'78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

[Trooper82]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

Election Day 2012 update...

So yesterday I worked on getting the cap on..and here is the proof...

Started out with the cap lined up and overhanging at the bow...figured the transom wou;d give a little more than the bow....worked my way down the sides...inching the cap in place as I went...got to the stern and one corner game me a fight...

I fought back...with the right tools of course...I lost....

Went to look at the bow and found this...hope you can see that the two furthest front edges are perfectly aligned...so I need to find some slack somewhere...

Not sure how I want to approach this...was thinking I could bevel the edges of the hull and even the cap a little...then get the bow part lined up and in position..then start putting in screws...working my way back to the transom again...but I'd almost bet those corners are going to be too tight...might have to cut some stress releif in them, then PB them in...thoughts?
EDIT: Looking at this pick, I can see I may need to move some screws around...that might help too...doh!

So took a half hour or so and sanded a little...by hand...just to see where I was at...320 then some 1000 I had lying around...I know, big step...but I was just killing time..that isn't how I will do it for reals...even so...kinda shiny...

But it is also kinda thin....

 

[Deleted member 340796]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

Thanks Trooper, so when is the move? Since you got the top on, does that mean you are gonna get on the water before the move? Damned North - not as many lakes. :facepalm:

Trooper that sure looks like a close fit. Makes me wonder if the top would just barely slip over the bottom if you lowered the cap evenly. Might help if you had a second person to control the other end, or get each end close and then move end to end lowering just a tad more until the cap is over the bottom all the way around. Then I would probably continue lowering it slowly and evenly until it will not go anymore. Once you get it that far, I think you could push her down with body weight. If that does not work, yep I might try cutting 1 corner just a little. Hopefully someone else can give you a better idea. Good luck. Can't wait to hear how it goes.

aj

 

[Trooper82]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

Thanks Trooper, so when is the move? Since you got the top on, does that mean you are gonna get on the water before the move? Damned North - not as many lakes. :facepalm:

Water is still in the distant horizon...but I have a plan...just not ready to reveal....

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

Refresh my memory, have you installed those narrow rips you made to go along the inside of the hull, right behind the rubrail? If so, PB/PL & installed just about as permanent as ever possible? If not permanent, remove them..... You'll get more 'give' in the hull w/out them. But leave the piece(s) along the transom if you added any, likely you did not, the new plywood transom should reach up to the top edge of the hull and provide the backing you wanted/needed...

Since you need to get 2 corners correctly fitted at the stern, and only 1 at the bow, I'd start at the transom & work forward on each side equally until you get just forward of the consoles. I figure that's about where the bow starts to taper inward.....

Once you get the transom joint snug and start to move forward on the cap, about 1/2 way to the consoles, stop. Make sure you're as tight against the transom as possible. Along the transom drive a screw near each corner, and 1 in the middle somewhere.... I'd use a screw & washer to draw the cap & transom together SNUG, but don't crack the glass!

Use 1 of these & a 2nd larger washer behind that:

You want to spread the screw force out as much as possible, and make it snug, but DON'T crack the glass.....


If you need to support the cap use a piece of 1/4-3/8" ply under the cap at the bow....

If you need to pull in the sides of the hull along the gunwale to get the cap on, use a ratchet strap all the way around the hull. And make sure you can pull it out from under the cap after you get the cap attached.... Protect your new gelcoat from friction as you slightly tighten the strap, shouldn't need much tension.

Once you get to the taper at the bow, this will likely make you flinch, but it's all I got right now....:redface:


Your hull is heavy enough, and long enough, that this will likely work & not overly stress you, the cap or the hull.....

As you reach the taper, you should be able to confirm that you only need a very little to get the cap onto the hull. If it is only the thickness of the cap/hull lip, carefully lift the bow.... Either from above via your gantry, or from below w/ a scissor jack at the bow eye. Protect your fresh gelcoat from friction...

When I 1st got the interior glass joint removed on my FireFlite, in my haste, I lifted the cap at the bow. The tapered sides of the hull actually sagged in towards the centerline of the boat, not towards the outside. This gave the bow just enough room to sag forward. My hull is flimsy, but I had to lift the hull at the bow to get the cap back on....

The other way to accomplish a similar movement w/ the hull & cap, is to slightly push the hull sides outward as you move forward along the taper, this will pull the bow towards the stern. But is much harder to do slightly & slowly w/ out lots of spreader bars w/ very small incremental adjustments, and it's along a tapered surface.....

