Pontoon rebuild / redesign

[BobsGlasstream]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Actually that is an inside joke, some friends and I use to build composite molds and built models to create the molds, all the parting lines where formed using clay. we would spend hours and hours working on all the different molds. We spent so much time at it, that we started calling it clay therapy. Gave us a lot of quite time. lol
Good luck and have fun
I also agree that the whole project is great therapy.

Bob

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Thanks Bob, I'm sure I will need the encouragement.....getting closer to starting, for some reason the house and acreage seems to get in the way, lol.

 

[oops!]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

hey bud


i hate it when normal life gets in the way of boat building...

have you decided on a theme for the boat?....or is it gong to be a personalized space mod?

what are your thoughts with your boat?

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Its going to be a clean slick look, polished toons, fiberglass for the gunells, radar arch style canopy / 2nd level deck. I haven't decided on the color, black would look great, but not practical unless you want to fry a burger on it! If I was going to name the theme, I would say "contemporary".

I'm planning on picking up the plywood for the deck today......

 

[soggy_feet]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Most of the pontoon stuff could be built by lazyboy, lol!

Funny you should mention that, because one of the local toons here is painted flat black, and has a living room set on deck, complete with lazyboy recliner.

I imagine that gets terribly hot in the sun, but it makes a fashion statement I can get behind.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I imagine that gets terribly hot in the sun, but it makes a fashion statement I can get behind

Lol! No work on the boat today, but I did get the barn cleaned out and Miss Morgan's winter home spruced up. Tomorrow I will give her a bath and tuck her in for the winter.....that should give me room to get the pontoon in the shop ! Finally I'm ready to make some progress!

 

[BobsGlasstream]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

We are ready to start watching too. LOL
Just kidding my friend, can't wait to see you in action again.
Bob

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Ok I finally have most of my fall chores done including getting the shop cleaned and organized for the new build! I wrapped up cleaning last night and spent about an hour making a template for some pontoon cradles. I also measured the motor and sketched out the engine stand dimensions. I want to get it off the trailer and down lower so I don't have to climb up and down all the time. I also got a lifting eye for the little Merc yesterday. Today my gel coat sample kit came in, I also have 5 sheets of AC plywood for the deck. I'm hoping to build the cradles and engine stand this weekend...with some luck I maybe able to pull the engine and get the boat in the shop. This think is like redecking a football field! I'm starting to think I need a bigger shop!

 

[BobsGlasstream]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Well, lets get to building. LOL

Bob

 

[oops!]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

This think is like redecking a football field! I'm starting to think I need a bigger shop!

lol....man to man........when dont you need a bigger shop

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Alright, here we go!!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I picked up some plywood and worked on the pontoon "chocs" tonight. I came up with a design that uses 1 sheet of plywood and 4 8' 2x4's to make 4 chocs. I'm sure it is a bit over kill, but when I am mocking up things I don't want the boat moving around. I have some carpet tile samples that I'm going to glue to the chocs to pad them.

Hopefully tomorrow I can get the chocs, and the motor stand built. I'd love to get the motor off too, but I have a few chores around the house to do...so we'll see.

I'm also going to try to do a better job videoing the project....on Miss Morgan I had a few videos half way through, but nothing very informative. I'll try to do better on this build.

I have been brain storming on the "radar arch" and upper deck a lot the last few days....priced some materials....at this point I think I'm going to build something like a wake board tower, that the upper deck attaches too. I want something I can break down, one person, to reduce the trailered height of the boat and the wind drag. I think the "arch" part will be hinged, so I can just lay it down. The upper deck I need to figure out how to store on the deck. Well first thing is to get her in the shop....then I can figure out the details.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

By the way, I completely agree with you on the shop Oops.....I have a 3,500 sf barn full of "projects" ......need to add on so I can store the pontoon! Jay, Bob here we go!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I got a lot done on the pontoon yesterday (mostly because I blew off everything else I needed to do....I'll pay for that today....) I finished up building the cradles. They were pretty simple to make, I cut out a sheet of plywood into 16 1'x2' pieces. I took half of them and cut the arc out of them. I made the actual arc about 1/4" bigger than the template. That allowed room for the carpet. Here are all the parts for the other 3 after I built the first one.

Here is a shot of all 4 of them. I lined them with some sample carpet tile from work. The tiles are 2'x2' and have a 1/8" plastic back. They worked great I just put a wood shingle nail in each corner and counter sunk the head below the carpet.

After that I built the motor stand and took the 45 hp off of the boat.

I'm running out of room in the barn! I put the engine between the trailer and my 1950 Mercury.....next time I have some friends over, I think we will man handle it inside the barn where it will be out of the weather.

If anyone wants any more info on the motor stand or the cradles let me know and I will post some drawings.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I also got the boat in the shop. I didn't have much of a plan other than backing partially in the shop and pulling the trailer out from under it. When I backed it in, the stern of the boat was about 5' off of the ground due to the truck being lower. So I pulled it out until the trailer tires were outside the shop. That got the stern down to a reasonable height. I tied it to the bucket on the tractor and pulled the back half of it off the trailer with a come-a-long.

I set the back part of the tubes on dollies, then eased the truck forward. It slid nicely off the trailer and on to the front dollies.

After that I pushed it in the shop and put it up on the cradles. They work nicely, the deck is about the right height to work on.

I think I may need some bunk boards,

I managed to get most of the remaining hardware and wiring off. I cleaned the seam sealer off of the z girts....that is nasty stuff! I still don't get that, sealing between the aluminum and the plywood seems like a good way to trap the water in the plywood joint. I also got the transom out after some prying.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Its 1-1/4" thick, replacing it with plywood seems like a bad solution.....I may create a fiberglass shell and fill it full of seacast. Speaking of fiberglass.....this thing has lots of sharp corners....can't wait to get them all covered with fiberglass

 

[oops!]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

i totally agree.......you must understand.....this ....right now....is a tinny...it has no reevits but it is metal....so it wants to cut you.....talk nice to it,,,,,and when its not looking, cover it with glass,,,,(make sure you cover the docking lights ("or its eyes") with a blindfold....when you do that....or it will panic and throw a tantrum.

if it does throw a tantrum and trys to mane you bleed......show it a cutting torch.....then glass it up !

i love the man cave and the keg barby-Q is great.

what you have there bud, is a bare platform.....it can be ANYTHING you want.

have fun!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I figure if she gives me any trouble I will pull out the sawzal and start cutting off non-esentail parts! I think she will cooperate, its all tin boat's secret dream to be a glass boat.....

The Keg-o-que is the best charcoal grill I have ever had! It has Coors Brewing Company and 1955 stamped in the end of it...been around a while.

 

[zopperman]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

arch, you had me confused for a second. I was quickly scrolling down the page and I thought those chocks were going to be some cool keg holders or something!!!

 

[GT1000000]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Hello archbuilder,

Just came across your pontoon thread...

Very cool, it was one of these party barges that we rented a few years ago that actually got me to thinking about owning a boat in the first place...they are really neat cruising platforms...
When I get my current project splashed, I might just have to look into one of these...
Some of the ideas being tossed around here are going to be fun to watch as they materialize...especially the expanding wet bar
I am definitely tagging along for this ride...
Best of Luck,
GT1M