1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

The splashwell screws into the transom were rotted to tooth picks.

Haha you too? All of mine broke off, didn't get a single screw out in one piece. That was some fun work.

I haven't gotten my shipment from clarkcraft yet, ordered some on sunday. I'm assuming they may have gotten a bit of snow in western NY this week?

 

[captainQ]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

Very nice work CapQ! You should be proud!

Thanks for the nice words Greg !

 

[captainQ]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

Haha you too? All of mine broke off, didn't get a single screw out in one piece. That was some fun work.

I haven't gotten my shipment from clarkcraft yet, ordered some on sunday. I'm assuming they may have gotten a bit of snow in western NY this week?

I bet they did get some snow, we've got hammered lately

Quick question, Do you guys screw the transom together or just use the resin between the 2 sheets. I was thinking it would be easier and stronger screwed

 

[Steelhd]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

In the summer of 09 I completely gutted and restored a 1991 17' Blue Fin Fish & Ski. Its now a Fish & Fish. Every screw, piece of plywood, inch of carpeting and chunk of foam was tossed along with the stock gauges and plastic console caps. It was all replaced with new wood, marine vinyl, Herculiner and aluminum. Maybe something here you can use for inspiration...

View from the stern. The Herculiner is rough (non-skid) but not "globby" like it looks in the pictures. Had just hosed the dust off and those are water beads;
http://picasaweb.google.com/bagreenaway/1991Spectrum1700FishFish#5382679987424101122

Front deck;
http://picasaweb.google.com/bagreenaway/1991Spectrum1700FishFish#5382680507224710418

Original had a single battery under the transom well. With a starter battery and two trolling motor batteries the space was filled. Made for both a maintenance nightmare and safety hazard. Moved the batteries out onto the deck into a box with take-apart hinges and LDPE cutting board top;
http://picasaweb.google.com/bagreenaway/1991Spectrum1700FishFish#5382680116698336482

Starboard console;
http://picasaweb.google.com/bagreenaway/1991Spectrum1700FishFish#5382680031914583522

Reconfigured throttle mount and stainless tray. Tray coated with Herculiner and rubber edge protector;
http://picasaweb.google.com/bagreenaway/1991Spectrum1700FishFish#5382680161682066482

Don't know how to get the pictures to show up in the thread. Maybe try to fix that later today.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

I bet they did get some snow, we've got hammered lately

Quick question, Do you guys screw the transom together or just use the resin between the 2 sheets. I was thinking it would be easier and stronger screwed

I think that fasteners are not used in that way because they allow for potential areas for water to intrude. The epoxy adds strength and eliminates the need in my opinion.

 

[captainQ]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

In the summer of 09 I completely gutted and restored a 1991 17' Blue Fin Fish & Ski. Its now a Fish & Fish. Every screw, piece of plywood, inch of carpeting and chunk of foam was tossed along with the stock gauges and plastic console caps. It was all replaced with new wood, marine vinyl, Herculiner and aluminum. Maybe something here you can use for inspiration...

View from the stern. The Herculiner is rough (non-skid) but not "globby" like it looks in the pictures. Had just hosed the dust off and those are water beads;
http://picasaweb.google.com/bagreenaway/1991Spectrum1700FishFish#5382679987424101122

Front deck;
http://picasaweb.google.com/bagreenaway/1991Spectrum1700FishFish#5382680507224710418

Original had a single battery under the transom well. With a starter battery and two trolling motor batteries the space was filled. Made for both a maintenance nightmare and safety hazard. Moved the batteries out onto the deck into a box with take-apart hinges and LDPE cutting board top;
http://picasaweb.google.com/bagreenaway/1991Spectrum1700FishFish#5382680116698336482

Starboard console;
http://picasaweb.google.com/bagreenaway/1991Spectrum1700FishFish#5382680031914583522

Reconfigured throttle mount and stainless tray. Tray coated with Herculiner and rubber edge protector;
http://picasaweb.google.com/bagreenaway/1991Spectrum1700FishFish#5382680161682066482

Don't know how to get the pictures to show up in the thread. Maybe try to fix that later today.

Nice work Steelhd. Thanks for the ideas

 

[captainQ]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

I think that fasteners are not used in that way because they allow for potential areas for water to intrude. The epoxy adds strength and eliminates the need in my opinion.

Well I knew that would be the response but had to ask HA. Thanks !

 

[Psiclown]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

That paint turned out great Q nice work.

 

[captainQ]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

That paint turned out great Q nice work.

Thanks Psi, It's growing on me !

 

[captainQ]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

Well I got my order of epoxy resin from clarkcraft and picked up my plywood for the transom. Saturday I'll be cutting it out and getting ready for epoxy.

