My 69' Formula Project

[Firewood]

See pics http://photos.yahoo.com/kmw250 <br />I hope the link works. I just started the yahoo album. I will post more pictures soon.<br /> <br />

 

[Red Rider]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

LOL I was real impressed and curious, until I saw the picture. That ain't no 69 foot boat. That is a 1969 boat.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

geat slideshow on Yahoo firewood, I'll do all the<br />manual labor on the boat in trade for that sweet<br />chevelle <br />if you had some extra time (yeah, right!) it<br />would be helpfull to a lot of folks to post your<br />project details as you go.<br />good luck and have fun,<br />M.Y.

 

[DJ]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

Firewood,<br /><br />Great job, keep us posted. I'm doing the same thing.<br /><br />My hull is upside down in the garage. The hull is painted and I'm working on the trailer so I can flip her back over.

 

[dymo]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

Looks like you have a job on your hands. I know how it is as I just finished my own project this weekend. <br /><br />Thanks for the Yahoo Photo site also. I just finished making my own album. If you're interested, you can see it here. http://ca.photos.yahoo.com/kaiserboy1962 <br /><br />Good luck with your project.

 

[Jhall]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

Is your project completed yed? I'd be interested in seeing more pics. I just bought a 1970 Formula 233 project. The major task is rewpowering, everything else is in pretty good shape. I'm going to replace alot just for peace of mind, blower, bilge pump, fuel lines etc. <br /><br />Does anyone know a good source for remanufactured complete inboard/outboard packages? I am thinking about brand new but the $$$ is staggering.<br /><br />Good luck with the Formula, I'll start posting pics once I start my project.

 

[Firewood]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

The boat is not done yet. Its upside down waiting to be put back on the trailer. I just got back from vacation and hope to get it right side up this weekend.<br />So far most of my time has been gutting out old rotten wood and cursing at rusted bolts. Once I had everything removed (floor,windshield,motor,bow rail,wiring, etc.)I began on the bottom. I first used a 3500psi powerwasher, then I rolled on West Marine paint stripper. It works good but the key is applying a thick layer of the stripper to loosen the multiple layers of paint and letting it sit long enough to work. This is hard to do when gravity is against you.(at this point the boat was on the trailer).After screwing around on and off for a few days I decided to flip the hull. That made things much easier. Next I bought a paint scraper and manually scraped every square inch of the bottom. This totally sucked but was worth it. I then applied the stripper to the now fairly bare hull, let it sit a few minutes and powwerwashed the whole mess off. The gel coat actually shined! Now the bottom was clean of all bottom paint but the gel coat was stained and discolored. I tried muratic acid to lift the stains from the gel coat but that didn't work, So thats when I decided to paint the bottom with Interlux Plus 2part polyurethane (offwhite).I first repaired any dings or gouges. I then sealed it with West Marine bottom-poxy. Then applied the finish color. I'm breezing over alot of prep work and details, If anyone has questions feel free to ask. I'm not a professional,but I am a dedicated perfectionist. Also a buddy of mine, owns Hustler Racing boats (Global Marine) and I pick his brain when I have questions myself. Good luck everyone on your projects.<br />

 

[Hawkeye1]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

Hay Firewood. I am proud owner of that last picture in you album. Thats so cool you picked my boat as a goal. If you don't know I have already replace the transom, built a box grid into it for strenght for the bracket. Glassed the hull to the cap with 4 layers of 17/08 glass. Replaced and repaired the stringers, added cross braces inbetween the stringers, added 1 layer of 17/08 glass to the in sides and inside on the bottom. Filled the outside 2 stringer tunnels with closed cell foam. Re floored the cockpit. Recored the entire front deck. You might want to check that out b4 you flip it back over. I had to do mine right side up, not fun. I have not gotten around to putting together a picture trail of the work yet but there scattered pictures on my yahoo site. I am still not done customizing yet. It looks like you have about as much work to do as I had to do. It will be worth it as these are great performing boats. I have about 400 hrs on the water now and loved every minute of it. Well except the 3 hr run in from offshore into 5 to 8' sea about a mont ago. I could of done without that. But hay, the boat handled it great. Good thing I fixed the stringers. Keep up the good work firewood. Here is that link.<br /><br /> http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/formula2332000/rlst?.dir=/&.src=ph&.done=http://photos.yahoo.com/

 

[FreeBeeTony]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

Firewood,<br /><br />Nice boat, fellow long islander here. Where did you find her? Do you know of any salvage yards on the island? I'm from the Babylon area.

