82 Starcraft MR 180 floor, slight refit and leaks

[redneck joe]

OK in for the day, haven't seen the wife in over a week so I bought a rib roast and had to break it down so we could eat. Cant pay 15 bucks a pound for single steaks and the whole was nine per.

Got the boat cuts done but it seems the outside channel foam is well stuck to the decking so not able to pull up in whole sheets. I'm thinking sawing down the middle and depth of the decking and pull from the center. Any other thoughts or experiences?

Also, I do see where the rear side panels are attached to the splashwell with rivets, two blind and one solid.

 

[MikeSchinlaub]

Cut the foam into sections with a sawzall and get a flat bar under it. Be careful not to hit the hull with the blade.

 

[redneck joe]

I assume you are referring to after I detach the decking. My plan was to use a camping saw.

 

[MikeSchinlaub]

I misread. I was thinking there was foam under the boxes along the side that you were referring to.

Are you sure you got all the decking screws out? They can be pretty hard to find under all the dirt and glue. They don't use stainless, so the heads are always rusty too. I usually end up having to pull the wood up through a few screws.

 

[redneck joe]

Yes, the area I'm working now is really clean and good wood except the the one side and that is mush. There are holes where they sprayed the foam and it appears to have expanded enough to glue to the wood. The fasteners were aluminum rivets.

Cold wet windy today no barely have looked at, will prob tomorrow.

 

[MikeSchinlaub]

There are holes where they sprayed the foam and it appears to have expanded enough to glue to the wood.

It's a two part liquid that expands and turns into that foam. You putthe floor in, cut those holes, and pour the mix in. Depending on how wet the surface is when it hits the wood, it could stick to it.

Whack some pry bars between the wood and stringer surface. If you can't pull them up in one piece, maybe saw length wise between the stringers so all you cut into underneath is the foam.

 

[redneck joe]

Yeah that was my plan to cut if can't get pulled up. I get it to raise about halfway to the center but the sides aren't releasing.

More to come over the weekend.

 

[MikeSchinlaub]

Do you have any big cardboard to make some templates first?

 

[redneck joe]

I can however as I said the wood is I very good condition except in a strip about 8 inches by about 6 feet so I should be able to flip mirror image the cuts from the good side.

 

[redneck joe]

So, the boating gods are looking out for my pocketbook, scored a wrench and a clamp!!!

 

[MikeSchinlaub]

I bet if you dig around in the bilge, you'll find some extra hardware too

 

[redneck joe]

So you were correct, missed one rivet plus I learned that just because I drilled thru the pin can still be there. Found a handfull of those. The lone star I did was way easier, mostly rotted drywall screw and bad wood. And no foam in 1953.

Most all out, the back panel on starboard only the front third had rivets and one one side the rot was easy other side there was one under the side panel so I jut cut the wood. I will be able to get to it when I get the foam out. And it was glued to the foam. Overall not pleasant but I'm good.

I was surprised the cross prices we not structural. Anyone ever make them that way? Thought maybe a T bar?

 

[redneck joe]

And apparently, my feet.

 

[redneck joe]

I bet if you dig around in the bilge, you'll find some extra hardware too

That is a mess down there...

 

[MikeSchinlaub]

I was surprised the cross prices we not structural. Anyone ever make them that way? Thought maybe a T bar?

Your boat isn't very big. The ribs along the bottom, and how the side panels attach to the floor and hull should give plenty of support. Bigger ones do have structural cross pieces and another set of stringers.

 

[jbcurt00]

Those things ribbons are just the deck plywood joiner at the seams, ties them together like roof plywood H clips

 

[FLATHEAD]

That is a mess down there...

You have some spaghetti to sort for sure.

 

[redneck joe]

You have some spaghetti to sort for sure.

Looks worse than it is. Plan is to run two pvc tubes. One for the shift and steering cables, one for general wiring. Maybe a small one for the depth finder. That is of course a plan but if I move battery under the helm... either way I want tube's not that general mix of crap should i need to add replace anything. Not planning on adding anything that I not currently there but never know so I want to be able to fish wires easily.

Speaking of replacing, I have new shift cables and looking into new steering. It looks to have been replace but as long as I'm in there iirc the cost isn't much from a boating perspective.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Looks worse than it is. Plan is to run two pvc tubes. One for the shift and steering cables, one for general wiring. Maybe a small one for the depth finder. That is of course a plan but if I move battery under the helm... either way I want tube's not that general mix of crap should i need to add replace anything. Not planning on adding anything that I not currently there but never know so I want to be able to fish wires easily.

Speaking of replacing, I have new shift cables and looking into new steering. It looks to have been replace but as long as I'm in there iirc the cost isn't much from a boating perspective.

Try to remember to put a pull string in those tubes in case you want to pull something through at a later date.

 

[redneck joe]

Try to remember to put a pull string in those tubes in case you want to pull something through at a later date.

Yep, #10 copper. Smooth to not catch and no corrosion. I'm better than most with a fish tape as well.