progress done so far on my 1967 sears runabout boat

[rileychad]

a while back I think back in 2011 I bought a 1967 sears runabout boat from a fellow it was in sad need of restore it had been setting full of water for so long that the floor and transom had become weak so I took on the project of doing the floor first I checked all the stringers and they were all good and incased in fiberglass
I wanted to do the floor first before I took the boat all the way apart and tore the transom out I did that hoping to keep it from getting warped or out of shape too much
and now Im working on replacing the transom and I figured Id put up some pictures of it coming along so far
thanks and let me know what you think
cr
also what would be a good paint to paint the inside with and coat real good I want to go white again

 

[Ned L]

Real nice little runabout. It looks you are well on your way through a good rebuild. ---- I'll have to leave paint recommendations to those who know better than me what is good on glass.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

You are a very dedicated individual, many of us would have hauled that boat away as junk.

 

[Woodonglass]

I think you'll benefit from the last two links in my signature below. Make sure to use thickened resin to attach the plywood transom to the outerskin. Also you should make sure to grind/sand the surrounding glass and clean well with acetone to ensure the now glass will bond well to the old glass. You must use CSM and Fabric in order to obtain the strength required. The link has all the "How To" info you need.

RC, because I LOVE the old classic runabouts and because I'm on the forum "A BUNCH" I have a tendency to remember posts like yours. Not everyone does!!! As I stated to you previously it makes it SOOOOOO much easier for the members to follow along with your restoration, if you keep all of your posts regarding your boat's restoration all in the same thread. Especially when they are regarding the reconstruction of the main body of the boat. If you want to talk about the motor then post in that forum. The forum has rules and guidelines about this and it's for your benefit to do this so you'll get the best answers to your questions. I'm just trying to help you get the best bang for your buck when it comes to getting answers to your questions.

I have a few for you now. Did you tab the deck to the sides of the hull with anything more than CSM? Did you Apply CSM to both sides of the decking plywood? Did you core sample the Stringers to ensure that the wood inside the fiberglass wasn't waterlogged and rotting? Did you take careful measurements of the width/length of the hull prior to removing the cap and then once again after the deck was reinstalled to ensure that the Cap will fit back on?? What kind of resin and glass are you using? What kind of Plywood?

 

[rileychad]

Before I answer a lot of those questions may I ask what is CSM
Thanks
Cr

 

[jbcurt00]

Chopped
Strand
Mat

 

[rileychad]

Should have guessed that darn

 

[Woodonglass]

Its the same stuff that you used on the deck of your boat. Are you choosing not to answer my questions??

 

[rileychad]

sorry for the late reply
I fiberglassed the floor on both sides and also I didn't take pics of it but I grinded about 4 inches around the floor where the paint was and got it to pure fiberglass before I applied the csm
that was my first ever time doing fiberglass so it didn't turn out perfet
when glass the transom in im going to go over some spots on the floor

 

[rileychad]

I also redid the floor before I took the boat apart all the way to help with keeping It from warping or becoming out of shape and end up driving with a twist
I took measurements and traced the transom exactly to the original and they fit perfet ill put pics up later on that
although im not sure how to get the resin thick for the back of the wood to the transom I was wandering that when I got the old one out
thanks
cr

 

[Woodonglass]

Ok, if you only used CSM to tab the deck to the sides of the boat, I'd highly recommend that you use a 8-10" strip of 1708 to tab it in as well. CSM has very little strength and you need strength at this juncture. You thicken the Resin to glue the transom by adding cabosil. What kind of Resin are you using? Where are you getting your supplies?

 

[rileychad]

home depot on the supplies and its 3M resin and fiberglass
also what is cabsoil and where do I get it
thanks
cr

 

[rileychad]

No Title

here is the transom I built a few weeks ago when the weather was warmer and today I added the support piece
the old one had one on it but it wasn't as thick it was only a 1x and the new one I installed it a 2x figured it couldn't hurt
thanks
cr

 

[Woodonglass]

Yeah I kinda figured that was the case. The problem with using the 3M resin and glass is this. The resin has wax in it. Once it cures, and you want to lay down another layer on top of the one that's cured you have a problem. the wax they put in the resin is there to make the resin cure fast and hard without a sticky surface. Works Great but the wax will also prevent any succeeding layers from being able to adhere properly. It's also about 30% more expensive than the laminating resin you can buy which is the proper resin for boat building since it has NO wax. The other problem with the 3M glass products from HD is that the CSM weight is only .75oz. We recommend twice that much or 1.5oz. If that's what you used on your decking then for SURE you need to do some more glass work to ensure proper bonding. Cabosil is a thickening agent that you buy and mix in with the resin to make it fill any voids when gluing the transom to the boat. You should read and study this before you go any further with your repairs to ensure that it's done correctly and safely. If you don't use the correct materials and techniques all your efforts could be for naught!!!

Fabricating Decks, Stringers, and Transoms

 

[rileychad]

thank you for all you help im definatly goin ot check in to it further and make sure its done right
btw your lonestar looks amazing I hope mine can come close to yours
thanks
cr

 

[rileychad]

what is the peanut stuff you are referring to
thanks
cr

 

[Woodonglass]

Here's a link to a video that show's you how to make PB (Peanut Butter). It's just Resin, Cabosil, and Chopped milled Fibers mixed together to the consistency of Creamy Peanut Butter and thus the name.

 

[sphelps]

Gunna tag along too if there's room ! I'm like WOG I love these old runabouts and would much rather see them restored than sent to the landfill ...
If ya take the time to read all the info on this forum there is really no reason you can't do a great job on the restoration .. There are some do's and don'ts that will help make things go much smoother for you along the way ...
Good luck !

btw, Do you have the proper PPE on hand .. A decent respirator with the correct filters are a must ... Fiberglass dust is some bad stuff !

 

[gm280]

rileychad, Do try to read up on the correct and verified methods to restore your boat. The information you are reading is the proper way to do such restorations. It really isn't that difficult and you will arrive at a totally solid very nice boat if you follow the info. So many of us went through the same questions and answers to understand how to do the restoring efforts with our own boats. So you are definitely not alone. Post the pictures and read how to do this and we will guide you every step of the way. And once you understand everything, you too will be offering others suggestions and method after refinishing your boat.

1708 = Contains double bias(17oz) stitched at 45degrees along with one layer of 3/4oz mat. Thickness: 0.044"
CSM = Chopped Strand Mat material. The individual fibers that make up the CSM are held together by an adhesive binder that is designed to break down in polyester resins.
435 Polyester = Excellent for all types of fiberglass lamination, layup, and repair work. Good strength and nice wet out make this resin very popular.
PB or Peanut Butter = A mixture of 435 polyester risen, MEKP, Cabosil and 1/4" fiberglass fibers.
Cabosil = Fumed Silica. Thickening agent for epoxies, polyesters, and urethanes. Thicken resins to your own taste by adding varying amounts. Ideal for making adhesives and putties for gluing wood, fiberglass, stone, concrete, etc.
MEKP = Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide. Used with polyester risen as a hardener. Most mixtures are mixed at a 1% ratio. Temperature and humidly will determine if you want to add more or less to control the kick-off (time to harden) rate.

Just some of the things you will need and use. JMHO!

 

[rileychad]

with all this cold weather we are having and rain to top it off I just cant seem to get much done lately
I wish I had an enclosed space to work on it but I don't so the updates will seem like nothing much
thanks
cr