 

[Jhall]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

Firewood, Hawkeye1:<br />I have the same goal as Firewood, that is to get my 1970 233 to that same condition as Hawkeye. Just a few question for both of you. Since you both pulled up your cockpit decks, is there something that I should be on the lookout for? such as rotted stringers, sponginess etc? I just got the boat last summer and haven't started tackling anything yet except for cleaning her up. Everything seems pretty solid on her, but I was curious as to whether you pullled the deck because of a problem or just did it because you were in there. I was considering pulling the deck so I could install a holding tank since the head doesn't met todays regulations. How big of a pain in the a** was pulling up the deck? <br /><br />Also Hawkeye: where did you get the hardtop? was it custom built for you? also were the graphics still on the hull or did you find replacements? My boats been painted once already and it sure would be cool to put some original graphics on her?<br /><br />I'd appreciate any info you guys can share since I'm at the very beginning of my project. <br />Thanks for all the pics and info it sure steers me in the right direction before I get started. <br /><br />Hey FreeeBeeTony: I just saw another 233 that needs work. I don't know if it's for sale, it's in Niantic, CT. I can give the number of the that it's at if you want to check.

 

[Hawkeye1]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

Jhall, I ran mine about 200 hrs without doing anything to the stringers. I knew I had a small area around the limber holes where it was not sealed. After about 200 hrs I noticed a hairline crack on the outside along the port inside stringer. I also talked to a guy that had a 233 hull crack along the same stringer and almost sunk his boat. I had 2 hatches so I could get to about 3' of all 4 stringers but that wasn't enough. Thats what lead me to tearing up the floor. The floor was about 98% good. I ended up putting all new floor a little lighter then the original glassed over 5/8" ply wood. I used 2 layers of 5mm or a short 1/4" ex luan with a layer of 17/08 biax cloth over it. Epoxied coated, very well, all sides and edges with all seams overlapped. Came out very sturdy with the 2x2 grid under it. It might of been ok with one layer of luan but I didn't want to chance it. I only increased the weight of the boat about 150 lbs in the whole floor/stringer and new layer of glass in the bottom project. My hull is only 3/8" thick at the max. What did your alls hull thickness come out too. I though that was a little skinny that’s why I added a layer of fresh glass and epoxy to seal it up good. The 17/08 glass I used comes out about 1/16" thick a layer. I added some more project photos to the yahoo site just a few minutes ago. Couple suprize pictures in there from july 1st offshore trip.<br /><br /> http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/formula2...os.yahoo.com/bc/formula2332000/lst?&.dir=/str inger-floor%2bproject%26.src=ph%26.view=t<br /><br />Good luck <br />Hawkeye

 

[Firewood]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

Hawkeye, What a small world. I contacted Formula trying to track down some info on my boat about a year ago. I came across your pics on thier web site. They put me in contact with you and you gave me the link to your yahoo album.(I hate to be a copy cat but thats a sweet boat). As for my floor it was also near perfect, but I have a lot of plumbing,storage,foaming etc. to do. So it had to come out. I noticed the floor was 1/2inch, I was going to go with 3/4" replacement.<br />I'm mounting two 55 gal tanks under each gunwale which will be recessed down into the floor. I also want to have a nice sized fish box in the floor. I thought with the floor being so cut up I might go with (2) 1/2" layers instead. The bow deck is soft, probably same as yours was. I planned on flipping the boat back over this weekend, I'll have to take a closer look at the bow. How big of a pain was it? <br /><br />Good Luck with your Formula.

 

[Firewood]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

Freebeetony-<br /> I did come across a Formula 233 in Mastic, sitting in a boatyard, I was actually doing a land survey of the property for the town which is condemming the property. I figure all the boats he has piled up in there have to go cheap or free. I'll be down that way tommorrow, I'll see if its there and get the phone number.

