First time project boat

[beermonsta]

Hi all. I'm in the UK and have been looking at your lovely forum for some time picking up tips. I've just purchased a Picton delta 14ft speed boat for 100 gbp(age as yet unknown) and plan on restoring it to its former glory or hopefully better. The hull is sound.<br /><br />See pictures<br /><br /> http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/gory.shaw@btopenworld.com/album?.dir=e250 <br /><br />I've been reading a lot of posts on painting and restoration have found a lot of great advice so thanks to everyone.<br /><br />I've stripped the boad down removed all the trim and have taken up the floor as the ply was rotten. So I've now just got a fibreglass shell.<br /><br />The stringers seem ok from looking at it however do you think its worth drilling into them to see if the wood is rotten and needs rebuilding? There is pictures on the above link.<br /><br />Also I went to a local marina and asked about making some gelcoat repairs and was advised that using a filler (the one I got was a loctite one the name eludes me right now sorry I'm at work) would be fine. Would this suffice for filling some gelcoat chips that have gone down to the fibreglass (the fibreglass is untouched) or would I be better getting proper gelcoat and using that. I will be repainting with awl grip or equivalent paint and the boat wont be in the water more than 12 hours at a time.<br /><br />One more question ,the last one I promise, do you think it is worth putting some polyeurothane foam between the stringers for extra buoyancy there's not a lot of room and I'm not sure if doing this would stop the boat from draining as well once removed from the water?<br /><br />Any advice would be greatly apreciated.<br /><br />Thanks in advance

 

[vegard]

Re: First time project boat

I just finished a boat, where I did exactly what you are planning to do. for filling cracks an d voids, I used whatever epoxy putty I had, but no automotive bondo or anything like that, and then I sanded, primed and painted, with awlgrip also. my boat turned out extremely well. As for the inside, I filled around the stringers with 2 part foam, and then enclosed it with wood and lots of fiberglass. I painted the inside, and carpeted over the paint. I built it to last. I plan to post some pictures of my boat soon, keep an eye out!<br /><br />Also, congrats on choosing to restore a boat worth restoring.

 

[quantumleap]

Re: First time project boat

If you foam it, make sure you make a channel underneath and between stringers for proper drainage. I personally wouldn't add foam if there was none from the factory as all foam will collect some moisture in the voids between the foam and hull.

 

[beermonsta]

Re: First time project boat

Thanks for your input. I think i'll leave the foam as Quantumleap said, if it wasn't there from manufacture, why put it there when restoring it. Anyone got any thoughts on the stringers as I'm tempted to leave them as they seem pretty solid.<br /><br />I'm going to do the floor with marine grade ply, <br />I've found a local supplier, and have decided after reading various posts not to seal it with epoxy but just treat it with preserver and lay it down, not sure weather to fibreglass over the top of it or leave it unfixed.<br /><br />Any thoughts?

 

[beermonsta]

Re: First time project boat

Drilled into the stringers yesterday.Where some screws from the seating have gone into them it is rotten, so to be sure will replace them. Oh well at least if I do it all properly now it wont have to be done again.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: First time project boat

You'll want to sheath it with fiberglass, partly to keep water out, but mainly because the floor is an integral part of the structure of a fiberglass boat, and it needs to be tied to the hull, stringers, and transom. A lot of what has been said about leaving the ply bare is for floors in aluminum boats. Those boats simply have the ply bolted to aluminum stringers, and the floor isn't really part of the structure. Leaving it bare is fine for that type of boat, but not for a fiberglass boat. Hope that sort of helps...

 

[beermonsta]

Re: First time project boat

Thanks JasonJ for clearing that one up for me.<br /><br />I'll glass the ply in and epoxy it to the stringers and transom ,rather than screw it in as I wont want the stringers to rot again.<br /><br />Thanks for the advice

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: First time project boat

You may want to provide better support for the hull than that trailer as you replace the stringers. It'd be a shame to do all the work and end up with a possibly distorted hull. You may also add foam to the bottom inside of plastic liners (bags or sheeting) so that it is sealed from condensation and removeable, if you are considering foam yet.<br /><br />Cool boat, how many HP will she handle?

 

[beermonsta]

Re: First time project boat

I emailed Picton boats and the bloke said it'd take up to 60hp. But I can probably only afford 40hp. Currently have a limited budget:-(