers and the engine mounting area, although the engine mounting area overlaps onto the stringer after it had been wrapped so there are areas of that stringer that are 5-6 layers thick right in there. I put two layers on the secondary stringers and tab plus a layer on the ribs. The ribs have most of them covered in 2 layers because of how I did the tabbing, but not 100%.

[lively]

ok well i tabbed them to the hull with 1 layer csm and 1 1708 , how much sanding do i need to do some more lay ups of 1708 ? cause what i plan to do is build the other side ... get the floor height , cut to floor height , and cap the stringers with 1708 and 10oz wovin rovin ... ? any thoughts ?

[sybrmike]

Between layers - sand just enough to take the ridges & high spots off so the next layer will lay down smooth without bubbles. Also you want to rough up everything to take the sheen off the previous resin & wipe down with solvent to help get a good bond. Extend each successive layer ~1/2" beyond the previous edge to get a smooth transition.

[lively]

Thanks Mike - That clears up my thoughts on layups ... I ran out of resin so im waiting for my local store to get there fresh stock in .... be looking for more pics !

[bens250ex]

let see some pics of that fiberglass work lively!

[lively]

HA ha ... ill be home this weekend and ill take some pics

So i got me a 80 gal single stage compressor for 130.00 off Craigslist and im rebuilding the pump this weekend , Its been rainy all week here and is deff a good thing cause are lakes need it !!

With that said , I plan to mark my new stringer for absolute deck height , then cut the other side out and start some more grinding .. I think im going to wait on cutting the deck lip out .. until i know for sure where i need to be , I have got till the 1st of December to get the floor finished and sealed ,, ( my goal ) and I have ordered another 5 gal of poly for the other side ... but at-least ill know what im doing now lol ....

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/a51620a0.jpghere is just a small shot of the 2 layers of tabbing I did , I'm cutting out and grinding the other side this weekend and I'll take some more pics when I get there .. Hope everyone is doing good on there projects and feel free to write some comments , thanks , lively

[Okie Boarder]

Making some good progress!

[rlhahn]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/a51620a0.jpghere is just a small shot of the 2 layers of tabbing I did , I'm cutting out and grinding the other side this weekend and I'll take some more pics when I get there .. Hope everyone is doing good on there projects and feel free to write some comments , thanks , lively

looks good. nice glass work. what are your center stringers? they kind of look like LVL's

[lively]

Rlhahn - The main and outer stringers are both douglas fir , and i pre coated them with 3 layers of Poly ..

[lively]

Here are some more pics of the cutting and grinding of the other side , I used a 4" cutoff wheel and ran down the bottom to save the stringer shape , I ground down the outer that was all the time I had, due to the rain storms ... But I'll have some more pics and info soon ...http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/722b2555.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/91a2a723.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/8911d4c3.jpg

[lively]

I mounted the top cap to some pallets and started marking the holes and imperfections that need fixin , I still need to get the prop shaft and rudder out , where could I find another rubber bellow for the drive line ? http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/2c1f3674.jpg

[bdumas35]

Looks good Lively. Skidm for your prop shaft bellows and rudder parts.

Leave the old floor flanges until the last to use for reference. BUT, we should never assume that the factory had it 100%.

[lively]

Ha ha , yeah the factory did not design proper drainage for these boats , and too tell you the truth they are not that bad to work on once you have figured it all out lol , I'm gonna call skidm about the bellow .. Thanks for the kudos and info

[sybrmike]

Looks like good progress - keep it up. I don't see any limber holes in the stringers (yet?). If you're going back foamless, don't forget to open up some passages & let her breath down below and glass the openings real good. Like Bdumas said, keep those old lips in as reference for floor height. I didn't & ended up a little high on the floor & had to trim my top cap to fit at the rear - oops. Fortunately, the top cap flange on the Salt is flat, so was no big deal. However, I think the Sunsports have an L-flange where the cap meets the floor, so correct floor height is more critical.

