SoCal Jet Boats
Tech Talk => Gelcoat / Paint / Fireberglass Repair => Topic started by: bonzai272 on March 14, 2014, 09:22:08 PM
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Hey guys. Im new to the forum and I live in Chino. I recently bought my first boat. Its a 1979 Witchcraft 17' with a Mercury 115 outboard. I suspected it needed a new transom core so today I was taking a jigsaw to the inside rear of the boat and discovered I also need to replace the stringers and floor, along with the transom. I have a few questions I was hoping you could help me with.
Should I replace the transom first, then focus on the stringers or vice versa? My thinking is that I should cut just enough of the rear floor and stringers out so that I can replace the transom first, then move onto the stringers (one at a time) and the floor. Ill be doing this on the trailer so I think doing it this way will help prevent the hull from getting out of shape. Am I on the right track?
Also, I have no idea how far forward the rotten wood goes. If the rotten wood only goes half way up the boat from the rear, can I just cut out only the rotten portions of stringers and floor, leaving the good wood, and just replace what I cut out? Or do I need to remove and replace the stringers entirely?
Lastly, what is the best way to get the floor cut out? I have a jigsaw and a grinder with a cutoff disc. Should I just run the jigsaw up the center of the floor, then pry the floor up from the middle or do I need to cut/grind the floor at the sides where its glassed into the hull?
Thanks so much for all the help!
It is a ton of work.
I called House of Boats in Fontana and they have by far the best prices on wood and glass work.
today I removed the seats and carpet, then started cutting out the floor. What a pain in the ass! Its hard to separate the wood floor from where it is bonded to the fiberglass hull along the sides. How am I supposed to get a clean surface there? Do I just cut the floor off as close as I can, then grind and grind and grind until its a clean smooth surface for the new floor? Seems like it will take forever.
Same goes for the glass that bonds the stringer to the hull, pain in the ass! Any tips or tricks here to get a clean surface for the new stringer and floor?
-beerjet-
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today I removed the seats and carpet, then started cutting out the floor. What a pain in the ass! Its hard to separate the wood floor from where it is bonded to the fiberglass hull along the sides. How am I supposed to get a clean surface there? Do I just cut the floor off as close as I can, then grind and grind and grind until its a clean smooth surface for the new floor? Seems like it will take forever.
Same goes for the glass that bonds the stringer to the hull, pain in the ass! Any tips or tricks here to get a clean surface for the new stringer and floor?
I was sort of hoping you would find a different hull... Since you are committed, here goes.
99 time out of 100 you can separate the layers of glass at the edges of the wood.
What I use is a very sharp large long handled gasket scraper to separate the layers of fiberglass where it overlaps at the edges of whatever you are trying to remove.
Wear safety glasses and quality gloves and don't forget to coat yourself in Gold Bond powder. I actually use a full face respirator and a Tyvek coverall.
Fing the edge of the layer you think retains the wooden parts you want to remove and get under it and pry it up, you should be able to grab the end with your hand and pull it up like a huge zipper.
I can normally get the entire floor out in about an hour once the interior is removed., I also don't remove all the carpet, I just remove the areas where I need access, this can be a huge time saver.
Hope this helps get you in the right direction, good luck.
GT
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i have 2 build threads where i redid transoms, floor, and stringers. lots of info in those and tons of pix.
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This may be out of my league. Im now thinking about taking it to someone who knows what theyre doing. Just need it done at a fair price.
Beerjet mentioned House of Boats in Fontana but I cant find any contact info for them online. Anyone know how to reach them or where they are?
Any other shops that do good work at a fair price?
unless you have a sentimental attachment to this boat save yourself alot of money and headache, go find a better hull..
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aren't pretty much all of these old 70's boats running around with some form of wet wood though?
No.
My Hallett is a 72 and it's dry as a bone....
-beerjet-
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aren't pretty much all of these old 70's boats running around with some form of wet wood though?
Actually I have a couple soft spots in the floor....
Nothing structural though.
-beerjet-
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unless you have a sentimental attachment to this boat save yourself alot of money and headache, go find a better hull..
Sort of what I was thinking, but didn't have the balls to come out and say it... Thanks Ralph. You da man... 8)