'84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint SPLASHED

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Thanks arch. I'll probably just leave the tank. I forgot that I'll my trim tabs working after the remodel is done. They haven't worked since I bought the boat and I bet they'll take care of the stern heavy issue. Any luck with the stereo search?

 

[Robert4Winns]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

You reckon I can just cut the tops off the stringers, clean out the old wood, slip some new wood in coated with resin, and re-glass the the tops?

I was also wondering about the fuel tank location. This boat is quite stern heavy, especially if anyone is sitting in the rear seat. There is about 16" of empty space in front of where the tank currently sits. Do you think it make the boat more balanced if I shifted it forward, or would 16" not make much of a difference? Or is that something I shouldn't fiddle with? It's a 30 gal tank.

I think it will be easier to just cut out the stringers flush with the hull and glass in the new wood. It woud be more trouble than it is worth to try and dig out every bit of the old wood.

 

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

You may be right Robert. I'll try digging the wood out on a small portion and see how it goes, and if it sucks, I'll just wack 'em outta there.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

I was wondering the same thing....I didn't have to worry about it, I only had a 18 long section left! Been side tracked on the seats....and getting the top ready for paint....stereo is on the back burner for a few weeks.

 

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

I got the first layer of the transom in place last night. First, I coated the wood with epoxy and let it harden. Then I put a layer of fiberglass mat on the inner side of the hull skin and clamped the wood in while it was still wet using a combination of 2x4s bolted throught the hull, C clamps and ratcheting clamps. I opted to put the transom in 1 layer of ply at a time because I'm working alone and it's hard to maneuver the transom into place with the cap still on. I'll glue the remaining layers on tonight hopefully and glass it in. I have some help coming this weekend then we should really kick some butt.

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Very nice! You are moving right along now.

 

[BLU LUNCH]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

I'm real happy with the seacast, but its pricey. To me it depends on how long you are planning on having the boat....I'm planning on keeping mine for a long time so I opted for the seacast and seacast transom. Since you are going with the wood transom, I think I would stick with wood for the stringers too. I will say the seacast is a lot stronger than wood.

Your right about the Seacast transoms, my Wellcraft has one, never worry about rot again, and it's stronger that the original, I'm running a 150 Merc with a 4 inch setback jackplate.
http://transomrepair.com/zk/

 

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Got the final layers of the transom glued and clamped in today. I also got the pieces of the stringers that I cut out previously, and wood for the deck cut and shaped to fit. Tomorrow I will put fillets around the transom and glass it over, glass in the stringer patches, and hopefully get the deck fastened down and maybe glassed in as well. Here's some pics of today's progress.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Looks really nice, hurry up summer is almost here!

 

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

I'm workin on it, gimme a break man

 

[archbuilder]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Lol!

 

[Robert4Winns]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Wow. You are moving along fast. Good work.

 

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Finally got the transom glassed in. It it made of 2 layers of 3/4 ply and 1 layer of 1/4 ply. I used biax tape to tab in and 1708 biax for the inner skin. I got the deck screwed down and got biax fiberglass tape cut and ready to do the tabbing. Tomorrow I'll tab the deck and hopefully glass it over using light weight cloth. That's it for now.

 

[Robert4Winns]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Man, you will be on the lake in no time. What did you do for the stringer patches?

 

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Robert, the pic below shows how I repaired the stringers and bilge that I cut out. I hope the explanation is good enough to understand. I bet some of the gurus on here will be shaking their head at how I did it, but I got it done anyway. I peanut buttered and screwed the deck down, so it should all be plenty solid. Today I got the deck tabbed to the hull and all the joints glassed over. I've never glassed before, and I'm amazed at how strong just one layer of biax with epoxy is. That stuff is awesome. Now I have to go back to work for a week, so there won't be any progress to report til then.

 

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

I'd like to switch gears a bit and talk about re-painting. My boat has painted brown stripe down the side from just below the rub rail down to the chine. It's ugly and I want to get rid of it and start over with a new stripe of a different design and color. Am I right in a assuming that the entire hull would be gelcoated and then the stripe painted over it? If this is the case, can I just sand off the paint down to the gelcoat then paint what I want on it? I guess what I want is a fresh canvas. I would also like to get rid of the paint above the rub towards the stern of the boat. Please advise. Thanks. Here's some pics.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Usually the stripe is part of the gel coat. Sometimes they are vinyl, or gel coat with vinyl pinstripes at the edge. If it is paint, I don't think its factory. If it is paint or gelcoat, you can sand it down and paint it.....with the right prep work! if its a decal (doubt it given the size) you could remove it and have a sign guy install something new, similar to what skibum did. The floor is looking good!

 

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

I'm certain it's paint because some idiot put two screws in the side of the hull to attach brackets for the seating, and there is paint on the screws. I'm pretty sure the screws aren't factory What I don't know, is what's underneath. It may be wiser to just paint over the stripe, I just don't really like such a large stripe. I was envisioning a more subtle graphic in crimson. Haven't decided what to do just yet. I'm dang sure gonna get rid of the doodoo brown though.

 

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Finally got to get back to work on the boat today. I've been working on the bench seat and side panels.

The seat will be hinged at the front to allow me to flip it forward and have more room to work on the engine.

This pic shows how much room I have around the bilge when teh seat is flipped forward.

A shot of the storage space below the bench.

And a shot from behind.

I built it all with 1/2 inch ply except for the seat bottom to save weight and it's quite solid. I was able to move the seat back about 6 inches from it's original position as well. I hope to get started on the sundeck tomorrow.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Re: '84 Wellcraft Repairs and Paint

Hey looks real nice. Any more thoughts on the stripe?