Does that ^^^ make sense?

Call if you need too

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

Ratchet straps and pad the keel at the bow and Jack it up on the nose. I bet she'll slide right on.

 

[Trooper82]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

JB,

The strips are only scewed in, so I can remove them...also have them on the transom, replaced transom as it was...just a diamond shape over the keyhole...
I think I got the jist of what you were saying...I like the idea of maybe using inner outward pressure to bring the bow up...I was also going to try lifting by the bow eye, but really doubt it is going to move...but it really doesn't have far to go...glad you posted the washers...I have some here somewhere...that came off with the bow...in my shed somewhere...need to go through it to get things packed anyway...

 

[fat fanny]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

Troop after all that hard work make shes road worthy and then some before the move! I for one will be glad you are once again part of the North Jus make sure your prepared for the weather it's starting to get nasty day by day. But I'm glad your gonna finaly have a garage to work in. Remember patience with the cap install I believe Wood is onto something with his suggestion. Good luck bud!

 

[Trooper82]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

Troop after all that hard work make shes road worthy and then some before the move! I for one will be glad you are once again part of the North Jus make sure your prepared for the weather it's starting to get nasty day by day. But I'm glad your gonna finaly have a garage to work in. Remember patience with the cap install I believe Wood is onto something with his suggestion. Good luck bud!

Good call on making sure she's ready for cooler temps...I did put antifreeze in the motor last year, but we barely saw freezing temps here last winter...already seing the temps at the new palce are freezing...so much to do...and not enough time...hope to get it all done during my vacation...

 

[fat fanny]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

Troop learned this one the hard way "AIR DON'T FREEZE" (Don S & Bondo ) drain it probe the plug holes and blow it out with compressed air with all the hoses off and seal it up! good to go

 

[Trooper82]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

Cap is on!

I found some resin type stuff on the inside edges of the cap...

Better view...

Chipped most of it out...secured the bow with screws and worked my way to the stern...It isn't perfect, but will be good for a road trip!

Almost got myself stuck under the trailer..was lifting the rollers to meet the hull with a jack, then tightening the bolts...the one right behind the rear axle was a pita..and I need to lose some weight

 

[Trooper82]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

Troop learned this one the hard way "AIR DON'T FREEZE" (Don S & Bondo ) drain it probe the plug holes and blow it out with compressed air with all the hoses off and seal it up! good to go

well, I spent 2 years in Fairbanks, AK ...not so sure I would agree that air doesn't freeze....but it for sure won't crack a block if it does...I like the idea...but worry that I might leave some water trapped in the water jackets..I'll look into it..thanks FF!

 

[bear_69cuda]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

Hey Troop,

Checking in brutha... Seems like when I click on the last page of your thread, it goes to another persons thread???? So anyone else having this issue?

 

[Decker83]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

Good to see you got the cap back on. The bow looked good where you used the 1000grit.

Don't know how much air can freeze but the moisture in the air sure can.

 

[fat fanny]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

Bear been havin the same issue along with others like when I exit Troops thread I had to log back on (wierd) but all seems good today except for the Ford truck pop up I don't even like Fords). Troop just make sure you remove all the hoses to the pump and all the drain plugs and hit it with compressed air i know scary but it has worked for me for the last 3 yrs, . Glad you got the cap on for the trip.

 

[Trooper82]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

Well page 95 is working, but not 94....

looking like gelling weather...tomorrow...if it goes as planned....I will be using wax this go around....didn't have tome to get pva.....decker...hope you have good weather for gelling too...sending karma your way buddy

 

[Decker83]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

Hey Troop, same here, hoping all goes well for you too. The person I spoke with at US Composites said not to use the wax below 70 degs. Said it would not give the protective flim it needs to. Anything above 70 degs would be ok.
Sending all the Karma I can muster up your way buddy.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

Hey Troop,

Checking in brutha... Seems like when I click on the last page of your thread, it goes to another persons thread???? So anyone else having this issue?

Hey bear. I had the same problem yesterday with all my subscribed threads. Seems OK today, but like troop said, his page 94 is still not working correctly. I assume the forum is having a problem

Mods - is it fixed?

See ya...

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

Page 94 is working fine for me:redface:

 

[Trooper82]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

I still can't get to GT's thread ....

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy

I still can't get to GT's thread ....

I can get there today. Couldn't yesterday.

Sea ya...