[lively]

subrmike - Yes i haven't put the limber holes in yet , i notched the rear main and then when i start with my bulk heads im gonna incorporate a drainage design , probably should have drilled the holes first , but i think i can get at it ... I want NO foam in this boat at all .. lol

And for the L flange where the cap meets the floor mine are stress cracked , so im having the guy the panels my company's elevator doors , fab up so mirrored stainless mounting plates with a rounded edge ... its only costing me 50 bucks so i said what the hell ... and I removed my prop and rudder assembly last night so i can get to more of the grinding this weekend ... I still have ?'s about what thickness of flooring to go with ... what i cut off was 3/8" and that seems a little weak for a deck .. so I think if i can get away with it i'd like to go with a true 1/2" and mount the floor to some cleats on the side of the stringers so im not screwing into my new stringers ....

How did you cut your stringers for deck height? thanks again , lively

[sybrmike]

I used a skill saw to rough cut, angle grinder to to take a little bit more where needed, a belt sander to even it all out, then a router to soften the top edges for the glass to lay down. After the stringer tops were glassed, I cut the floor panels to fit and pre-glassed the underside and edges of the 1/2" ply floor. To fasten the floor, I laid down a few strips of mat saturated with resin on top of the stringers/bulkheads, then predrilled and countersunk each screw hole through the floor and into the stringer, filled the hole with resin, then drove the s/s screw down. After it set up, I glassed all the seams and filled over the top of the screws before glassing the top of the floor.

I like your idea of cleats glassed to the sides of the stringers - no holes in the new stringers. Also, I had gotten a quote from one shop that didn't use fasteners at all. They just lay down thick layer of saturated mat over the stringer tops (where I stole the idea from), then had a pallet of old batteries that they would spread out over the top of the floor to hold it down while the resin set.

[Blackntan90]

lively, on my '90 Mariah, the 'bellows' on the drive shaft looks to be just a piece of 2" hose(from the factory)

[lively]

yeah i was thinking of just using a hose , I have been looking for a rack&pinion boot , or shock boot .. but i think ill go with a hose ...

Thanks for all the write ups guys .. it really helps smooth my thoughts lol , perfection is hard to master , but as long as everything goes somewhat smooth im cool with that lol ... here is one of the swim platform i sanded down and prepped for teak oil http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/420b866b.jpg

I plan to have all this grinding done this weekend , and start cutting and laying new wood next weekend . thanks again -lively-

[Okie Boarder]

You're coming along nicely. As sybr mentioned you can "fasten" or "glue" the deck. I went the "glue" route and just laid a bed of thickened epoxy along the tops of all the stringers and ribs. I then laid the plywood that had already been glassed on the other side in place. I placed sandbags around to weight it down until the resin set. Once all of them were done I did a fillet at the edge that met the upper hull, then tabbed in all edges with 1708 tape. Finally I laid down a layer of mat, then cloth over the entire surface.

[lively]

So I woorked some on the boat this weekend and started sanding on the top cap to start prep for fiber puddy and primer , I did get the other side of stringers ground down and i went ahead and removed the rear transom / platform boards , and ground down those also ... lol i rebuild my 4 clyinder compressor pump , later to find out i need a two stage to handle all this sanding and grinding ... but enough about that here are some pics http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/8263ff40.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/c7759547.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/ecfc0d40.jpg






Can some one tell me what type of steering cable i have and if there is any method on greasing the cable ? mine is real tight , I did get it to turn inside though so i know its not broke ... I also drilled a hole on the cable clasp to shoot oil in there but i can seem to free things up .. any thoughts ? http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/a61b4fba.jpg thanks guys , -lively-

[wotan2525]

Time to replace. If it's tight, it's already too late. Skidim sells the whole kit with the helm (which is what you need) but if you search around you can find it cheaper....

[lively]

yeah i seen those on there ... im guessing a 19 ft cable and helm ? .... I wonder why you cant maintenance these cables ? kinda leads me to some grease sert ideas ... and is this a rotary cable im guessin ?

[bens250ex]

looks good, how hard was it to get your rudder assembly apart? i still got to get mine off. I prob will not be back home till thanksgiving to do any work on mine.

[lively]

Ben - It wasn't that bad , I took my seals out and cleaned the inside with a rag , heated the base and the stem from inside the boat and took a flooring pry bar and a long standard screwdriver and heated and pried till the bottom plate fell out and then i soaked them in degrease r , just heat it up it will bust loose ...

