77 Skeeter Restoration

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

After dry-fitting, I thickened up epoxy with cabosil and fiberglass shreds to a mayonnaise consistency, and spread it on the old fiberglass before clamping it back together.

Before:



Old fiberglass and foam removed:



New plywood epoxied and clamped:

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

I've decided to abandon my old plan for built-in tackle storage and switch things up a bit... Sevanseriesta made a good point about drainage a few pages back:

Are you going to put anything in the box to help with drainage?

...and I realized that it was going to be difficult with my design to either glass the inside of the box, or to keep mold from growing in the box over the long-term, so I'm opting for an alternative:

I'm going to make 2 smaller compartments instead of the single large one, each with one of these plastic plano box organizers to hold the tackle. This should solve both my drainage problems and any worries about mold...

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Pulled the clamps tonight - amazing how much the structure here helps keep the cap square - without it, I could see it sagging, but no more! More to come tomorrow ...

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Got out this morning to work on the cap -

Dry-fit another piece for under the casting deck...



Then I brushed epoxy over both sides of the new piece, the underside of the casting deck, and the underside of the console...







Currently waiting for the epoxy to cure a bit, but more to come...

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Got the vertical piece of the subdeck epoxied and clamped in place, and I also mixed some PB up and contoured the seams around the casting deck...should be ready for glass tomorrow...



Also put PB in as filler on the underside of the console...

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Wow FB, you are getting closer and closer to getting this cap rebuilt to better than original shape...
Nice work!

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Wow FB, you are getting closer and closer to getting this cap rebuilt to better than original shape...
Nice work!

Thanks GT! Exciting to be making progress

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

FB, Was there wood originally in place where you are putting the wood now?? If not, do you realize how much added weight you're adding to your boat?

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

FB, Was there wood originally in place where you are putting the wood now?? If not, do you realize how much added weight you're adding to your boat?

Thanks WOG,

There was not wood there before - I'm definitely going to have to be careful to not get too crazy with adding too much wood - and to keep the balance right...

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

5 gallons of epoxy will ad approx 50 lbs of weight and a sheet of 3/4" plywood another 75#. Just wanted to make you aware.

 

[sevanseriesta]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Does look great, Its cool to see something new almost everyday on this build... Great job.

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

5 gallons of epoxy will ad approx 50 lbs of weight and a sheet of 3/4" plywood another 75#. Just wanted to make you aware.

Thanks WOG,

That helps give me an idea about what I've added so far, and what I was thinking of adding! I will have to sit down tonight and plug those numbers in and calculate the actual weight for what I have planned.

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Does look great, Its cool to see something new almost everyday on this build... Great job.

Thanks Sevanseriesta! It's fun to be making progress - it'll be nice to get this cap fixed up and put back on the hull.

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Got glass on the underside of the casting deck tonight - more to come on Friday:joyous:

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

A little epoxy here and there - had to go pick up some more glass today...

 

[sevanseriesta]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Hey got some questions on how you flipped the Hull I'm gonna send you a pm

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Hey got some questions on how you flipped the Hull I'm gonna send you a pm

Got your pm! Good luck with the flip!

 

[poppop51]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Hi fishbone, I am doing the same boat as you and I noticed you have 4 stringers and I only have 2. Did you add the two outside stringers? I only have the two inside ones.

Thanks, poppop.

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Hi fishbone, I am doing the same boat as you and I noticed you have 4 stringers and I only have 2. Did you add the two outside stringers? I only have the two inside ones.

Thanks, poppop.

Hey poppop! Yes, the smaller outer stringers were my addition. Initially I thought that if I added those, I could actually save some weight and not use foam - WRONG! I think it was Oops that had the thread about the changes made in the thickness of fiberglass used for the hulls around 1970... After 1970, the hulls were made thinner because the builders realized that the closed cell foam actually has structural significance...so, even with my "bright" ... Aka ... "I really just didn't want to spend the money" idea, I ended up using foam in the end, and had 2 unnecessary stringers.

 

[KCKracker]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Got out and installed the bow eye and transom tie-downs... got a little sloppy on the inside, but I guess nobody will see it:facepalm:

i have had them bust the outer nut thru, see how you have a flat plate on the inside, i use them on the outside too for the eyes and keeps them from getting breaking glass