1983 Procraft 1750V Boat Restoration

[eggs712]

I made way too much PB and got some fileting done on the deck. The weather here has been cloudy and cool, so I have to wait for some sunshine to heat the barn up to do more glassing.

 

[Woodonglass]

Are you using epoxy or Polyester resin? If Epoxy, you don't use CSM

 

[eggs712]

Are you using epoxy or Polyester resin? If Epoxy, you don't use CSM

I'm using Polyester. I used a tiny bit of Harbor Freight 5 minute epoxy to glue the edges of the box together. I was worried that using nails or screws might split the thin plywood.

 

[eggs712]

Well, a bunch of cloudy, cool days has made all of my work cold, so I'm gonna put a tarp tent over the boat before trying to glass. I've had hell getting my filets to cure, but heat guns and chicken heat lamps have helped. I'll start some climate control before proceeding.

 

[eggs712]

I got some sanding done on the seat base and passenger seat box. The inside the box is tabbed and mostly covered in CSM, just have to add a little more CSM where the opening is, sand, and it'll be ready to gelcoat. I'm only gonna gelcoat the inside for now, and will glass the outside of it once it's tabbed into the deck to give a smooth look.





I also taped off the consoles and casting decks, but I still have to grind some more before I can finish the filets and start tabbing.

 

[eggs712]

Friday was pretty warm for this this time of year, and I got some more done. Some of my filets required me to stuff and hot glue some scrap cloth into up to 1/2" gaps. I then sanded the filets and deck seams.



Next, I finished all the deck tabbing.



I also started to glass the first layer of CSM, but ran out of MEKP. On the Starboard side, you can see where I ran out and started ripping up the extra CSM.

I grabbed some Bondo MEKP tubes last night because my paint store supplier has been closed all week. It's supposed to be in the low 70s and sunny today, so I want to take advantage. I also threw a tarp with heat lamps over the boat last night, so hopefully my work is warm.

 

[Skipper Sean]

That?s a bummer I hate when you run out of what you need in the middle of progress.

 

[eggs712]

Me too, especially since they overprice it so much!

 

[eggs712]

Yesterday, I glassed the CSM on the floor, tabbed in the seat box with 1708, and glassed the driver base in with CSM.



This morning, I hopefully have time to glass CSM over the top and sides of the seat box, a little sanding to smooth out the floor good, and put down gelcoat on the floor.

 

[eggs712]

My plans were pretty ambitious on Monday, but all I had time for was finishing all the CSM on the seat box and the area around the fore deck where the ski locker seam meets the deck seam. I've been busy hauling winter hay and setting some out this week.

I had yesterday off and sanded the deck smooth, and removed the carpet and glue from the ski locker lid. I next used a quart of gelcoat under the consoles, on the gunwhales, and on the ski locker lid. I put the Rustoleum non-skid in a pepper shaker and sprinkled it on the lid before it tacked up. The stuff is really fine and was hard to see, so I'm not sure how it turned out. If I don't like it, I can use something else for the rest of the deck.

 

[eggs712]

The sprinkled Rustoleum non-skid was so fine that it sunk in the gelcoat and wasn't even noticable. So I mixed the whole packet in with the gelcoat this time; hopefully it works better.

I got most of the first coat on the deck done this morning, just ran short of painting the seat box completely. I also added the second coat to the ski locker lid and sprayed it with clear Rustoleum matte paint in lieu of wax or PVA.





The only thing I don't like so far is that my tape bled a lot, but oh well I guess. I should have the second coat done in a few hours and then go deer hunting.

 

[eggs712]

Done.

 

[eggs712]

In retrospect, I would use something with larger particles than the Rustoleum non-skid (at least with gel coat), but the roller still gave some texture. I may install snap-in carpet somewhere down the road, but I'm happy enough for now.

 

[eggs712]

I've been looking online for instructions or even the hardware to help replace the missing bottom half of my swim ladder, but with no real luck. So I thought I'd share in some detail on how I am making my own.

I have some 1" 10 ga Aluminum tubing from the railing on a scrapped parts boat, and 1/4" aluminum flat bar used for the steps. The holes for where the bottom half of the ladder attaches measure 12" outside, and I'll attach the railing from the outside of the holes.




I first removed the hardware from the railing, then cut the railing into two 24" pieces. I also cut two pieces of 14" flat bar and two 12" pieces of flat bar. The 12" pieces will used as a T-joint to keep the flat bar from flexing.




I cut 1" circles on the end of both 14" pieces to fit around the tubing to be welded. I'll weld it up today and post again.

 

[eggs712]

The ladder is done, but I hadn't TIG welded aluminum in nearly a year and was out of practice. So some of the welds are ugly looking but fused at least.

To do it, I first welded the T-joints using 4 intermittent welds per side.



Next, I tacked it all up and welded the top sides around the tubing. Then, I welded the vertical sections from the T-joint to the tubing.

I welded to the tubing using 70 amps. The 1/4" bar took a long time to heat up to even form a puddle, and I had to let off the pedal when moving the arc to the tubing. Not beautiful welds, but they'll match the 300 lb capacity of the other cheap aluminum ladders I've seen.

 

[Watermann]

I dunno, those beads look pretty darn good to me. :thumb:

 

[Skipper Sean]

Well it?s coming together how?s your deer hunting going?

 

[eggs712]

Thanks, Waterman! Not doing something as good as I'm capable just makes me kick myself, lol.

I didn't see anything on stand last weekend Sean, but hopefully I can go again this next week. By the way, those cars you restore look pretty damn cool.

 

[Skipper Sean]

Thanks, Waterman! Not doing something as good as I'm capable just makes me kick myself, lol.




I didn't see anything on stand last weekend Sean, but hopefully I can go again this next week. By the way, those cars you restore look pretty damn cool.

eggs712
Thank you I put a part of my soul in each one I build. It?s a dying art.

 

[eggs712]

eggs712
Thank you I put a part of my soul in each one I build. It’s a dying art.

That seems to be the way of a lot of trades sadly. Two of my neighbors are a retired upholsterer and insulator, and both were losing lots of work by the time they got out of it. I know the economy has to change, but beautiful, quality work is something that I hate to see die off.

In 50 years, robots might replace me as a welder.