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/676cd56a.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/4ccaaaf1.jpg

Ok guys I tryed my damnist to get the other side tabbed I'n , but the dew point and and outside temp told me to hold off ... So I PL the main stringer I'n and let it set up till the next sunny day .. We are bout to get some rain so just playing the waiting game ... Hope everyone enjoyed there weekend ! -lively-

[sybrmike]

Lookin' good. Good call on not bucking mother nature - fighting resin cure is messy and no fun. As the saying goes, sometimes discretion is the better part of valor.

[lively]

Sybrmike- thanks , and I almost started too but I knew I was going to be pushing it ... Now it's raining and under 65 degrees lol but I should have all of it tabbed I'n and then cut for deck height next weekend .. Trying to have the deck laid before Chrismas to stay on my plan dates

[oldman]

When you cut the ends of the stringers(for drainage) at the transom, cut them at a arc or round, it is much stronger than straight 90 notch.

[lively]

When you cut the ends of the stringers(for drainage) at the transom, cut them at a arc or round, it is much stronger than straight 90 notch.

yeah I prob should have rounded the limber hole , but this is the first big wood project for me , and of course with anything else it will have its (should have's and shouldn't have's) but thank you for the info !

[lively]

Ok guys so it's been a crazy 2 weeks and I have been trying to get the other side tabbed I'n and the transom wood glassed , but the humidity was playing a factor I'n my curing time and so I had to improvise and make due with what I had .. So here is what I got : new gauges http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/f27466af.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/983c0f7b.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/36732ea3.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/97faa527.jpg

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/fe7c47c6.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/a5b48d01.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/f4d5e79c.jpg I had to tarp the boat overnight and it finally kicked about 6 hours after i mixed the first batch and i added 3oz of MEKP to every 2 1/2 quarts ... anyone know how to apply with temps a humidity better ? ..

[lively]

Hey guys I have a question on steering .. I found a Uflex rotary steering kit on eBay and was wondering if the cable would be ok to use I'n my sunsport ... ? Thanks ahead of time !

[jet]

Hey great job Lively. I am right behind you just building up my passenger side stringers and im mentally stuck on the motor mounts and Its starting to get to cold to work outside. Your pretty close to us over here, Im originally from Ft. Worth WESTSIDE!! (gang sign thrown). When It is warm I keep going to Hydrous which isnt helping my build at all. lol. Good luck and thanks for the pic's. Jet
8352
8353

[lively]

Ha ha ! West side !!!! Lol what trip ... Yeah I'm originally from east tx . Mallakoff county .. But I live I'n hurst now ..

On your motor mounts I just measured from my old and cut it out of the 2bys x 4 long remember there was a void (gap) under the old so I just took a measurement of 4 1/2 starting from the front and went to 3 1/2 .. And how tuff is it doing all that work with it all together ? Jeez lol and I have more pics I'm laying my deck this weekend just waiting for my accelerator and 1708 to come I'n ... And good luck to you as well friend! -lively-

[bens250ex]

Dang lively you movin fast . The weather is holdin me back hopefully I can get my deck on around christmas

[lively]

Ok ok .. So I still have to glass the ribs In and then lay the deck but it's getting there .. I have been working on my dash as well , I'm just gonna glass it and make a smooth finish instead of the vinyl wrap .. And then all the damn sanding on the boat to prep for paint .. Ben that accelerator helps out alot !! Heat lamps and space heaters I'n a make shift tent !! Lol the rental for the shop was to much money so I just bit the bullet and made my own .. I'll take some pics later this week ... Where u at on yours ?

[bens250ex]

uhhh lol im still on one side. I have around a whole month off from school starting next week so itll be time to work and i know the other side will go faster since i will know halfway what im doin. Im trying to decide some stuff like should i glass the main stringers in and then add the cross ribs or should i put them in before i glass the stringers? what you think?

[lively]

Yeah man that's what I'm doing .. But I haven't decided if I want to angle cut them and glass to the hull or just run supports and screw them into the stringers and seal with 5200 .. But I will be glassing a 1x1 cleat so I can screw the deck too ..... So figure out how you want to lay the ribs and go with it ! Lol it's too damn cold to re think

[bens250ex]

How much resin have you gone through lively?

