Just acquired a 170 Horizon. Assembly required.

[kcassells]

Let the fun begin!

 

[Bayou Dave]

Yes... now the ASSEMBLY really begins.

 

[chevymaher]

Let the fun begin!

Honestly I commented on that yesterday to my buddy. I had on normal clothes and actually enjoyed the work.

After all that running my jibs how slick i was being using the boards crown to my advantage while clamping. Yep I had to retrace it I had it backwards. I retraced it last night. I was backing out to take my wife to work and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I should have been able to see the white part on the pattern as I traced it.

Which brought up a interesting point. It is not symetrical. It is close but the drain hole moved a little. The rest can be attributed to differences in grinding it was really close. 1/8 difference in places.

I took the square to it last night. I wont be taking the circular saw to any of this except to cut reliefs to get the scrap off so it isn't hanging. Looks straight but all of it is gently curving.

With luck the jig saw blade will last through this part. It only has one left. I will stop and get another pack later in the day when I am dong my runs. I hate no having to be able to use my work time efficiently and having to go after things.

Having my coffee then get this cut out and test fit. See if it needs trimmed I measured it a bit tight. Trace the outdrive hole while it is in there. Then make the second half later if I got time I should have. It is to straight cuts and the bottom with the pattern. I got to pick up a caulking gun for the PL to put those 2 together. Tubes I got are bigger than the gun I have.

I am going to bed everything with PL and screw these 2 together with drywall screws. Use some major c clamps and 2x4's then screw it. After seeing the pitiful circle of glue they used and staples that will be light years ahead of what it was originally.

Bed the stringers with PL and use everglass to make the radiuses for glassing. There was nothing under them originally so I am opting for the PL and everglass because it is just easier to work with. Watertight and has chopped strand in it.

 

[chevymaher]

No Title

Got it cut and test fit it. Something was pushing it out in the upper corners. Took it out and discovered chopped strand in the upper corners. And the edges were all rounded HUMMM imagine that matched the grinder shape.

So I laid in there with a chisel and hammer and got the corners down. Took a heavy file and got in the corners. Then took the grinder to the inside edges of the wood and radiused the whole thing. Then sanded it down smooth with a board sander.

Marked the drive gimble hole and took it out fits perfect now. Cut the center section that is doubled with a angle at the edge. So when it is glassing time it will not need radiused.

Marked the new piece and stopped there. My jig saw blade made it through the first cuts but was dull. I tend not to replace things like that when i finish the last project. It made it good enough.

So after I drop wifey at work I am going to stop and get a set of new blades for the jig saw. And a caulking gun that fits the big PL tubes.

 

[Baylinerchuck]

Good catch. You think wood tears up a jig saw blade, you should see fiberglass coated plywood eat them up. Even the bimetal blades. Lol.

 

[chevymaher]

Well i just got the bad news. Admiral has a check up. So that throws a monkey wrench in boat work today. I may as well since I was off track cut the grass and do my gardening/weeding. So I am good on that for another week.

I got the jig saw blades yesterday at wal mart. They didn't have a caulking gun big enough. I didn't realize it was sunday until I pulled in the hardware store and saw the closed sign.

So while I am waiting for her today I will hit home Depot near the doctors office and get one. Then swing by and get oil and filters for my beast of burden I drive.

It is killing me to use the new blades I want to cut that out and get it attached. Then move on to making the keel and whatever it is called the under the skii locker sections and bulkheads motor mounts. I can actually put all that in when I am gluing since no glass is needed at this stage.

When I was at Ace is the place for the cardboard i looked and they got the circle cutters I need for the cup holders and making the little holes for the expandable foam all through the boat.

My wifes last semester of college starts soon. That is what is killing me on the resin purchase. Books that cost 500 bucks a piece and tuition. Thank god that is almost over.

Just get as much as i can ready and prepared and ready for spring is all i can do.

 

[SHSU]

My wifes last semester of college starts soon. That is what is killing me on the resin purchase. Books that cost 500 bucks a piece and tuition. Thank god that is almost over.

Tell her to borrow them from the library. It pissed me off to no end when I would buy my books and never crack them all semester..... It sucked

 

[chevymaher]

Tell her to borrow them from the library. It pissed me off to no end when I would buy my books and never crack them all semester..... It sucked

It does dont it. and the price they give to buy them back It is a scam any way you look at it. But you got to do it if you want the degree/permission to make money.

I got the caulking gun, I talked to my body supply guy about resin. He will do anything he can if they will let him. I still working on that. One of these times I am going to hit someone who has a account with the place 5 minutes from my house so I can have the area 51 resin I can see but cant have LOL

 

[chevymaher]

No Title

Well nothing I had to do today. So I got a long day in.

Piece cut for transom. Spread the pl out with a drywall knife. Pre drilled the screw holes in the little piece. Clamped it together with 2x4's and some huge C-Clamps I got. Then screwed it together on the edge and inside the transom hole. It sat 10 hours while I was being confused staring blankly into the empty hull. Took the clamps off and set it against the wall to finish curing. Give it a week before I cut the keyhole out. I got plenty to do till then. And it is supposed to rain the next 3 days that gotta slow me down some.

