Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

Jussi-T.

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

Few pics:

003 (17).jpg004 (20).jpg006 (19).jpg

Here you can see the bad spot:

007 (15).jpg003 (18).jpg
 

Woodonglass

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

GREAT NEWS!!!! Looks fantastic!!!! Looks like you're gunna beat the cold!!!
 

johan75

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

Just found your thread, excellent work Jussi! The boat looks so nice.

The cold and especially the autumn moist can make life difficult from time to time. I had some trouble myself restoring a Chaparral 178 xl at the same latitude as you.

Keep on going like that and you'll be ready in no time.

Cheers,
Johan
 

Jussi-T.

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

Thanks Woody :) By the way, what paint do you recommend for the outdrive painting?

Johan75, nice to see other Finns here! I would like to see your Chaparral project! Do you have any pics on web?
 

Woodonglass

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

Talk to me about the kinds of Paint you have available to you in Finland. A good quality 2 part Acrylic Enamel or Acrylic Urethane with a Hardener would be what I'd use. You will need to prime any bare aluminum with a Self Etching primer and then primer the whole thing with a couple of coats of the recommended primer for the paint.

One of our members says this stuff is fantastic. Not sure how easy it would be to get in Finland. It is kinda PRICEY!!!!
http://supermarinepaint.com/topside-Urethane-sm-2000.asp
I also like this Paint...
http://www.tcpglobal.com/restorationshop/rspssurethane.aspx but not sure if they ship to Finland or how much it would be to get it there.

If you have Acrylic Urethane paint there then thats what I'd use. It's very durable paint and will stand up well for an outdrive application IMHO. Acrylic Enamel with the added Hardener would be my 2nd choice.

If you know me, I'm kinda CHEAP so I'd use Rustoleum Pro and add the hardener to it. I think it would hold up very well and it's a very High Gloss Paint. It's up to you and what you have available.
 
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johan75

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

I have some, (Chaparral 178 XL Project Photos by johansjoberg75 | Photobucket), but they are not nearly as comprehensive as yours and mostly show the mess not chronologically phase to phase as you have in this thread. I took a lot of pictures though, for my own reference.

My project is slightly different than yours and mostly a hobby really and it's not going very fast. I had worked with wooden boats before and wanted to try to fix a fiberglass boat, sort of test myself and learn something new at the same time. I also had a lot of time back then and needed something to do and think about. I don't have a garage so the parameters are very different from a normal rebuild, one has to take storage fees into consideration, iow keep the boat on the water when not working on it and such things. I've many times lost interest in rebuilding it after some set backs, like your matte spot, and eventually come back to it later. I've had it in water twice, this summer for about two months and the previous summer when I didn't want to work on it anymore and for testing the engine. Now I've got so far its time for upholstery and covers and such as well as grinding and painting the bottom, perhaps the sides too and a first removal and check of the sterndrive.

In any case, its really interesting to follow you thread so I'll hang around as a lurker.

Cheers,
Johan
 

johan75

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

Woody and Jussi.

I used Teknos Inerta Primer 5 and Teknos Inerta 165 for the stern drive. It was the best I could find, or well the best I came up with. They use it on icebreakers. There is a picture behind the link I just sent.

Cheers,
Johan
 

Woodonglass

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

Well I just did some research on the Inerta 165 stuff. It appears to be an Epoxy resin based paint and is used as an industrial coating for water immersed metal objects. Has High Abrasion qualities etc.. This actually might be a very good candidate. I'd for sure take a look at this product. If it's reasonably priced, I see no reason not to use it. Good Call johan75. That's what this forum is all about!!!!!

[h=2]Kiitos!!!![/h]
 

johan75

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

It's a good product imo. For the details just google it and klick the links with ip addresses. I guess it's OK to post links in this case, so if you like me to just ask. The A version of it is certified for use in nuclear power plants :). I got it from RTV, a rather large chain. Their industrial or professional sales department sell it, I might still have the phone number somewhere. The normal shops don't know anything about it. Sadly it isn't reasonably priced at all as the smallest amount one can buy is 10l, including the hardener, probably 2+8l. I asked a guy who had used it on his stern drive where he got it from and he had bought it at a shipyard. As they use it under large vessels they buy lots and lots and can sell you a liter or so. I ended up using about a litre or two of if. It works well on old propellers too, won't come off easily.

There's one trick with it I noticed the hard way. It is extremely strong as long as one follows the recommendations. I painted too much on a few places and made it too thick. That makes it break like glass, I had a mishap and hit a part with a hammer. But when chemically bonded with the primer and thickness according to specs it won't come off whatever you do.

Teknos have an even stronger version if I've understood correctly, Inerta 160. It was imo way too expensive for these kind of projects and requires another type of spray gun, one that mixes both components while spraying.
 
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Jussi-T.

