77 Skeeter Restoration

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

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

Interesting - yeah, my uses will be pretty straight forward...pretty much just trailering. Seems pretty strong so far though... I currently have the entire hull hanging from those 3 points and no problem.

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Got out and took the boat hull off the trailer - I pulled the trailer out and took all the old electrical, bunks, etc off - ready to start stripping off the old paint tomorrow!

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Probably not pulling thru on a non-soft transom, w/out serious torque. Maybe from a 200#+ slalom skier crossing back & forth jumping the wake.

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Got started on the trailer today...my father-in-law helped me with some welding and we got the fender welded back on, and also reinforced the fender on the opposite side. Primed those areas to prevent rust. Will get back to wire-brush and prime the rest soon!

 

[sevanseriesta]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Funny I worked on my trailer today as well. I looked at the hull over and over and said I want to sand the hull, finally said finish the trailer. How long is your boat and trailer? My trailer is way to big for my boat so i'm selling mine.

s always your moving right along.

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Funny I worked on my trailer today as well. I looked at the hull over and over and said I want to sand the hull, finally said finish the trailer. How long is your boat and trailer? My trailer is way to big for my boat so i'm selling mine.

s always your moving right along.

It was a good day for trailers! Haha - my boat is 16', so not too long - the trailer fits it well fortunately... Just will have to do some major clean-up on it - I think I'll get back to it next Saturday and put a good day in to get it completely wire-brushed and primed. I think there may be a couple more welds that I will want to reenforce as well...

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Not much progress this week, but I did get out to do a little planning on the casting deck tonight...

This is what I'm thinking for tackle storage and where my pedestal base will be...





I haven't been able to harvest much hardware from the "old" boat, but after looking at prices, I'm glad that I was able to harvest the bow pedestal - will save me a few bucks

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Got the last piece on to anchor the base of the bow pedestal seat... will glass over it tomorrow...



Also started laying in glass underneath the console...



More to come tomorrow:joyous:

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Got out this morning to work on the cap...

Finished glassing over the underside of the casting deck - All I need to do now is to drill the hole for the pedestal base, and also the hatch holes for the built-in tackle storage...


I also finished glassing underneath the console...


And I put a second layer underneath where I patched up the old fuel fill holes...

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Got out and worked on the trailer again today...

I used the grinder with a wire brush to clean up the frame of the trailer...



Then primed with Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer...I worked for about half a day, and got about half the trailer primed...



A lot of grinding involved! I thought that this might be a good point to put on a fresh wire-brush?:lol:

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Looking good FB...
It is going to be nice to have the boat's ride all ready for when the time comes to get it back on there...

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Looking good FB...
It is going to be nice to have the boat's ride all ready for when the time comes to get it back on there...

Thanks GT! Yeah, I originally wasn't going to do the trailer so soon, but I'm definitely glad to be getting it done!

 

[sevanseriesta]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Busy busy. Great work

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Busy busy. Great work

Thanks Sevanseriesta! Work's been busy lately, but still making some progress!

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Back at t for a little while tonight - tonight's project was tabbing in the new splash well glass from the underside of the cap...

Started out sanding off the wax paper and tape from moulding it last year...





Then laid the glass on and brushed on the epoxy...





And one final check to make sure I didn't have any wrinkles that would push the splashwell away from my transom....

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

I'm almost ready to flip the cap back over, just a few more things on my to-do list:

1) I need to re-enforce some of the fiberglass under the stern fishing platform
2) I need to cut holes for my built-in tackle storage, and for my bow pedestal base
3) I need to mount my tackle trays under the casting deck

After that I'll flip, clean up the to of the cap, and drop it back on the hull!

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Not much happening on the boat this weekend - big storm came through Friday night and we lost power - supposed to get it back tomorrow sometime...

I did get to go to my grandpa's house though and had a great time working on some furniture that he and I have been building! We're doing Mission Style furniture out of red oak - just about to finish up a bedroom suite - it's been a fun project!

Should get back to the boat tomorrow afternoon - I'm going to try to cut the holes in the casting deck for tacke storage and the pedestal base.

 

[sevanseriesta]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Im interested more on how you did your splashwell, I'm gonna have to do something similar. I dont remember seeing anything in the past about your mold, Ill go back and see if I find anything. If its not in here is there anyway that you can post would you did exactly?

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Im interested more on how you did your splashwell, I'm gonna have to do something similar. I dont remember seeing anything in the past about your mold, Ill go back and see if I find anything. If its not in here is there anyway that you can post would you did exactly?

For sure Sevanseriesta! For the splashwell, I actually used my transom as the "mold"... I wanted a snug fit and for me it was the easiest way to make sure it was going to fit.

So, I started by taping wax paper over the entire transom, and just laid the glass over it, one layer at a time... I think I did 3 layers.







I did use a piece of wood wrapped in wax paper to clamp the first layer of glass and make sure it was flat...



If I did it over, I would take the time to shape the piece of wood to the actual profile of the splashwell so the clamped glass would be perfectly even and smooth after - translates to less fairing later...

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Restoration

Got out tonight for a few minutes to work on the casting deck... I started by planning where I was going to put the pedestal base and the two tackle storage racks...





Then I made the plunge and cut the hole for my pedestal base...



Nice flush fit...