 

[Hawkeye1]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

Firewood, I remember that. I hope I was of some help. Oh, the pictures make the boat look better then it does. There are lots of little rough spots but then this is a fishing boat and not a show boat. What are your plans for power? is the 2 55 gal tanks going to be the mains or extra. If extra you will have pleanty for twins. I notice your stren stringers are different then mine. That front deck is a bear anywhay you slice it. I used a 2.5" carbide saw wheel on a high speed electric die grinder to cut out the inside skin. Works real slick cutting thru fg. Wet ply wood pretty much fell out. Then custom fited 1 layer of ex luan and then another layer of ex luan over the 1st one overlaping the seams. I ended up with a 3rd layer in the front part back to just behind the foward bulkhead. Going with 2 layers alowed me to skip the fg layer on the inside. Of course I used cloth to tab it in on all edges. I belive its stronger then new now. There are some pictures of that. I used nothin but epoxy and thickened it quit a bit to keep it from running out. If you have the boat upside down that might be the ticket, I guess. But be careful as the outside fg skin could deform if its not blocked right. On 2nd thought maybe its best to do it right side up and toothpick it in so to speak. Either way its pretty much a bear of a job. You might want to raise the floor a inch or 2 to make better self bailing. The original floor came out just about 1/2 to 1 above witht he 1 bracket ob. I had to put these ball scuppers on and they work really good. I put like 1 3/8" id brass nipples in the transom as thru hulls. Of course bedded in epoxy. Now I have the raised floor I ended up with a shallow 1 1/4" deep moat allthe way around the cockpit. Kinda sweet as it make for a great toe rail when leaning over the side. You might be able to see that in the pictures. I want to build a insulated box for seating on the port side tied right to the side of the boat and drained into the moat so to speak. That would make a nice bench seat. Might do the same but a little different on the starboard side.

 

[Firewood]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

The gutter design sounds good, A friend of mine who is a clammer told me to do exactly what you described. He said put two layers of flooring and leave the top layer short so I'd have a 3/4" deep gutter. Believe me when I say i'm up half the night thinking of what I want to do.<br /> I'm using I/O power (single 200hp Mercruiser).<br />The motor has no hours on it so I'm keeping it. <br />I was looking at my Uncles boat (2000 keywest CC)<br />They had scuppers (with rubber flaps)below the water line, the deck had drain in it that were piped to the scuppers, as well as the live wells.<br />I was on a Grady White that had openings in the transom..stupidest thing I ever seen, they where about a snot hair above the water line, my feet where in water all day. <br /><br />I won't do the bow deck till later, I figure the whole cabin area will be a project in its self.

 

[Hawkeye1]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

I had a grady that would keep your feet wet also. Those rubber flaps work for about 2 weeks. My gutter on the formula is about 2" wide as I left about 4" of original floor around the edges to work with. My buddies kinda looked at me funny when I was building it but now they see the advantage. The cabin is defently a project in itself and I ran my boat 1 year like it was. It took about 3 months for the cabin project alone. With my hardtop I didn't want to screw it up with the flexing where the front to legs bolt down. Oh I ordered the Thunderbird graphics from formula. I tried to talk them out of it for free but they wouldn't since I was restoring the boat. I think they were 30$ a pair. I din't want the word formula just the bird. Funny thing is I grew up fishing on a 1965 17'thunderbird tri hull of my dads that he still has. I fish on that boat till 1985 when I bought my own boat a 1978 20' grady wac. Thought I was a big dog then. Boats and fishing is in my blood. Catch em up and good luck with the formula.<br /><br />Hawkeye

 

[Firewood]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

Well I didn't flip it over today, but I did glass the gunwales (hull) to the top.It was originally pop-riveted together, half of which I drilled out to get the rubrail off, and the other half just corroded away.Talk about fumes!! try being in an upside down boat with a gallon of fiberglass resin. It didn't take long to do but I came out for a breather halfway through.It gave me a chance to use up lots of scrap and odd sized fiberglass. If the forcast is good I'll turn it over in the next day or so.

 

[Firewood]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

I got it back on the trailer today. I was looking at my lumber options for the floor. I think I'm going to go with two layers of 1/2" water resistant luan. Originally I was going to go with 1 layer of 3/4" tongue&groove plywood. The sandwiching of the two thinner layers will be<br />stronger and also alllow me to create a gutter for water to drain out.

 

[Hawkeye1]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

Firewood, you using epoxy or ployester resin? If you are using epoxy, you dont need the wax. 2 layers of 1/2 is going to be real beefy. Mine with 2 layers of 1/4 luan with the layer of 17/08 glass on top is almost like a concrete floor.

 

[Firewood]

Re: My 69' Formula Project

I planned on using polyester resin since its 1/3 the price of epoxy resin. Is the epoxy resin that much better? <br />If you say the 1/4" doubled up is strong enough I'll take your word for it. It seems so flimzy thou. You also added lots of bracing between your stringers. I don't plan on doing that.Also my floor height seems high enough so I don't plan on raising it. <br /><br />Let me know what you think about the different resins.