Lund Nisswa Restoration

Status
Not open for further replies.

lundnisswa

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
245
I am removing EVERY speck of rotted wood from this boat. And Removing water logged foam.
The Transom seems solid, the middle 6' of the center stringers were rotten, I have started on the two center stringers and will do the two outboard stringers next.
My First Question is; I want to use one continous piece of lumber for the stringer, they are 14' long, my intention was to plane a 2x10 to 1" thickness, waterproof after cutting to fit, I have left about 1 inch of the original fiberglass channel sticking up out of the floor and have cleaned it out (still have more sanding/grinding to do), will clean it up one last time with acetone prior to my plan of using epoxy/sawdust peanut butter to glue it in the channel, then I was going to dress up the fillet, then proceed to glass in three layers with 2" overlaps up the sides.

Is this a sound plan?
What is my best option for a 14' stringer as far as wood goes?
 
Last edited:

lundnisswa

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
245
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

Here are some Pix of progress so far
 

Attachments

  • IMGP2697.JPG
    IMGP2697.JPG
    71.8 KB · Views: 9
  • IMGP2696.JPG
    IMGP2696.JPG
    70.6 KB · Views: 7

lundnisswa

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
245
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

Have owned this boat since 1988, it is a 1986 Lund Nisswa 16.5 fishing machine. A few years back (8 years) the floor started getting mushy under the seats so after a quick evaluation I decided to put a temporary floor over the bad stuff, what a mistake that turned out to be, it just propagated the rotting.
So I decided to fix the rotting floor this year but had no idea what I was getting myself into, the floor literally crumbled, I bet I have pulled out 500 lbs of rotten wet wood and water saturated foam.
The more I dig the more I find, last night it took me 6 hours to dig the wet foam and rotted wood out from under the Starboard side.

A few questions for you guys,
The boat is supported on an 8' bunk trailer, do I dare pull all the stringers at once so I can get in there with an air sander and start cleaning it up?


Here is one big decision I am trying to make, should I grind off those channels and epoxy directly to the floor?

I have a ton of work to do yet but it is actually a great passtime.

Oh, the one tool I did not have was the Roto-Zip, I have it now and that tool is amazing for cutting fiberglass or anything for that matter in tight spaces, it is like a dremel on steroids.

I will take any and all advice you guys give.
Scott R. in North Dakota
 

Attachments

  • IMGP2707.JPG
    IMGP2707.JPG
    78.8 KB · Views: 9
  • IMGP2704.JPG
    IMGP2704.JPG
    71.2 KB · Views: 9
  • IMGP2698.JPG
    IMGP2698.JPG
    62.2 KB · Views: 9
  • IMGP2700.JPG
    IMGP2700.JPG
    67.4 KB · Views: 8
  • IMGP2699.JPG
    IMGP2699.JPG
    48.2 KB · Views: 8
Last edited:

erikgreen

Captain
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
3,105
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

On a bunk trailer you should be ok removing both stringers at once.... almost all bunk trailers seem to give nice even support to the hull.

Good luck and keep going :)

Erik
 

lundnisswa

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
245
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

Peanut Butter.
Well I am not nearly qualified to define terms related to fiberglassing but my understanding through all the reading I have done is that fiberglass when layed up does not like to take sharp turns, you get wrinkles and air bubbles which are both bad in the fiberglass world, so where ever you have sharp angles to fiberglass, such in the case of where the new stringer meets the hull, you fill that area with a thickened mixture of resin/woodflour to make a smooth transition.
Well thats my understanding of a fillet, and I am sticking to it!
No Pun Intended..................
Lund
 
Last edited:

lundnisswa

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
245
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

Erik and Oops thanks for chiming in.
I went and checked on Pt ply today, it is PT6/ACQ treated, but all that I looked at is so wet and slimey it would take forever to dry, I am currently chasing down prices on Marine grade ply too.
Today I am digging out under the port side where the floor goes under the rod/storage lockers.
My next major step is to pull the engine and inspect the transom really good, luckily I have easy access in this boat to the inside of the transom, more to come on that.