[lively]

Bout 10 gal and 15 yards of 1708 and 20 yards of 1.5 csm

[Okie Boarder]

Good looking helper there jet! ;-) Tell her we said hello. Now get back to work and give her a break...LOL!

[lively]

So its been raining pretty good here in fort worth , Tx and we need it .. I have been working on glassing my dash and gauge pods .. Ill update with pics asap .. I got a hold of ken that built that amazing Rider .. and has helped me alot !! and Im getting some left over parts for cheap so let me know if y'all are looking for supra parts ...

-lively-

[bens250ex]

Lively pm me your number if you don't mind. Can you get pic texts?

[jet]

Lively, what do you have??

[lively]

clarion marine amp apx 290m used for a weekend kind of $90
sub clarion cmsw10.1s $50 again kinda used for a weekend

prop shaft coupler
extra sherwood raw water pump

orginal vents along the winsheild
4 stainless cupholders

orginal supra cupholders
rebuild alternator with new regulator

and other misc stuff*

Ken*

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/3f8298db.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/29fa2bcd.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/cfd90a09.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/11330f0f.jpg

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/d74c574c.jpg http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/26488d4d.jpg http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/f42abbfb.jpg I have been workin on my dash and switch panel a little and i figured i would show everyone ... cant wait till it's done

[FULL-THROTTLE]

I love the switches, what make and model are they? and where did you get them I am preparing a complete rebuild on my 86 Sunsport.

Thanks,

Fran

[lively]

Fran - eBay is where I purchased the toggles at and I used a brushed piece of stainless , I bought the toggles for 30$ for all ten , they have different colors also , .. And the stainless I cut from an old elevator door skin ...

[lively]

So due to the temp being so cold , i decided that im too persistent and i want to finish this project !!http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/2d43216b.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/0688af5b.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/7f690948.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/832578e1.jpgso i decided to make a 12x26 paint booth and insert heat to make a greenhouse type building perfect for my glasswork !

[lively]

...................................http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/019ad7eb.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/4c4d92af.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/41f09710.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/6c194b44.jpg

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/1f5e4b88.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/7fef425b.jpg

[TitanTn]

Love the determination! Do you have ventilation in there?

[lively]

yes i left the plastic open in the rear top , plan is to run a propane heater 8' or so away and run a duct through plywood hole and blow heat inside to get it nice and toasty ... but ventilation and safety always comes first !! will see what comes up this weekend ... with 6 1000w lights last night was in the 30's and i had it in the 70's with shorts and a cold beer lol !!!

[bluebrapper14]

Very nice! just be careful if the rain comes with that roof... made that mistake once with a makeshift structure i built once... filled up with about 100 gallons of water before it busted and made a nice mess lol

[lively]

when it rains i have a pulley system that will pitch the tarp at angle .. that's the first thing i considered and i sprayed the plastic with 3m super 90 spray adhesive for the plastic to have adhesion to the wood ... but lol will see what happens when it rains ..

[Okie Boarder]

A pretty good idea on the structure. Love seeing the progress and the determination. I am so thankful I was able to do mine in the garage.

[wakezone]

Did you ever hear that the sides of the boat should be reinforced before you take the cap off, so that when you go to put the top cap back on it fits easily again? I have heard that it can bow out and be difficult... did you measure it? Also, I must say you are doing a bad ass job on that boat! Mad props. I am working on a 86 Rider XL right now. I will start a thread perhaps with some pics. Keep it up bro, that boat is going to be sweet.

[lively]

Did you ever hear that the sides of the boat should be reinforced before you take the cap off, so that when you go to put the top cap back on it fits easily again? I have heard that it can bow out and be difficult... did you measure it? Also, I must say you are doing a bad ass job on that boat! Mad props. I am working on a 86 Rider XL right now. I will start a thread perhaps with some pics. Keep it up bro, that boat is going to be sweet.

yeah once you cut the ribs and stringers it does move alittle , i have the boat on the trailer i used 4x4 and 1x1's to shim it when it was still together , and they haven't moved ... Thanks for the prop's! every little bit helps and keeps me chuggin along ... im about to kick things into high gear and get going on finishing up ... good luck to you on yours And if you need advice .. post it!!

