Steiger craft restoration

[johnnybgood]

Have posted on others thread, will attempt to establish a restoration thread for my 1994 Steiger Craft 21' I/O Block Island. At jc55 recommendation have opened a photo bucket account. so I can post pictures of what I have and what I have gotten done so far, new to this boat restoration but have done a few classic cars over the years. As soon as I figure out how to post pictures from the wife's camera to photo bucket I will attempt posting pictures here. Briefly I have the floor and foam all out and now just grinding the fiberglass down on the sides and cleaning up any residual foam. I am not familiar with Steiger craft you don't see many in SC but I am impressed with the stringers, Steiger makes a solid boat. The I/O is gone and will be working on transom for an outboard.

 

[jc55]

You can create your own specific folder in your photobucket account so that they are organized and separate. The hit "upload". Each pic has an image file that you will copy and paste onto iboats. Delete the to part of that link if it's included. You just was

. iboats is in some weird html mode all of a sudden for the last day on my computer? anyone else?

What kind of cars have you worked on?

 

[johnnybgood]

I didn't think my post went through as I kept getting a server error Oh well thanks for the info I will try posting pictures tonight. I restored a 1965 Mustang 289 automatic convertible and a 1957 Ford 2 door 272 Custom. Did the 57 as it was the car/hot rod I had in high school more years ago then I care to count. Have a 1954 Chevy truck siting in the back of the house on the long list of things to do (wife wants it gone don't think so) something else all ways seems to come up. I may have screwed up and double posted I'll have to check

 

[johnnybgood]

Seem to have been able to up load pictures had added captions don't know where they went

 

[kcassells]

That is 1 pretty boat! So are the stringers etc foam filled?

 

[johnnybgood]

The Steiger ID plate states this boat meets all USCG regs for commercial boats was wondering jc55 if your hull had a thru hull wash down or was that just on commercial boats you can see between the 2 engine mounts the thru hull wash down fitting and there was a pump on this boat Off tomorrow to pickup 3/4 marine plywood. dropped the idea of using 1/2"

 

[johnnybgood]

The stringers are foam filled and they are all dry and solid The condition of the floor had me worried the stringers would be bad ,

 

[jc55]

Very cool hull! Yes mine has "Commercial Work Boat" aluminum tags as well but I don't have a wash down or live well. I added a B60 transducer for my Garmin 740s and that's about the only hole I have. My deck had no fiberglass on the bottom originally. Glad you're using 3/4". 1/2" is too thin for those expanses. You may want to consider some extra hatches to make use of extra storage near the cabin entrance.

Just so you know, you can slide a full transom in there without cutting the gunwales or the rear skin. Be careful to not grind down the hull sides when you prepare the deck to hull side tabbing. You can use a sander but it's thin right there and you want to be careful not to take too much off with a flapper wheel for instance.

 

[johnnybgood]

Back to question of foam or no foam in bulkheads. I calculated the cubic ft of foam I took out of the hull and it adds up to 14.5 cubic ft estimated on the high side. Guesstimate the foam around the tank I'll say 5 cubic ft round it off 20 cubic ft total Boat weighs 2250 with 200hp outboard total weight 2800lbs. Read 1 cubic ft of 2lb foam = 60 lbs of flotation 60 x 20= 1200 lbs of flotation way short of 2800lbs, am I looking at this wrong, it does not seem be worth the effort putting foam back in and some of the bulkheads could be used for storage. Any insight on what I should do would be greatly appreciated

 

[Mikeopsycho]

I'm not going to get into the math here...hurts my head, but I think there are a couple other benefits of putting foam under the sole of any boat;
-Insulation, for sound suppression and against the cold.
-Water displacement in case of a hull breach and/or condensation.
-Extra support for the stringers and bulkheads, and for the sole. Even if it's not necessarily structural, it's still going to help hold things firmly together, I think.

Take my comments for what they're worth, I've got one foam job under my belt.

 

[jc55]

Amen mike...water displacement and deck support...yes even with 3/4".

 

[johnnybgood]

After reading endlessly put foam in don't put foam in until l my head hurts, Here is my plan--- the long center bulkheads on the side of the boat will be used for storage so I'll install large hatches looks like a good place to store fish gaffs etc the other bulkheads will get some sort of foam with access covers just so I can keep an eye on any water intrusion. Under the gunnels I ' ll put 2" of the foam board. Today is work on the transom will be post pics of progress

 

[johnnybgood]

Worked this weekend on the transom cut the notch for the outboard, 36" wide and 25" up from the keel bottom. Got the 3/4" plywood cut to fit the out drive hole and cut the plywood to replace the piece on the left outside. Cut another piece of plywood that will go on the inside and extended 12" on either side of the outdrive hole just for added strength. May run knee braces from old engine mounts up to transom (is this overkill will be running a 150 or 200 4 stroke?). When fiber glassing this all together do I coat all the plywood with epoxy resin first let dry and then recoat with resin and screw or clamp it all together. On the outside where the skin was cut I left a 4" lip do I put a good bead of thickened resin all in there prior to putting the plywood in the channel. If I use stainless steel crews to clamp it all together is it OK to leave them in. For all this I use non-blushing epoxy resin ?All gaps it plywood fill with thickened resin?

 

[johnnybgood]

transom repair and fitting progress

 

[Mikeopsycho]

Looks really good. I'd go with the knee braces, which are probably overkill, but who doesn't like overkill? Just wondering, did you check the existing transom for moisture or rot? Very nice boat, by the way.

Hopefully one of our fiberglass guru's will chime in and answer your questions.

 

[johnnybgood]

The Boat had had been out of the water for years and the way it was sitting on the trailer it must have been leaning to the left water got in the transom from the top and only the left outer corner of plywood was rotted the inner plywood was dry and solid. I only cut the left outer fiberglass skin off and as you can see and will replace the wood. and re fiberglass. Overall the transom is solid. Plan is to fiberglass in to existing inner skin the addition 3/4 ply plus bracing. I tend to over build

 

[johnnybgood]

Contacted US composites and ordered epoxy resin, 1708, cabosil should be here next week. Original plan was to put a layer of 1708 on the bottom of the floor and 2 layers on top US Composite rep said it was overkill to put 1708 on the bottom just put a very good coat of resin on the wood. As for the top he said if it was just a pleasure boat one coat of 1708 was fine if it were a dive boat with tanks banging on the floor he would go with 2 coats. Any thoughts out there I sure don't want to replace the floor again in my lifetime

 

[kcassells]

Whats that smell? Oh yea kick arse. bgood looks like he has his head in the game and smokin it! Thought I'd stop by for a "Holler"!

 

[kcassells]

That sure is 1 Pretty Boat!

 

[jc55]

Aren't you epoxy guys recommending 17oz over 1708? Is he gonna be okay?