Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

[Hilabs]

I'm restoring a 63ft custom built paddle wheel house boat that came out of Lousiana. The project is coming along well but I am worried that the hull has rust inside that I can't see for all the foam below the flooring. Should I remove tha foam and deal with what is underneath then replace the foam? Has anyone dealt with this before? Thanks

 

[gcboat]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Well, your picture didn't post. As far as the foam is concerned that all depends how far you're planning to go on your restoration. If it were me I'd pull it out. Would definately want to see what's under it. Besides, if it is all waterlogged then you're probably carrying around a lot of extra weight.
If you are full of rust then you're in for some bucks to blast the metal clean. Then the prep and paint. It never stops.

 

[Hilabs]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Thanks for the reply. I think my pics are all too big. I've had the hull blasted and primed with zinc chromate primer on the outside and it has some rusted out areas to patch. I suppose I will remove the foam and see what lies beneath. I had a guy come out and tell me to bondo the holes the he can polyurea coat the whole thing for $7K and it would float forever. Anyone had experience with polyurea?
Thanks

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

polyurethane is fine after all the patchs are solid, to protect the hull. bondo and marine life do not mix.

 

[gcboat]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Poly urea is really nothing more than what is sprayed in pickup truck beds. It is used for many applications and will serve you well as a bottom coat.
Now, not sure as to the application of anti fouling paint over it. As in every coating your prep work will either make it or break it. I'd ask this guy for some info on the exact product he will be using.
That's a lot of money so do your homework on this.

 

[drewpster]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

$7 Freakin' K?!!
I guess there are unknowns to consider but 7 thousand bucks seems a bit steep.
I would work really hard to get several quotes. (in writing) I would also have a survey done to help to know what needs to be done.
If the guy specifically said Bondo would be used, my guess is he is not much of a boat bottom guy. Bondo soaks up water over time and comes loose. There are equitable products that are marine grade.
Be very careful, there are allot of boneheads out there claiming to be marine mechanics and refinishers. We want to see lots of verifiable references.

In fact the steel bottoms I have seen repaired get completely re-skinned after the rust is taken care of. But I am no expert.

 

[fishie]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Very cool lookin design, gotta love the paddleboats! Keep us posted I wanna see how it turns out! Good Luck!

 

[TheWoodCrafter]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

That is one BIG project.
What is powering the wheel?

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

wild pic is that salt water that truck is in?

 

[Hilabs]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Thanks for all the help. I bought this boat on ebay from the grandson of the builder down in Louisiana. The builder was an eccentric genius type who took 13 years to complete the boat. It operated for 10 years then was pulled out to be re-fitted. The builder got sick and never got it back in the water. It sat out of the water for 15 years and was used off and on as an apartment. To get it up to Arkansas I had to have three of the giant tow trucks load it on a flatbed 18 wheeler trailer and shut down a 5 lane highway in Shreveport for 2 hours. The pic shows the boat being loaded in fresh water. As far as I know it has never been in salt water.
The engine if a huge 6 cylinder gas powered yale forklift motor and it direct drives the paddles. The engine also powers an air compressor that powers the shifter and clutch but I haven't figured this system yet. I figured the engine would need to be rebuilt but yesterday we cleaned the points and put new plugs in and it FIRED RIGHT UP. Now I want to make sure the hull is solid before I invest in restoring the rest.
Getting the Mardi Gras (that's its new name) launched will be a big project and I don't want to have to pull her back out and patch hull problems. Does anyone know of a way to test the hull before launching?

Here are some pics of it as I found it and during the move.

http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk125/hilabs/Mardi Gras/?mediafilter=images

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

not that size. i would atleast go around tapping (sounding) every inch of the hull.

 

[drewpster]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

A project like yours will represent a significant investment. My advice would be to find a reputable, experienced marine surveyor to do a thorough survey of the boat before it touches water. It may be possible to find one that specializes in river boats or paddle wheel designs. A good surveyor will do a complete inspection, inside and out, of the boat and give you a detailed report of the boat's condition and seaworthiness. A good surveyor could also recommend reputable marine tradesmen that can help you on more complicated parts of the project. It may cost a few bucks but it will be worth it.
Judging by what you have already done just to take delivery of the boat, it is obvious you are serious about bringing her back to life. Your boat can be a very special restoration. I think every avid restorer hear appreciates the character of the design and would love to see it "steaming" again. I think it's great and could be a heirloom on the water.
Keep us posted!

