1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

[TruckDrivingFool]

I bought this boat about a year ago with the non running 1970 115 Johnson and after getting an Evinrude 115 from my neighbor for the price of pulling it off his SIL's boat and disposing of the boat, I have a parts motor and have the Johnson running.
I know the transome is weak as it flexes in the middle when I bounce the motor. I think this is from the drain hole in the splash well and a bilge drain hole that was just drilled through and left bare wood w/ the exception of some silicone smeared in the hole. The floor has been redone at some point but has soft spots and the layer of FG is delaminating in the middle. The stringer I can feel through the cutout that a PO made for a bilge pump, Is still wet to the touch even though I've had it sitting covered since I got it. So all in all I know it basically needs gutted and redone.

I've sold my tinny (sold faster than I thought it would) to finance this and since I now have it running I'd really like to float it to 1.see how bad it leaks and 2. to take LOML on our traditional fishing trip for her birthday. She loves to fish but hasn't been in the last few years for lack of a sitter for our youngest daughter.

I've never done any glass work before but as with about all of us reading many of these threads I'm handy and have plenty of tools and woodworking equipment. So I may be in over my head but I have faith that I can pull through and do it.

I remember reading a thread that said 5 gal (I think) of resin was a good starting point but I can't find it again to verify and get the cloth and csm recommendations.
So if someone would give me a good starter materials list from US Composites I'd appreciate it.

I'd like input on correcting the less than stellar work done on some kind of repair at the base of the transom on the outside. Is this just something that just needs sanded out?

I don't have the room to pull the cap and this will most likely all take place on the trailer. So I'd like thoughts on where I will need to cut out the splash well.


I'd also like your thoughts on perhaps band-aiding the transom to make a few outtings w/ it on a no wake lake. I had thought of just getting longer bolts for the motor mounts and making some quick cross braces across the inside of the transom out of 2x6. What do you think?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Welcome to the iBoats Dry Dock!

That is a REALLY NICE LOOKING RIG!!! BUT.... The description you give of your transom and the size of that motor absolutely DICTATES that it be replaced. NO BAND AIDS. In my opinion there is NO WAY you should consider taking yourself or anyone else out on the lake with that boat. The Patch on the outer skin of the transom is a pretty basic fix but the inside is where your problem is. The design of the top cap of the boat is going to make it very difficult for you to replace the transom without removing it or cuttin it. If you decide to cut it, then I would suggest cutting the Gunwales about 6" in front of the spashwell. As far as the material cost and amounts I would Guess-Ti-Mate 5-10 gallons of resin 4 sheets of Marine Grade Plywood 10-15 yards of 1.5oz CSM mat 10-15 yards of 1708 Biax Cloth Total costs should be somewhere between 1,000 and 1,500 dollars. This will replace the Deck, Stringers and Transom.

Here's an example of cutting the splashwell.

(click the pic to enlarge)

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Very cool looking hull. Probably needing a complete refit but well worth the effort. Welcome to the madness. That steering system looks like it could use replacement as well.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

No band aid. Guess its bank fishing for her birthday but that's what I figured and at least I now have an excuse to just start ripping and tearing on this instead of waiting another month.

Any recommendation on which resign I should order 404, 700, 435, b440? I'd been looking at the epoxy just because I like the simpleness of their pump system but for the money difference I can measure and mix.

And ya ez surprisingly enough the steering operates smooth as silk but that cable has definitely seen better days and is in the plan for replacement.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Unless you WANT to spend the extra money for epoxy and you DON'T want to put up with the STINK of the Poly Resin then I would use the 404 poly resin. NOTE: This is just me Talkin...That is such a NICE boat I would try to see if there was any way to decapitate her WITHOUT cutting the CAP. You could clamp some 2x4's to the cap and tilt her on her side and slip her beside the Garage for storage or hoist her up into the rafters. I just hate to see her cut. Just me Talking. I love these old runabouts. I am in the middle of doing mine, going on a year and a half cuz I am so slow and Anal about her, wanting everything just right. Anyway something to think about.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

In for a penny in for a pound. Talked to the city today which quelled my fears of being called in upon for half a boat sitting in the yard. (ya I got those neighbors) So decap it it is. Spent the day cleaning out the garage hopefully (it should) the hull will fit in there on a cradle and the cap can go back outside and hang out on the trailer.

Got a guess-ti-mate/recommendation of what I'll want to order for fillers? Bubble roller? Other specific FG tools I'll want to get from USC?

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Also any guesses on what she weighs? trying to figure for wheelied cradle.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Decapitated and Motor off 400 to 500 lbs.
4 gals of Cabosil,
4 lbs of 1/4" Chopped fibers,
4" x 1/2" roller.


another iBoater built this cradle for his boat. You might need more of a V but some ideas here!

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Thanks Wood ordered supplies and gonna start ripping and tearing this weekend.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Started Saturday by pulling my parts motor off the stand and stashing into the corner. Fogged, removed, and put the motor on its stand. Removed rub rail from boat and had to chase the gap between the hull and and cap w/ a sawsall to cut the staples holding the two together and they were separated.

Sunday I backed the boat into the garage enough to use the concrete floor in the rear. Ran a 2x through the gap at the bow and stern.

