Re: Winter project!!
What are those fabricated ribs made of? Are they Aluminum (I hope).
You had asked about gluvit. Yes apply over bare aluminum for best flowing and creeping results. Use a paintbrush and apply over the seams and rivits..... the stuff takes alot of time to dry (and even more in cold weather) and will run and creep. You might want to tip the hull to one side then do the other side a week later. Looking great.
Ribs are aluminum 7075, (scraps from work that Ive been collecting throughout the years.)
I was hoping to get away with using thinner ply for the floor by using these ribs, but now that I think about it, you guys are right. I may end up using 1/2. Should be thick enough?????????? Whats the weight diff between a sheet of 1/4 compared to 1/2 or even 3/8? My overall priorities with this is to see how strong I can make interior structure and give the least amount of weight vs. factory weight. What size did they use from the factory for the floor? This will be a fishing boat, but also used for cruisin. Mostly panfish/bass on local ponds, and I will not be toting a lot of gear. But with adding a TM and a few batts, my weight goes up, so thats why I am trying to save weight. Also in the future maybe a different outboard, so any weight savings I can do now, will help in the future. I guess I need to sit down and crunch some weight numbers also, to see what kind of weight Im gonna be toting around in the hull
Figured out the gluvit, by reading a can at boaters world. Can says bare aluminum. This spring when Im finished fabbing, I will have entire hull soda blasted. (I want to start from scratch). I am going to take a week off and the day I bring it home, I will gluvit interior seams, the get hull at least into primer, hopefully 2 coats of primer. After primer, I will install all my ribs, deck and transom, then final leak check before final paint.
I still have many little details to figure out, but for the most part, I think they will work themselves out as I go. This weekend, I am pulling out old transom. I think there may be some warpage going on from previous transom re do. After its out, I am gonna re level and square everything up again, (right now its VERY close to being square and level) brace it, then cut out deck. Wish me luck!!!!!!
Ive been using levels and plumb bobs to square it all up. It took me awhile to figure out how to transfer measurements from the bottom of hull to the sides...... A homemade plumb bob (checked for accuracy) works outstanding for this.
The street signs are anodized too and if they are damaged or unreadable they are usually replaced! It's up to you to get the shear and the brake