1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

[jones01m]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

jb,

Yes, the second to the last rib at the bow is centered between adjacent sheets - I will have a little pie shaped piece up there. Additionally, the port and starbaord sections are centered on the 3/4" longitudinal stringer (ie they only have 3/8 support).

If I end up going with the captains chairs the plan is to cut an addtional block on the top side to fit the pedestal as you have said. That piece I will bond and fillet with the epoxy. My concern is any flexibility of the 1/2" ply will aid in the tendency for the topside ply to seperate from it. The 4lb pour in foam should help with this too. By-the-way I like the look of friscoboater's too.

The center section has some complications of its own, especially around the ski locker cover and the gas tank support. I haven't laid out all the measurements yet but I might not even need this section to be concave.

Thanks for the questions and helping keep me on track.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

Great! I don't think you'll have much if any flexing of the 1/2" deck after epoxy & 4oz on the underside, and something similar topsides. Then adding a 2nd piece of ply to screw the seat to it. The bigger the 2nd piece of ply the better it'll spread the load. Just get the deck coated w/ epoxy & glass, then add the 2nd ply layer. Using T-nuts spreads the load from the fasteners for the chair as well. The tabbing along the hull side will help with minimizing deck flex.

Here's some helpful info for mounting permanent aluminum gas tanks.

Great looking, and great progress: You should have no problems getting her back in service & out on the water this season. Well done!

 

[jones01m]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

jb, thanks for the info.

Making a bit more progress. I haven't decided if I will tab first or foam first. I know that deck isn't going anywhere regardless, as all the stringers and the chines were coated with a thick bead of epoxy peanut butter prior to laying the deck. I used the ziploc bag trick as suggested by MountainMiner for application.

A side note with the epoxy - this stuff is awesome! If I accidently leave a stick around with residual epoxy on it, the next day I will be splitting the wood to get the stick removed from whatever it is adhered to. Yes, it is more expensive than poly, it takes longer to dry, and you can't gel coat it, but it is worry free, except when it comes to removing sticks from unwanted places. And... I never use a mask when using it, nor does my son, except for when we mix in the thickening additives.

 

[jones01m]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

She's all foamed in now. By the time I finished the very last section I was starting to get the hang of it. One really has to be careful with the mix volume. I found that heating the liquid prior to mixing gives the best results. Also, purchasing a package of clear drinking cups was a great help.

I set up a pulley rig for the cap so that It could be lower onto the hull with one person. This worked so slick. A two pully system was used and the free end of the rope was wrapped several time around the 2x4 screwed to the cap. Even with the multiple rope raps the cap would fall if I was not holding on to it. So I tied a bottle of resin to the end. This allowed me to push up on the resin bottle with the smallest of force to lower the cap.

The cap is only on temporarily so that I can easily mark out the location of the gas tank, engine mounts, seats, and ski locker cover. All of these measurements were recorded prior to cap removal. I am telling you I am so glad I took the time to make the hull cribbing in the initial stages of this restoration as the cap snapped right on without a single issue.

Still a bunch of filleting and tabbing to do... but today feels pretty good.

First foam pour was a little messy

The last pour shows I was learning

Pulley system

Bow shot

Stern shot

My baby... someday she'll be back together

 

[mastercraft98]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

Looking good!

 

[MountaineerMiner]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

Your a little ahead of me Jones!

I am about to order foam for my 16' Correct Craft Mustang project. About how much did you go through?

I am still between pouring in through holes as you did or pouring and trimming excess before putting the deck on. I wonder how many people have actually poped there deck and how many just post that it could happen? hmhm...

Looking great by the way! That work you did on the cradle really payed off!

 

[jones01m]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

Mastercraft, thank you.

MM, I'm sure you'll pass right by me in no time with your Mustang rebuild. Would love to see an update on your thread.

I also struggled with the "best" way to do the foam. For the pour in after technique my highest concerns were: adequate volume filling, pressure exerted from expansion, and cutting holes in my new deck. I can tell you for sure that the 1/2 deck bulges after the pour (no popping), and I am certain the hull is also bulging a bit beneath. I started the below thread on the foam topic.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=535442

The total amount of 4lb density foam used was exactly Qty 3 - 16lb kits. With this I had one spill and several over foaming, but it would have been impossible to do with only two kits. The manufacturer says the 2lb expands twice the volume as 4lb.

 

[mastercraft98]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

Hi Jones. I'm going to use the same cloth as you are from us comp. 17oz biaxial with their 635 epoxy. I was wondering how many layers of cloth did you use when you put in your stringers?

 

[jones01m]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

Hi Jones. I'm going to use the same cloth as you are from us comp. 17oz biaxial with their 635 epoxy. I was wondering how many layers of cloth did you use when you put in your stringers?

mastercraft, I use two layers after filleting. I try to hit 1"-1.5" beyond the fillet on each side, then overlap the second piece by appoximately 1" on both sides. Since it is epoxy I don't sweat the perfect sizing too much.