Made makeshift A-frames under the bow 2x

and hooked the engine hoist to the stern 2x

Drove the hull out from under and she was decapitated

W/ the neighbors help I drug the back off the trailer a bit

and started to build a cradle

Through tilting the trailer and jacking under the hull I was able to run the back half of the cradle up between the trailer and hull into position and add some short bunks to get stern supported. From there we got it slid back enough to have the bow just barely supported by the trailer. Got the front part of the cradle under it and attached to rear, added short bunks and it was off the trailer.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

With the hull out of the way I slid the trailer back under the cap. The neighbor and I lifted the bow of the cap while my wife and daughter slid the A-frame support out. We then laid the bow down on the trailer and dropped the hoist in the rear.

The hardest part was trying to figure out the building of the cradle. FWIW if I was to do it again I would have used two rigid and two swivel casters instead of all four swivel as getting the four to sync up and roll can make it bit of a pain. It does roll around the yard nicely though. Thanks to whoever posted the thought of the 4x4 casters (I know it was in a thread I read here somewhere)

The transom is definitely due. Bowed, sopping wet, and de-laminated from both sides to some extent. Hopefully this will work in my favour.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Looks lke the Decapitation went well. I think it was my cradle you were refering to. It only had Two swivels but hey, yours will go ANY direction ANY Time. Nice Job!!! You will definetly be replacing a transom and probably the stringers too! Keep the pics coming

 

[DJ]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Here's a picture of, a slightly different year, of your boat. This pic is from 1969. The original selling price for the OB model was $1,699.00 MSRP. $3,099.00 for the I/O model. THe I/O had your choice of a 80 HP MC or OMC.

The boat was made in St. Charles, MI. My home town. I knew the owners of Aerocraft very well. They were our neighbors, one house up the street.

Aerocraft sold out to Browning who later sold out to Thompson.

The original owners of Aerocraft went on to make Michicraft canoes in Big Rapids, MI.

 

[emoney]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

That's so cool and great job getting her separated. What's even cooler is the fact that you "sold your old tinny to fund this one"! Awesome! That's a really good looking boat from the pics so once you get the rehab work done, you'll have many great years of use out of this old bird. Keep us updated often, and overload us with the pics. Good luck!

Oh, and you've GOT to keep those horns and get them working. Those are classic I tell you!

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Yep Wood went smooth thanks to reading all the trials n tribulations in all these resto threads. Like I said in for a pound, I know the stringers are rotted just from the bit of the one I can feel through the small bilge hole.

DJ thanks for the info I found a bit about the FG AeroCrafts on FiberGlassics but theres not much on the 72's when they made by Water Wonderland. Do you have a larger copy of that brochure? I tried to blow up the attachment but it got grainy.

And at least one of the trumpets is still working as I rewired it one day and drove the neighbors nuts out there honking it like a giddy little kid. LOL

 

[DJ]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Yep Wood went smooth thanks to reading all the trials n tribulations in all these resto threads. Like I said in for a pound, I know the stringers are rotted just from the bit of the one I can feel through the small bilge hole.

DJ thanks for the info I found a bit about the FG AeroCrafts on FiberGlassics but theres not much on the 72's when they made by Water Wonderland. Do you have a larger copy of that brochure? I tried to blow up the attachment but it got grainy.

And at least one of the trumpets is still working as I rewired it one day and drove the neighbors nuts out there honking it like a giddy little kid. LOL

I do, send me a PM with your email.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

PM sent Thanks again DJ.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Got enough time in today to get the seats, motor controls, and sideboards?/kickpanels pulled out. Listed the seats on Craigslist and had them sold and out of the garage in three hours.
I also got a bit of the floor and all the transom wood out. I used the fact that he plys were de-laminating from each other and the glass to my advantage. I made cuts down the sides w/ a cir saw and started by driving a big screwdriver down between the plys two in from the inside skin. That made enough room to drive a prybar in. Some grunting and prying later and I had two plys and the inside skin removed. I then went with the same tactic but working between the outter skin and the remaining plys. The corner edges went kind of tough as I had to basically split ands tear the plys that were left from not going too deep w/ the saw but the middle split out pretty easy and allowed me to pop the remaining plys out in two large chunks. Leaving me with just a trace of wood fibers to grind off to get to the glass of the outter skin.

For the tiny bit of wood left at the edges, I drove the screwdriver in to separate it from the little tab of left over glass and worked the my prybar down in the corner and popped them right out.

I found it interesting that if you look in the 2nd pic you can see a void that ran from top to bottom through that layer of ply. At first I though it was from rot but it looks almost uniform enough that it could have been that way from the manufacturer.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

The stringers are definitely rotten and I couldn't help but laugh when I found a store of walnuts under the floor and go the thought of flotation nuts. There is lots of them under there.

Walking on the inside of the bare hull and watching it flex made me wonder if I shouldn't add more support to my cradel or if there is a good way to walk around in there so as to not cause damage? I never heard any cracking and know the FG is strong and will flex quite a bit but I want to make every attempt to avoid damaging something.

Good enough or where/how should I add support?

Hopefully tomorrow I'll get the rest of the floor ripped out.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

I'd try and rig up a carpeted brace that runs from from to back like this

I'd also recommend running some nylon straps around her to help with the flexing.