1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

[Bomber Goober]

Hello All,

This is going to be my first rebuild, have owned a few boats before and decided I have nothing better to do so why not this. Boat is an '84 bomber scout 14Ft with a '74 Jonhnson 70HP pushing it (well, not currently). A little back story and then I'll move on. Both my wife and I are currently in the military on active duty. I just returned from Afghanistan in mid September and my wife deployed in the beginning of November. For Christmas she told me I could buy anything I want as a project to occupy my time for the 9 months she will be gone as long as I don't spend more than 500$ buying it. So after much searching on craigslist, i came across a lovely ad for 5 boats for 2000$, normally i wouldn't have even considered such an enticing offer but it was less than a 10 minute drive so if it was time wasted it wouldn't be that much. Needless to say I bought it. The boat is sitting on a solid trailer(needing tires of course)and the motor has good compression and is only in need of a trim pump. The boat on the other hand is in need of some "TLC". The cap besides in need of new carpet/paint is in decent shape with only some repairs needed to cover up the multiple holes drilled for affixing the various knick nacks no longer present. Moving on to the Bad. The deck has only one soft spot up towards the bow. The transom on the other hand is nothing more than some nicely ground mulch that i may consider spreading in my garden. I honestly was quite surprised that the motor didn't rip off the back just on the tow home. Knowing that a complete rebuild of the transom and a new deck were needed before i bought it and after a few hours of watching some Youtube videos I figured i would give it a shot. Having some expierence with fiberglass work before and having little fear I started the tear down today. The motor came off easily and is now sitting on its stand. I quite enjoyed drilling the 100 or so rivets holding the cap to the hull and with a hand from my brother the cap is now sitting on the ground next to the boat. The plan for tomorrow is to get the floor completely removed and the rest of the mulch out of the transom area. More pictures to follow once its all ripped out.I'm not going to claim to be a fiberglass expert or a boat builder, but i really feel like i can accomplish this rebuild and think it is going to be a fun project. I am open to all advice and suggestions and will do my best to update as the project moves along. I've started shopping around and so far the best deal i have found for a 5 gal bucket of resin for 125$. My local lowes stocks 3/4" oak plywood for about 50$ which is what i plan on using for the transom. I figure 1/2" will be sufficient for the deck and have yet to decide on how much CSM i need to buy. I have thick skin so im not going to get all boo-boo faced if someone tells me im going about something on this completely wrong. Thanks for looking and for any advice you have.

 

[a1964rn]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

Welcome to iboats, and Thank You for your service to our country!
The only thing I would do differently is not use hardwood plywood. It's usually interior only. You can get Arauco plywood for about $40 a sheet +/- and it is exterior rated and few voids. Thats what most folks on here use for transoms. I'm using epoxy on my restore, so I'll let the folks that use poly offer suggestions on the CSM, etc. I do use the 1708 with the epoxy and I like it!
Good luck!

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

People have restored lowlier boats that that on this forum... have you seen some of the trihull restorations?

Since you have a soft spot in the deck I'm sure you'll find evil and nastiness below deck when it's removed. Waterlogged floatation foam and rotten stringers to add to the demolish and replace list.

5 gallons of resin won't go very far, but you can get more when you use that up.

Oak plywood is interior grade and not suitable for marine applications, you need/want the exterior grade plywood with the waterproof glue... ABX grade will give you the best build.

Take lots of pics of your demolition and build back and post them here... we love the boat porn!

 

[Bomber Goober]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

When i was walking through Lowes i seem to remember the tag saying that the oak was exterior grade but i may be mistaken, if it is exterior grade will it be suitable for transom?

I didn't figure on 5 gals getting me to far but the price seemed to be reasonable and it stated it was good for use with marine applications.

The rot i have found already has given me a pretty good idea of things to come once the deck comes up, I'm almost looking forward to it.

Another thing i didn't mention in the original post, I was considering making the transom thicker/wider, the original piece of wood best i can tell was only about 14" wide. The boat is rated for up to a 60, so i don't imagine the 70 adding that much extra stress but i figure overdoing it is always a safe bet.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

I'd be surprised that the oak was exterior rated, perhaps it was on the wrong shelf.

Welcome to iboats, best of luck w/ your project, I hope you can get it seaworthy before the Admiral returns. Thank you both for your service.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

This is the Lowes oak plywood:

Shop Top Choice 3/4 Top Choice Oak Hardwood at Lowes.com

Click on the specifications tab and you'll see the weather exposure states for interior use only.

 

[Bomber Goober]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

I stand corrected on the plywood, I will be sure to buy exterior wood, however lowes does not stock anything but pressure treated which I heard is bad. I will start looking for a local lumber yard they may have what I need.

Today was a good day, didn't get as much done as I would of liked to but the weather was crap. Didn't get started until about noonish and had some house chores to add into the mix. Given that I did get the deck ripped up and all the foam removed. I discovered some interesting things while getting the foam out and am looking for some opionions and advice. The main stringer down the centerline is completely fiberglass with no wood inside(good right?), I checked the entire length and found no wood. The little stringers on either side are another story. I would say about from mid-length to the bow are completely hollow with a "bulkhead" in the front and at the middle. I put bulkhead in " because it doesn't seem like a tradional bulkhead as it does not go don't to the hull, it seems more like a stringer support. They were glass squarestock (best way I can think to explain it) and were completely destroyed. From mid-length back the stringers have wood cores in them and they are rotted. In the pictures you can see the separation where the stringer switch from hollow to wood filled as its separated by that "bulkhead". my question with that is can I just zip wheel the top of the rear stringer and pull the wood out and then put a new piece in and glass it over instead of cutting it all out. The glass seems solid except for the top .I didn't get to cut the inside skin off the transom but hopefully tomorrow I can get it done tomorrow. Now for the boat porn.

