1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

[matt167]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

Well, I've got my first US.Composits order wrote out on the fax in order form. Just have to make sure I have enough money in the bank so I don't go broke. Should have it faxed in tomorrow tho

5 gal 435 resin
6 yards 50" 1708
6 yards 50" 1.5" CSM
10 yards 6oz E grade cloth
15 quarts of Cabosil
1 3/8"x4" economy roller
2x2oz surface wax ( just in case I need it )

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

The 5 gallons of resin will be a start, and that's about it... but after you see how far it goes it'll give you a good idea on how much more you need to order.

 

[matt167]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

Well, the USC order never got thru. I found Mertons and decided to try them but it says on the website to check price on resin and their copyright on the site is 2 years out of date. I emailed them to check but no reply yet. I think I'm going to complete the order with USC and just be done with it.. Cradle is almost finished. I still have to put in place the contact points for the hull. Being as I built it the cradle on the trailer and clamped it to it on one side with C clamps, the cradle leans to the other side that isn't clamped, so I have to buy more clamps, square and re clamp the cradle, and then I'm probably going to block the hull up, build the cradle up a measured amount and get the weight off of the rollers. Probably going to need some outrigger supports down to the ground also.

The plywood is on saw horses, covered up in tarps waiting now.

 

[matt167]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

Just dawned on me to check my bill for the plywood to see what the prices were. The place is local so I just drove out without checking.. I know I asked for ABX but I see on the bill that it is all CDX. I thought it looked pretty bad when I bought it but I've only ever bought marine grade for boats before, even when my faimley repaired my dads old Chieftain for service, we used marine grade.. I figure they sold me what they had rather than tell me they did not have what I needed.. I don't want the CDX on the transom, but can the 5/8" CDX be used on the deck? It does have one good side..

I'll grab 2 sheets of 3/4" ABX at a better yard when I have my truck out on a free day.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

Take it back. CDX is really not very good stuff. Have you called around to see it anyone carries the Arauco Brand of plywood? Home Depot and Lowes usually carry it.

 

[matt167]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

Neither Lowes or HD carries any exterior grade plywood where I go, and I've never been able to find Arauco anywhere out here. Lowes will try to sell BC Pine or pressure treated instead.. There is a good lumber yard I go to sometimes, and if they don't have what I want, 2 days out they will have enough to complete my order if their supplier carries it. I know they can get Marine grade Fir as I have gotten it in 1/4" from them for my drift pram, and they had told me then, that they could get about any thickness I needed... So If I can't find ABX anywhere I will just order marine grade. Cost more, but it will be right.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

Have you asked the Lumber Yard about Arauco Ply. Have you asked Lowe's or Home Depot about Ordering the Arauco Ply for you. If their other stores carry it, I don't see why they can't order it in from one of their other store locations. Also, Ask the Lumber yard what the builders use for quality Underlayment for Tile Floors. That is good plywood for making Decks, Stringers and Transoms.

 

[matt167]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

I have not asked about Arauco ply but I will.. I had asked lowes about ordering ABX and they insisted that the BC pine would work for me and that they could not order anything. The HD I used to go to, I no longer have anything to do with because I learned the manager will go thru any cost to try to destroy other companies sales. I attempted to work for him, but after the meeting where he openly told me that, I simply never went back..

This lumber yard that I got the marine grade from, is quite large, and high volume so they probably have or can get Arauco or something else that will work. If not.. Marine grade

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

Here's some info on the Arauco Plywood
http://www.araucoply.com/informacion2.asp?Submenu=1522&cat=1651&fin=1668

 

[fleetwoodwalker]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

Hey, your boat looks real nice! I am planning on starting to restore my boat next week sometime. It is similar to yours, was in the family since it was bought (1965 winner). I have a question about how you removed the cap. I attached a few pics to help. Do you have to remove the entire cap in order to replace the deck/transom? And if you do do you take the entire thing off at once (steering wheel etc.)? It looks like your was stapled on.. is this how they all are?.. basically is it necessary to remove the cap to put a new deck in?

Thanks, and good luck!

 

[matt167]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

You can R&R the deck and stringers with the cap on, but not the transom.. Some elect to cut the cap at the rear in front of the splash well, to get to the transom, but to save on fiberglassing and finishing, it's probably easiest to just remove the cap. If it's a work boat or fit and finish is not a major concern, then cutting is a real time saver. just a harder time under the bow

As far as how I removed the cap, it's a sandwich joint with staples, and I used an oscilating saw to cut the staples in between the joint. Some cap joints are different and you won't know what yours is until you remove the rub rail After that, I got the help of 2 others and lifted it off, front to back. No need to remove the steering, but the cables did need to get freed from the pulleys. I elected to cut the cables because they were shot, split and jamming up anyway.. Looks like your transom has damaged the cap a bit.

 

[matt167]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

Well, The UPS man left me a very large package today, and it just happens to say US Composites on it

 

[matt167]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

UPS man left me some more goodies. Rest of the USC order, and I got the final packing slip. Total damage on this order was only $574.. 8 single 1 gallon cans of resin to get around the $25 hazmat charge came to $244. I know that I will need more than 8 gallons, but they got me what I ordered in less than a week FL-NY so I won't get held up long when I run out, and I can simply order ahead

 

[matt167]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

Finally got my truck back togther to get more plywood. Is 1/2" ACX good to use for the transom and deck?.. I mean 3 lamination's of 1/2" on the transom to get the maximum number of plies. I read somewhere that was better than 2 3/4" pieces laminated together.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

Depends on the plywood. How many plys are in the 1/2" plywood. The 3/4" Arauco Plywoo has 7 plys

 

[matt167]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

I think it's 5 ply but I can't remember. I'll ask and buy accordingly. I may have to run to the JD dealer this week anyway because my lawn tractor seems to have found a logging chain.

 

[matt167]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

I got the plywood, ended up with the 1/2" for the transom. 1/2" was 4 ply and 3/4 was 5 ply, so I will end up with 2 more plies.

 

[matt167]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

Need some help with a cradle. The cradle I started to build ontop of the trailer ( C clamped to center beam ) isn't going straight with the boat and I can't verify it's not going to twist, so I'm going to offload the boat and do a correctly designed cradle . I've seen the cradles built with the hull flipped which I would like to do, but my hull will not sit square upside down due to the risers for the fins at the back, and the center dips down... How can I build this cradle? I have 6 sheets of CDX plywood I won't be using, 6 6' 2x4's and I think 3 8' but I will get whatever is needed

In

 

[matt167]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

Well, I finally got time to build the cradle and with all the stories of hulls getting twisted while rebuilt, I decided to over build just in case. It is framed 38" on center with a couple extra supports and the hull cradle parts are built in as extra support. The rear bunks are 70" long and are mounted right to the cradle platform, and it does still need outer bunks which I will add. I just could not figure out their heights before hand and build them with dimensional lumber like the main bunks. I will need to cut uprights and place them for the outer bunks. Also 2 V supports will be added.. I used a thin Tee shirt type material on the rear bunks to aid in damage free sliding, and the front V support where it is notched also has material. The front V still needs the sides of the V for total support. I'll finish it tomorrow and start gutting it..

Also, I forgot to mention I got it and the trailer titled in my name a few weeks ago. Boat had a lost registration, with my grandfather only having an old registration renewal but with that, a HIN trace and a couple papers singed by my grandfather, It went w/o issue.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1961 Custom Craft Sea Ray Rebuild

Congrats! Now it's yours! Let the mayhem & fun begin....

Cradle base looks substantial enough... Best of luck wrapping it up Sun.