One question I have is when you apply the epoxy I understand that you put a few coats on at pretty much the same time, then I assume you lay them together and let them dry and that is what "glues" them together?

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

One question I have is when you apply the epoxy I understand that you put a few coats on at pretty much the same time

I don't think so. It'd be pretty hard to apply any additional epoxy over a tacky first coat. Let it dry over night before applying a second coat. Clark Craft says you don't have to dand between coats but I did anyway to knock down all the air bubbles and such. My deck boards ended up looking like bar tops. Shame to cover 'em!

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

One question I have is when you apply the epoxy I understand that you put a few coats on at pretty much the same time, then I assume you lay them together and let them dry and that is what "glues" them

Yup that's the idea...most folks have used deep cycle batteries or weights to set on them while the epoxy cures. I think I might apply a thin coat on each piece on the sides facing each other, let it cure and then another thin coat on each before sandwiching the pieces.

Clamps can be used as well, but I don't have enough clamps to go that route.

 

[captainQ]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

I don't think so. It'd be pretty hard to apply any additional epoxy over a tacky first coat. Let it dry over night before applying a second coat. Clark Craft says you don't have to dand between coats but I did anyway to knock down all the air bubbles and such. My deck boards ended up looking like bar tops. Shame to cover 'em!

Thanks EZ, I thought I'd read that somewhere but I'll go with your reccomendations for sure.

It's funny you say that "bar tops" as I was wondering about the exposed part of the transom in the splash well, seeing the boat is painted and I'd have to shoot it I've thought about leaving it alone. The other options I'm compemplating is shooting the whole transom before install.

Thanks again EZ, Your help is great !

 

[captainQ]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

Yup that's the idea...most folks have used deep cycle batteries or weights to set on them while the epoxy cures. I think I might apply a thin coat on each piece on the sides facing each other, let it cure and then another thin coat on each before sandwiching the pieces.

Clamps can be used as well, but I don't have enough clamps to go that route.

Ahhh, now it's making sense to me :facepalm: I was nervous about wet epoxy and clamps or wieghts, That makes perfect sense.

Thank You HA, I'm sure I'd of screwed it up with out you all's help

 

[djpeters]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

I layed both halves out with the insides facing up and spread a light coat on both pieces. I them put the wet sides together and clamped them overnight. I did have to tend to it for a few hours as epoxy seeped out around the edges and would leave like droplets of expoy hanging off the bottom side. Took the clamps off the 2nd day and did one face and edges, then next day flipped it and did the last side and edges again. My edges are well sealed.

I had access to a lot of c-clamps:

 

[captainQ]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

I layed both halves out with the insides facing up and spread a light coat on both pieces. I them put the wet sides together and clamped them overnight. I did have to tend to it for a few hours as epoxy seeped out around the edges and would leave like droplets of expoy hanging off the bottom side. Took the clamps off the 2nd day and did one face and edges, then next day flipped it and did the last side and edges again. My edges are well sealed.

I had access to a lot of c-clamps:

Nice jig DJ, I don't have quite that many clamps I was thinking of using the hydrolics from the Ford tractor front end loader

 

[captainQ]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

Hey Guys, had some time to move on today and started cutting out the new transom.

I was shocked ! came out nice

First shot with epoxy mixture on the inside panels.

We used bondo speaders to apply the epoxy, kinda felt soaking a roller or even a brush was a waste of epoxy, with the cost of epoxy being more than the plywood it'd be a shame to waste it

Inside complete and waiting to dry

 

[captainQ]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

Had more time to kill so it was console work next. Goal is to get them disassembled and stripped/wetsanded so Sunday we can shoot them.

We did one coat of stripper and decided to wet sand.

Completed and ready for preclean.

Sunday is preclean consoles, prime and paint. Second epoxy coat on transom and install the new LED trailer lights on the trailer.

Between cocktails and BBQ I'm hoping it all get done. Depending on the coacktail side of things we'll get a report Sunday night or Monday

Thanks for reading

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

Wow q, you have a sweet selection of rods buddy!

Great progress, keep on it!

 

[captainQ]

Re: 1980 Blue Fin Sportsman Restomod

Wow q, you have a sweet selection of rods buddy!

Great progress, keep on it!

Thanks Jas. We got a couple rods, :facepalm: Seems like a few days go by and not much gets done and then we pour the coal to her and big things happen. Hopefuly Sunday goes well and we'll have more updates.

One of these days I'll get some good pic's of all the gear You know that's what it's all about, fish, fish, fish ! I'm hearing warmer temps coming to the NE next week, we'll kick into overdrive if we hit the 40's

Salmon season right around the corner