Yes the bunk trailer does seem to support the boat very well and it sure is nice to be able to move the outfit, pulling the boat out of the shop on a warm windy day makes the dust so much more manageable.
So you guys concur that it "should" be ok to pull the other two stringers, I will have all 4 stringers out at the same time.

Lund
 
Last edited:

lundnisswa

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
245
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

Well the Port side inner stringer was in my way of cleaning out the last of the foam and flooring from under the rod locker so I cut it off with the Sawz-All, this stringer was in the best shape of all of them, interesting to see just how WET that wood really was on the inside, just a matter of time and that sucker was dust too, so I am happy I decided to replace ALL of the them, do it once/do it right is my goal.

So I got all of that foam out from under the rod locker area with alot of digging, and when it came time to pry out the piece of floor under there it actually came out in one piece, that is the first piece of floor that did not crumble when I apply any force to it.
Back to the Plywood, turns out that I cannot purchase Marine Grade Plywood in Northwest N.D. unless I buy the whole bundle and have it shipped.
My dad says to check out AA Ext Plywood if I am not willing to wait for the slime to dry from PT, still trying to find some dryer PT around here.

Done for the day, off to work.

Lund
 

Attachments

  • IMGP2714.JPG
    IMGP2714.JPG
    70.6 KB · Views: 4
Last edited:

lundnisswa

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
245
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

OK, got the rest of the stringers removed from the channels this morning,
Speaking of the channels, Why have I convinced myself that leaving some of the channel sticking up out of the floor is a mechanically good idea, lets say maybe a 1/2". I see the consensus from you experts is to grind her down to the floor so I have a clean new surface to adhere to, but I sure was thinking that if I cleaned em up real good it sure would be a nice guide to bed-in the cut to fit stringers, the filler (Epoxy/wood flour) would just ooze up out of there and then glass her in.
Now what is the reason for the 1/4" foam cushion under the stringers that I dug out? In all the reading I have done it states that no part of the stringer actually should touch the hull, I guess it can cause stress cracks, So along those same lines it reinforces my idea in "My Head" of leaving that channel, pretty hard to epoxy something to the floor when it is sitting on a foam cushion strip?.
I have been monitoring the exterior hull condition as I have been removing the stringers, I can see no change in the hull so far, when I walk in the boat toward the sides there is some flex but not much, seems to be supported pretty well.
OK, once again I need and want all advice you and others have to give because I am a novice at this. I am all but done digging out all bad wood.

Still have to put a critical eye on the transom this week.

I havent even ordered the glassing supplies yet because I am trying to get the kind of knowledge base here before ordering so I dont get the wrong stuff. (I have read more threads on here than you can imagine, and my head spins because every one seems to do things just a bit differently).
Is all epoxy resin created equal?
Is 3 gallons enough?
Is cabosil or wood flour the filler of choice?

When I go to glass the stringers in is this the general idea, Successive layers draping over the top, getting wider upon each layer, and the less seams the better. So if this is a 12' stringer, that at its tallest point is 10", first piece of cloth would be about 14" wide, would you do the entire 12' at once? Let that cure do another and so on, or lay up all three layers back to back for a good chemical bond, immediately after nesting the stringer to the floor and then drape 14" -18" -22" .....

Rambled on again didn't I.
Lund
 

Attachments

  • IMGP2723.JPG
    IMGP2723.JPG
    47.1 KB · Views: 5
  • IMGP2722.JPG
    IMGP2722.JPG
    42.4 KB · Views: 5
  • IMGP2721.JPG
    IMGP2721.JPG
    35.5 KB · Views: 5
  • IMGP2720.JPG
    IMGP2720.JPG
    49.5 KB · Views: 8
Last edited:

Coors

Captain
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
3,367
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

search ondarvr threads.
Epoxy sticks to anything, just keep going 2" wider overlap (when you stated 12", I think you forgot to add in over the top of the stringer. If possible, keep applying before the last layer kicks- chemical bond.
Pre-cut the material, and spend a day. If you use slow hardener, breaks are allowed.
 

lundnisswa

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
245
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

OK, on to the dreaded Transom.
I have included a few photos, there is a one sq foot area that is starting to rot and the rest of the wood on the Transom is in amazingly good shape, you can even see the wood grain, looks like oak, I took a drill bit up in higher spots where screw holes are and got nice dry wood too.
The one picture that has the plastic drain tube sticking through that has the over sized hole has started to get soft inside there, inner ply.

