Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

[74SkeeterHawk]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

Ok here are my numbers.....how do they sound? I have a 16 ft boat, its 4'5" wide at the deck and sides are 1'7" high. Im planing on doing a full double lay up of 48" CSM to the enitre hull as sudgested by Oops then laying a layer of 8oz roving cloth on that. With the numbers I just said I should need about 100ft of CSM....120ft of 8oz cloth witch would cover both the layup and deck and 20ft of 60" Bi ax for the stringers. My stringers will be low profile, about 6 inches in hieght, the outer stringers are 12 feet in length and the center stringer is 15 ft in length. I tried to be liberal but I just need to know if i did my math wrong. I am hoping ill only have to buy once and have everything I need. this should be enought to do the layups, encasplate (top and bottom) the deck and transom construction. I dont even know how much tape to order for tabing...my head is about to explode with math. Oh well Chime in you guys I did my best.

 

[74SkeeterHawk]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

Well today I figure I would give my brain a break and get back to what I know best....good old fashioned manual labor. I figured I won't be glassing very soon and I have my tools now so why not jump in and start grinding.

Now when I cut the decks, live well, and rod box out with the Sawzall I wasn't able to get skin close to the hull with out cutting the into it.....witch I did a couple of times. So naturaly I have lips and dog ears of old fiber glass hanging out all over the place and I wasn't about to spend hours on end sanding those down, so I threw on the grinder wheel and got to cutting...boy did I under estimate the dust.

But after a few hours of cutting and a few more of vacuming most of the old material is removed and I have nearly flush surfaces to "rough and scuff for my layups. The pictures show me geared up ready to "Rock'n'Roll" and the finished results. The change is minut but significant in doing a profesional job. I may be and "Amature" but Im a stickler for doing quality work.

So tommarow I have to go back to work but I am hoping to get a few more hours to start my roughinf and scuffing more pictures to come .

 

[maxum247]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

Good move leaving the channels for the stringer's that will save alot of time and labor not having to refigure stringer postion, etc.

 

[oops!]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

dont ya just love the dust?.....are ya itchy?

 

[74SkeeterHawk]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

Well accualy i haven't itched today....lucky I guess. As far as the channels go there going to get riped down and repostioned. I took measure ments of them to center and who ever put them in last put them in about an 1" of postion from what they should be from the keel. Soooooo. See ya'll tommarow.

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

Rob, You're looking Good my friend!

 

[74SkeeterHawk]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

Well guys today I jumped in all suited up with grinder and 36 grit sanding wheel and began the hard work. I got about a foot down the hull and had to stop becuase I snapped the sanding disk mount right around the base. I figured this happened becuase of 2 reasons...one I was appling a lot of pressure and two there wasn't a whole lot of give in the disk it self. Before that I was going through sanding disks breaking in similar fashion about every ten minuts. Anyone have any better ideas for sanding attachments. I can't afford to be busting tools like this.

Another thing I noticed was that I was having trouble getting into corners and grooves with the grinder. It was just to big. Could use some help there too

You know one of the best things about this project is its ability to make me think and ask questions of how I can do this a better way. Thank God for you guys.

Any how the only other thing I had to ask is were would be the best place or site I can go too to get fiber glass tools, and material for a good price and quality. Thanks again and as soon as I make some real progress with out breaking something, or my self Ill be sure to get pics and keep ya'll junkies fixed up.

Se yall for now!

 

[ezlucas]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

I have a 1972 Skeeter Brochure that shows a SkeeterHawk Bass Boat running with a 1971 125 Johnson. (it does have a discalimer for overpowering). I think the old days were better.

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

Rob, Let the tool do the work, you just guide it. If you're not getting enough bite to your liking, change grit. You just need to rough it up. 3" grinder can get in the smaller places, or a die grinder if you need to go that small.
See if you can find some Silicon Carbide Fiber Discs. They do best in FB.
call Mid States Industrial Supply Inc of 511 SE 83rd St, Oklahoma City, OK. Phone: 405-632-5571
That disk should be under warranty still I would think.

 

[74SkeeterHawk]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

Thanks, I was pressing hard becuase there is a lot of fat im trying to trim out before I lay the new laminant down......but your right. Today I went out to look at the work (damage) and I noticed I had goudged the fiber glass in places. Lucky for me there is so much excess that it wont hurt to sand them smooth. I also went out today in search of better tooling and I think I found what I was looking for. I was able to find a rubber sanding disk rather than plastic and I also found some better goggles. The pair I have on in the picture have a problem fitting over the nose, as you can see.....kind of looks like Kilroy peeking over the bottom rim trying to get a view. Anyway the main issue, other than asthetics, was it sat up and away from my face and the grinder would just blow tons of dust right into my eyes...No good! So hoping I better luck tommarow I will up date you all then.

 

[74SkeeterHawk]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

well boys if I grind at this rate Ill be done in a year ......or two. I went to a local tool store yesturday and found me a rubber sanding disk. Well I figured out that rubber is easy damaged and well about a half hour of sanding and boom it went flying of my grinder. SOOOOOOO!?!?

