Sleekcraft SST Tunnel Project.

« **on:** January 24, 2016, 10:20:48 AM »

Everyone loves a project to follow. My buddy and I have a nice winter project and first jet boat here in New England. 1980 Sleek Craft SST Tunnel. With a Berkeley Jet.

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« **Reply #1 on:** January 24, 2016, 10:22:34 AM »

Here's the beginning of replacing the floor

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« **Reply #2 on:** January 24, 2016, 12:09:44 PM »

Quote from: eastcoastboys on January 24, 2016, 10:20:48 AM

Everyone loves a project to follow. My buddy and I have a nice winter project and first jet boat here in New England. 1980 Sleek Craft SST Tunnel. With a Berkeley Jet.

"First jet boat in New England"? What part of New England do you live in. My entire family is from Maine and NH. I have been ridding in jet boats 20 years ago in Maine on Rangley lake.

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« **Reply #3 on:** January 24, 2016, 12:14:00 PM »

I didn't mean it like that! Our first jet boat project. The boat we bought out of CT has NH registration tags on it. You think I am that stupid to think I have the only jet boat in New England?

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« **Reply #4 on:** January 24, 2016, 04:49:05 PM »

That's just how I read it. My bad. Hope your build comes out good. Good luck with it.

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« **Reply #5 on:** January 25, 2016, 01:29:11 PM »

Your other thread about installing stringers for a rail kit was about this boat?

Where/how are you installing the stringers?

« **Reply #6 on:** January 26, 2016, 05:41:13 AM »

Yup! This weekend consisted of installing a heater in the garage all day Saturday. It's cold up here! Sunday I got all the wood ruff cut and I also ruff cut the two stringers for motor mounts. There is gonna be a grinding party this weekend to finish prep work on all the old fiberglass. And then I guess it's off to the races with laying the glass.

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« **Reply #7 on:** January 26, 2016, 05:44:52 AM »

I have a friend that's played with glass and made a lot of dash parts for car and what not he is gonna give us a hand. And I figured we would start with resin on all the wood first and I got to fiberglass seats that need new bottoms glasses in. So we are gonna start there and get a idea of how it goes and get a feel for it all before we do the floor.

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« **Reply #8 on:** January 26, 2016, 06:28:07 AM »

Looking at how you cut the plywood, it appears that the stringers will be on top of and laminated to the floor, not laminated directly to the original glass hull. Attaching stringers to the plywood will be different. I'm thinking that some rethinking of the lamination is in order.

« **Reply #9 on:** January 26, 2016, 09:54:07 AM »

So encasing everything at once not a good idea? I was gonna round out the string to the plywood and then use some mate to start and bond the stinger to the plywood. I was also thinking about using liquid nails? For attaching the string to the floor and maybe the same route for the floor to the hull. Yay or nay on the liquid nails idea ?

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« **Reply #10 on:** January 26, 2016, 10:28:57 AM »

You don't want the plywood being the only thing holding your engine in. An iron BBC is about 800 pounds, you don't want that coming loose and rampaging through your boat.

Nay on the Liquid Nails.

I don't see this plan working.

« **Reply #11 on:** January 26, 2016, 10:58:17 AM »

So rip the ply wood and set the stringers first. This what the stringers are gonna consist of. The hull under the new ply wood isn't all that level it was like the factory dump resin in along one side of the tunnel and slapped the plywood down. Leaving what I got now a unlevel mess.

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« **Reply #12 on:** January 26, 2016, 11:22:07 AM »

The stringers don't need to be any taller than 4" (exposed) to install your rail kit.

I would remove puddles of resin. These areas will be brittle.

You want the stringers glassed into the hull, not the floor. The engine could gain enough momentum to rip the floors and everything right out.

I would try to attach the floors so that they add strength, but are NOT the foundation.

« **Reply #13 on:** January 26, 2016, 11:59:17 AM »

Believe it or not I'll take another picture tonight they do need the height in the front. But ok stringers to the hull. Now mate or woven to attach them and I was planning on running woven right up and over them when I do the floor.

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« **Reply #14 on:** January 27, 2016, 08:32:38 AM »

Here is my concern. Let's assume you end up with the ultimate bond and support between the stringers and the top surface of the plywood. Still, the only thing holding the stringers is the plywood.

Now, how is the plywood attached to the hull? Bonded to the top of the tunnels along the bottom surface of the plywood and tabbed in around the perimeter?

