1977 AMF Crestliner Apollo Floor Help

drillsar

Cadet
Joined
Jul 28, 2007
Messages
7
I got this boat and I know I need stringers and bulkheads, Does anyone know how to do this properly? Also any pics will help me, Please. Im new to this. Also How can I find out the color of this boat? I need to repaint this also, Of course I want to goet the floor done first, Im thinking of adding Speakers/Radio How hard will that be or can i add it? The thing to left of pic I guess is like a glove box right? Where can I get a new one for that? Should I also add Gauges? Thanks

boat-i2.jpg
 

fishinrado

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
137
Re: 1977 AMF Crestliner Apollo Floor Help

hey it's fishinrado. (fishing in colorado). u must have bought the boat. is your floor sanded down flat to the fiberglass hull? although my boat was rotted away i did have the origional floor parts i could trace to make new ones. i can take some pics and show u where they go. i left the fiberglass "u" in the hull that held the origional stringers and when i made mine i just slipped them in the "u" and they acted like guides. mine had the ugly orangey red plastic interior too. i went to "joannes fabrics" and bought blue and gray marine vinyl ($9.99 yard) and when i refabricated the helm peices i covered them in alternating blue and gray . it came out great! let me know when your ready to get started and i'll walk u through the stringers first........
 

bythebeach

Recruit
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Messages
5
Re: 1977 AMF Crestliner Apollo Floor Help

I know its a little late but... in re-doing your boat, that's just about right.

I have a 1975 Crestliner Apollo. Completly rotten floor. I got it last year in the mid of Dec. I spent a realistic (epoxy) $900 bucks on replacing the floor. I had no templates to go off of. Total rotten stringers...(fall through into dust). Great motor and trailer though! My trusty grinder plus new wheels cut and cut and itched and cut. I left about an inch of old glass sticking up to place new stringers. I could not find many write ups about complete replacements. Templates would have been nice. I bought some cheap 1/4 in ply...pulled a string across, old deck height to the nose. Then eyeballed/cut, eyeballedcut, eyeballed/cut. for the stringers on the left. The conture/concave is difficult to get perfect. Then I used the templates for the right side. I had to also cut until I had 6 matching pieces. Super pain in the butt. After I had six different lengthes, all of which are wayyyyy longer than standard 8 ft ply (a bit under 14 feet). So I finished each stringer piece by measuring high to low and cutting. Thus attaching each stringer together with stainless Steel screws and additional 8 inch sections of ply on each side sandwiched with Liqued Nails. Final Stringers Complete!

(Please DRY FIT EVERY PIECE of the floor before you start permanent assembly!!!!!!!!!) Even the deck.

Now...more EPOXY and Filler Foam Dust Stuff to make the peanut butter. A heavy layer between the actual floor/hull and my stringers. Then I put Pressure treated blocks at the breaks for the ply so I have a secure point for the floor. (5 per break plus one nose.. do not forget the rear/transom area also!)Each done, now I placed my pre cut 5/8inch floor over to put weight down so as to secure. (I also put some full garbage cans down to help secure until dry).

Yes there is more....now I took a string and level and pulled across the newly placed stringers...got out my electric craftsman plannner and went to town. all is now 1-2 degrees pointing towards the middle rear area of the floor. Re-fit my deck (3 sheets of ply. Yes had to use a piece per section because they only are 8 feet by 4 feet.) Also do not forget to make a spot for your water/bildge area! Before I covered I put in the dumb Bildge Holes. I used 3/4 inch pvc...a hole drill/saw...put into each section...epoxied around each. Placed from center to rear, working towards the center...then...placed a 3/4 threaded piece of PVC with plug into exiting face that dumps into the bildge pool/pot thing area. Now I can unscrew plug if I want to air it out or completely seal it from water. I think sealed is the way to go if you do not puncture your floor anyway. At least you'll have the option.

Next was the insulation foam. Very expensive for the area it covers. For my 16ft boat I used 3 2in1 kits! They filled each bay. Cheaper if you buy big gallon sizes. I also went a bit further and placed a bunch of 2 litre bottles with caps on while it was wet for a little bonus floatation. It could'nt hurt??? And I had 4 cans of Big Gap Filler laying around on top of it all. I think the more float the better.

Next was the Stainless Square Bit 2 3/4 inch screws. Secured the deck then marveled for a few days. It took forever...Now I bought more epoxy plus matt. Covered and let cure.Then I used 1/1 pressure treated strips and fiberglassed to the new deck in the rear area to keep the tank from slidding around and the battery from slidding. I also have about a 2 inch gap in the rear of each to allow water to go into the bildge area if need be. FINALLY I covered with the HOME DEPOT garage epoxy paint to make it look tight. Now I just need to re-wire.
It takes a lot of work. It depends what it cost you and how much you want your own boat. There are a lot of cheap boats out there, but a least you can say you sort of built your own....I hope this helps you and who ever else reads this....

Please excuse the typ'os!
 
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