81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

My 2 main stringers are each double 3/4" ply. I'm going to put hem together with Tightbond.

Do I want to resin the boards first? Any 1.5 oz csm?

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

My 2 main stringers are each double 3/4" ply. I'm going to put hem together with Tightbond. Do I want to resin the boards first? Any 1.5 oz csm?

If you are using TBIII, it's waterproof when dry, no need to resin the 3/4" ply pre TBIII ~ NO resin = NO csm.

Stagger the ply seam when laying the ply up into the length you need to make 1 double thick, full stringer length, lamination of 3/4" ply

GT1000000 has a pretty good description of how he laid up 2 pcs of thinner ply into a correct thickness & full length stringer for his resto

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Thanks jb. Making my wog clamps (like gt1m did) tomorrow and will bond the stringers (lotsa glue only).

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

[h=1]How NOT To Dress For Fiberglass Work[/h]We have Mrs. Kick Back?s brother, Willie, visiting from South Africa and he came with us to work on the boat. Despite instruction to cover up, some people are used to fighting the heat by removing clothes.

While I had him mostly helping me inside the boat with the wood stringers and bulkhead pieces, he did help Mrs. Kick Back with the transom holes. When we got home he began feeling the effects of the FG. And after he took a shower, he really noticed the effects when he put a shirt on.

Obviously, he was the butt of jokes the rest of the evening.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

[h=1]Transom Holes[/h]The salon was closed Monday, so Mrs. Kick Back came to help on the boat. She took on the task to clean up the inside edges of the holes left when we took out the stern drives. Once we took off the coatings lining the holes we found small areas of rot around some of the bolt holes.

Nothing major. Will be easy to fix. I?ll just grind out the affected areas and fill them with structural PB (as I said, the areas appear to be very small and isolated to the bolt holes).

Now that the wood of the transom inside the holes is exposed, I covered the area to protect from weather.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

GEL COAT QUESTIONS

1) How much of my 30 year old puke yellow gel coat do I need to remove before I put on the new gel coat (different color)?

2) I plan on spraying the new gel coat, but so many of the posts and videos I have seen all come out with an orange peel finish. If I should fully expect my ametuer hand to do the same, I could save the aggravation of tenting (outside boat/rv yard) for spraying and just roll and tip. Is it easier to sand orange peel to a good shine? Can I sand all the brush marks away to get a good shine if I roll and tip?

 

[oops!]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

hi cap.....the orange peel will happen what ever you do.

but it can be sanded easily....

the rpobelm with roll and tip is that the lows of the brush marks are usually really deep. you can just take a bondo spreader after partial cure and swipe a quick coat over the new gell. but you will still have to sand.

i would not worry about tenting, as the gellcoat is really heavy....it does not float like paint..... just put a tarp under the boat.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

hi cap.....the orange peel will happen what ever you do.

but it can be sanded easily....

the rpobelm with roll and tip is that the lows of the brush marks are usually really deep. you can just take a bondo spreader after partial cure and swipe a quick coat over the new gell. but you will still have to sand.

i would not worry about tenting, as the gellcoat is really heavy....it does not float like paint..... just put a tarp under the boat.

Thanks oops! I'll be spraying.

What about how much of the old gel coat I should remove?

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

[h=1]Cap To Hull Joint[/h]Couldn’t work on the boat today. Too much rain (and wind). I thought I had a break in the weather, but as soon as I got to the boat, it started again. Anyway, I had water in the boat from the rain, most of the leaks coming from the old rub rail screws or the holes where they are missing.

But I have a question about the joint between the cap and the hull. Being a 30 year old boat, a lot of the lip of the cap that overhangs the hull is not in good shape. Cracks, jagged edges, screw holes enlarged, etc. I don’t plan on ever pulling the cap, so I am thinking about sealing the entire joint from the inside by peanut buttering the inside of the joint and then putting a layer of CSM or two over it. Then I’ll back it with a wood strip for the new rub rail.

Does the joint need to flex, and if so, how much? Does fiberglassing this joint present any problems?

 

[Blue Crabber]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Hey Capt'n - Haven't stopped by in awhile so I just wanted to say keep up the great work! Enjoy seeing your progress very much. I am working on my 300 Sedan Bridge slowly but surely. (Its 3 hours away right now)

Can't wait to see the completed project!

