1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

[herefishy]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel - Seating

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel - Seating

Got the gauges mounted on the new console today, no pics - still more to do.

But what I have been contemplating is seating in the boat. To appease the wife, proper seats need to be provided. I got a lot of grief for removing the proper seating (other than the fishing chairs fore and aft) in order to increase the fishability of the boat.

The seating hardware with the small diameter post that screws into a deck plate is a total PIA, and the post always gets stuck in the threaded receiver.

I was considering the more generous hardware with the larger diameter hollow tube, but these deck plates/hardware seem more intrusive on the deck surface. On this small boat, every inch of the deck is a traffic lane.

I am considering building a step or false deck over the seating hardware (that mounts to the deck), and placing a round screw-in.out access hatch over the post holder, whereas when not in use, no seating hardware to trip over. Open the access to insert the seat post when proper seating is desired. I likely would employ another slamm hatch between the two seat posts in order to utilize the space between the false deck and the lower deck as additional storage.

Any thoughts or ideas regarding my seating issue?

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel - TELEFLEX resolved

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel - TELEFLEX resolved

Cool idea.

 

[herefishy]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel - TELEFLEX resolved

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel - TELEFLEX resolved

Again no pics, but I've been hard at it.

Seating bases, pedestals, and mounts are ordered. I chose Springfield Marine plug-in seat pedestals. I intend to employ my seating scheme with the hidden bases for the running seats. The Springfield bases and pedestals are rated AD (driver) for use underway. The seats at the rear of the cockpit will lock in the forward position for running, but be able to swivel, in the case for instance of towing a wake-boarder and observing from the seat position, or just general comfort while fishing or lounging on the boat. I think the Springfield hardware will eliminate the headaches of the screw-in post type pedestals that always rust into the base, squeak like hell, and after a season require disassembly of the boat to remove.

I beefed up the under-deck where the console is going to be mounted with some 3/16' aluminum, and welded some stock on some cross members which showed some stress cracks.

The tilt tube on the outboard (which the Teleflex was stuck in) is replaced. Minor repairs to the trailer replacing the winch and the nose roller, then the motor re-installed, today.

Tonight will be ordering steering and control cables. The 16' cables need to be replaced with 18' - I need more length for the new console location.

I'll post some pics tomorrow.

Cheers!

Fishy

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

I'm wondering - when re-installing my deck, should I use RIVETS? or some low-profile screw?

With the crapeting - it didn't make much difference, cause the fastener would be covered/embedded in the crapet. With the vinyl of course, the fastener will be much more evident.

Any thoughts?

Dang, sorry I didn't see this sooner fishy.

Rivets will be your best bet for the decking, screws will twist the vinyl on the decking and it doesn't look too purdy.

 

[pmillar]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

Or you can use screws with a small washer. That way the screw pulls on the washer rather than the vinyl. This assumes the washer sits still when you tighten the screw. It worked for me when I replaced my rear deck this year.

 

[herefishy]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

Thanks, jigngrub and pmillar for your responses re: rivets vs. screws. I did go ahead and get some "truss head" rivets, 3/8" for the job. The twisting was a concern, and regarding pmillar's comment regarding washers, I was even thinking about using flat-heat screws, and finish washer/bushing thingies - you know what I'm talking about. anyway, I did get rivets already.

I got tired of welding, and decided to bend metal, today. I cut the floor and cut and bent the sides for the cockpit area. I pretty pleased with the new metal, however it is evident that replacing the crapet with the vinyl, this project isn't very forgiving with dimensional tolerances of the sheet metal. The crapet can cover of lot of gaps and minor flaws in dimensions. I think I'll be okay, though. I may employ some edge trim - that stuff is pretty fat and can take up some space and possibly even give me back the fudge factor I had with the crapeting.

Anyway, here are some pics to spice up your browsing experience:

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

The difference between the thicknesses of the carpet vs. the vinyl is the reason for all of the aluminum angle trim on my boat fishy, attached to the hatches and in the vertical and horizontal corners... I call it sin remover.

I used 3/4x34x1/8 thick on the hatches in the decking and 3/4x1/16 thick on everything else. I fastened the hatch and side compartment angle with 3/16 dia. countersunk closed end blind rivets and the corner angle with the decking rivets.

I strongly suggest that you use contact cement to glue your Nautolex to that metal decking since there isn't any way to fasten the edges mechanically. Use 2 coats of contact cement on the vinyl and 1 on the metal, the vinyl backing will absorb a certain amount of the glue.

 

[herefishy]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

I'm purchased the Nautelex 88 adhesive. Maybe I better read the directions relative to it's application to aluminum.

Fishy

 

[herefishy]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

BTW jigngrub, you did a nice job with that trim... you're deck job is great!

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

Thanks for the compliment!

You're doing a great job with that metal, wish I had the equipment to do mine like that.

