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)

[h=1]Video Posted For Trailer Boating Video[/h]Hey guys,

In a previous post, I mentioned I was working on a video about trailer boating in South Africa. It wasn’t an idle threat. I just created a thread with a link to the video I uploaded to You Tube. I started a separate thread so all iboaters would get a chance to see it.

Here is a link to that thread:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=579814

Sea ya…

 

[Rebel01]

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

Love the launch!

 

[Woodonglass]

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

All I can say is...I hope they lay the Gelcoat on THICK on those Hulls and...The Bow EYES and Trasom EYES are Heavily Re-Inforced!!!!!

 

[GT1000000]

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

The first "launch" kind of reminds me of the "Hulk" in Busch Gardens or " Space Mountain" at Disney...or even getting catapulted of the end of an aircraft carrier... ...

Actually unloaded a pick-up truck that way a time or two...:facepalm:

 

[Pmccraney]

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

Posted on your other thread... That was some interesting footage for sure!

 

[Decker83]

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

Great vid. Amazing what people do with their boats.
Thanks for sharing the vid.

 

[CaptainKickback]

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

Thanks for the thanks guys. It seems a lot of people have enjoyed it so far.

Sea ya...

 

[CaptainKickback]

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

[h=1]Transom Top Update[/h]Finally, a post from yours truly…

I have, however, been working on the boat, at least in little increments. Over several sessions, I had gotten most of the underneath side of the transom top tabbed with CSM (all but 5’ of tabbing). Today, I got to the boat around 5:00 PM and was ready to tab with 1708. But then I noticed I still had the 5’ of CSM to do. Anyway, I got it all done by 7:00 PM: the last 5’ of CSM, and 22’ of 1708.

Man, it really is much easier to work at 82 degrees than 95.

BTW, this work was all upside down. I had done most of the CSM with just a brush. But today, I decided to dig out the small rollers I had tried (not too successfully) before. The roller made much quicker work of it, and I didn’t really have too much trouble getting the FG to stay in place, even though it was hanging upside down. Several things made it work:

1) I used short pieces, about a foot long each and overlapped them. I know it may not be quite as strong, but there would be no way to get long pieces in place upside down.
2) I made sure I got both the surface and the 1708 really wet before putting it up.
3) I held one end of each piece with the roller and positioned the piece with my hand.
4) Then rolled it which made it stick fairly quickly.

I used two rollers throughout the session. Upon cleaning the first one (one with a nap), after the second batch of resin, it seemed to break in half. I tried to use it anyway, but it wouldn’t roll well and then just fell apart. I think it had a cardboard base. I didn’t have any more of those, so I quickly dug out a pack of foam rollers I had. This roller actually seemed to work even better on the 1708. However, when cleaning with acetone, it seemed the foam swelled up and I think came loose from the base. I set it aside. I’ll see what shape it’s in when I get back to the boat.

If anyone knows of small 4.5” rollers that stand up to multiple use, please let me know.

I didn't take pictures because it’s more of the same, however, getting this tabbed was a significant step. Now, I have the needed support so I can start cutting out sections of the transom gunwale for the two doors and the transom seat. I’ll post pictures of that as I go.

Sea ya…

 

[CaptainKickback]

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

[h=1]Ordered My Helm Seat Today[/h]I have been trying to think through my helm design for some time now. But it keeps coming down to “it depends on how/where I will be sitting”. So I ordered my helm seat today. It’s from Veada, the model 200 helm seat, with a flip up bolster. I picked this one because the swiveling radius was small (I don’t have much room on the bridge). I also wanted the bolster so I could sit fairly close to the steering wheel, but stand if I wanted to. The seat will be mostly a charcoal grey with a lighter grey insert.

I also ordered the pedestal for the seat. Slides forward and back, as well as swivels. I need the seat to sit as low as possible because I want to look like I’m sitting in the boat, not on the boat. The bridge gunwales are very low (18”). Veada said I could cut the pedestal tube down to 7” to give me a seating height of 14”.

Once I get the seat, I will start a mock up of the helm and play with positioning of all the controls and gauges.

Sea ya...

 

[Trooper82]

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

Sounds like you had a good day....I found the foam rollers I used did the exact same thing, when trying to clean them....WoG had ne use the 1/4" nap rollers...they work good, but i use them for one session then pitch them...I did clean one out once...was rather stiff afterwards...

 

[CaptainKickback]

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

Sounds like you had a good day....I found the foam rollers I used did the exact same thing, when trying to clean them....WoG had ne use the 1/4" nap rollers...they work good, but i use them for one session then pitch them...I did clean one out once...was rather stiff afterwards...

Thanks troop. These things are over a dollar a piece. I would think we could get something cleanable for that price. But haven't found it yet.

Sea ya...

 

[GT1000000]

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

Great to hear you got that glassing task taken care of...and got your helm seat on the way...cool!

