'76 Magnum Tri-Hull

[tlovelandka]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

I have kind of the same project about to start here. On a 1975 omega tri-hull. I will most likely decide to follow your thread. That is of course my two partners in crime don't want to just ditch the boat.

Welcome aboard Trillhouse! My rebuild is going to be an adventure so hopefully it'l help and at least along the way it'll teach you what not to do... HA!

Why would you ditch your build? It can't be any worse than mine was...

 

[tlovelandka]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

Well we ripped out the deck today... pics to follow

 

[tlovelandka]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

First off, the wife volunteered to help today which was definitely a surprise.

She pulled the gas tank...

Once that was done we go to ripping out the deck...

It was brittle enough that most of it came up by hand

 

[tlovelandka]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

The wood wasn't so much rotted, as it was just old and brittle

The only places where the wood wasn't trashed was just under the consoles, and in the back corners of the transom.

But nonetheless, it all had to come out. I used a 4inch rotary grinder with a cutting blade to get close enough to the hull without cutting into it. I'll switch the grinder to 40 grit paper to sand down the rough edges left from the deck. That'll be a good time!

 

[tlovelandka]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

After getting most of the old wood out, I set my sights on the water logged foam. We used a saw-zaw, a shovel, and hammers to try and pull it out in big chunks. That foam is just as big a PITA as everyone said.

After an afternoon of progress I called it a day with about half the foam out.

But I couldn't leave before I checked out the stringers and transom.

The stringers spoke for themselves...

So I pretty much knew that the transom would be the same way, but I did a core sample and, to my utter shock, it came out pretty clean. So I'm still holding out hope that I can do a step joint and just replace the bottom of the transom.
Hopefully I'll know more tomorrow after I get all the rest of the foam out. Or, at least that's the plan anyway. We all know how time lines work around here... Ha!

-TLove

 

[thrillhouse700]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

I am also starting a Tri-Hull, I have an inboard with alpha drive, but the top cap of mine looks 96.3% IDENTICAL to yours, Before I rip up the floor I was wondering how you or if you are going to get the deck up that goes underneath the front "step" so to speak. The small hallway between the consoles. Hope no one gets offended I'm asking here just curious. I like your boat a lot tho I cant wait to see yours done so I can get an image of what mine will be like. Thanks man!

 

[redfury]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

I am also starting a Tri-Hull, I have an inboard with alpha drive, but the top cap of mine looks 96.3% IDENTICAL to yours, Before I rip up the floor I was wondering how you or if you are going to get the deck up that goes underneath the front "step" so to speak. The small hallway between the consoles. Hope no one gets offended I'm asking here just curious. I like your boat a lot tho I cant wait to see yours done so I can get an image of what mine will be like. Thanks man!

If you are going through the trouble of stringers and the deck and probably a new transom as well, it's just going to be easiest to commit to the fact that you are going to have to pop the cap off to gain easy access to everything....

 

[tlovelandka]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

Hey Trillhouse,

RedFury's right... I've resigned to the fact that in order replace the bow section of the main stringer - The Cap is going to have to come off. There's just no way around it.

It'll be a challenge becuase that walkway is glassed down, so I'll have to cut it out. I'll get some pictures of it to post when I can.

-Update-

I got all the rest of the foam out today (not counting the section under the walkway we just talked about). So, next weekend I'll bust out the grinder again and get the hull smoothed out. We're making progress!!!

 

[thrillhouse700]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

cool thanks man. My buddies are telling me that doing our boat isn't worth it so I don't know if we will continue. They want to take short cuts so I said if we don't do it right then count me out. Kinda makes me sad I haven't really ever quit a project ever......... I have failed but never quit willingly. Whatever direction we go good luck on yours and can't wait to see it finished.

 

[tlovelandka]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

cool thanks man. My buddies are telling me that doing our boat isn't worth it so I don't know if we will continue. They want to take short cuts so I said if we don't do it right then count me out. Kinda makes me sad I haven't really ever quit a project ever......... I have failed but never quit willingly. Whatever direction we go good luck on yours and can't wait to see it finished.

Dude, That s*cks... Hopefully they'll come around and ya'll will be working on it before too long. I'm looking forward to seeing the pics you post of your restore...

-TLove

 

[tlovelandka]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

Haven't been able to get to the boat yet this week, and now it's raining. I didn't cover it up after ripping out the deck, so I hope it dries out quick. We got work to do!

-TLove

 

[thrillhouse700]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

Hey just wanted to let you know we are continuing on with ours too!!! Im pretty happy. We got 1/3 of the deck ripped up (stern) and the transom out that was a MF'er. Hope yours is going well. I do have a question tho, Since yours in a trihull also I was wonder if you had a bunch of water collecting on the very edge underneath the deck. I was wondering what other tri-hull guys are doing here.

 

[redfury]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

Hey just wanted to let you know we are continuing on with ours too!!! Im pretty happy. We got 1/3 of the deck ripped up (stern) and the transom out that was a MF'er. Hope yours is going well. I do have a question tho, Since yours in a trihull also I was wonder if you had a bunch of water collecting on the very edge underneath the deck. I was wondering what other tri-hull guys are doing here.

I need to address this problem also. It collects in the corners under the seat cushions up front, and it collects along the sides of the boat where I have a small "step".

I was considering a layer of foam and a layer of glass, but in reality, the deck wasn't rotten in these areas when I pulled it out. It was rotten at the back of the boat, so I don't think I'm going to put too much thought into it.

 

[thrillhouse700]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

Yeah when we pulled the rear section of the deck up along the sides where the "dip" is the deck was soaked and there was 35 yr old water in there So I am not sure what we are going to do.

 

[HopeSheFloats]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

Hey TL, just caught this thread...cool project and I see your moving right along...
I'll be watching this one as well!

 

[tlovelandka]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

I need to address this problem also. It collects in the corners under the seat cushions up front, and it collects along the sides of the boat where I have a small "step".

I was considering a layer of foam and a layer of glass, but in reality, the deck wasn't rotten in these areas when I pulled it out. It was rotten at the back of the boat, so I don't think I'm going to put too much thought into it.

I ran into this exact same thing... Along the sides of the hull there was just a little bit of water because it couldn't drain over the step. I thought about glassing up to correct this like Fury said, but I agree it's just a small amount and won't touch any wood so I don't think I'm gonna mess with it.

 

[tlovelandka]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

I finally uploaded the rest of my "before" pics...

Thought I'd share them-

As you can see, when I sat the dirtiest part of the job is behind me I'm not kidding. This rig was GROSS when I got it... Now all I can look forward to is that wonderful itch that comes from grinding glass. Always a good time

-TLove

 

[tlovelandka]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

Speaking of that "itch"...

-Update Time-

Today I separated the walkway in the bow from the hull. To be able to remove the cap I had to cut where it was glassed on...

When I cut out the deck I used a 4inch grinder with a cutting wheel, and that was to clunky to get in there for this job. So I switched to the dremel with a "fiberglass burr" attachment and that thing cut the glass like butter! Should have been using it all along!

Also, I started sanding the remnants of csm that needs to come up. I only had enough time to get underneath the drivers side console to the livewell, but it was a good start...

 

[thrillhouse700]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

Nice i used an air grinder with a 3 inch cutting disc.

 

[tlovelandka]

Re: '76 Magnum Tri-Hull

We're prepping to pull the cap so I can replace the transom and get at this little problem...

There's no way to replace the forward section of the deck as well as main stringer without doing it