So my question; is there a technique just to fix just the bad portion, can I chisel down to good wood in this one square foot area and then use something to build it back up to level?
Thanks
Lund
 

Attachments

  • IMGP2726.JPG
    IMGP2726.JPG
    48.4 KB · Views: 5
  • IMGP2725.JPG
    IMGP2725.JPG
    45.2 KB · Views: 4
  • IMGP2724.JPG
    IMGP2724.JPG
    48.5 KB · Views: 5
Last edited:

lundnisswa

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
245
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

I want to get this splash well drain (aluminum insert) out so I can look at the core of the wood up high in the Transom, it is flare crimped both exterior and interior, I know I can just destroy it to get it out but is there a better way?
And can I find a similar product for the splash well drain holes to replace it?
Lund
 

Attachments

  • IMGP2729.JPG
    IMGP2729.JPG
    36.2 KB · Views: 2
Last edited:

lundnisswa

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
245
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

OH NO! There was a 6 foot piece of fiberglass/wood that runs length wise with the keel that was there to support the fuel tank. This was the last piece I wanted to take out of boat because I was using it as a walking surface, I knew the wood was soaked, I pulled it out and it may have a revealed a show stopper, need you opinion on this.
The exterior of the keel had been rubbing on a metal crossmember of the trailer, when I rebuilt the trailer 5 years ago I adjusted the bunks so the trailer no longer touched/rubbed the area, I had since put a full length keel guard on there, anyway, on the interior of the boat is a spot that is flexible/loose/delaminated/bad or whatever you want to call it, about 2" long x 1" wide loose area.
See pictures; can I recover from this?
Lund
 

Attachments

  • IMGP2733.JPG
    IMGP2733.JPG
    51.3 KB · Views: 4
  • IMGP2732.JPG
    IMGP2732.JPG
    46 KB · Views: 4
  • IMGP2731.JPG
    IMGP2731.JPG
    48.9 KB · Views: 4
  • IMGP2730.JPG
    IMGP2730.JPG
    48.2 KB · Views: 4
Last edited:

oops!

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
12,932
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

also in post # 18 thumbnail #1 there is what looks like exposed glass..(the white hary area) .can you show us a pic of that area?.....


ill be on the road all day today....then back on late tonight......mabe coors and the guys can help gide you....and coors also said "read ondarvrs posts"....read them all.....twice..!.......he is the don-s of the fiberglass world.

but again ...relax.....anything can be fixed

cheers
oops
 

lundnisswa

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
245
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

Oops,
In the lower right hand corner of photo, the hairy stuff you are referring to is where I had cut the fiberglass fuel tank support piece out, (There is a little edge of the cut glass sticking up from the boat hull in the picture that I need to grind off), the tip of the pen is pointing to the delam/loose fiberglass at the keel rub point.
OH, yes, believe me I have read ondarvr posts, and will read again, amazing what you guys are doing, the cutting the boat in half has kept me up late a few nights now reading that job. I am well versed with the search button.
I think I am making a bigger deal of the actual fiber glass application process than it may be, but I have seen shotty work before,
and I do not want to do a half A%$ job and have all the effort fall apart on me.

Lund
 

Attachments

  • IMGP2736.JPG
    IMGP2736.JPG
    48 KB · Views: 4
  • IMGP2735.JPG
    IMGP2735.JPG
    49 KB · Views: 4
  • IMGP2734.JPG
    IMGP2734.JPG
    47.4 KB · Views: 4
Last edited:

erikgreen

Captain
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
3,105
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

Very repairable from what I can see. Just don't go halfway on it and try to cover it over with something.

Interesting factoid: One of the easier ways to remove fuel tanks from larger boats for cleaning/replacement is to cut a large rectangular hole the size of the tank IN THE BOTTOM OF THE HULL! :)

What you've got there looks to be a less than foot square section that'll need to be ground clean, and epoxy patched from the outside and inside. Not a show stopper unless that will exceed your time and money budget for the boat.