While i was being confused I made the one cross brace that goes across the deck side to side and rest on the flat of the side of the hull. It is a constant and reference point. Got the chalk line ran it from the front. The one part of the old deck left under the bowrider hall. To that point. Then basically just thought about the whole situation a long time. What is the best plan of attack here basically. Yes it did hurt thinking that long.

Then I made a plan of attack. Make the keel and bulkheads. Both at the front of the engine compartment and rear of the skii locker. They are known points and heights. And They will be a reference points for the rest of the building. Not to mention a solid thing to hold the main stringers while I am fabrication them. In the check trim check trim stage.

I made the initial keel pattern of cardboard to big and trimmed it out. Transferred it to the wood and cut it. Then had several trimming sessions. Maybe Charlie Anal was here but I just wasn't having light get under it on the cutout of the french curve style cut. Once it is spaced off of the hull in the final installation it don't matter. But it makes me feel better doing it I guess. Getting some practice in for the more important cuts on the stringers. Which have 2 critical dimensions not just one at the bottom.

It is a heck of alot better than what fours winns had there. Master wood workers they were not. Take a chain saw to it, inch off the hull no prob glass will cover it. I may be new to this and am far from being a boatwright. But I take comfort in the fact that this work is much better than they did originally. Just don't panic it will be fine.

 

[Baylinerchuck]

It absolutely will be better than factory. These boat builders just didn't take the time to custom fit every piece of wood. They really couldn't to stay competitive in the market. We have the time to do it right the second time. If these boats lasted 20 plus years the way they were built imagine how long they'll last now!!

 

[chevymaher]

Well enough reading threads. it is supposed to t storm around noon. Go untarp the boat so when the sun comes up I can maybe get something done before it rains.

I sure know the garage is stuffed full with all the outdrive engine and interior. Now this wood strewn all over creation. Time to go make the donuts.

 

[chevymaher]

No Title

I made a jig for measuring the front bulkhead. Got the chalk line and found the level the bulkhead should be. So All the bulkheads were made then I put the 3 pieces together to see if they were in harmony basically. So all 3 got trimmed up a bunch with the grinder.

Then into the garage to assemble the 3 parts which will go in at the same time. Just put a spacer on each side of the bulkheads when I glue them down.

And just in time it was sprinkling when I was tarping it up to go inside.

 

[kcassells]

Hi Chev,
Why don't you build a tarp cover over your boat. I use 1 and it a pia but I can work rain or snow.

 

[chevymaher]

I do got one on it. And i do get in there to work if I got to. When i started it was cold and I had a heater going in there working.

 

[SHSU]

Nice work. The wood work is coming along faster than the grinding I see LOL

 

[chevymaher]

Nice work. The wood work is coming along faster than the grinding I see LOL

And it don't suck like the grinding did either. Making the main stringers is going to be a trick tho. Got to pass through 3 hull levels. Multiple curves. Outer stringers are just like the keel. One curve.

But yes this part is enjoyable and no itching involved. I actually look forward to doing it. Grinding it was more it has to be done. Lets get this over with already.

Biggest thing is from this point on no more reminders of the rot and boat being junk. It is all new now. Mentally it perks you up.

 

[chevymaher]

Well I got the memo from the Admiral. Tomorrow I go to the college book store and spend my fiberglass money on books. Not unexpected and was part of the long term plan. So no woodworking for me tomorrow. This stuff needs a chance to dry anyway. At least this should be the last time.

 

[SHSU]

Well I got the memo from the Admiral. Tomorrow I go to the college book store and spend my fiberglass money on books. Not unexpected and was part of the long term plan. So no woodworking for me tomorrow. This stuff needs a chance to dry anyway. At least this should be the last time.

I feel your pain.

You ever find out the secret handshake to get your fiberglass local?

 

[chevymaher]

I feel your pain.

You ever find out the secret handshake to get your fiberglass local?

I am working on that still LOL the fiberglass.

It didn't rain and I had a reprieve till another day on the book store robbery. Money is still gone just another day LOL

I had a passing thought this morning if I glue the skeleton assembly in permanent can I get the transom in with it in there. So I did that just to see and it works. Whew that could have been bad if it didn't. Slowed me down making parts and I hate wasting time.

Shimmed it with paint sticks. Perfect 1/8 to a 1/4 off the deck everywhere. Score.

I put a bead on the whole bottom and set it in there. Then put a bead on each side all around it. Then did the window caulking deal and got the excess off with my finger. It isnt ever coming out of there once it dries. Wasted 20 shop towels cleaning up were I will put the radius in at a later date.

Well now off to mess with the transom while this dries and I shouldn't be walking in the boat.

I can't post from the phone on the garage computer to big. So I got to put therm into the main computer use the image reducer bla bla bla. Anyway news at 10. later when I am in my easy chair and usually do this stuff.

 

[chevymaher]

No Title

I did get the transom hole out. Still need to get the steering angle done.