1992 Skimmer 18' Flat Bottom Skiff Restoration

[studioq]

I'm just glad to see you've finally come to your senses...

Me too.. Took a while. I'm just trying to balance a lot of things. Quite honestly, without you guys I might have just sealed up the holes in the transom and put her in the water. I never anticipated restoring it completely. But now that I'm in this deep it doesn't really bother me - other than the fact that I'm that much further away from being on the water..

As for the transom - I do have some questions.

 

[studioq]

No Title

Does the shape of the transom have any real meaning here? I was wondering what would prevent me from building one that was a bit wider and maybe a little more square.

 

[studioq]

Here is a collection of all of the restoration project photos so far.

 

[studioq]

Fiberglass is in for the hull reinforcement and stringer fabrication. I've got 10 yards of 38oz bi-axial stitchmat for adding a layer to the hull and 24 yards of 1708 for the stringers and transom. I'm a ways away from doing any layups, as I have to grind out the old stringer channels which are an inch deep in some places... One day I'll be done with the dust.

 

[Woodonglass]

WOW! 38oz Biax!!! How much resin did you order. That stuff is gunna drink resin like crazy!!!! What made you decide to go with that weight?

 

[studioq]

I ordered 10 gallons of resin to start - realizing I still have the transom and deck to go. As for the weight of the biaxial, I took a tip from one of the local boat yards (I've got 2 local boat builders who build in the 50 to 70 foot range) and they suggested that if you're walking around on the inner hull and it's buckling or moving beneath you that it really isn't thick enough. So I'm going to give the inner hull one layer of the heavy bi-ax and see how that reinforcement goes. I

f I don't get the rigidity that I'm after then there's always the 1708 - But I don't think I'm going to need it. I understand that once the foam goes in it should be hard as a rock. They had actually suggested that I simply build the hull REALLY thick and bypass the foam all together - suggesting that the Coast Guard enforces it in new construction but can't do a whole lot about it once you restore the boat. I think I'm going to ignore that suggestion.. I realize it's born of their experience in larger boats.

 

[Arawak]

I've had similar tasks in the past. I used a 4.5" cutting wheel to *carefully* cut as close to the hull as possible. Still leaves some grinding, but much less.

 

[studioq]

That was my plan if attack as well. I find the masonry cutting disks are the best and seem to last the longest unless you overheat them. Followed that with metal or steel disks that seem to do ok. It took all day yesterday to get the transom out. Even though it was wet and black along the outside the inner core was almost as solid as the day it was installed. It came out nice though. I'm in grinding hell today. I'd put up some pics but the phone cam is broken.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I used to put a 4.5" dewalt carbide trim saw blade in my 4.5" angle grinder to get as close as possible. wear a grinding shield. Then follow back up with 24 grit and grind....grind...grind

 

[Woodonglass]

I ordered 10 gallons of resin to start - realizing I still have the transom and deck to go. As for the weight of the biaxial, I took a tip from one of the local boat yards (I've got 2 local boat builders who build in the 50 to 70 foot range) and they suggested that if you're walking around on the inner hull and it's buckling or moving beneath you that it really isn't thick enough. So I'm going to give the inner hull one layer of the heavy bi-ax and see how that reinforcement goes. I

f I don't get the rigidity that I'm after then there's always the 1708 - But I don't think I'm going to need it. I understand that once the foam goes in it should be hard as a rock. They had actually suggested that I simply build the hull REALLY thick and bypass the foam all together - suggesting that the Coast Guard enforces it in new construction but can't do a whole lot about it once you restore the boat. I think I'm going to ignore that suggestion.. I realize it's born of their experience in larger boats.

I fear that 10 gallons is barely going to get you started. That 38oz fabric you'll be putting down on the deck will take about 2-3 gallons to install it. I'm pretty sure when it sets up you're hull will have all the rigidity you're looking for!!! A Typical transom install will take 2-3 Gallons of resin for the PB and the wetting out of the wood and fabric as well. Then you have the Stringers and deck to do too. But as you say 10 gallons will get you started and let you see how fast things go. I bet you'll be surprised!!!:faint2: A cheap $25 multitool from harbor freight does a good job of cutting things in close quarters.

 

[studioq]

Yep. That's basically how it's going. I stopped at the transom and decided to get that in and taken care of while I'm there. Then I'll start the grinding party. I've already put a couple of layups on the inside of the transom skin because it was pretty weak and damaged after the removal of the old one. Then it's on to the new wood for the transom. Lots of work. Pics to come in a few days.

 

[studioq]

The local boat yard sold me 10 gallons of resin in a bunch of oyster buckets. Still laughing. 20$ a gallon no shipping. Comes out of 50 gallon drums.

 

[studioq]

I'm already into my second gallon of resin and that was just for fabricating the transom and reinforcing the outer skin of the hull. Instead of bonding the transom with PL or something like that- I created a compressed laminate of a piece of 38 oz stitchmat and two layers of CSM sandwiched between two pieces if Doug Fir. It setup overnight and is ready for cannon fire.

 

[Woodonglass]

Did you pre-coat/saturate the wood with resin prior to the layup??

 

[studioq]

Did you pre-coat/saturate the wood with resin prior to the layup??

Boy did I. Real slow-kick stuff on both panels. Then I waited until it was just about done and re-wet them and did the lamination

 

[Woodonglass]

Great!!! That will ensure proper adhesion to the wood and the glass is not starved for resin. Good Job!!!

 

[studioq]

Out with the old transom. In with the new. New one went in without a hitch. Photos upon my triumphant return home in a few days.

 

[studioq]

I ran out of cabosil while doing the transom so I did a second batch with West System 406. It's basically 50/50 mix catalyzed at 5cc per quart over approximately 4 quarts.

 

[studioq]

Here is the photo album from this weekend's transom replacement. I plan on posting some better explanation of what I did - but for some it will be pretty evident..
Essentially it is a laminate of two 3/4 inch sheets of A/B grade exterior Douglas Fir with a layer of 38oz stitchmat and two layers of CSM. Then it is wrapped on the bow facing side with a layer of CSM and 1708. There's also a small strip of 6oz E-Cloth along the bottom where it will be tabbed to the hull. It was one of those "I had it laying around and there was some extra resin.." kind of things..Also - I undercut the 1708 by an inch so I put it on there to tidy things up.

The only thing I didn't photo was the pre-soaking of the wood with resin and the application of the PB... I was a little busy and racing the clock - which turned out to be unnecessary as I ended up having plenty of time before it kicked.

 

[Woodonglass]

Very nice progress.How many qts of PB did it take to install the Transom. I didn't notice a lot of fillets on the edges. Did you not get a lot of squeeze out during clamp up?