Floor replacement question

[JASinIL2006]

Re: Floor replacement question

Steve, I'm just getting ready to remove my partially rotted transom core (also from a Larson, coincidentally) and I cannot thank you enough for this detailed thread. I've been looking and looking for a detailed description on how to remove the transom, and I came across your project. I now have a roadmap. I don't yet know if I have much stringer/foam damage, but I'm about to find out. This weekend I'll take a circular saw to the transom core and see what happens.

Thanks again for the great thread (and thanks to all your advisors).

Jim

P.S. My Larson also has that foam stuff around the transom core and under the tabbing. Some of the fiberglass work in my boat looks pretty sloppy...

 

[Old Yeller Boater]

Re: Floor replacement question

Hey Steve....haven't heard much from you lately. How's the project coming along? I'm going to be starting on mine in about a month. I had a detour to do some dock work since they unexpectedly decided to lower my lake level to do some repair work around the dam. Whiile it's down, I'm going to finish my floater, then the boat is next.

 

[62cruiserinc]

Re: Floor replacement question

I'm still here!

I had to take some time out for family activities and overtime at work.

The good news first:

Here are the finished stringers with the first coat of just resin:



The motor clearance offset area:


The bulkheads with resin coating:


The Bulkheads with a PVC pipe section in the bilge area(to protect the wood edge from water) and CSM, not trimmed yet:



The Bulkheads after trimming the CSM:


More pics in the next post.

Steve

 

[62cruiserinc]

Re: Floor replacement question

More pictures:


Two stringers, two bulkheads, and two deck cross-supports coated with resin/CSM and ready to go into the boat:

Note that one cross-support piece has not been trimmed yet.

Finally, I was looking for a way to apply the PB under the stringer edge and decided to try something. I bought a cheap plastic tube of latex caulk at the local home center(97 cents). Then I cut the tip off and emptied the tube with a caulk gun. An air gun was used to blow the plunger back out of the tube. Since it was latex caulk, it washed clean with water and Dawn dish soap. Here is a picture:



I looked online and the cheapest I could find empty caulk cartridge for was about $4 shipped, so i decided to make my own empties (cartridges, not beer!). We will see if it works. I bought 6 more caulk tubes in case it does work.

Now the bad news:

It's getting pretty cold here overnight (below 40 degrees) and I'm going to stop until next spring. The overnight cold will make the resin curing rate an iffy proposition and trying to compensate with more MEKP will be tricky. Heating the barn is not an option (no insulation, $$for natural gas). The boat doesn't fit into my workshop through the door(a few inches too wide and it would take up all the space anyway).

I have a bunch of unused resin left over and to keep it from going bad I am putting it into a -50degrees F freezer we have at work. Our company chemist said it should keep the resin from going bad until next spring (April maybe).

I will keep reading the forum throughout the fall/winter.

I am planning on working on the motor and outdrive in the shop so it will be ready for next spring.

Steve

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Floor replacement question

How long of a period do you have to work when the temps are 60? and above? If you have 2-3 hour periods you can still lay glass cuz the chemical reaction will have occurred within that period of time so as long as you don't get into a Hard Freeze you should be fine. You could tent the boat and put a heat lamp under the tent to keep the temp up.

 

[62cruiserinc]

Re: Floor replacement question

I can't work on it in the evenings after work because the temps have dropped below 60 degrees by then. This leaves weekends and there probably won't be many left with more than an hour or two above 60 degrees. I could build a temporary 2x4 enclosure around the boat and warm it, but I think I will wait for spring and then plunge into it again. I also need to do a bathroom renovation that has been set aside for almost a year (the new materials and fixtures were bought last year).

I am planning on working on the motor and outdrive in my heated shop so they will be ready by next spring.

So far I have:

1) Completed the transom rebuild

2) Finished fabricating the stringers, bulkheads, and horizontal deck supports.

3) Ground the fiberglass to make it ready for the stringer/bulkhead installation.

To be done next spring:

1) Install the stringers/bulkheads

2) Clean and install the fuel tank

3) Grind the area where the deck meets the hull

4) Fab and install the deck (including deciding on a deck surface finish)

5) Pour the expanding foam

6) Patch and paint the transom outside skin (there are a lot of holes that won't be used anymore)



Next year's stuff should go much quicker because this year's work included learning to work with fiberglass and proper grinding techniques and equipment. I am now comfortable working with fiberglass and have a "feel" for it.

I would like to thank everyone on this forum again for their help in getting me up to speed on glass work. It has saved me a lot of lost time (mistakes) and wasted money.

I am planning on watching the forum over the winter as there is continuous useful information posted here. It would be worth watching just to follow Trooper's thread as he progresses on his boat!

Steve

 

[Trooper82]

Re: Floor replacement question

You have accomplished alot in a short period of time! weather is a bummer sometimes...

I've been on the sidelines watching your progress for sometime...you done an amazing job on that transom! Beautiful work!!! you will be surprised how quick that work goes on that Spring list...



Thanks for the props..hope I do not disappoint....rainy season here....

 

[62cruiserinc]

Re: Floor replacement question


I was looking for a place to put the stringers, bulkheads and deck supports where they would not be damaged or warped (like storing it across barn ceiling rafter ties). Then it dawned on me - put them in the boat where they are going to be installed.

So I put the stringers in their correct place and screwed the bulkheads to them to keep the stringers from falling over. The deck supports were laid into the stringer notches where they belong.

When I looked at it after I put them in the boat, I realized "so close and yet so far". The only thing needed to complete the stringers is tabbing, but the tabbing is probably about 6 months away at least.

Here are some pictures:




The good news is that it looks like all the pieces fit OK.

This is probably the last post I will make showing further progress until next spring. Meanwhile, I will still read the forum daily to follow the progress of others.

Steve

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Floor replacement question

Nice work.

I'd be getting the space heaters going and adding a bit more catalyst to the resin. It would be tough to wait for Spring.