With regards to the transom, I'd recommend further investigation. If you're at the point you are now, consider pulling the whole thing and redoing it... it'll be way easier than doing it again later. If you just want to patch the one spot, you need to overlap the "plug" using butt joint all around on the surrounding wood (not pretty)... the main thing a transom is there for is stiffness, it transfers the thrust from the engine to the stringers, so you can't really just stick a piece of wood in there to get the thickness matched, it has to not flex just like the rest of the transom.

I feel your pain as the tasks keep adding up... been there done that :)

I'm finally back from Chicago, I'll get to work on my own boat tomorrow for the first time this week. I missed it.

Erik
 

lundnisswa

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
245
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

Great to hear the keel delam is not a big deal to you guys, thanks for the reassurance, I have heat/air on it now to help dry out.
Yes I agree on the Transom, have gone this far may as well replace that too, would be foolish to do it any other way. I dug some more with a drill bit up high in the transom where there were screw holes, and the wood is sort of punky/damp.
So back to that splashwell drain hole insert, how do they remove those? I looked at new boats yesterday at a boatshow and these inserts are now a two piece design, I guess I just have to mangle it to get it out?


Lund
 

Attachments

  • IMGP2729.JPG
    IMGP2729.JPG
    36.2 KB · Views: 1
Last edited:

lundnisswa

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
245
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

Motors removed, the transom is rotten except for the very outside tops, I am glad I listened to those who said just do the Transom while I am this far.
Those Splashwell inserts were removed by using a sharp chisel around the lip, tapping lightly it cut the lip off easily.
Lund
 

Attachments

  • IMGP2745.JPG
    IMGP2745.JPG
    50.9 KB · Views: 5
  • IMGP2744.JPG
    IMGP2744.JPG
    49.9 KB · Views: 5
  • IMGP2741.JPG
    IMGP2741.JPG
    45.2 KB · Views: 6
  • IMGP2740.JPG
    IMGP2740.JPG
    49.7 KB · Views: 6
  • IMGP2739.JPG
    IMGP2739.JPG
    53.5 KB · Views: 6
Last edited:

lundnisswa

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
245
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

Yes the trailer had been rubbing the keel pretty good, the exterior scarring is covered by a keel guard now, that was another bandaid I had applied a few years back. Will have to remove the keel guard I guess to do any repair to the outside of the boat, I thought I would start by grinding down from the inside to see if I can get to the bottom of the delam.
I am currently digging wood off the transom, I could not do the pull the method, so I am scraping, the darn gunwhales are gonna have to come off now too because the Transom wood is behind it, I guess I will be down to a bare boat, no wood or original structure, just fiberglass.

Thanks for your inputs
Lund
 
Last edited:

oops!

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
12,932
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

the transom is glassed to the gunwhales. did you take your grinder and cut the joint first.?

the keel gaurd has to come off. you will need to get at the affected area

you can get to the majority of the soft spot from the inside. make sure you wear your grinding resporator.

cheers...the fun has just started :eek:
 

lundnisswa

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
245
Re: Lund Nisswa Restoration

Seems the fiberglassing of the transom is where this boat was at its best. This particular transom is 1/2" ply glued to 1/2" ply and then under that is a 1/4" ply with a thin layer of glass over it, so the two outer 1/2" plys are coming off pretty easy, but that inner 1/4" of ply is gonna be tough to remove.
Over-all Transom thickness is 1-1/4".
Well, I had a little time so I chipped some of the rot out, next step is to cut the glass that hooks the gunwhale to the transom and remove the rear part of the gunwhale.

Lund
 

Attachments

  • IMGP2753.JPG
    IMGP2753.JPG
    48.3 KB · Views: 6
  • IMGP2748.JPG
    IMGP2748.JPG
    52 KB · Views: 5
  • IMGP2747.JPG
    IMGP2747.JPG
    41.1 KB · Views: 5
  • IMGP2751.JPG
    IMGP2751.JPG
    62.8 KB · Views: 6
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top