[lively]

ok guys so my paint booth went kaput with all that rain we got it did not stand a chance lol ....
so i cleaned things up and here is where i have got , i got some air bubbles in some spots , but hey sometimes you gotta be happy with what ya got .. deck will be going on next weekend ... http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/0815acc0.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/9e45fe40.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/c4156f5d.jpgpeeled this on off the resin kicked way tooo fast and lets just say better safe than sorry http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/a8b6e22e.jpg

[lively]

i drilled 1 1/4 '' limber holes before and after motor and in the rear main stringers water test worked great ...http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/c1c81873.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/fe705987.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/07c8c446.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/a80061cc.jpgi glassed the ribs today just didnt get a pic but i will get some more during the week ..

[bens250ex]

Lookin good man!

[Okie Boarder]

You're making good progress. Better hurry, spring is a-comin'.

[jet]

Livley ...I need to bring my trailer over to your paint both. lol

[lively]

jet - the paint booth caught to much water and came crashing down . i thought my angle was right but i still dont think it had a chance lol .. like put it this way eagle mountain is up 3ft and that down pour killed my little house lol ..


but im going to rent booth in fort worth and spray it soon .. having a buddie of mine do it

[lively]

i WANT YALL TO KNOW THIS IS A HUGE MILESTONE FOR THIS RESTO AND IM SO GLAD I HAVE WOOD TO STEP ON NOW LOL , iM GOING TO RUN 2 RULE 500 GPH BILGE PUMPS, I GOT 30' OF CARPET GUN MEATL GREY , ILL HAVE MY MANIFOLDS AND RISERS IN SHORTLY , AND NEW ROTATORY STEERING KIT , MY MOTHER HAS VOLUNTEERED TO HELP WITH THE INTERIOR , GOING WITH GREY AND WHITE AND THE BOAT WILL BE WHITE /GREY / BURNT ORANGE COLOR SCHEME AND MY COUSIN IS SPRAYING IT .. SO WITH THAT SAID , I HAVE TO GLASS THE DECK ,PAINT , CAP ON, MOTOR IN , TRAILER PAINTED AND LIGHTED , TOWER INSTALL AND ALL THE WIRING AND SPEAKERS , AND RUB RAIL http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/8b913166.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/3bc69262.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/4d3e1423.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/62bbb752.jpg

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/af6894e0.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/69385c13.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/bd88b6fb.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/f71696a8.jpg

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/7befbe47.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/2406800c.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/9e864fdc.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/a14f23c2.jpgI put more weight all over before the tarp went back on to help relax the wood a bit , i didnt have enough room to lay flat all this time so its alittle raised , be hey you gotta be happy with what you have right ...

-lively-

[TitanTn]

Looking good Lively! Glad you're able to move ahead even without perfect weather.

[Salty87]

that's great. you'll start knocking 'projects' out in chunks soon.

have you seen where some years they didn't run the floor all the way to the transom? i'd have done that had i known. leaves access to the backside of the exhaust and platform bolts.

[bens250ex]

Looks good man

[lively]

what i plan to do is leave the middle detachable for access to the rudder and tilt tube , the exhaust portions i think i will do the same , i still have to sand and spray the boat so everything will need to be put on after that , so its still up in the air .. but i was looking at the front bow and found that some yahoo that used CSM and body filler i guess
thinking it was the resin lol expected that was going to hold or something , So i used a puddy knife and it peeled off like flaking paint ha ha ... I think i will glass a wood frame around the middle bow stringer and then when the cap goes back on ill tie the frame into the floor ... Anybody know whats the best method for stress cracks?

[bens250ex]

i guess it depends on what the cracks look like?, i am sandin down the gel coat where the cracks are and just doing new gel coat in those areas.

[bens250ex]

oh yea what paint you decide to use ?

[lively]

We'll after talkin with ken about gel coat vs two part petit I think I'm going with the two part , he said that re gel coating is alot of sanding and re sanding to get the shine .. With two coats primer and three coats topside two part sprayed on should be easy Enough once I get my little gringos to help me sand this darn thing lol .. U found out what ur gonna do with your pss shaft seal ?