The nautolex adhesive recommends primer painting metal before applying and then using tape for the mechanical fastening. Holding the 88 down with tape is dificult in a lot of situations.

The 88 is easy to work with on large areas because the bond isn't immediate and it gives you time to roll out any air bubbles, unlike the contact cement that gives you the strong bond immediately and is hard and sometimes nearly impossible to get rid of the air bubbles on large areas.

What I ended up doing is using the 88 on the large areas and rolled it flat and smooth with no air bubbles, but I left 2" of all the edges bare (no 88), then I used the contact cement on the 2" that I left the 88 off of for an immediate strong bond that eliminated any taping... it worked well for me. Just be sure to apply each adhesive in a nice straight line at the 2" border and don't let the contact cement drip back into the 88, the 2 adhesives don't work well when mixed together. You should probably experiment with this method on some scrap pieces before jumping in on the boat.

... btw, you really want to invest in these 2 rollers to do the job properly.

The big one is a carpet/vinyl roller sold at Home Depot in the flooring dept. and the little one is a laminate roller sold in the cabinet/counter top dept at HD. These 2 tools will get rid of your air bubbles and increase you vinyl to adhesive bond.

 

[herefishy]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

hmmmm... okay. I'll check into those rollers. I was imagining just a plastic screed to squeeze the bubbles out and smoothing. The rollers sound like a better solution.

In re: securing the vinyl with/without mechanical fastening - the vinyl will be folded over the edge of the metal at all edges. Maybe I will "88" the working surface, and use your contact cement idea on the backside/underside when folded over. In my shop we commonly use an aerosol contact cement for insulation foam to stainless steel.

How does that sound to you?... considering that you've worked with the Nautalex.


Fishy

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

The plastic screed will squeeze most of the bubbles out, but it won't imbed your vinyl into the glue like it needs to be.

I didn't realize you were going to wrap the edges, this is the best method. You shop adhesive wouldn't happen to be resorcinol would it? This should be fine for wraping your edges.

I should've known you were an ol' duck (duct) banger by the quality of your metal work (excellent). I worked in a sheet metal fab shop (roofing and duct) for a year or so back in my younger days, I enjoyed it... but I found out I'd rather be outside instead of in a shop all day, so I got me an easier job pouring concrete.

 

[herefishy]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

hey jigngrub, I don't do air-conditioning, though I've got the stuff to build duct I just don't. I'll build insulated walk-in cooler panels, weather covers for refrigeration condensing units, and of course boat consoles and decks. I do refrigeration, but I cool things, not people.

I shopped for cables - I need 18'ers to replace my 16' control cables and steering cable. I got the (new/unused) steering cable on eBay, $75.00 vs $110.00 (freight included in prices). The control cables, from the online portal of a major storefront - best price going. I'd buy from my local boat shop for convenience - but they didn't have any 18'ers in stock.

I saw some off-brand stuff vs. the Teleflex. The search engine sent me to iboats (of course) for a thread that someone stated not to cheap out on control cables - it's a safety issue. I took that advice.


Cheers!

Fishy

 

[Mike Lammert]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

Hey Fish! Your rig looks great! The rail and console make the whole boat! I would like to get some equipment to make aluminum structure like your rail, or even T-tops! Anyway, keep up the great work, looking foward to seeing her swim!

 

[herefishy]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

My Friend Kirk, of KJ Fab Shop builds T-Tops and such, and even has the equipment for the upholstery - an industrial sewing machine and all. You should see his golf cart, he build the canopy for it like a t-top. :-D

 

[herefishy]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

I got my switches in:

 

[herefishy]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

Switches installed:

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

Looking real good there fishy!

Have you done any of the vinyl yet?

 

[herefishy]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

No, getting near, though. I need to do the 12" and 14" bulkheads at the fore and aft of the cockpit, first. I'm fussin' with a discrepancy in the attitude of the fore and aft decks relative to the top of the bulkheads. You see, with the baitwells and storage wells fastened into the aluminum stringers and cross-members, there is about a 3/16" gap where the decks approach the bulkheads.

I've been thinking real hard about this, and near decided to overlay the bulkheads with new aluminum (14ga.), which I really don't want to do - add weight and just too much metal consumption. I was about to start cutting the overlays out, but then my lightbulb came on. I decided I'd get some 3/16" x 2" flat stock and secure it (weld or countersink screw) to the top edge of the bulkhead, then I can vinyl over the "gap-filler" to make the bend down the bulkhead.

I'm glad I resolved that, it was bothering me. I spent about a week thinking about it but it didn't hold me up at all... I've got plenty to do.

Thanks for askin'!

Fishy

 

[herefishy]

Re: 1997 Lakesport 17' remodel

I composed an image to illustrate the bulkhead/deck issue. the gap filler is solid 3/16" x 2" aluminum bar stock (or will be).