77 Hydra Sport Restoration

HSXV6307

Seaman Apprentice
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Feb 10, 2012
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38
Well, it has been very difficult for me to post this, not because I don't know how but because every time I sign up I start reading other post instead of writing. Really, it has been over a week of me signing to post and end up reading.

This is a great site, I have learn a lot and it has given me the confident to tackle this adventure and get to where I am. I have posted before in the motor section, the motor is done and running, I guess I should go and update. Back to boat hull repair, first I have no clue what I am doing but one thing I live by, if it is broken take it apart, I cannot brake it any more. I have been applying this logic since I was 10, now 50. As you can see on the pictures http://77hydrasportrestoration.shutterfly.com/pictures/8 I have gone as far as removing the deck and some portion of the stringers, basically the section where the foam was. When I removed the top I was expecting the deck to be part of it since I did not remove any screw, to my surprise the deck was actually glassed in to the hull. No wonder it was hard to pull the top off:facepalm:
I have read quite a bit and there are two basic way to do the transom/stringer repair, either gut it and use something like Seacast or two, cut out everything and start from the ground up. The transom is a small trapezoid shape, the parallel lines are top 26", bottom 32" and are 17" apart. The stringers appear to be good and solid other than the section where the foam was but they felt hollow I can squeeze them. I cut the top of one of the stringer in the stern and after further investigation the inside wood is so far gone that I think is actually gone but the fiberglass or Kevlar still solid and strong. This is why I was thinking of Seacast, I can cut the top of the stringers only and build some support for the missing section of stringers then get fiberglass to close them up. The other side of me thinks I am better off just cut and replace it all. what is your advice? I know I still have to perform the most joyful task, GRIND.

Sorry for asking this again, I know I have read all this answers somewhere in the forum.

1- Respirator, which type?
2- I have read about some overall to avoid or minimize itching, where do I get one or two? does Lowe's or Home Deport sell them or do I get them at a boat repair place.
3- I don't want to remove anything else because I am confused as to what to measure. what can I use as a reference point to make sure it all fit back together.
4- This boat if I am not mistaken is Kevlar or some portion of it, don't know how to tell. I see part of the boat is black and the center where the deck was is a different color. Assuming is Kevlar, which resin should I use?

Thanks in advance,

Juan
 

HSXV6307

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
38
Re: 77 Hydra Sport Restoration

Okay am I on my own on this one, what is the best way to take measurements? I am thinking grind everything but leave the 2" deck lip then run a string across, fix the stringers, then grind the lip to lay a new deck or since I have a nice mold of the old deck should I just make one just the same and glass it to the 2" deck lips?
 

ondarvr

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
11,527
Re: 77 Hydra Sport Restoration

Sometimes with the high volume of posts on this site one might get over looked, but it has now been noticed.

Kevlar and carbon fiber are sometimes advertised as being used in hulls, frequently it's just a small strip used in the keel or some other location, it typically doesn't do much because so little is being used, but they do get to advertise the fact it's in there.

Kevlar is yellow, so if you don't see it you are just working with glass. Carbon fiber is black. The fibers are these colors, not the resin, glass tends to be clear when in the laminate, so unless the fibers are colored it’s a normal laminate.

VE or epoxy should be used with carbon or Kevlar, but most boats that use these products in this way just used the normal polyester resin the rest of the boat was made with.
 

ondarvr

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Messages
11,527
Re: 77 Hydra Sport Restoration

Okay am I on my own on this one, what is the best way to take measurements? I am thinking grind everything but leave the 2" deck lip then run a string across, fix the stringers, then grind the lip to lay a new deck or since I have a nice mold of the old deck should I just make one just the same and glass it to the 2" deck lips?

Other threads discuss this a great deal and give several options on how to do it. I don't have time to link them at the moment though.
 

HSXV6307

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
38
Re: 77 Hydra Sport Restoration

Other threads discuss this a great deal and give several options on how to do it. I don't have time to link them at the moment though.

Thanks ondaryr, I will perform a search on this topic. What you are saying is that when I start grinding if the fiber dust is black then it is carbon fiber and I should use VE or epoxy. As far as color most of the hull is black as you can see in the pictures except where the deck was. I will take a closer look at the fibers in the black out areas to see if it is just painted.

Juan
 

ondarvr

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Messages
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Re: 77 Hydra Sport Restoration

The dust won't really be black or yellow, but you should be able to see the fibers in the laminate and they will be either yellow or black.

In the pics it just looks like they painted it black, so at this point using a different resin isn’t required.
 

HSXV6307

Seaman Apprentice
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Messages
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Re: 77 Hydra Sport Restoration

I went out and the fibers are white so regular poly resin should be fine. Now if it stop raining I can continue removing the rest of the stringers. then the fun begins, grind. I have a question, someone ask me if I was going to use the synthetic wood, the one use on deck. My response was that I did not think resin will stick, was I correct? If I am not, why this material is not use?
 

glnbnz

Chief Petty Officer
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Oct 4, 2011
Messages
458
Re: 77 Hydra Sport Restoration

I went out and the fibers are white so regular poly resin should be fine. Now if it stop raining I can continue removing the rest of the stringers. then the fun begins, grind. I have a question, someone ask me if I was going to use the synthetic wood, the one use on deck. My response was that I did not think resin will stick, was I correct? If I am not, why this material is not use?