Yeah, expensive, single use, pretty much sums up the foam rollers...I went through almost a dozen and a half when I did the primer and base painting...sometimes they would start to come apart and leave foam pieces stuck to the paint......I too, tried cleaning with acetone and they would just swell up and get hard and crusty by the next day...

 

[CaptainKickback]

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

Great to hear you got that glassing task taken care of...and got your helm seat on the way...cool!

Yeah, expensive, single use, pretty much sums up the foam rollers...I went through almost a dozen and a half when I did the primer and base painting...sometimes they would start to come apart and leave foam pieces stuck to the paint......I too, tried cleaning with acetone and they would just swell up and get hard and crusty by the next day...

I see you guys have no good news for me. But thanks for the info. At least I can now reset my expectations so the psychological trauma will be gone when I buy these things.

Sea ya...

 

[CaptainKickback]

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

[h=1]Transom Gunwale Cutting Begins[/h]The plan for the day was to cut out the transom gunwales for the two doors to the swim platform (which will be part of the outboard bracket). Here?s the before on the transom.

The port door was already partially cut out and has been that way for a long time. As I started to measure and mark for the rest of its cuts, I realized with all the strange angles, it would be hard to get them right.

So I decided to move to the starboard door. I went to Home Depot and bought a roll of brown paper, then cut an 18? strip of paper, and draped it over the transom in the right spot, taped it down, and traced the lines. I figured once I got the starboard door cut out, I could measure back across to the port door and plot points for drawing the lines.

So I started cutting the transom using a cutting disc on a 4.5? grinder. I got part way through when the grinder kicked back hard, hit the side gunwale and fell to the deck. The disc had become pinched in the cut as I went too deep and the disc completely shattered. I sat there for a moment contemplating how lightning fast the grinder moved, how I could have neither reacted fast enough nor had the strength to stop it, and how I was lucky it didn't come at me. Whew, close call! BTW, I was wearing a respirator and safety glasses.

So, off to Home Depot for more cutting discs. For the rest of the cutting, I was very careful not to dig in too deep. Here is the starboard cut out:

More cutting to do, but that?s for tomorrow.

Sea ya?

 

[Decker83]

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

Glad you didn't get hurt with the grinder. They can be very dangerous.. Just ask jasoutside about them. You could try using a sawzall when doing this kind of cutting.
It seams like trying to clean a roller with acetone is almost as expensive as replacing the roller as high priced as acetone is.
The acetone does not clean all the resin out anyway. I have gone thur a bunch so far. Just part of the cost of the restore. Same as the sandpaper. It's ridiculous how much you can spend on the sandpaper.

Keep up the good work.

 

[CaptainKickback]

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

Glad you didn't get hurt with the grinder. They can be very dangerous.. Just ask jasoutside about them. You could try using a sawzall when doing this kind of cutting.
It seams like trying to clean a roller with acetone is almost as expensive as replacing the roller as high priced as acetone is.
The acetone does not clean all the resin out anyway. I have gone thur a bunch so far. Just part of the cost of the restore. Same as the sandpaper. It's ridiculous how much you can spend on the sandpaper.

Keep up the good work.

Yeah, I've resigned myself to tolerating single use rollers. Actually, I wasn't intending to use them from one day to the next. I just wanted to be able to run through multiple mixes in a session. Just enough acetone to keep the previous mix from kicking. Maybe if I just wipe down the surface with acetone such that the core doesn't get it. I'll experiment with that.

BTW, being a hair salon owner, I get my acetone from suppliers that only sell to salons. My price, just under $7.50 per gallon.

Sea ya...

 

[Trooper82]

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

Glad you were not hurt...you saw what I did with that same setup?

cutout looks good!

 

[CaptainKickback]

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

Glad you were not hurt...you saw what I did with that same setup?

cutout loks good!

Thanks troop. Actually, I missed what you did. I learned a lesson from this one. If what you did is similar, lesson learned. If yours has a different lesson, let me know and I'll look it up.

Sea ya...

 

[GT1000000]

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

Wow! Glad you are OK...all the power tools we use have inherent dangers...and they can easily catch us off guard...sometimes we learn about them the hard way......and also a good example of why we need to always be wearing our PPE.

The step through is going to be a great modification...what surprised me is the stern eye looks like it is just supported with that small backing plate against the hull...

BTW, remember, your "handle" on the forum does NOT have to directly relate to how your tools perform......

Stay safe, Hydrated and cool...

 

[CaptainKickback]

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

The step through is going to be a great modification...what surprised me is the stern eye looks like it is just supported with that small backing plate against the hull...

BTW, remember, your "handle" on the forum does NOT have to directly relate to how your tools perform......

I got one heck of a laugh on that one, GT. Good catch.

As for the stern eye, the FG is fairly thick, the backing plate is about 6" x 4", and the FG in the area had a lot of curves (adds strength). Also, about 8" over to the corner is a knee.

So it seems it was strong enough. But now that I've cut out the doors, I'll have to do a little thinking about the strength now. Thanks for bringing it up. I might have forgotten to think about it.

Sea ya...