Sorry I can't be of more help, I will let that up to the other experts here. Just wanted to let you know there are lots of us still watching!

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Hey Blue,

The 300 seams like a really sweet size. When we (with partner) bought the 340, I looked at a lot of pictures of 300s. The 340 was a nice boat, but a hog on fuel. I would expect your 300 to be much kinder in that regard. Since I'm converting to OBs, I will have space for all the ammenities I'm used to, just not quite as much move around space as you will have.

 

[BlkY2k]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Hi Captn, first off I gotta hand it to ya I dont think I wouldve taken on a project like this myself but you seem to just keep going along. Congrats on building your dream.
2nd I skimmed back through the thread but did you ever decide on power? I know at one time you were talking 250s. I saw these earlier today and thought of you. They were just posted today. G/L with your project.
2009 250 Optimax pair 25" warrenty till aug.2014 665 hours always flushed since new, all maintenance done on regular basis. mint condition . Engines are $32,000 new plus tax. engines only no props or rigging.engines still on boat till sold. asking $21,000. OBO Gerry 954-478-3587 Fort Lauderdale pics on request

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Thanks for the heads up blkY2k. After talking with a number of manufacturers at the Fort Lauderdale and Miami boat shows, I think we've settled on twin 200s. Actually the concensus was more like 175s, but I went up a size, partially because I'll be looking for engines a couple of years old, and matched 200s will be easier to find than 175s. Really worried that
250s would be too much power. Original power was twin 170 hp i/os amd as everyone points out, OB HP now is a lot more that I/O HP 30 years ago. And the twin 170s was the max offerred by Sea Ray. Also expecting 200s to have better fuel economy than 250s.

Glad your still aboard...

 

[maagee79]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Do u have any new updates?

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Actually, I do. The 2 main stringers and forward bulkhead are in (peanut buttered). CSM and 1708 strips for tabbing are cut and hopefully we'll do the tabbing today. Will get pics and post them

Since we have so much to do on this project, our minds bounce around a lot. Mostly because we want to know how we want to do everything up front so we don't want to do construction that prevents something else later.

Will hopefully measure for the secondary stringers today as well.

 

[maagee79]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Good im glad to hear that.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Two unexpected, full.heads of hair extensions at the salon. Took al day. Day is over. No work on the boat.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

[h=1]Stringers Underway[/h]Here are a couple of pictures taken during the stringer process. The first is the main stringers glued up in my WOG clamps. A shout out to Woodonglass for the clamp design you see used in the picture, and as used by GT1M for his project.

Also, since GT1M changed the game as far as workshop d?cor (his nicely decorated living room), I figured he was making a statement that stringers, the primary support for the hull, are most comfortable being born in a tranquil setting, So, I used the massage room in our salon to provide that setting. lol

Here is a picture of the stringers in place and partially tabbed in. The outer stringers are awaiting peanut butter at this point.

More pictures in a few minutes?

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

[h=1]Stringers Tabbed[/h]I haven?t been posting, but I have been working.

After tons of work, the four stringers are finally tabbed in with a layer of CSM and a layer of 1708. The third layer will be 1708 across the bottom of the hull and up the sides of the stringers. As I?ve discussed before, the extra layer of 1708 on the hull is probably not necessary, but I wanted to do it for several reasons:

1) Need Low Weight ? Converting from twin I/O to OBs, I calculate we will be a bit lighter than the original boat. Plus, a plaque at the ladder to the bridge said ?No More Than 450 Pounds On The Bridge While Underway?. Tells me Sea Ray was concerned about the boat being top heavy. So the extra 1708 gives me some added weight down low.

2) Strength ? We all worry somewhat about the strength of our old hulls when we get them to the water. I probably do more so. First, when I was selling my previous boat, the boat stands crunched through a weak spot in the hull mid-ship. Lucky it didn?t happen on the water. Also, you all must remember, I graduated from the oops! school of boat/tank building. It?s never too strong.

Here are several pictures:

 

[Big Island Lifer]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

That looks awesome! Are you going to paint or gelcoat your bilge?