You are correct...at least that was the answer that I got when I asked the same question
 

Yacht Dr.

Vice Admiral
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
5,581
Re: 77 Hydra Sport Restoration

first I have no clue what I am doing but one thing I live by, if it is broken take it apart, I cannot brake it any more.

Sure you can break it more :) .. one slip of a grinder or a saw will cost you some more break and more $ depending on what your doing.

If it is Kevlar then take it to a Specialist.

I doubt its Kevlar because its a 77' .. right ?

Opps is correct on the yellow.. you dont grind K without getting Yellow "fuzzy" ends in your grind out.

Could you post some pics up on Photobucket or inbed them on the thread please.

YD.
 

HSXV6307

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
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Re: 77 Hydra Sport Restoration

YD, you have a point I can always put a hole and incur added expense, I keep forgetting I am not just removing bolts and nuts. Yes it is a '77, I looked today between rain drops and the material is white therefore based on this it should be FG.
On my first post there is a link to a site with about 80 pic. just click on it. It has been raining every day for the past 4 days, good time to read and acquire knowledge.

Edit: One think i got lucky I guess is that the foam was not poured, they look like 2x4 and were stacked like lego blocks.

Juan
 

HSXV6307

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Re: 77 Hydra Sport Restoration

okay, I created an account. One question could someone tell me what is that on pics 25/26. There is one of this in the bow and a second one in the bilge. The boat had an old Loran (paper and ink) is this part of it? how do I remove it?

http://photobucket.com/77HydraSportRestoration
 

ondarvr

Supreme Mariner
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Messages
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Re: 77 Hydra Sport Restoration

Well, I looked at pic 25 and 26 (others too) and have no idea what you are asking about. Might need more info to give an answer.
 

HSXV6307

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Re: 77 Hydra Sport Restoration

Well, I looked at pic 25 and 26 (others too) and have no idea what you are asking about. Might need more info to give an answer.

Sorry, #25 in my camera photo number, didn't think about new numbers in photobucket. Hopefully you can see the attached picture.

025.jpg
 

ondarvr

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Messages
11,527
Re: 77 Hydra Sport Restoration

Looks like a through hull transducer for a fish/depth finder.
 

HSXV6307

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Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
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Re: 77 Hydra Sport Restoration

Thanks, that what I though it was. I guess to remove it I just cut around it and pry it off. I hope I have time to work on the boat this weekend.
 

rickryder

Commander
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Jun 24, 2010
Messages
2,722
Re: 77 Hydra Sport Restoration

HS on your photobucket account....if you mouse over the pic it will show a pop up window....right click the one for img code and paste in the reply box here

100_0089.jpg
 

HSXV6307

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
38
Re: 77 Hydra Sport Restoration

HS on your photobucket account....if you mouse over the pic it will show a pop up window....right click the one for img code and paste in the reply box here



Thanks for the tutorial. I tried copy the URL from the browser and it was so long I resorted to copy original pic. Now I know better.

Question, Can I cut the top of the remaining stringer to remove the old wood and preserve the sides/high of stringers? I figure I can then sand inside/outside and put new wood or maybe once I cut the wood to size trim the sides down to about 1" from hull then FG. Will this work?

Just thinking, Has anybody made their own "Seacast" with resin, FG fibers and cabosil, basically making a not so thick PB mix to replace stringer wood? This is what I have in mind, making a mix then inserting solid fiberglass rods just like a footer on a building foundation uses re-bars to prevent the footer from cracking and structural integrity. A 1/2" x 8' solid FG rod is $6 and a 1/4" x 8' is $4. What are your thoughts on this crazy idea? If this makes sense I was thinking on making the transom this way, no more wood!
 

rickryder

Commander
Joined
Jun 24, 2010
Messages
2,722
Re: 77 Hydra Sport Restoration

HS on your photobucket account....if you mouse over the pic it will show a pop up window....right click the one for img code and paste in the reply box here



Thanks for the tutorial. I tried copy the URL from the browser and it was so long I resorted to copy original pic. Now I know better.

Question, Can I cut the top of the remaining stringer to remove the old wood and preserve the sides/high of stringers? I figure I can then sand inside/outside and put new wood or maybe once I cut the wood to size trim the sides down to about 1" from hull then FG. Will this work?

This question has been brought up many times here... The problem with leaving the shell of glass is you can't clean it out well enough to get a proper bond. The old glass needs to be sanded/ground with 36 grit paper to get to good clean glass. Your much better off cutting it out and laying new glass.

Just thinking, Has anybody made their own "Seacast" with resin, FG fibers and cabosil, basically making a not so thick PB mix to replace stringer wood? This is what I have in mind, making a mix then inserting solid fiberglass rods just like a footer on a building foundation uses re-bars to prevent the footer from cracking and structural integrity. A 1/2" x 8' solid FG rod is $6 and a 1/4" x 8' is $4. What are your thoughts on this crazy idea? If this makes sense I was thinking on making the transom this way, no more wood!

Interesting question... I don't think it will work. Seacast Nida Bond are specially designed for their purpose.....unless your a chemical engineer. This is a good one for YD or oops! to answer ;)
 
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