Mark Twain Restore!!

[boatflipper]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

Well on your way to new boat! Ski locker is a great idea if you have the room. You can never have enough storage on a boat. Sun deck might be a little harder. You'd have to leave room for the outboard to tilt forward. You may be able to make it a U shape and come forward of the splashwell a ways.

Either way good luck , sound like you got great ideas for her.

Glad to hear you like the ideas. I hadn't thought about the motor tilting up and the sun deck in the way. The u-shape would fix that, and I think that would look pretty good. I got to thinking about the ski locker though, and I would have to make a box under the floor so things wont slide around everywhere and make it to where water could go under it. Guess it would be a good challenge for me though....

Keep those comments comin'!

 

[boatflipper]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

Sorry guys, but unfortunately no progress was made with the Twain this weekend. I had a livestock emergency fri/sat, and sunday I spent the day in Frankfort, KY getting a boat trailer for the Twain. So, maybe next weekend I can start getting that rubrail off and getting out the rivets.
Comments are continuously encouraged. The more the better!

 

[boatflipper]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

Hey guys, I know it's been a while but between school, homework, and marching band, my time for my boat projects gets cut short a little.....
Anyway, I tried getting the black plastic (that goes around the boat where the cap is connected) out but I cant get it to move. Do I have to pry it out or what? Help Please!

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

There a little tough when they get old and brittle. It should fold under back by the stearn. Get that out and you can usually pull it out in short sections. Regrab every 4-5" and repull, get to long and it may break. I've found that black usually is pretty easy to lay in the sun and get soft to reuse. The white rub rail is usually a bear and won't soften up. Spray some WD on it as well, you'll be washing it anyway before you try to install.

 

[boatflipper]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

Lion Hunter,
Thanks for the advice, too bad I didn't read it before I finally got it off! I ended up doing pretty much what you said.

After getting the rubber out, I started getting the aluminum piece off which was not fun! No rivets to drill out, but plenty of rusted screws with no head to put a screwdriver in So, anyone have any ideas on getting them out without destroying the fibergalss? Can I drill them out like a rivet or what?!

thanks for all the help so far!

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

What I did with my rusty screws was grind off the head, remove the aluminum bump strip then put a vise grip on the remaining screw and turned them out. I did have to drill a couple, but it really wasn't all that bad.

 

[boatflipper]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

That sounds like a better idea than grinding them all out
Thanks!

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

That sounds like a better idea than grinding them all out
Thanks!

And when you replace them, use stainless screws. Ya never know when you want to do this again...LOL.

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

If you can't get a grinder in there just use a big bit (1/2" or so). Don't use a good bit like a dewalt that had a pilot starter, flat as possible. And just drill the head off. Go very slow and check often. I made the mistake of breaking several before I got out the grinder, and they always break even with the surface.

 

[boatflipper]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

Okay everyone,
Just thought I would check in and ask a few more questions that I have been contemplating....
1> Assuming I get the cap off this weekend (which should not be a problem becasue the rubrail is off and the majority of completley rusted screws that hold the cap on are out.) I was just wondering if there is any 'proper' way to store the cap while the transom gets fixed. Do I just leave it flat on the ground?
2> What is a good thickness for the transom? I have seen a couple diff. sizes on diff. threads and was wondering what a good size is that isn't overkill.
3>I have noticed a lot of restorers saying that ACX plywood is just as good as marine grade. Is this true?? Can it be used for my transom?
4> To get the desired figure of the transom, I will be doing like drewpster and clamping the plywood to the boat and doing a 'rough cut'. However, I was wondering if I could just use one sheet of plywood to get the desired figure, and then cut the rest after that. If that will work, do I use CSM to bond them or....(I am not up to speed on the fiberglass 'agents)

As always, any and all help is greatly appreciated!
Take care

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

I tied my cap to the garage ceiling. It wasn't closed in. But you can lay it flat on the ground without issues. Before you take the cap off, measure the transom thickness. You should stay with that so the cap will fit back in place. I'm not sure what acx is but a marine grade or a good one side will suffice. I used a large piece of cardboard to get the shape of my transom, then layed it on the plywood and traced it out. Hope this helps out.

