Seperating hull from top of boat

[pfistey1]

Well as luck would have it, just when I'm about to upgrade my engine to a newer model, my floor and transom are rotted. I will need to remove the top half of the boat from the hull. How do I do this? Is it as simple as removing the rub rail and cutting along that area then lifting it off? What do I do when I get the transom, it appears to be all one piece on my boat? I think I may need to locate a newer hull. Any suggestions? Thanks everyone.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Seperating hull from top of boat

It is not difficult to seperate. Remove everything you can, including windshield. Remove rubrail. The flanges may be glassed, stapled, or riveted, won't know til you get there. The spashwell will be bonded to the transom, but you can pop that bond with a prybar. Then you get three buddies, everyone grab a corner, and lift the whole mess off, and set it aside. Easy as that. I did mine with my neighbor and his wife, not hard at all.<br /><br />You do need to make sure the hull is supported either on a good bunk or roller trailer, or on supports. The possibility of hull warpage when the top is off is high, so you have to monitor it. <br /><br />I took measurements at the floor level every two inches, from one side to the other. That way I could cut the new floor pieces based on those measurements, not on the bare hull shell when you get all the guts out. The reason for this is that the hull can spread, you do not want to end up rebuilding your hull wider than it was. The top will not fit back on properly otherwise. Anyway, keep us posted, good luck.

 

[AMD Rules]

Re: Seperating hull from top of boat

Depending on the size of your boat, it can be relatively easy. Follow Jason's advice regarding hull distortion closely.<br /><br />I popped the top off my 16ft boat this past weekend. Lots of rivets... and the wife and I easily lifted and moved the top deck out of the way.

 

[pfistey1]

Re: Seperating hull from top of boat

Thanks guy's, I'll keep an eye out for the distortion. Any suggestions on how to prevent distortion? It's an 18ft. closed bow, currently on a relatively new roller trailer. I'm thinking strapping the walls once the top is removed. Keeping the walls taught together with straps, to prevent the walls from moving outward. What do you think about that?

 

[pfistey1]

Re: Seperating hull from top of boat

AMD, great job on the restoration. That is exactly what I need to do. My boat is a 1980 and is in great shape for it's age, never painted, gel coat is clean and shines. I hate to throw it away. I have to take this project on. Good luck and thanks for the advice. Let me ask you, what was the top of the boat riveted to? I thought rivets needed to be used with metal? Thanks for the help.

 

[bh357]

Re: Seperating hull from top of boat

pfistey1,<br />I was able to get the entire floor and the stringers out of mine with the deck still attached. The transom stayed in for the first part. I cut all the floor sections, and did a trial fit of everything. Next, I glassed in all except the most rearward and forward sections of floor. After those were in, I removed the deck, and did the transom and remaining floor sections, along with a second layer of mat over the entire floor. The sections of new floor allowed the hull to keep it's shape with the deck removed.

 

[pfistey1]

Re: Seperating hull from top of boat

Excellent, thanks bh357 for the advise. If you don't mind me asking, why did you leave the most forward sections out? It obviously didn't have anything to do with the transom, right? I was thinking of using the SeaCast System for the transom as opposed to plywood. Any thoughts on that idea? Thanks again.

 

[bh357]

Re: Seperating hull from top of boat

The reason I left the forward section out before I removed the deck is that there wasn't quite enough room under the deck to work.<br /><br />I don't have any experience using SeaCast. My transom is 2 layers of 1/2" ACX Plywood, attached together using thickened resin and screws, glassed in with 1 layers of mat, and an 8" wide strip of woven roving along the sides and bottom, and at the joint between the floor and the transom. The transom was quite easy to do. Probably the worst part of the whole project was grinding out the old fiberglass in 90degree heat. Had to balance the desire not to sweat with the desire not to itch. The desire not to itch won out.<br /><br />As for removal of the deck, when I got my boat, the deck and hull were held together by the screws used to attach the rub rail channel. Now it's sealed together using 5200, and the screws.<br /><br />Do you have any photos of your boat? What size boat is it?

 

[pfistey1]

Re: Seperating hull from top of boat

Sounds good, have pictures, just have to post them. I hope to do that this weekend. I plan to photo the project like many people on this site. Now that I'm going to remove everything, I'll probably go the plywood route on the transom. The Seacast might have been an easy way out. However, since I have to remove the floor, why not go the extra mile and do the right job. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again for all the advice.