Ol' Girl gets a new Ol' Girl

[Mike Carey]

wow, what a nice piece of work!

[Toni]

YES IT IS!

[Toni]

Pouring foam

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[Toni]

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YOUTUBE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hFQM9v4jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Toni]

11-15-13 So here is the latest progress report.

Spent some time working on removing the vents on the bow and the bow light, don't need them don't want them anymore. The vents were open to the under floor before and would allow water and moisture under the floor so they had to go. The bow is now nice and clean.

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Weather has gotten a bit colder and windier, so when it's boat day the circus comes to town at Trent's house!

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[Amx]

From what I've read and remember a bow light and stern light are required, even if they aren't 'plugged in'. Then on days of inclement weather, and so dark enough, they are required to be working.

[Toni]

Finished the foam in under the floor and cleaned the excess from the holes with a hole saw and a cutter I made that fits inside the hole saw. I wanted the plywood edges nice and clean for the resin to adhere the plugs back in place.

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I made some thick paste peanut butter with resin and glass sandings, filled the bottom of the holes on top of the foam to about 1/2" below the bottom of the plywood then pushed the plugs down to below the floor level to let the peanut butter ooze up all the way around and then finished the top off with a layer of peanut butter.

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Then the fish box was glassed and the bilge edges were glassed in so all joints are glassed and solid, didn't take any pics of that unfortunately.

Today I got the belt sander out and sanded down the plugs, with the shop vac attached the dust was very minimal.

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[Toni]

Plugs were sanded flush to the floor and the floor joints were sanded smooth and level.

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Now the floor is pretty much ready for final glass.

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[Toni]

The bow vent holes were sanded out a about four inches out all the way around, feathered to paper thin. Then the hole was plugged with cardboard and some CSM glass matt was cut to fill the hole in successively smaller circles so that when finished the glass will be level.

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Once the patches were all resined and glassed over the hole, I cut a final patch of triax to cover it all to level it out and give it a good thick finish layer. It cured nicely under some halogen work lights. I used 8 layers, knowing that the center would sink down to the cardboard and need to be brought up level. It should be about 1/8" higher than the bow level so it can be sanded down flush to the original level and gel coated. Once finished, you'll never know the vents were there, except for these will be the strongest parts!

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The nice thing about the cooler weather and the circus tent is that with the halogen lights and my heater buddy, I can lay glass nice and cool to get the resin to wet out the glass nicely and it won't set up too fast. Then I can bring the temp up nice to where I want it to start the curing process, it will kick and cure to the touch in a couple of hours, perfect. When the weather was hot, it was tough to get a lot of glass wet out without it kicking in the pail.

So that's were we are at as of this afternoon. Final floor glass next week!!

[sickbayer]

Amazing is all I can say. Have really enjoy the post unfold can't wait to see it when it all done.

[Toni]

From what I've read and remember a bow light and stern light are required, even if they aren't 'plugged in'. Then on days of inclement weather, and so dark enough, they are required to be working.

I got new lights but they will be 2 separate lights port and starboard sides. He won't install those until it is time for wiring. I also got a new horn, switch panel, 1 electric downrigger, marine vhf radio, antenna, and a anchor (crab) pulley... and several other things.

[Rosann G]

Wow Toni, this has been quite a project and it is amazing to watch it unfold. Looking forward to seeing the finished project and I am sure you are too. Can't wait to hear about your fishing adventures once you get to get her wet.

[Toni]

Wow Toni, this has been quite a project and it is amazing to watch it unfold. Looking forward to seeing the finished project and I am sure you are too. Can't wait to hear about your fishing adventures once you get to get her wet.

My plan is to smear it in fish blood!!

Steve tells me what he is going to do and then when he puts up the posts in step by step it shows how much goes into it.

[MarkFromSea]

My plan is to smear it in fish blood!!

Love the boat progress and I especially LOVE your plan! Woo Hoo!

[Steve Ericsson]

From what I've read and remember a bow light and stern light are required, even if they aren't 'plugged in'. Then on days of inclement weather, and so dark enough, they are required to be working.

You are correct sir, never said we were deleting them, just updating them to something different/newer. The stern light sockets are much smaller and different so the old screw holes won't be covered by the new one, so they were filled and new ones will be drilled. Bow lights will be seperate red/green lights to either side instead of one in the middle of the bow.

[MarkFromSea]

Just a thought.... if she'll see salt service.... that white light doesn't need to be in the stern.... if ya mount the white light on the window frame(up high for a 360 degree viewing), you eliminate the socket that invariably gets salt water in it... just a thought and how my rig rolls. Manufacturer had installed socket... T U in short order due to salt... The window frame mounted pole rotates down and out of the way for transport or whatever... rotate sleeve, fold up or down, tighten sleeve on pole, ready to rock! Just a thought....

[kokanee_slayer]

Toni,
You are going to end up with a very NICE rig! Can't wait to see her out on the water. You've got a real pro helping you with the work.

[Toni]

Nice day today, even some sunshine for awhile, great day to start the final glass on the floor.

I began by measuring the floor to get an overall length with 6" extra either end for fairing up the sides all the way around.

Then the width with the same 6" extra was measured and the roll of triax was laid out and the measurements transferred and the rough dimensions cut out with a utility knife and straight edge.

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Then the mat was rolled up and laid out on the floor for final measuring and then trimmed in place. You may notice the corners will have overlapping seams so there is full glass coverage, no gaps.

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[Toni]

en the resin began, I mixed in some fiberglass powder for the resin on the sides to thicken it up and give it better hang so it won't run down to the floor so easily, should also help keep the resin in the glass while it cures. I started on the far side glassing the transition up the side, knowing this would be where the most air bubble issues would take place, so lots of resin here. Once I was satisfied with this, the rest of the mat was rolled up to the side and the floor wet out with resin and the mat laid back down. It is always best to lay the resin first and push it up through the glass so you know you have a very good bond with the floor. If you spread the resin on dry glass and floor underneath, you run the risk of not getting the resin down through the glass well enough to soak into the flooring and give a good strong bond.

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Took an hour and a half or so and it was done, one half of the floor final glassed. I decided to run the seam lengthwise since the floor seams run widthwise, I have issues with parallel seams, not good structural practice. Probably not an issue here, but my OCD wouldn't let me do it otherwise!!

Once the glass was thoroughly wet out and all air bubbles rolled out best I could, mine and Trent's heater buddies were set up and and turned on and a sheet of plywood laid over the top with a tarp to keep the heat in and wind out. This should let the resin cure in an hour or two, this is how it sits as we speak in the Easy Bake Oven. It's plenty warm in there!

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[Toni]

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I do hear some rain coming down, so I'll need to go check on things here in a minute as soon as I post this. Need to make sure the popup is still in place and shedding water and the heater buddies are still cooking good and haven't run out of propane. Other side should be done by Friday, then it is some belt sander prep to level the seam and smooth out the top coat and we're ready for seat pads and then gel coat!!