1996 Bass Tracker Pro Team 18 Rebuild Project

[Squibbly]

Well, I sold my 1986 Cajun FG bass boat last week. Took about 3 days after listing on craigslist, so I was caught off guard without a replacement boat.

I thought this time around, I would go with a tinny.

Picked up a 1996 Bass Tracker, and I suppose I'll document my restoration here, like I did with the floor replacement on the Cajun.

The boat itself is in pretty good shape I think, but the PO, put there were a few warning signs that let me know I have to replace the deck.

One of the storage doors had collapsed, I assume because the front deck is rotted on that side, and the screws could no longer hold.

Also for some reason the dry storage bin had about 8 inches of water in it (I assume the PO filled it with water to either store fish, or let his beer ice melt in it...not really sure, but of course, water that isn't draining + closed lid = rot.

The PO said he got a shock the last time the engine was running and he tried to take off the engine topper. I assume a bad plug wire, or bad ground, or cracked coil. I'll have to run it at night to see where it is arcing. I may just leave it as my friends are getting older, and if one of them keels over in my boat from a heart attack, I can just flop their body on top of my motor to revive them, because I'm not doing mouth to mouth.

Anyways, I pulled the front deck and it is rotted on that side, so I'm going to need to replace it. I saw a guy named jigngrub on here, who did a resto, and recommended MDO ply, and sealing it with epoxy, so I guess I'll go in that direction, as well as using nautolex instead of carpeting.

I'll post pictures here as I go.

-Squib

 

[Squibbly]

Well...I've got my first question I guess.

I spent the day ripping the boat down to bare metal, and got to the lower deck. Once I pulled up the carpet, I knew I had a problem. The plywood was completely saturated. I pulled up the flooring, and to my amazement the ENTIRE bottom of the boat was COMPLETELY stuffed with expanding foam.

I can't imagine that this was done like this from the factory.

I started digging it out, and it was like cutting into an apple. Water logged heavy foam.

What gives? Did the PO do this work?

How much foam is supposed to be in the bottom of the boat?

Thanks,

-Squib

 

[Squibbly]

Here is some of the ripping out of the foam to give you an idea.

 

[Teamster]

Expanding foam is factory,...

Spend some time reading other build threads,...

 

[GA_Boater]

Most boats built in the last 20-30 years, maybe longer, have expanding flotation foam.

 

[Squibbly]

Thanks for the responses Teamster and GA_Boater

Yeah, after reading a lot of the posts here on restorations, I can now see this is factory. I find it odd that they used expanding foam to completely fill the hull including the valleys and the passageways under the support bars that are clearly there to allow water to drain and exit the rear drain hole. If they had left the valleys clear, the water would not have collected in the foam, and even if it did collect would have drained to these low points and gone out the drain hole.

Looks like I have alot of work ahead clearing everything out. I'm wondering if using a drill powered plumbing auger will speed up the progress of clearing the valleys under the aluminum support beams. The underside of the square tubing is open, and this is completely filled with wet foam as well.

I saw one youtube video where someone used a pressure washer (with a rotating turbo tip) to clear out the foam, so I may try this as well.

I'll post progress this weekend.

-Squib

 

[Squibbly]

Here is the video, BTW. Seems to cut right through the foam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1fZfjC7Quk

I ordered one of those tips on Amazon. 13 bucks is worth it if it cleans it all out. I suppose I can put a bucket on the ground at the hull drain, with a hole in the bottom to catch the foam pieces as they drain.

-Squib

 

[GA_Boater]

In the 20-30 years that expanding foam has been used, you would think that the method would be perfected to keep drainage clear. But the builder's concern is making it through the warranty period.

 

[Frey0357]

Hey there Squibbly,
That expanding foam you found IS factory and is also part of the structural foundation for the boat. While removing the old nasty foam is necessary, it will also be necessary to replace the foam with something similar. This is controversial but it was placed there for a reason (floatation and structural part of flooring). I know I replaced the old crud (like you found) with the pink/blue stuff from the big box stores that was cut to fit and placed standing up. It was labor intensive, but worked real well.

Some searches on this website will reveal the process to replace this foam. Good luck!

Frey

 

[Squibbly]

I was able to use the turbo nozzle attached to my pressure washer on the foam this weekend. It made quick work of the foam and turned it into essentially wet sawdust. I had to use a long screwdriver to clear out the areas over the channels that had braces, but once I got that out, and both sides of the boat started draining properly, it was like music to my ears to hear all that water pouring out of the rear drain.

It makes a mess with all that foam dust, but once the water drains it just using a wet/dry vac to vacuum up all of the left over ground foam.

Time to pull the gas tank, and take the scotch brite to the inside..


Frey0357 I will be replacing the foam with sheet foam. I'm leaving all the foam in the front and back of the boat, and where the boat begins to pitch up because it is all dry as a bone. I suspect the foam under the floor wasn't doing much besides making the boat less buoyant, and I doubt that adding the sheet foam under the floor will do much besides sound proofing. I may actually use some of this stuff that I used on an old VW Beetle I restored for some added sound deadening on the sides and floor, under the insulation.

https://www.amazon.com/Frost-King-F...ocphy=9002003&hvtargid=pla-396937691256&psc=1


-Squib

 

[Frey0357]

Hey there Squib. That sound deadening is interesting, make sure to take some photos and post 'em!

Here is a photo of how I did my foam job, see attached. It worked out real well and actually supported the flooring real well.

..Unfortunately I am having trouble posting photos at the moment....getting an error. I'll keep trying...

Frey

 

[Squibbly]

Yesterday's goal was to remove the gas tank.

Done.

Next goal, I need to remove the anchor winch plate the PO attached to the back of the boat. It'll probably require me to remove all of the aluminum that was surrounding the gas tank, and I need to remove the foam under that panel anyways.

Lots of drilling out rivets.


Nothing has come easy, but it'll get done.

-Squib

 

[Squibbly]

I've been wondering how the PO anchored the rear anchor winch plate, since I got the boat, as there appeared to be no opening to access the other side of the bolts.

As it turns out, he cut a hole in the aluminum wall hidden by the gas tank, dug a little bit of the foam out, did the work, then sprayed some spray foam in the hole (It wasn't really even enough foam to worry about).

I'm going to have to cut the hole a little bigger with a jig saw. I think I'll do the same thing to the other side too, in case I need access, and just rivet some plastic access panels back there.

 

[Squibbly]

A little late, but here is the boat as I originally bought it. I forgot to add a picture.