[Salty87]

pss is very helpful. they found a replacement seal for me so i didn't have to buy an whole new setup. from what i've seen most of the newer styles use water as coolant. the old style doesn't...KISS.

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/360384ea.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/2443ebb9.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/ec7067a2.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/8ccb255f.jpg

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/4cdfb478.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/4d4e2b22.jpg



,too cold to play with resin and glass this weekend , so i took my interior apart and rebuilt all the wood that was rotted , lol witch was everything , i got more pics this is just i tease of whats gonna come next ........... i got a quote for 2500 just for the interior to replaced and re rap with grey , white and orange welt piping , so i said what the hell mom knows the tricks of that trade and great with a machine .. so i bought 600$ worth of vinyl (marine grade) and im gonna
reuse the old foam just tighty things up a bit ... looks pretty simple .. and im starting the sanding of the hull and body work of the front bow support system
soon , i found a fleet boat paint shop that i think im gonna pay them instead to spray the boat ... something called imron by dupont .. anyone heard of this ?

but with that said , im renting able bodies for a sanding party lol

-lively-

[sybrmike]

Looks great - rebuilding interiors may not be fun (I'm doing the same now), but it sure beats hull sanding...

[lively]

yeah im not looking forward to the whole hull sanding . but its gotta be done , it so tacky how they slammed stuff together with those hammer in cleats to join
two pieces of plywood together .. like ? what are you too lazy to rip a full piece lol thanks for the kudos

[lively]

So I know it's been awile but I have officially glued and screwed the deck , tabbing to the hull this weekend and I almost have all my parts rub rail and new steering kit needed but here is what I got done so far http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/037b6488.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/0d419dc9.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/f09e1970.jpg

[Okie Boarder]

Coming along nicely. Did you screw the deck down to the stringers?

[lively]

OB - i did screw SS screws into the stringers , but i pilot drilled and countersunk with 5200 through the threads and filled over the tops with extra 5200 , i wanted to attach cleats on the sides to have that to screw too , but i would still have to screw those into the stringers to bond them securely .. idk man i think it will do fine just couldn't make up my mind i guess lol

[Jetlink]

Lively, I just happened to see your rear bench, did you rebuild that or is that original? Also, that area that you have marked, did you cut that out or are you planning on cutting it out?

[lively]

Jet- yeah i rebuilt the rear bench , the storage box underneath ,front bow , drivers seat, and I'm planning to make a comer seat ( spotters seat ) for a passenger , it's really not that complex , I just took everything apart and traced on my plywood and used 18ga staples I'n my air stapler .. It makes things go real quick using that ,

What I plan to do on my rear bench is screw some 2x4 squares and mount hood shocks to have the ease of lifting it instead of the cut out hole , I just think it weakens it anyway .. So basically unlatch the rear seat grab a beer and lift the bench with 1 finger ... Lol call me crazy.. I'm going for it

[Jetlink]

Check out my rebuilt bench I did...I off set my cut outs, and granted I am a comp so I have a very short bench, almost like sitting on the floor but, take a look as what is under where your plan cut out is. I think that is what you are planning on doing from what I just read. Here is what I did with mine...

88478848

The two side cut outs allow for air to get under my cushion and allow it to breathe and the little room I have under there I can stow two throwables. The middle cut out allows me access to the bilge where, don't quote me but I can access and inspect my packing.

[Okie Boarder]

OB - i did screw SS screws into the stringers , but i pilot drilled and countersunk with 5200 through the threads and filled over the tops with extra 5200 , i wanted to attach cleats on the sides to have that to screw too , but i would still have to screw those into the stringers to bond them securely .. idk man i think it will do fine just couldn't make up my mind i guess lol Yeah, should be fine. I've heard of people doing it just like you did. The key is to try to waterproof each screwed in area, which it sounds like you did a good job of.