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

Thank you Johan75! I asked the local shop where I bought the paints for the hull that what kind of paint they recommend for the drive. They said, epoxy primer and antifouling! I said that I don't want to put antifouling to my drive, I want a glossy finish to it, they said that then they can't help me. I used Nor-Maali epoxy paints at my hull painting and percotop Polyurethane paint. I have to find out where can I get that Inerta!

And Your Chaparral project is looking VERY NICE!! You have done great work!
 

johan75

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

Ugh, no antifouling on the sterndrive if you ask me. As these boats are made to go fast, you need a good paint, at least on the lower parts. Otherwise it might not stay (= you will not be satisfied and might want to remove all those gimbal parts again) and yes it should be glossy also IMO. The antifouling I've used is sticky and soft, not at all good for sterndrives. Sure there are others as well. My boat had Hempel Racing hard under the water line when I got it. That's a little harder. It still comes off though.

Are you going to sandblast or sodablast the sterndrive, shield and gimbal parts?

Cheers,
Johan
 

Jussi-T.

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

Woody, If I go with this Inerta set, do you think still should put that self etching primer to the bare aluminium spots before the inerta primer? I suppose you mean some kind of acid paint with self etching primer?
 

Jussi-T.

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

My brother-in-law works on a metal shop so he is going to sandblast the shield and gimbal parts. The outdrive is going to be sanded with paper, I don't want to take the risk that the sand gets in to the oil channels, since I have Re-sealed the drive last winter :)
 

johan75

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

OK, so you're not going to need all that much paint then. If you only use sand paper on some spots on the stern drive, the bare spots, you don't need to over do it IMO. It's not that bad to sand a little more every second year or so and redo some small spots on the lower parts. The original Mercruiser paint is pretty good if you ask me. Note, I have not much experience here. It just seems very durable.

In any case, you're only going to need some decilitres of paint, max a litre. If you pass by Helsinki I can give you that much. You would need to get the primer and lots and lots of thinner though. Inerta 165 is so thick you can't even imagine.

I'd say sand- or soda-blast it the next time you do a full service of it and take it easy until. Spend all the time on the shield and gimbal parts. You don't wan't to remove them anytime soon after installation.

Cheers,
Johan
 
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Jussi-T.

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

Yes, the shield and gimbal MUST do right at the first time! Don't want to re-paint them next fall! But I am going to paint the WHOLE stern drive as well, not just a little spots. What I meant is that I am not going to sand blast it, because there is a risk that the sand gets in to the oil channels. If you have a lot of left over, I can buy it, if you are willing to sell, and if the price is proper :D
 

johan75

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

Sure, if you like and pass by Helsinki. I've already used what I need of the bucket I bought. Now I only paint propellers for my friends from time to time, fix a little of this and that with it, as it really is superstrong. I have absolutely no connection to the maker, for the record. I just spent lots and lots of time on the Internet and talking to people at the annual Helsinki boat show. I think it was 280 eur per bucket, so if you compare to Woody's links quite OK. The primer and thinner are rather cheap, I think the thinner was 25 eur per 1l or 0.5l can and Primer 5 was also OK priced. Inerta Primer 5 is quite well known here in the north. Lots of people use it as I've understood.

Woody; we can get most if not all of the stuff sold in the states nowadays, it just costs too much to get it shipped over to make sense. I've usually ordered from the states though, just to save time and not have to search for some similar local product. In this case I got the feeling the paint was of excellent quality so that's why I got it locally. If it's OK for icebreakers it should be OK for a sterndrive :)
 
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johan75

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

Zool, that's correct as far as I know too. They don't recommend anything under the (metal/aluminium) primer.

I washed the gimbal parts with vinegar essence after soda-blasting, then with a local product called Peltipesu the sales guy selling the products discussed above recommend me to use before painting the primer. It worked well.
 

Woodonglass

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

Yup, for epoxy paint just follow their recommendations. That stuff is like IRON once applied. But it is pricey and touchy to work with. Make sure to clean the gun well and have the proper chemicals to thin with. Sounds like johan can steer you in the right direction on how to apply.
 

Jussi-T.

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Re: Wellcraft 170 Classic -89 full restoration

The keel is down again :)

003 (19).jpg004 (21).jpg007 (16).jpg008 (10).jpg

I had to add some glass to the transom, because it was out of Mercruiser specs. It wasn't parallel enough, so I added 5 layers of CSM to the keyhole area.

Before I painted the hull I checked what is the Mercruisers spec for the transom flatness (outside). I found this: http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Install/gas/86017211.pdf

There is told that the flatness should be 1/16" (2mm) (page 10). Well I am European so I just looked the metric spec 2mm. My transom is in that tolerance. BUT 1/16" IS NOT 2mm, it is 1,6mm. (I noticed this after I had painted the hull). There is that 2mm in my transom flatness. I think that 0,4mm can't be that critical? I am NOT going to sand the new paint off and start even my transom.

What do you all think?
 

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