In my last post you will not notice any glassing except at the transom. The reason for this is the preference to make a wet layup with the fillet. What worked best for me was to lay the fillet and let it set up for an hour-ish, then lay the first layer of glass in by hand as it will stick very nicely to the fillet. The little $0.65 chip brushes worked great for applying the resin. The squegees work great for applying resin in other areas, especially on large flat areas.

Below is a picture showing my best friends for the fillet process. I custom cut the squeegees (from the same supplier you bought the epoxy) to the fillet size I want. Works like a dream. I have tried spoons and the like, but nothing compares to the squeegee.

 

[mastercraft98]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

Sweet. Thanks Jones.

 

[jones01m]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

Guys and gals I need you opinions... and creativity

I placed some of the old interior parts back in the boat to start thinking about future layout. While parts are not in bad shape I think it is a little chopped up and the styling is a bit to modern for the boat.

The thing I don't like at all is the port side seat. It is really just a box, which is good for storage but looks ugly.

I am thinking a wrap around L-shape seating with the single captain's chair, or two captains' chairs up front and bench in back. For the latter, I lose a lot of storage.

My hope is that you who have been around the boating world for many years can help me decide. I want to balance functionality with good looks and comfort. Pictures would help a lot.

Thank you in advance for your ideas!

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

Is there room for the port seat to be a front to back fold out lounge seat? It definitely doesn't look like that port bench seat box 'fits' w/ the look of the rest...

It may just be me, but it looks like there is just enough room behind the 1 captains chair to bring that side forward as a wrap around too.... Maybe even shorten the width of the main bench seat. In the last pix, it looks really deep.... That may give you enough to also put in the lounge fold out front to back seat on the port side.

Only my $0.015, you get change back when you ask for my 2cents

 

[jones01m]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

JB, thanks. I kind of like the wrap around idea. Is this what you were thinking?
Maybe I could narrow the whole u-shape by 1.5" all around.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

Yep, in fact you drew the forward (top?) portions of the U further forward then I was thinking. Just enough forward to allow a more lounge type sitting position when facing forward, seated w/ your back against the bench backrest, & barely enough room for a kid butt to sit on that U leg & face inward, w/ their back against the gunwale.

If there's room to do the front to back fold out lounge as a passenger helm seat, keep the port side straight across the transom, no U leg on the port side. And make the starboard U leg as far forward as you can & not interfere w/ the captains chair. The starboard U leg extending even a little further forward then you have drawn above. That way when at anchor or just afloatin', fold out the passenger front to back & have a HUGE bench seat from the passenger side dash all the way around to the leg behind the captain's helm seat. But when only 2 people are in the boat, they are both in the helm seats.

We were all gunwale rats on my buddies fish&ski, sitting on the gunwale & splashwell bench back..... Hardly ever used the 2 front to backs as loungers, but they were always folded out when afloat.... Make the seating fit how you will most often use the boat. And then if you can tweak the layout a little to allow for some different configs, even better.

Good luck, I don't have the skill set yet but Google's SketchUp program is killer for multiple renderings & figuring out all the parts & pieces & getting them to fit together & make sense. You might try it.

Look through Jasoutside's Islander thread. Someone (user name escapes me) has been helping him w/ his seat box base layout & design. Images are posted from SketchUp & are incredible. Check them out....

 

[Big Island Lifer]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

I like the L shape all the way around and a swivel captains seat. You could also utilize a flip back passenger seat with the L seating. That would allow your passenger to face forward and still have plenty of room when needed. There are lots of newer boats utilizing that style. I know Four Winns and Cobalt both utilize it and some of Sea Ray's deckboats do too.

Keep up the great work!

added link:
Check out this passenger seat http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/boa/2812363722.html

 

[jones01m]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

BIL/jb

I appreciate your input. BIL you talk about the L-shape all the way around on the port side, and jb you are saying that your experience was the port side seat was always layed flat. I think you are on to something here. I recall seeing a picture, somewhere, of a boat with the L-shape arrangement. It actually tied right into the dash to form a sort of chaise lounge. Does anyone out there have a picture of such an arrangement. I am searching but cannot find it as of yet.

Thanks again for your input.

 

[MountaineerMiner]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

Jones,

Im lazy right now otherwise I would find a pic, but check out a Supra Launch. I have seen a few of these with the "L" seating.

 

[jones01m]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

MM, that is it. Thanks for the reference. The look of that base is also what I had in mind - a nice transition from the seating to the carpet. I will lay this out today. Then I can get back to gassin'

 

[jones01m]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

It is hard to believe that May was the last time I posted, and even more scary, the last time I did work on the boat.
New job and home. My entire garage set-up is different, which doesn't readily lend itself to popping a bolt in a beam for the hoist.
It is tough to get motivated also (as you can tell from my posting frequency) after being away from the whole process for so long.
Anyway, started thinking about the boat again, and thought I would sob and complain out loud about my difficulty in getting motivated once again.

 

[djpeters]

Re: 1976 Century Arabian - Mercruiser 888 - Boat Restoration

Get your second wind and you'll be on the water nest summer!!!