ChautauquaSun Stringer and Floor Replacement

[sybrmike]

Looking good, Chat. Glad to see you're keeping the hat rack, um pylon.

Just a friendly suggestion - I'd replace that PVC elbow on your water intake with bronze and add a bronze shut off valve before your hose. Wouldn't want to rely on a plastic fitting to keep my ski-boat from becoming a u-boat.

Hope she's back on the water soon.

[Okie Boarder]

Chat,

I used doug fir plywood too, upon the recommendation of some of the guys on another forum. Marine just uses a different glue and pressure treated has issues with moisture and resin adherence, from what I've read and been told. I coated all my wood with CPES, then resin and glass. Even with them not using CPES, the resin and glass on the wood will be plenty. My whole boat is doug fir lumber or plywood. Are they glassing both sides of the plywood?

The boat is looking good. It won't be long now and it will be ready to float.

[87SunSportMikeyD]

87 Mikey is gonna be upset now that you're keeping the pole. Oh well when you go skiing by him at 37 mph, be sure to wave.

Hahahaha! You got me there! I don't go faster than 25 anymore most of the time lolz. I will be sure to wave to your passangers that will all be sitting in the bow.

[chautauquasun]

No problem on the question...sorry If I came off the wrong way with my post...sometimes things get lost in translation when typing.

I hear you on the perfectionist thing. I suffer from it as well....it is no doubt a good thing but I also find it to be a curse to me sometimes. There have been a few things that I have discussed with Chris during the rebuild that were different than some of the others on here. We talked about the pros and cons of each approach then we made decisions on how best to proceed. I am sure there will be some things I will want to change later but I think all in all the rebuild is going well and I am going to have a much stronger and more durable boat than what came out of the factory.

Thank you to all for all the comments and well wishes...

Floor is in and glassed in...however, we found another problem with the rudder. Looks like a crack in the fiberglass let water into the wooden rudder mount and rotted it out...also I didnt realize it but looks like I bent the rudder shaft last year when I accidental dragged it on the boat ramp. The mount has been repaired but I have to get the rudder shaft straighted...looks like it is about 3 degrees out. anybody have any ideas? I am thinking BFHammer...but that probably isnt the best way.

Going to check with ProperPitch that did my prop. They straighten drive shafts so I am thinking they maybe able to straigten rudders. I am thinking it probably needs heated up then straightened but dont know exactly.

Anybody run into this issue before?

[sybrmike]

Sorry to hear about the rudder. Can probably be straightened by a good prop shop. For reference, I recently discovered my strut is bent & was quoted 60 bucks to straighten it.

[chautauquasun]

Just got a quote for ProperPitch in Delaware for $65 to straighten it. I have to add shipping to that back and forth so it may be better to look for a local prop shop and see what they quote me. Sounds like it shouldnt be a big deal....a lot better than buying a new one $400.

[chautauquasun]

Okie

Same...CPES on the underside...resin and glass on the top. Should be good to go for a while.

[dshaff24]

I believe the factory used 1/2 plywood and What we have is 5/8 so im really wondering hose the top mates with the hull! I need to test this but my boats not ready yet!

[Okie Boarder]

Chat,

If you still can do it, think about adding a layer of glass to the underside. I was told the plywood likes to "check" and the glass on the bottom helps with that long term. I just used a 4 oz glass cloth.

dshaff,

This was one issue I ran into. Be prepared the top won't fit down exactly like it did. I stillhad plent of material at the mating area so I just drilled new holes to put everything back together and I'm going to shift my rub rail to cover it.

[chautauquasun]

I believe the factory used 1/2 plywood and What we have is 5/8 so im really wondering hose the top mates with the hull! I need to test this but my boats not ready yet!

Chris said my stringers and floors on the Rider were very different than your Sunsport. I believe he used 3/4 on mine and that my floor sits a lot lower than yours. When we took mine apart we found that it had been apart before and new holes were drilled so mine is going to be interesting because now we are talking about potentially a third set of holes in the hull. Fortunately, I am letting Chris put the deck back on.

How did you paint your motor...did you take it apart or parts of to paint or did you do a good masking job? It looks fantastic.