Anyway Ill keep trudging and I think I am going to lighten up on the grit. 36 really tears through the fiberglass. Im not going to give up untill I find somehting that works well for what I want to do.

Good news is I got another foot sanded. Later ya'll.

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

Happy New Year!
Carborundum disks will cut and rough-up FG also. I still don't understand why you have so much sanding to do .. are you sanding the whole inside of the hull?

 

[74SkeeterHawk]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

Thanks Nova....Im not disregarding your advice by any means. I went yesturday to look for Carborundom but I have this bad luck that what ever I need I can never find. Thats why I settled on the rubber disk. It was more flexible but I soon realized when you grinding stuff as hard as steel with something that is just a little harder than an eraser.....will it doesn't last to long. Today I went out again on the hunt but being New Years not much available.

As far as the grinding, I am trying to grind the entire hull. It has a bad layup done by someone else that Im trying to remove and Im also trying to minimize wieght addition when I lay the new fiberglass. So thats probubly why im having such a hard time. That and Im still figuring out how to handle my grinder. You know, maximize its performance with out inflicting any damage. Just trying to get the "touch".

I want to thank you so much for helping me out and I will always take advice given here with great gratitude. I hope I never give the impresion that I don't.

Tommarow I have to go back to work but Im hoping we'll get off early so to provide time enough for me to hit up some industrial tool companies here in OKC. Maybe Ill be able to find Grainger as well. Tried yesturday but ended blowing a 1/4 tank in fuel and no luck. You'd think I could find a giant warehouse in the middle of the great plains with no problem.

Tell you what I find tomorrow. Again thanks a lot

 

[74SkeeterHawk]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

SUCCESS!!!!!....I finally was able to get a sanding disc backer worth its weight. Ironically it was about the same set up as the first thing I bought and broke, only this one was made of a better quality plastic and it was metal reinforced. The best thing was that it was cheeper than the 16 dollar piece I orginaly bought at the Home Cheepo.

So what did I get done? Well I was able to get those channels Nova talked about ground down to the surface. I also was able to get a feel for my grinder. By the way like it has been said before 80 grit sandpaper is prime. Any thing more than that and you'll gouge the hell out of your boat and end up doing a lot more sanding than is necessary. :redface:

Sorry that there isn't any new photos. Nothing has changed much since my last upload. On that note my main computers motherboard took a hard nose dive last night....sooo it will be a couple of weeks till I get that back up and running.Im working with the wifes lap top, hopefully it'll handle the pictures as I get them. I'm hoping to get back into the boat tommarow and hit up the majority of the hull after that Im going to have to clean.....A LOT!

Wishing everyone well...talk to ya'll later

 

[74SkeeterHawk]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

So I got a question for the boat rebuilding comunity. So far I know what I am going to do up to the deck but thats about it. I have been doing a lot thinking about the lay out and I know what I want to have in my boat but I havn't the skill to figure out how to build it.

First off there are a couple minimums I want to have. A live well, rod box and if possible a couple of storage points would be nice. I would also like to figure out a way to inclose my battery boxes and fuel tank. Before the battery and fuel tank sat free and open on top of the deck behind the rod box and next to the live well.......kind of tacky to me.

Orginally the live well and rod box was fabricated into the boat with fiberglass. You can see the livewell and part of the rod box in the piture left and right side respectivly. Now I'm not much of an engineer, so I could use some help with ideas on how to intgrate these things back into the boat with out changing the geometry of the boat. Im probubly going to keep locations of the live well and rod box pretty close to stock. So anyone have any Ideads for fabrication or premaned stuff please let me know. Thanks

 

[Hooch_Runner]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

So far so good Rob. You are doing a great job. I lucked up and seem to have the stringers on mine in good condition so I am hoping to avoid some of the hassles you are going through.

Good luck man.

 

[74SkeeterHawk]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

Sounds good. Most of the troubles I have had are mostly created by me. I am learning a ton from all the work I am doing though and hving twice as much fun. The only bad thing is that I am getting the itch when it comes to rebuilding boats. The wife thinks this is a one time thing but you never know, I just might come across another nice project in the near future. You know I have to get my moneys worth out my tools and have a reason to keep coming back here to chat. Keep us updated on your project and keep the pictures coming.

 

[74SkeeterHawk]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

So today I bought another tool. Got a reciprocating sander. It should help getting the sides of the hull sanded down and corners I can not get with the grinder. I was going to try it out today but its a brisk 25 degrees out there and it ain't worth freezing my butt off. Should warm up in the next few days so maybe then.

 

[74SkeeterHawk]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

Ok well between weather , procrastination, and the airforce base I have gotten zero done on my boat. I can not work on my boat in the car port any more. My wifes boss has some land and large building on it so I think I am going to ask if I might move into one for compensation of course. It would be the most economical shelter for the work I need to do.....witch all of you are familiar with. But till i figure out housing nothing can happen as far as fiberglassing. ill keep you updated.

 

[dwyork@hotmail.com]

Re: Soft Deck....Unsure waht to expect

Looks like you are definitely getting the hang of the restoration...best of luck to you and keep us posted with pics and details.