17'ft bellboy restoration

[waterdogg2]

Howdy:

I have recently purchased a 17'ft bellboy boat with a transom setup for an outboard. I was tired of looking at boats that are used just to hear that the soft spot in the floor is there to "cushion the ride in rough water", REALLY??? So rather than chance the fact of buying a lemon, I have chosen to do it myself. The person that i bought it from has already removed the old rotted-out transom and i am getting ready to put the new one in. The guy did a really good job, but i still have more removal, but before i do, i want to check the floor and all that is underneath of it. Issue#1: This a "web-cor" hull on this boat and i have no idea what i am going to find under the floor or what to expect. I have searched the web for days trying to find anything like a cross section view or someone else that has re-done one so i can get an idea as to what to expect. I have had a 1968 16'ft glastron redone, but was just a spectator and really wasn't involved with the entire process. This one is all me. I do construction for a living and have done that for 25 years. So i have general mechanical knowledge, and from what i have read and videos i have watched, it's just a messy time consuming job, that if done right, this boat will out live me. Issue#2: I also understand that the new transom board needs to be off the hull, and not sit wood to fiberglass. so...How much space should there be between the bottom of the new transom and the hull itself? and what material fills that gap? I have only seen this kind of work done on-line. I am tied up for the next couple of weekends, but i am just trying to get all the info i can before i start tearing into it in a couple of weeks. Please be patient with me, i am still learning how this thread thing works here in iboat.

thank you,

joe.............

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 17'ft bellboy restoration

You want to leave @ 1/4" gap around the port, starboard & hull bottom edges of the transom. This gap is filled w/ what is generally called PB, a cabosil/polyester resin mixed to about Peanut Butter consistancy. You don't really want to hold the transom wood off the fiberglass, you just want to use just enough pressure to insure firm contact w/ the PB and not over squeeze the assembly & force out too much of the PB, starving the joint of glue.

When you use this to install the transom, some of it will ooze out around the edges, this fills the 1/4" gap & any excess is rounded over into a cove to allow the fiberglass cloth to transition between the 2 90* surfaces......

The same 1/4" gap applies under the stringers, PB is used to bed them, and the squeeze out is used to form a cove as well. The 1/4" stringer gap is to prevent hard point loads that may stress fracture/crack the fiberglass hull.

Does all that ^^^ make sense?

Start here at Don's how to's

look for posts by WoodOnGlass, his signature line has several nice graphics for transom, stringer & deck replacement

Welcome to the dry dock

Use photobucket & upload larger pix:

It makes it easier to follow the text descriptions & reference the pix

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 17'ft bellboy restoration

Welcome to iBoats!

First thing you need to do is get that boat either OFF that Roller Trailer OR at the very least put it ON the trailer properly. It's off the rear rollers and pushed forward to far!!!! It needs to be supported properly before you start to do the work on it. Do you have any soft spots in the deck? Most boats of this vintage have issues with the stringers of the boat as well and this can endanger the structural integrity of the hull. You really should check the stringers to ensure they are sound. You will need to open up the deck to get to them and take core samples. Do some intense searching here on the forum to review how the other members have done their boats and you will get and education on what is required to restore your boat.

 

[waterdogg2]

Re: 17'ft bellboy restoration

Thank you all so much, you have definately put me on the right path and i am grateful. I never realized that the "position" of the hull on the trailer was a factor. Now i do, and again i thank you. The weather here in the seattle area has been a bit off of the normal side, so as soon as it gets nice-n-sunny again (ha ha) i will peel the tarp off and get some better shots and find this "photo bucket" place and post them. Time to study!!! By the way this a 1971 bellboy

 

[waterdogg2]

Re: 17'ft bellboy restoration

Well i finally finished my last weekend working and am starting this weekend, of the teardown of this boat. Once i get it positioned properly on the trailer, do i need to fasten it to the trailer in anyway, as far as strapping or securing it to prevent movement? I do not have the luxury of pulling it off the trailer for the re-build. Am still continuing my research and tool gathering for this project. I am ready to get this rolling..........

 

[waterdogg2]

Re: 17'ft bellboy restoration

 

[Pusher]

What did you end up doing for bow storage? Do you use the back area as an ice storage area, or do you use it to store fuel etc.?
I am close to finishing my '71 17' bellboy and am planning on putting a 20 gallon and 5 gallon tank in the bow and throwing my fish on ive in that rear depression.

Pictures or thoughts on how you arranged your boat would be much appreciated!

 

[MTboatguy]

Oops, oops and oops again, tha'll shall not post to thread over 90 days old, this one is three years old, need to read through the rules...

:facepalm:

 

[jbcurt00]

Waterdog hasnt been on since Feb, inactive topic Pusher.

Please take a minute to read the forum rules and guidleines found at the forum link in my signature.

After.90days, a topic is inactive and should be used for reaearch only. If you have questions about bow storage, start a topic about your boat and its bow storage options.. If you have a topic about your boat in the resto forum, ask about bow storage there.

Smart bunch hanging out in the resto forum, so even though they dont have a Bellboy, they'll be abke to help you figure out some storage options.