New boat project

[Scott Danforth]

I would have built a cradle and uncapped the hull to make your life easier.

 

[Travis71]

I would have built a cradle and uncapped the hull to make your life easier.

With my current skill set, which is basically none, that is sounds extremely intimidating to me.

Speaking of a cradle though, my trailer has four total supports (not sure the technical term), two on each side of the boat; basically boards wrapped in carpet that the hull rests on.



Is that sufficient?

Or do I need to brace it up some more using the trailer as a foundation?

 

[Scott Danforth]

No, the bunks are not sufficient to cradle the hull when you cut the structure out to rebuild it.

We all started somewhere. However a few hours reading some of the forum thread, especially those in the DIY links as a sticky at the top of the forum will help greatly

 

[kcassells]

You'll figure it out. it all seems a little daunting at first but then the adrenaline kicks in!:joyous:

 

[Chris51280]

Chris, thhe bow section was sagging AFTER you put a new deck in?

No, the whole construction sagged since it relied on the floor to support it

 

[Chris51280]

I got my boat off the trailer since it did not fit in the barn. I have it sitting on the keel at two points and I put braces on each side to stabilize it. This way all weight is in the center and this is the strongest point

 

[gm280]

Galaxie22, Here is what I would do with your new boat project.

First before doing anything else is, take pictures of everything and anything NOW. And from every angle you can think of. Then make a sketch of your boat and measure everything and post those measurement on that sketch. The more measurement you do now will absolutely come in handy later on, guarantee!

I made a little grid sketch and measured about every foot or so across the hull for later on. Then build a cradle for the hull. Nothing fancy but it has to hold the hull in position while you remove the guts of the hull and replace the transom, stringers and bulkheads. It keeps the hull from splaying out of shape as you do the work. If it gets out of shape, then your cap won't fit on anymore after you install the new wood and fiberglass. You will thank yourself for that cradle as well.

Once you have it on the cradle, time to do the demolish work. Everything and anything that is wet, rotted and dark colored wood needs to be removed. Again, measure and pictures before doing that.

Once you get it gutted and emptied, then it is time to rebuild. But grinding out the old fiberglass it the worst work you will have to do. It is absolutely dirty, nasty, itchy, smelly crappy work. But we all survived doing the same and proud of our efforts for sure. Read some project threads and get an idea what is involved.

If I can do it, anybody can. I didn't have any idea what to do as well. And I did it! You came to the best place to get help ideas, and assistance for anything. Let's get going...

 

[Travis71]

Thanks gm280 for the detailed instructions and advice!

 

[Travis71]

So I have an idea that probably won’t work since I haven’t seen anyone else doing it...but I’ll ask anyway.

Is there any way to use aluminum for the stringers and other sub-deck structure so that it will never ever rot again?

 

[kcassells]

They call it an aluminum boat. Their is always a way but I don't think it'll be worth $$ the concept. You can buy and pay for woodless stringers/bulkheads. Look under composite materials for boats.

 

[gm280]

I can see you have pretty much the same ideas and questions I had when starting my boat project. I think you are wanting to do this the best that is possible, just like I decided. However, when you think how long this boat hull has worked over the years, and the fact that you will do even a better job rebuilding the hull back, the wood covered with fiberglass will be your best choice in the long run.

Once you cut the stringers and bulkheads and cover them with either polyester resin or epoxy resin and fiberglass material, they are good for decades to come. And it just so happens to be very cost effective as well.

I wanted to make everything from composite, non-rotting, materials, but came to my senses and went the wood route making sure I did everything to water-proof the wood before I installed them.

The factory never ever cared about such things and look how long those parts lasted. Just a thought.

 

[chevymaher]

Once the floor is in you shim under the hallway to adjust the windshield. I used a jack to lift everything and slide various thicknesses under it until the window aligned perfectly.

 

[Scott Danforth]

So I have an idea that probably won’t work since I haven’t seen anyone else doing it...but I’ll ask anyway.

Is there any way to use aluminum for the stringers and other sub-deck structure so that it will never ever rot again?

NO

not easy.

wood is cheap, and if properly encapsulated will last decades. however most boats are thrown together to get them out the door to make a buck.

here is some light reading. https://forums.iboats.com/forum/boa...52-perspective-of-fiberglass-boat-design-life

 

[Mechanicalmike08]

If you dig through my build thread I'm currently in the middle of the 95 Larson, my front floor was the same as yours. I cut everything out from underneath and rebuilt the stringers with the floor still in place. When it was time to shove the floor under that section I just wedged it in and had some help prying that section up until it was in. It got my front glass close but your better off adjusting the window and not stressing the fiberglass more.

 

[Chris51280]

Mine had a board on top to make it even with the rest of,the floor. So mine was completely off anyways

 

[chevymaher]

Right the wndow is out because the floor rotted and sagged. So the glass is stressed from sagging. Returning it to the original position where the window was originally installed. Is the best for relieving stress on the glass parts. It is where it started and is the original relaxed position.