1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

[archbuilder]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

Very nice looking work! How thick is your transom?

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

Excellent craftsmanship and progress! Way to go...

 

[KnightWolf]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

Very nice looking work! How thick is your transom?

1 3/4" as it sits now.

 

[KnightWolf]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

Here's my tip for all of you. My workbench for this project is the 4x8 3/4" plywood that will be my decking laid on two sawhorses. Any extra resin left in the bucket even just a half ounce (I tip upside down a few minutes to get it all). I spread out on the board . It needs to be coated anyway so it let's me use up all of it for no waste. Better than a bunch of resin pucks.

 

[KnightWolf]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

So I had intentions of setting the stringer today.............
But I have been looking at the trailer lately and know it needs everything. You can see some of it in my previous pics. The farthest back portion what would be directly under the transom and where the tied owns would attach broken a weld and is twisted. The bunks are shot as are the supports for them. The rollers and the brackets for them are also toast. As are the tires and the paint. It is a solid steel frame but that's about all it has going for it. So to fix or to buy another......I have been watching Craigslist but prices are 750 and up to 1500$ for a single axle galvanized trailer. I have not looked lately and as a joke I told a buddy at work hey find me a trailer. Pops CL up on his phone and what is the first post........ a dual axle galvanized trailer WOO HOO. Now I don't need a dually but the guy took it on a trade and does not have a boat. It was just about gonna be tore up into a utility trailer. But $400 bucks and it is mine now.








The tires are not as good as they may look they are cracked pretty bad but it towed home 110 miles with out a problem. It is bigger than my other a20 ft could fit no problem. The ad said 16 to 18 ft. But I can slide the bunks even with the trailer and the axles have multiple spots to attach them so I can customize it some.

 

[KnightWolf]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

Spent some time today and set the stringer and tabbed it in with 1700 and got one layer over the top with 1700 as well. I have some bubbles that will need to be fixed. But it is in.

 

[KnightWolf]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

For some reason I noticed that I never tabbed in and covered the knee braces, So that's what I did today. I also cut along the top of the bubbles I had on the stringer. They were all at the top where my tabbing was short of the top. I used a razor blade and slit them then made a mayo thick PB and pushed it in behind.
I did not think so many people were watching my progress in the neighborhood but while I was out 4 people stopped to ask about the boat and progress. One guy was on a motorcycle and pulled over and got off to see it. Better not do anything stupid and noticeable cuz everyone will see.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

Looks like you are making great progress, and you scored on the trailer for sure!

 

[KnightWolf]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

So a quick update nothing to exciting. The new trailer is getting an overhaul. I took off the lights and bunks and the winch post and winch. The winch itself will get replaced. I am going to cold galvanize over the existing galvanizing. There is some rust and a lot of white rust. So it will get a vinegar bath and wire brushing then all parts get a new galvanize coat. Not sure exactly when though. I have a lot this weekend.

I also built the frame to flip the hull over. Now I need a system to do it or a big and dumb party where all my big dumb friends come over and get put to work. Frosty libations bribe a lot in Wisconsin. As well as brats on the grill. That's all for an update I will get pics of the frame and the trailer paint at a later time.

 

[KnightWolf]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

I decided to buy the galvanizing paint today. I wanted to brush it on instead of rattle cans but cans are 5 bucks a piece and a gal. Is $120 and up. But my ace in the hole came through again. There is a surplus store by me that has just about any thing you can think of. I knew he had some spray cans for a buck a piece. Better though he had a few gallon cans for ..........wait for it...............$9 bucks!! So I saved 110 bucks.

I needed some brushes so of to menards they had decent poly brushes for 5.29 with a 5.29 rebate freebie!! Sorta they give you a gift card for menards but that works for me.

It took me over an hour to mix the paint by hand it had been sitting a while but it looks good. I wet wire brushed with vinegar and rinsed with water then tested on part of the winch it looks really good but is still tacky so when it dries fully I will put up pics. I definitely need to put in a drier probably just thin a bit with mineral spirits. It says two coats suggested if it will not be top coated I will have plenty of paint it goes on easy. So I guess the other trailer will get cleaned up and painted also before it gets sold.

Back to work tomorrow so no more boat work until prolly Wednesday.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

I hope your Surplus Paint cures properly. Sometimes when the chemicals separate as it sounds like yours did, even when you mix them back together they don't bind together properly and therefore the paint will not cure properly. If it takes more than 48 hours for the paint to get tack free and fairly hard this might be the case. Hopefully this will not be the case.

 

[KnightWolf]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

That was my thinking as well that's why I did a small test piece. It is nearly tack free now it has been 9 hours since I painted it. It was 75 and humid today so I think it will cure OK.
Most items he gets are from stores going out of business but there are those old forgot items from a warehouse. The other cans of cold galv. Were valspar and I wanted to use that but the lids on those cans were bulged and some had leaked. This was a brand new looking can of soy zinc.

Thank you for the concern though it was in the back of my mind as I painted it on.

 

[KnightWolf]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

I am a bit behind on pics so here we go



First coat of the zinc paint









The gantry needs a few finishing touches but is mostly done. I wish my driveway was flat though made it interesting to build. And putting up a 12' wide 10'6" tall gantry alone is not so easy. Just me and a 10' stepladder.

The paint went on wonderfully on the trailer. I wish the old zinc coating was smoother it would have laid down really flat.
My driveway has a 5 degree slope to it so everything rolls down as I was pulling up the trailer a good Samaritan ran up to help. Before I got out the words its wet paint!!!! He planted both hands on the back.of the trailer I did not care paint can be fixed poor guy out for a walk with his wife has oil based zinc paint t on both palms. Boy did his wife think that was funny. See she said you never listen not to me not to anyone he told you it was wet! Poor guy.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

Looks like you are making great progress! The trailer looks good, are your neighbors wondering if you are building a gallows? lol!

 

[KnightWolf]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

That's what I have been telling people it is. I get the same look when I tell them what it is actually for . Your gonna flip what? Good luck with that man!

 

[KnightWolf]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild







The first two pics are of the frame for when she is upside down. It is actually attached to the boat. So it goes over with the hull.

The next pic is obvious I set it up tonight to get a early start tomorrow weather and wife willing. I did a test lift to see if it would work actually I just wanted to get the stretch if any out of the straps. I had the tarp over the trailer where I could not see the trailer. Turns out I had it 2 inches off the trailer it was just resting on the bow support. So woohoo it works no snapping no creaking now hope tomorrow goes as well.

Here is the plan of how it should go lift the boat up straight off the trailer. Pull the trailer out from under the boat. Then lift the starboard side while lowering the port. This should start to roll the hull. Just before vertical and before it wants to fall over to port the other strap will be put around and the hull lowered on it. This should minimize the fall basically holding it vertically. Then lift with the hoists and reverse the process lift with the port and lower with the starboard. With any luck lower to the ground and away we go. I plan to take video so you all get to see my process. The bow will be supported with my cherry picker. The only part that may cause issue is the tilt of the driveway. The gantry is solid but the cherry picker is on wheels hopefully I have the balance points figured.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

Good luck hope it goes smoothly! Looking forward to the video!

 

[KnightWolf]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

Well it work video to come later when editing is done 1 man two chain hoists and a gantry. Here are some stills for now

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild

Nice Work!

 

[KnightWolf]

Re: 1973 Kona 18ft rebuild



Here is the video of the flip at warp speed. No need to watch 20 min of me pulling on chain hoists so now its about 5.