No matter how well the stringers are attached to the plywood, the plywood will always be the failure point. The plywood will literally split, the top portion being ripped off with the stringers and the bottom remaining attached to the top of the tunnels.

The stringers need to be a structural member in order to retain the engine. Therefore they need to be attached ad such. From what I see here, the floor is not a structural member.

You are redesigning the intent of how the engine is mounted in that particular and unique hull. Since you are changing the design intent, I would suggest following proven techniques.

« **Reply #15 on:** January 27, 2016, 08:59:21 AM »

Quote from: Flusher on January 27, 2016, 08:32:38 AM

Here is my concern. Let's assume you end up with the ultimate bond and support between the stringers and the top surface of the plywood. Still, the only thing holding the stringers is the plywood.

Now, how is the plywood attached to the hull? Bonded to the top of the tunnels along the bottom surface of the plywood and tabbed in around the perimeter?

No matter how well the stringers are attached to the plywood, the plywood will always be the failure point. The plywood will literally split, the top portion being ripped off with the stringers and the bottom remaining attached to the top of the tunnels.

The stringers need to be a structural member in order to retain the engine. Therefore they need to be attached ad such. From what I see here, the floor is not a structural member.

You are redesigning the intent of how the engine is mounted in that particular and unique hull. Since you are changing the design intent, I would suggest following proven techniques.

Agree 100%.

The plywood is only as strong as its laminated layers.

I would have epoxied the stringers directly to the hull fiberglass and roving over the stringers to the hull. Then,if you still desire, laminate the plywood down.

Resin should NEVER be thicker than 1/16 by itself. It will crack just about like peanut brittle.

Always squeegee up excess resin.

I don't have a lot of free time at the moment, but promise to circle back.

GT

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« **Reply #16 on:** January 27, 2016, 09:25:34 AM »

At this point common sense tells me to find someone near you that knows how to do this-not so much the labor but at least looking over your shoulder and directing. For your first project you may spend a few extra dollars, but the knowledge will pay for itself in the future-and possibly save you from sinking your boat or worse.

Steve-O

« **Reply #17 on:** January 27, 2016, 10:11:07 AM »

Alright more pictures to come of the redesign. And as for hiring someone. I think I would be very hard pressed to find some one willing to just even do the work in my area. Not to mention its sitting on blocks in my garage. New England isn't all that friendly of a area with boat work. But I do have a friend who has a lot of time behind working with fiberglass that's willing to help. And coming from a hands on back ground of anything that has a engine driving it I have confidence in my self I can get it done and done right with a little input from all you guys. All the info and eagerness to share on this site is priceless and very much appreciated. Thanks again!

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« **Reply #18 on:** January 27, 2016, 11:17:16 PM »

In have been watching this post since it started because I have a Sleekcraft SST mine is mounted through the hull just like yours originally is and that way works very well what I suggest is what I'm hoping to do too is instead of having two main points where the mounts are mounted spread it out a little there is a lot less stress on the hull and it keeps the stringers out since our boats never were meant to have them just my opinion if you have any question feel free to ask

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« **Reply #19 on:** January 28, 2016, 01:12:05 AM »

Ohh shit... open the worm can!!! Lol ask jake if his tunnel has stringers??!!! LolO0

Your Friendly local v-drive owner

« **Reply #20 on:** January 28, 2016, 09:29:06 AM »

Yah I know how they originally where set up and it's not going back that. Because of time and poor design the floor was nothing but dirt and the studs where paper thin where you couldn't see. I am sure if it was redone and sealed nice it could last but then again to check how things look the boat would have to be removed from the trailer to access the through hull bolts. Plus I don't have a three point set up here's a couple picture I said I would put up. Makes you wonder what your bolts running through the hull look like doesn't it?

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« **Reply #21 on:** January 28, 2016, 11:52:12 AM »

Those bolt are horrible but this is how I was trying to explain to change it

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« **Reply #22 on:** January 28, 2016, 05:49:30 PM »

That's a lot of holes drilled through the hull did you run a plate on the underside of the hull too

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« **Reply #23 on:** January 28, 2016, 05:50:12 PM »

That's not my boat that's what I would like to do to my boat

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« **Reply #24 on:** January 28, 2016, 08:34:44 PM »

Quote from: eastcoastboys on January 28, 2016, 05:49:30 PM

That's a lot of holes drilled through the hull did you run a plate on the underside of the hull too

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. Talk to ddmack on here he is the only guy I know that has done all the homework on that hull. He has a crazy build going right now with one. He will most likely have some answers for you and knows what it takes to make that hull quick

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