Saltare rebuild. I HATE FOAM!!!

[texas scarecrow]

Finally got started with the boat rebuild. So far things have been going pretty smooth. The foam is a huge pain in the a$$. The foam was holding a ton of water.

Some of the stringers feel solid and the area all around the motor where the stringers are much bigger feel really solid. Do you think all of them need to be redone regardless? IMG_1864.jpgIMG_1869.jpgIMG_1875.jpgIMG_1876.jpgIMG_1881.jpg

[texas scarecrow]

Forgot the last pic. IMG_1907.jpg

[haugy]

Well I gotta say, seeing as how y'all look young, and you are tackling this, I'm impressed. Good for you for trying this new job and kicking ass and not quitting. Yeah, the foam is tough, but once you get that out, it will be much smoother and at your pace. Do each stringer slowly and patiently, and it will all fall together.

Keep up with the pics, and good job.

[wotan2525]

That's the best tool I've seen yet for pulling the engine. Here's the methods I've used:

1) Engine hoist. Massive failure. Didn't have enough reach or get up high enough. Or clear the trailer wheels.
2) Ceiling beams. Cracked one. Welded an additional steel support gusset and through bolted it to further strengthen the beam. Had to let all the air out of the trailer tires to clear the rear bench. Scary as hell.
3) Mechanics hoist. Ended up not being able to get the jack high enough to clear. Used a chain hoist from the top point of the hoist. Worked. Still sketchy.
4) 1956 Loggers Crane. Didn't have any brakes and I had to drive it 40 miles with the emergency brake (which barely worked) and the engine brake. Sketchy. Dangerous. I could have easily died. Had to hand crank the boom to pull the engine. Worked but was crazy.
5) Tree limb + vertical come-along + chain hoist. Oddly, the best method I have used.

Removing the foam is sort of a right of passage on this board. Those who have done it will never do it again, those who haven't usually won't listen to those who have. Good luck!

[mr.jrc]

Nice work. I see you left the motor mounts, bell housing and transmission. It will be much easier putting things back in with all these attached to the motor. On your rebuild, I would consider running the exhaust pipes inside the stringers... most likely the water originated from where the exhaust penetrates the hull. When they are inside the stringers, any water intrusion would enter the center sump, and you would know when you have leaking seals. I did not do this on my floor rebuild 11 yrs ago, but in hind-sight would go that route today.
Keep the pic's coming.

[jet]

I found that using a little hand saw and cut out 1-foot cubed sections like a block of ice was the fastest and less mess. Good luck. Jet

[mr.jrc]

I used a flat garden shovel... had all the foam out in about an hour, it was like shoveling peat moss.

[lively]

TS- HA ha the foam is no fun at all ! it dont stop there , wait till you get to grinding the glass out and cutting stringers , thats when ALL the fun begins ... and yes if the woos is rotted replace the entire stringer , your pics of the saturated foam is identical to how mine looked , Wait till you smell whats under the front bilge box , thats the part with the triangular bulkhead in between the stringers , if you like fishing you might want to bring some tackle cause theres gonna be a lake under that ...... and make sure you measure before you cut anything out , im doing one side at a time on my rebuild and im starting to cut out the other side this weekend and get it prepped for new wood .. (also supports will need to be added all around the hull if your leaving it on the trailer for the resto , i used 2x4's and 1x4's to shim it straight ... good luck and take one thing at a time ... its not a race ... -lively-

[lively]

I used a flat garden shovel... had all the foam out in about an hour, it was like shoveling peat moss.

Man you had to been shoveling your ass off for getting all that foam out in a hour .. lol

[sybrmike]

Gawd, that looks way too familiar. For a second there I thought you just re-posted my old pictures - standing water under the floor, wood turned to mulch, and all the makings of a science experiment gone horribly wrong releasing mutated mold & fungus spores onto the unsuspecting population... Nasty stuff down there for sure.

My opinion - since you've already gone this far and reached the point of no return - might as well do it right and replace all the stringers. Wood rot is an insidious thing - once it starts, it won't stop. Drying, sealing, patching, etc. will slow it down - but you'll never know the true extent of the existing damage or how much longer it will last. Maybe 5-10 years, maybe just 1? I'd hate to invest all that time & $, only to have to redo it in a short time. If you plan on keeping it any length of time or want to really recover some cost at resale - do it right only once.

Great job getting this far & keep up the good work. Good luck.