 

[boatflipper]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

Ok, so I know it has been a month since last post but now I am on fall break and I am hoping to make some progress with the old twain!
I finally found a trailer to put this baby on and after some fabrications to the trailer, I was able to get the boat on it last weekend.
I am still fighting on and off with the rusty screws that are holding the cap on. I got the rubrail off and most of the screws out holdin the cap on. However, there are a couple that I haven't been able to remove. I have tried drilling them out and I guess I was using the wrong type of bit becasue that did no good. I would put vice-grips on them but there is nothing to get a bite on.....Do I need to go to Lowes and ask for a good 'screw drilling-out' bit or????

I am also planning on ordering my 'transom materials' ASAP. I plan on using ACX plywood and bond it together with 4200...Am I on the right track with that? Another question I have is what should the thickness of the transom be? There is no way of measuring the original transom thickness as it is totally delaminated....
I was also wondering if there are any 'preps' to do to the transom area before putting the wood in?

 

[BobsGlasstream]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

Hello Boatflipper,
Nice looking boat.
As for the remaining screws, if you have drilled them out and still have some metal around the hole,you might be able to get some easyouts to remove them. You can pick them up at most hardware stores, auto stores or HD. They may still not work, and then your only option would be to drill them all the way out. Can't really think of another option for you, since I can't see the screws.
Hope this helps.
Good luck with the boat and have fun

 

[boatflipper]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

Once again, I am back from a long period in which not much physical progress was made with the 'Twain:redface: but I have made a lot of mental progress!
The main issue I am facing is the transom. I have never done any kind of major fiberglass work although I have done several projects with Bond-O (pathetic I know). Having said that, I have been doing a lot of research here, mostly on drewpster's thread and taking as many notes as possible! I think I have the basic idea of what to do but am sort of nervous to actually do it....That led me to research the sea-cast and nida core pourable transoms. I realize the expense in this but it will last a lifetime and little work (comparitively speaking) is required. However, I still have a slight problem even with the pourable transom: I have no 'useable' inside skin,(As seen in the pics mine is totally destroyed), so I would have to make one. I am not exactly sure on how to do this....Sea-cast has a breif description on how to make the inside skin but even their breif explanation confuses me! Any help on making the inside skin would be greatly appreciated!
-boatflipper

 

[BobsGlasstream]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

I would suggest you look at "archbuilders thread", Post #22. He did what you are talking about. and dis a great job.
Bob

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

Hang in there boatflipper, sound like you are doing great! On the screws, can you get to them from the inside? If you can, try putting the vice grips on them, and "screwing" them backwards. If there is enough of the screw sticking out, you can tread it out until you can get at it on the outside.

 

[boatflipper]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

Thanks arhbuilder-
I will definitely look inside (dont know why I didn't think of that).....

Even though the srtingers are solid, I have been thinking-would it be worth it to go ahead and re-do them? I am really considering pouring them with sea-cast since that is what I am going to do with my transom. I figure it wouldn't take but a few gallons to do the stringers....If I do end up doing this, would I just use a jigsaw or something to cut the very top layer of fiberglass off? Enough to get the wood out? then pour the sea-cast into the 'stringer template'?

Thanks guys for all the help you have given me so far.
-boatflipper

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

Boatflipper, seacast is great for stingers, but it might take more than you think...and it cost$$$$. Don't get me wrong, great stuff just don't bust your budget! I use an air powered die grinder for a lot of that kind of cutting. If the wood is solid, it might be a chore to get it out.....mine only had tabs on it, not a full skin. One time rot is on your side is when you are doing demo! The more rot, the easier!

 

[boatflipper]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

I guess it would be hard getting that wood out....I just hate to do everything but them and then 10 years later they get squishy....I really would like to keep it for a while cause a lot of work it going to go into it.....oh decisions decisions.....

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Mark Twain Restore!!

Don't get me wrong, seacast is great! You just have to decide how much time and $$$ you want to put into it. Mine is a long term investment, so it was worth it to me! I could have done it faster....but as you said, one of these days I would be doing it again! Once is enough!