Also what is going to be the best method for putting those supports back in place?

 

[Bomber Goober]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

And the others

 

[a1964rn]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

Nice progress. Those "bulkheads" look more like floor supports to me. From what I can see, it looks like they went from the stringer to the side, mainly to support the sole (floor). The old glass needs to be completely removed from the old stringers. The wood stringer must be bedded in PB or PL then tabbed into the hull. You want the glass for the new stringer to bond directly to the hull. This gives it it's strength. If the center stringer is hollow core, and still solid, you can probably leave it.

 

[Bomber Goober]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

thanks for the info, I didn't have a chance to get any work done today but I will be out bright and early to finish gutting her, and move onto the oh so lovely grinding phase

 

[Bomber Goober]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

Im getting together my supply list for the Admirals approval and saw that US composite has the CSM and 1708 mat tape. I was thinking that would be good for tabbing everything in and what not but have not really seen anyone posting about it. Bad Idea?

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

Im getting together my supply list for the Admirals approval and saw that US composite has the CSM and 1708 mat tape. I was thinking that would be good for tabbing everything in and what not but have not really seen anyone posting about it. Bad Idea?

Check out WoG "How to" on stringers, decks, and transoms. He specifically calls out 6" 1708 tabbing, and the 6" CSM would probably be good for capping the stringers.

http://forums.iboats.com/boat-resto...lly-started-w-pics-384982-25.html#post3586813

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

By the SqFt, tape is often more expensive, and sometimes has a stitched edge that is thicker then the cloth, kind of like carpet binding. If using tape for tabbing saves you time (not having to cut your own, which can also waste some cloth) and is going to be below decks where the edge won't be in the way, or can easily be ground off after the resin cures, sure use tape.

I tried cutting full size cloth down to make the long ribbons of cloth I needed for the plywood boat I built last summer. 2" X 4' or 5' pieces of cloth frayed easily, and dropped the outer long strands of glass regularly, making it 1.5-1.75" instead of 2". Since I had to run double tape seams, I also needed 4", so instead I bought tape 2.5" & 5" tape that I found on sale online. I sanded the edging off after the glue dried between the 2 layups & after the final.

It was MUCH easier to work with, but was more expensive by the SqFt, even on sale, and required post cure sanding.....

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

I call it even if something costs a little more but saves time and is easier to work with.

You'll see what I mean when I repair the major hull damage to a 1987 Searay Sundancer!:facepalm:

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

Tape makes things easier but as said, more costly. Tip: To keep the cloth from fraying use masking tap and then cut down the middle of the tape. Cut the strip oversized and then cut it away once the glass tacks up and before final cure.  Just don get to much resin on it and it cut away quite easily.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

Cut the strip oversized and then cut it away once the glass starts to cure.

Doesn't that create more waste thus increasing cost?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

Doesn't that create more waste thus increasing cost?

3/8" isn't much and works out cheaper than the "Tape" costs. Also if it frays a bunch you end up loosing cloth anyway as JBC noted. I don't do it much but for a rookie glasser it makes things easier in the beginning.

 

[Bomber Goober]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

forgive if my math is wrong but here it goes, 1yd of 50" 1708 will yield 8.3yds of 6" 1708 mat, we will call it 8yds for the sake of losing some in the cut. so therefore 6yds of 50" 1708 will yield 48yds +/-. according to us composites at rougly $7/yd for 50" 1708 would be $42 for 6yds yielding 48 yds of 1708 mat. Given all of this 1 25yd 6" roll of 1708 retails for $29.75 thus making 50yd for about $60. $18 for less headache no cutting and all on job that no one will see. I can live without the pretty factor as long as it works and hold as It should.

 

[Bomber Goober]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

On to todays progess. My early shopping trip to HB got me a new 3" whizzer(electric) and 4 1/2" grinder and an assortment of cutting wheels and flapper pads. I started with 6 36grit, at 4$ a piece I hope that's enough. I got the rest of the gutting complete and stringers removed,gaver her a good wash down and creatively disposed of my 8 trash bags of junk.(that dumpster was 1/4 full, fair game as far as im concerned.As long as im here I might as well start keeping score.

Power cord on my new whizzer- 1 Me-0
Brand new roll of electrical tape that grew legs- 1 Me-0

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1984 Bomber Scout Rebuild

Yep, you got it. As I mentioned, I thought it was well worth the difference, even though I had to sand the edge off after cure.

The advantage of cutting your own is you only cut the # of strips you actually need, and if you run short, you cut another. And to fit a specific condition or situation you might need/want an 8" strip so you cut 1. But that's one of the reasons you should keep all your scraps & cutoffs, might need just a bit every now & again. And to cut the really small scraps into your own chopped fiber for making your own filler.

But like I said, I thought the tape was worth it.


How do you like the HF electric cutoff saw:

It was in my Xmas gift to myself box of goodies from HF

Untested as of now....