[lively]

just a couple more pics of random things http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/81a98857.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/cd6a1180.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/3f70ac78.jpg

had a great time flipping this !! lol http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/b50800e2.jpg

[lively]

so i have been busy trying to get the boat sanded and all the glass work finished up , on my underside of the front bow whoever tried to repair it looks like they reached under and splattered glass filler and expected that to hold ..... so i took my 7" and ground her down to the base and glassed some 1x1 wood stock in ...

also i had to cut out the drill holes where they mounted the tower with NO backing plate so that pulled and stressed the glass pretty good . but nothing that
1708 and a hot batch of poly wont cure :cool: so here are some updates .. this weekend im putting the top on to measure the cut outs for blowers and cable
entry ..http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/fac3eb99.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/112c6998.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/42183e2e.jpg

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/d3d97ff4.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/97e299bc.jpg

[Okie Boarder]

Looking good.

[sybrmike]

Getting close on the floor wrap up milestone. Things should really start happening now... Keep up the good work & good luck.

[lively]

thanks guys for all the kudos , this has been a huge learning experience for me and has taught me patience more than anything .. my father is more involved
into the brainstorming on what looks good and if that looks right :) lol i thank ya'll for all the help !!

-lively-

how do you upload videos ?

[TitanTn]

how do you upload videos ?

Upload them to Youtube and then link to them here with the {video} link to video {/video} code. Oh course you need to replace the { } symbols with [ ] when you
're actually doing it.

[lively]

ok cool thanks for the info bro

[lively]

question : i bought 3'' OD straight cut exhaust tips for the boat and tack welded some internal flappers ... is that going to be enough?
cause there still is some entry gaps on the sides of the internal flappers but nothing more than an 1/8'' ... My worry is that as the boat is sitting in the water
they will fill up and have a chance of hydrolocking .... I have brand new mani's and risers also and i know the risers are supposed to prevent that from happening ,but how much of a wave would it take to get enough in the pipe ?

[sybrmike]

I'd think the main concern is to have a stop or limit on the flapper. Flappers aren't water tight, but need to limit a sudden pressure surge - reverse, stern roller, etc.

[lively]

sybrmike - this is what i installed , they weren't cheap either ! so do you think that will be ok .. or should i run externals also ?http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/360384ea.jpg

[sybrmike]

As long as the flaps have some type of spring action and stay flat without exhaust flow, only move the direction of the exhaust flow & not back towards the engine, I think you'll be fine.

[lively]

sybr- so i took some pics today of some progress , here are those flapps i was talking about ...http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/f7221abd.jpg


But when i put my cap back on the bow and transom went on but my sides are flared out .. but i can push the top cap onto the hull lip with force , maybe 20lbs force ,
should the cap just lay nicely onto the hull side ? Im just wondering if the deck is too high ... but when i glassed the deck in it lined up with the old fillet marks on the sides of the hull ??? ...will it be ok if i bond the two together with force and rivet it ?? or should l look into cutting and use a long stainless L brace ?http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/ad24d0e7.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/d8216172.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/852c0f97.jpg

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/a465ab06.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/121c5d20.jpg

[sybrmike]

A nice shoebox lid fit would be nice, but I think most have had similar issues? I posted similar problems in my rebuild thread. First, my floor ended up ~1/2" too high at the rear & the cap wouldn't set down. Trimmed the cap inner liner (the Salt doesn't have the same floor flange as the Sun) so it would set down. Then, I too had to wrestle the cap on the hull & my old rivet/screw holes wouldn't line up. I settled on a position where the most holes lined up & fastened the cap down. It was a two person job - one to hold the top and bottom in the correct position, one to run long screws in to suck the two pieces together. Once it was "tacked" in place with a few screws, I went back with alternating screws and rivets around the perimeter (like it was originally).

[lively]

A nice shoebox lid fit would be nice, but I think most have had similar issues? I posted similar problems in my rebuild thread. First, my floor ended up ~1/2" too high at the rear & the cap wouldn't set down. Trimmed the cap inner liner (the Salt doesn't have the same floor flange as the Sun) so it would set down. Then, I too had to wrestle the cap on the hull & my old rivet/screw holes wouldn't line up. I settled on a position where the most holes lined up & fastened the cap down. It was a two person job - one to hold the top and bottom in the correct position, one to run long screws in to suck the two pieces together. Once it was "tacked" in place with a few screws, I went back with alternating screws and rivets around the perimeter (like it was originally).ok cause that sounds like what i might be doing ... i do remember faintly that my sides did pop out when i was drilling rivets out . i think i might be ok .. i was really just curious to see if you and everyone else had the same issues .. but my bow and transoms slid right on so will see ... thanks for the input bud

[csuggs]

Lively - did you brace the hull good before you cut the old stringers out? If not, the shape will change ( usually bulge at the middle ) as the sides of the hull will actually " relax" if not braced.