 

[drewpster]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

You might want to consider adding bow and stern thrusters. I bet she is hard to maneuver at low speeds. Docking could be a challenge.

 

[TheWoodCrafter]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Thanks for the reply. I think my pics are all too big. I've had the hull blasted and primed with zinc chromate primer on the outside and it has some rusted out areas to patch. I suppose I will remove the foam and see what lies beneath. I had a guy come out and tell me to bondo the holes the he can polyurea coat the whole thing for $7K and it would float forever. Anyone had experience with polyurea?
Thanks

What a fantastic project!!!

This must be an all steel hull?

I would think someone on here has had experience with steel hulls.

Short of a fiber glass patch I would think the best repair is to cut the area out and weld in new steel. Do you know how thick it is?
Better have access to an English wheel for any compound curves.

I have restored car bodies panels this way but I could reach the back side when bucking. I don't know how you would do this. Two people I guess. One inside holding a dolly and the welder outside with a hammer.

I hope you can find the time to share this project with us.

 

[oops!]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

fantastic project.....im sure it will be the fun of your kids summer when its done......

please share the updates with us here....the pic size is 640x 480 img.

ok.....first......

that guy..... that said he'd use the bondo and it would last forever.......
tell him thank you very much.....have a nice day.....and dont ever talk to him about boats again.

the hull is made of steel....it must be repaired with steel....that means cut out and weld....call a welder...or buy one and learn....

two.......

what the heck is freekin foam doing in that ship any how ?
the eccentric inventor had a idea?
loose the foam....all of it......

after you get in the hull.....that part is easy.....lots of grinding....or cutting...and welding......give your self a month of that.

after that....its all wood work....paint and trim.....

keep us posted.....

cheers
oops

 

[TheWoodCrafter]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Oops,
Don't put foam in a steel boat?

 

[Hilabs]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Today I pulled up the flooring and cut through the foam down to the hull in the worst looking area and it is in surprisingly good shape. All the steel seems to be 1/8 inch and only seems to be rusted out on the top of the stringers in areas where it was in contact with wet flooring. Pulling out all the foam will take weeks. It is 12 to 20 inches deep and 48 feet by 13 feet wide. Does foam prevent boats from sinking suddenly? There are areas on the outer hull where pop rivets and sealant have been used to repair leaks. Is this a valid repair method if the hull is to be coated?
I have an idea to pull up all the flooring then use fans and dehumidifiers to dry out the foam. Then weld patches over the obvious hull holes and then have the hull coated with a marine polyurea that I found on the internet that has been used on fishing ships. I found another company that will do a more reasonably priced job and has boat experience and didn't mention Bondo. I really am worried that I can't find and weld all the leaks and it will sink to the bottom on its maiden voyage. I bought the boat for $2500 and have about $7500 more in moving and restoration in it now. My budget is $25K.
I really appreciate all the advice and any more suggestion will be helpful.

 

[Hilabs]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

http://www.prosetwaterproofing.com/html/shrimp_boat_i.htm

 

[TheWoodCrafter]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Foam is used in small fiberglass and aluminum boats to prevent sinking completely.

I don't know why you wouldn't use foam in a steel boat.
Maybe you just can't put enough foam in a steel boat to give it enough boyancy.

Oops seems to know.

Can't you inspect the outside of the hull to see any leaks?
I would think if you have a welder working on other areas I would have him look at thoughs rivets. Maybe he should remove them a weld the holes.

 

[fixb52s]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

What part of Shreveport did this come from? S-port was my old stomping grounds for 13 years. I never seen this one before. It looks to me like it would only fit on Cross Lake or the Red River since there was no real large bodies of water this would go on.

For the foam, if you decide to keep it, you will have to tear it all out and replace it. Foam will not dry out.​