1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

Mike Lammert · Nov 12, 2011

Ok, so this is the summary of my project for the year, so I am going to post it in the order in which it all happened, so bear with me and I'll see if I can get the pictures posted as well. This boat is a 1993 17 foot center console originally built by Osprey Boats in Chiefland, Fl (according to Coast Guard Plate). This boat was given to a friend and I about 6 years ago, and we were told it had a "spongy" deck, and no trailer, but free is free and we took it. We did a quick, cheap not so good fix, by screwing down 3/8 exterior plywood over the rotten deck and fiberglassed and painted the top side....it lasted about five years, but it too was getting soft in spots, and I was worried that I was holding water as well because the boat was sluggish to plane and just seemed heavy.

Unfortunately I was a little eager to get started and forgot to start taking photos until the deck was already cut out, and I figured I better start taking photos for measurement and reconstruction purposes. So, here we go, this is what it looked like after the deck, foam, water, and fuel tank were removed.

BTW-
I captured about 35 gallons of water and that doesn't include what was absorbed by the foam...

Pretty much all wood was mush...oh yeah termites eating away too!

Mike Lammert · Nov 12, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

I started this project on March 18, 2011, however I do work full time, so I could only work on the boat after work and on weekends. The following photos were taken on April 6, so it took me about 3 weeks to get to this point.

Here, the stringers, ribs, fuel tank mounts, and transom have all been removed, and ground smooth with a flap disc.

Mike Lammert · Nov 12, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

Next, I removed all of the stickers.......

Then I took the boat off of the trailer, repaired all nicks, gouges, cracks and imperfections in the gel coat, from the keel up..the process was repair all gel coat, wet sand by hand (block) with 320, then 400, then 800, then 1000, then polish with 3M marine rubbing compound on 7" wool wheel, then 3M Finesse it on wool wheel, then 2 coats of wax...it was a lot of work, but the finished product is like glass..

Then flip it over and do the other side........

Big Island Lifer · Nov 12, 2011

Pretty impressive! Thanks for sharing!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pmccraney · Nov 12, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

Look forward to seeing the rest. I would like to do a center console project one day, so this will be of interest to me. Thanks.

Teamster · Nov 12, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

Pmccraney said:
Look forward to seeing the rest. I would like to do a center console project one day, so this will be of interest to me. Thanks.

Center console????

That boat and motor are begging for a tiller handle!!!!,.........lol,..

Looking forward to the rest of the project,...

Mike Lammert · Nov 13, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

okay, moving along...

By the beginning of May, the blistering sun and high temperatures, then sudden afternoon showers were forcing me to form a new plan on where to work on the boat, as I have no garage. The resin would cure way too fast in the sun, and if a sudden downpour came along, that days work would be a waste, plus materials ruined. So, I built myself a nice little shelter...

I made the trusses one afternoon after work, from one 2x4 on the bottom, and 2x2's for the tops and supports...plenty of support for just a tarp. The bottom structure are just 4x4 uprights, on 2x4 skids, and 2x4 connectors up top. This took me about a half of a day to build (by myself), then I topped it with a 12x24 tarp from Walmart. the covered area measures 10'x20', and covers the boat well. It provides excellent shade, however a tarp is not completely water tight, especially after a few weeks in the cooking sun, and it sometimes rains sideways, so I have a piece of 6mil plastic sheeting that I cover it with at the end of the day, and when it starts raining.

The nicely finished exterior is also well covered with 6mil plastic and painters tape for protection...

Mike Lammert · Nov 13, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

Okay, next I get to get my hands wet in the resin....The last time when I covered the deck, I used cheap cloth, and poly resin, and buying it a quart at a time from walmart. This time I told myself I was going to do everything right from the beginning. So everything that I laminate into this boat from this point on is with epoxy resin, which I have never worked with until now.

Here are some of my supplies...
Epoxy resin from Fiberglasssite.com....

3/4 inch Marine Grade Plywood, A/B Douglass Fir

So I started off small, with the bow eye support.

I cut my piece of wood (larger than one removed) to fit nicely into the V of the bow, then mixed up some expoy/cabosil paste, and set it in place, pulling it tight with a screw from the outside, then epoxied 2 layers of biaxial 1708 over the outside.

Woodonglass · Nov 13, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

You don't need to use 1708 with epoxy. The CSM that is stitched to the Biax will not break down with the epoxy since epoxy contains no styrene. It just soaks up more epoxy and wastes resin in my opinion. 1700 biax cloth is all that you really need. Living in Florida you are close to one of the Best Fiberglass suppliers in the country, www.uscomposites.com You can use their 435 Polyester Resin and 1.5oz CSM mat and save yourself some bucks.

