1987 Searay Seville Cuddy Restoration - stringer and engine mounts

[Broaters]

One more question about the fuel tanks compartment.

It seems that a lot of rebuilders on the forum sealed them once for all under a monoblock deck fully glassed on the deck surface. Some install some access hatch some even don't.
On our original boat the fuel tank cover was removable with some srecws that attache to sort of cleats on the inner side of the stringers.
I read the USCG reccomendations and they say "install in a way that make access, maintenance and removable feasible without major modification of the boat strucutre"...

What do you guys reccomends? what have you done on your rebuilds?

thanks

 

[JASinIL2006]

I glassed in the deck over my fuel tank. I wanted to minimize places for water to intrude under the deck, so I added only a round access hatch to get at the fuel sender, etc., if needed. I figured that if I ever need to get the fuel tank out, I'll just cut open the deck and glass it back over after I've finished whatever I needed to do down there.

I also left holes in the bulkhead between my ski locker (where water easily can get in) and the gas tank compartment, as well as the bulkhead between the fuel compartment and the bilge. I did NOT, however, add limber holes and drains to the foamed compartments that makeup the rest of the decked structure. I want to try to keep those areas watertight, so the idea of adding a source of water ingress made no sense to me.

Jim

 

[Broaters]

question about the gelcoat:
do you gelcoat the fiber that will not be exposed?

my question is focused on the outer face of the stringers that will be under the deck in the foamed compartment. The resin we used there is unwaxed and therefore not fully cured because still exposed to air. do we need to coat it with gelcoat before decking and foaming?
woudl it add protection to the resin for potential water? or maybe it is just overkilled?

 

[Woodonglass]

Over kill. Waste of Good Gelcoat!!

 

[Panoguy]

One more question about the fuel tanks compartment.

I read the USCG reccomendations and they say "install in a way that make access, maintenance and removable feasible without major modification of the boat strucutre"...

What do you guys reccomends? what have you done on your rebuilds?

thanks

I glassed-in my floor over the tank, but put-in a round screw-on access-hatch over top of the sending unit. Good thing I did, because after 5-years of sitting dry, my sender is acting all wonky! I'll replace it in the spring, my season is over in the frozen north.

 

[kcassells]

I debated that subject alot with me and me mind. I wanted access but then the other me says water would get in. Considered
a raised deck hatch but I could see me or someone else tripping over it.
So I'm goona ply over the tank. Just make note on location and if needs removed tha't the only area to be removed.
Also have a plate access for sender, hose connections, fuel feed to engine. Usually you can get away w/ 2 hatches.
Just for thoughts.

 

[Broaters]

We are way over a due update on our project. Altough we did not post a lot lately we kept working on the boat.


The front compartment floor is now in place. We have restored a small "pocket" to collect the water from the cabin floor and direct it to the drain pipe. We spent a lot of time to do this trying to get it as water tight as we could. It was glued an tabbed to the hull befor putting the deck.



Then the deck went in with a heavy load... maybe too much
We also had to use a small heater to get the temperature ok fot the resin. Winter is Coming in Belgium and the room temp was about 10°C when we did the job.





The trick we used to get the temp ok was to reinstall the boat cover and use the small heater from the trasom cutout.
It worked pretty well mainaining a good temp in the boat during the cure time.





That's about where we are now. after a lot of frustrating hours spent on tiny details, it felt sooooooo good to put these big pieces in.

During the transom hole cutout I did a dent in the hull close to a transom bolt hole.
how do you think I should get it fixed? grinding + fiber and resin or just a thick fairing compound?




more to come soon

 

[Broaters]

I did a small Excel file to compute the density conversion of the fiber.
Here in Europe everything is given in gr/m². which already led me to some confusion.

If any one want to put the file in the "how to library" it may help some folks.

FIBERGLASS CALCULATOR

I can't upload directly the file so I put the link to our google drive.

 

[Bayou Dave]

Very good progerss guys!!

 

[oldrem]

Looking good!

 

[Broaters]

Quick update

The floor pieces are now in place, PBed and tabbed in in the hull.



these are glued and screwed into the cleats only. again the idea was to avoid having screws through the protective glass of the stringers.

We had a little drawback test fitting the gas tank, it is too close from the side of the compartment.
This is due to the reinforcement we put on both sid of the stringer.



so on goes the ginder again to remove these protuberences. here is how it looks giving more clearance now.



we laid 2 layers of 1708 on the exposed wood to protect it and recover the strength.

 

[Broaters]

about the transom cutout, how would you guys repair this dent?

grind, 1708 and filler
or
filler only?




thanks for your advices

 

[kcassells]

I woulda filled that little ding with LOBSTER SHELLS after I ate them.
Lookin GREAT!

 

[chevymaher]

I would peanut butter it. It isnt that bad.

 

[Broaters]

I woulda filled that little ding with LOBSTER SHELLS after I ate them.
Lookin GREAT!

Will be waiting for Christmas eve's dinner to get the lobster shell

 

[Broaters]

Foam time...

The left area is now completely foamed. It went pretty smooth overall.
We used a trick learned from the video shared in a previous post by TimR71. The bow was lifted as much as we could using an hydraulic jack. almost until the back of the trailer touches the floor. this is suposed to help the foam filling the whole compartment and seems to work quite good.

To get the temperature ok before the pour we used a hairdryer blowing hot air inside the compartment. it worked ok, by the time we poured the foam the air temp inside was about 20°C. The heat from the foam cure finished to keep the temp ok.

 

[chevymaher]

Oh yea your getting there now. After this it is like your on speed trying to work faster LOL. You see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The heater I talk about heating inside my boat to drive out moisture under the covers when it is dew. It is the same one you got.

 

[Broaters]

pretty good little boy. It has been working a lot in our shop with the temp going low.
This is an old one so it can get dirty.

I just hope that my wife's hair dryer will not smell too much polyester resin on the next use

 

[chevymaher]

In this Navy no excuses you did what? Go buy a new one.

 

[Mechanicalmike08]

Looks pretty good.

When you poured/ drilled the holes are they tword the front of that section so that when u tilt it up and pour it runs to the back? Or did you pour near the back and let it expand forward. (If that makes sense)