[lively]

Lively - did you brace the hull good before you cut the old stringers out? If not, the shape will change ( usually bulge at the middle ) as the sides of the hull will actually " relax" if not braced.yes i did brace it on the trailer .. used 4xs and 1xs to shim it tight .. but i really think it will be ok after looking things over . i heard that same thing that they would relax ... maybe i didnt brace it right ?

[csuggs]

As long as you braced it, you're probably fine. It doesn't look too far off in the pics. It may not have been that close the first time it was assembled!

[lively]

thats what i am beginning to think .. im gonna do some sanding and filling the holes and put a couple screws to hold it together while it painted .. so hopefully (fingers crossed ) everything will go smoothly ..

[Salty87]

mine went somewhat like mike's. it fit back together pretty good but it wasn't easy...i think the topcap only fits one way and that's either perfect or not. there's no excess space or room to shift things. i had to trim the topcap walls a bit too.

[csl]

lively, you mentioned sanding and filling the holes. What are you using to fill the holes with? i have some screw holes that have stripped out, and want to fill them and redrill. Just curious what you had in mind.

[lively]

csl- well to accurately fill or get rid of fractures or screw holes , the area will need to be ground with either a drimmel tool and a cone shaped sanding bit or and da sander .. i like using the drimmel on small areas ,and or drilling a hole to stop the crack from going any further .. basically you want to make a valley and use body puddy or fiberpuddy witch
has strands of CSM in there for added strength .. either of these can be bought at home depot or your local paint suppler ... and apply using a good plastic puddy knife or razor blade ... do put to much just enough to fair out the crack , hole , or blemish .... and sand accordingly to get back to a smooth surface ... and when you mix it up use a plastic board ,, NO card board .. it soaks the hardner up like a sponge and its easier to clean a plastic board rather then have a bunch of card board scraps ...

[lively]

Salt - man im kinda hoping that i can just pull the walls out rivet the cap on the side and then push the walls in to screw into the deck .. but i just dont know if the cap with hold or relax under pressure ...

cause the thing is that the bow fit good and the transom fit good .. so maybe im just being anal and way over thinking this ... lol :p

will see what happens ... im just ready to get this in the paint booth and put the drivetrain back in ...

[lively]

ok so i have been sanding , sanding , sanding ..... and you guessed it ! more sanding ........... got the cap to fit just a little elbow grease and some help from pops we got her
done , made a corner seat that i think will work out great for my Sunsport ... tell me yous guys thoughts ...http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/d34e8e3e.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/85a3eec4.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/eb98c5a5.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/31bf43a1.jpg

[lively]

he just got done eating !! ha ha thats my boy http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/351bc178.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/b4dbad14.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/31a277b1.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/200effad.jpg

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/7295f112.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/8a985be5.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/e80c1db0.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/baf621c0.jpg

[lively]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/bebe8b80.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/0ee7dc2e.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/a2002770.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/12a2c5c4.jpg

[lively]

Well sorry for the last photos those turned out crappy ...

But on other notes : I need some help with this one guys , im taking the boat to the painter here in a few weeks , and i plan to rework the trailer and try to fix
the boats front docking station , it seems this was either added on or something .. i want to make it to where the boat will come in smooth ,
the problem im having is when you are bringing it up on the trailer the keel hook crashes into the front roller and then you have to get out and crank it over the
roller ... i want to design it to either let the roller rest above the keel hook and extend the front (2) roller stops , or cut them out and just use the main roller as front support ... what do ya'll think i should do ? http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/7e875a0a.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/2370d26c.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/69751d27.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z433/lively86/3ec4c35f.jpg

[Okie Boarder]

That observer seat idea looks like it could work well. I would consider rounding or angling the corner closest to the driver. That sticks out a bit and could be a knee knocker.