Re: My boat project.
An update.
I got the deck down and glassed the way I learned on here. Got new carpet laid, sanded and refinished all the woodwork on the inside. The ski locker, steering wheel, and other small trim boards. I recovered the bolsters on each side with the leftover carpet instead of vinyl. I am guessing I will have to go ahead and vinyl them before too many years, the carpet might let moisture in and hold it. I will see how that works out when I get it going. I re-worked the engine cover so it looks good. It is in good shape except for the vinyl around the bottom. It was starting to rip and rot. I trimmed the rot and put a strip of wood trim along the bottom. I used dried, treated deck material and treated it with water seal. I will see how that holds up. Then I made the interior look bad again by putting the old torn up seats back in. Hopefuly next spring I will have the funds to get them recovered or replaced. but for now, I am going to make some covers.
The hole that was in the keel I think is almost patched up. I laid 3 coats of glass over the outside, then went to the inside when I had it all apart. I pulled out all the weatherizing foam the previous owner sprayed in the hole and ground it out clean and smooth. I sanded around the hole, sanded the backside of the patch I put on from inside the hull. I then filled the gap with Bondo brand short strand fiberglass putty. I let the set up good, sanded it smooth, roughed it up cleaned it and put 3 layers of glass over it. I am going to add one more layer to the outside to help smooth it, feather it out the paint the patch.
I was thinking that the hole in the keel caused the stringers and bulkhead to rot, but found out the hole was behind the bulkhead letting water leak right into the ski locker and back to the bilge. So, I started looking for where else water could have came in causing the rotten wood under the bow and the rotten stringers. I found a few causes. One, the vinyl gone off the front seats in the open bow allow water to soak through. I think the water drips through the foam and runs through the bolts holding the cusions down dripping into the hull. Also I found the rub rail on the front appears to have a gap in a few places. I think water was coming in under the cap at the bow.
I will see if my camera will work long enough to snap some pictures tomorrow. It goes through a set of batteries each picture. New batteries, snap one photo, batteries are dead and it shuts off.
Again, thanks for all the information and help on this. I hope next spring I will be able to get after it again and finish things up. But at least it will be safe to get back on the water again until then.
Especialy thanks to you Woodonglass, you have been a great help.