Mike Lammert · Nov 13, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

Woodonglass said:
You don't need to use 1708 with epoxy. The CSM that is stitched to the Biax will not break down with the epoxy since epoxy contains no styrene. It just soaks up more epoxy and wastes resin in my opinion. 1700 biax cloth is all that you really need. Living in Florida you are close to one of the Best Fiberglass suppliers in the country, www.uscomposites.com You can use their 435 Polyester Resin and 1.5oz CSM mat and save yourself some bucks.

Hello Wood, thanks for viewing my project. I used 1708 on all of my below deck construction, as the place I ordered from does not carry plain 1700, and this is what they recommended. As for the polyester resin, I just wanted to use epoxy because its stronger, and sticks to anything, and it doesn't produce the lovely "head buzz" that the poly does. It does cost about twice as much, but has a longer working/set up time, and worked lovely for my needs. I did not find out about US composites until I was 3/4 done with my project, and I did order half of my floatation foam from them, next time I'll get my epoxy resin from them as well. Hindsight is always 20/20...thanks again for your input, and please stay tuned for the rest of the project, your insight will be helpful for my future projects...

herefishy · Nov 13, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

Hi, Mike Lammert. Just keep the tone as you did in post #7, "Okay, moving along... "

Let everyone post as they will, and you just keep posting your project. This will be interesting.

I'm following.

the Fish

Mike Lammert · Nov 13, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

Ok, after doing the bow eye support, I was feeling confident enough to try something bigger...

So I cut and shaped my pieces for the transom.

Next, after cutting my cloth, I mixed a big batch of resin, and started going at it. Here's what I did...resin, 1708, resin, 3/4" Ply, resin, 1708, resin, 1708, resin, 3/4" Ply, resin, 1708, resin, 1708, resin..then I poured extra resin between the layers and clamped along the top, and ran screws through a block over the existing holes to clamp the bottom tight, and this squeezed out the excess resin.

As you see, I have the fans on it because being this thick it produced a lot of heat. The fans kept the heat down just enough and it turned out way stronger than it ever was.

parrisw · Nov 13, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

Nice project and nice work so far!! I like center consoles.

ezmobee · Nov 14, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

Very nice work so far.

Mike Lammert · Nov 14, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

Okay, next page in my saga....

After the transom, I cut to size a piece of 3/4 PVC, mixed some epoxy then weighted the pipe to bend to the curvature of the hull.

After this set up, I tackled my first rib, made of 3/4 marine ply, epoxied into place with 1708....

This was quite a bit tougher, with nothing to lean against on either side, I was unprepared with no clamps or supports handy, I was cursing and scurrying about to gather things to hold it upright while removing my gloves, then trying to quickly get a new pair on sweaty hands.

..needless to say this piece ended up with a few air bubbles, but nothing too bad.

After this piece, I realized that it works better for me to shape my piece, fiberglass one side, then the other, then glue it into place with thickened resin, and tab it in on all sides with strips of biaxial mat.

Oh yeah, and have EVERYTHING you could possibly need within reach!

Mike Lammert · Nov 15, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

Next, I shaped the last 2 ribs, got them glassed and epoxied into place.I didn't take many photos of the process, because its difficult to do the work, and take photos too without getting epoxy on the camera.....

So here is how they look installed..

Mike Lammert · Nov 15, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

Next, I cut and shaped the forward stringer pieces......

And with the help of my loving fiancee got them installed. I cut and wet out the 1708, while she rolled out the bubbles. This makes the job much easier, just having a second set of hands to roll the bubbles, and hand me things I need.

Mike Lammert · Nov 15, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

Next, I cut and shaped the middle stringers, and glued them in with thickened epoxy....

Pmccraney · Nov 15, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

Hey EZ, I don't want to steal one of your best lines ever, so please do the honors and complete the following:

"The family that fiberglasses together....."

Wow, a nice looking lady that can fiberglass... As we say in the south... "you done well" my friend.

Mike Lammert · Nov 15, 2011

Re: 1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

Next, I glassed the newly formed center compartment. While the epoxy was setting up, I cut the remaining side supports, as well as the bulkhead that separates the fuel compartment, and only 1 of the remaining rear stringers, as I ran out of marine plywood at this point, and had to wait for my schedule to align with the supply house to get more.

So, I epoxied in everything that I could....

1993 17' Center Console Complete Refurbish

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