Ol' Girl gets a new Ol' Girl

[Toni]

Toni, I have been enjoying this thread since it has started and have continued to be impressed by your glass work and everything encompassing this build. Very cool and it is giving me the confidence to do my own fiberglassing! Thank you and keep posting! haha

ResQ it isn't my glass work but Steve Ericssons'. I have thought that I would post everything Steve writes on here to keep this forum updated. It is a good thread for those diy.

[Toni]

Toni, you truly are an inspiration. My wife, Linda, and I so enjoyed meeting you at the Puyallup Sportmens' show. She got the fishing and camping bug there, and we plan to get a boat this year for sure. Maybe we'll see you on the water!

It was nice meeting you. Maybe we will meet on the water!!!

[Toni]

Shes coming along very nice. You have given me some ideas with my trailer. A thought on the extra tongue under the nose of the boat you might add a roller there. That way it will always line up on the nose rest even if the trailer isnt just right in the water at the launch.

Idstud, I have thought about that, I'm going to lengthen the tongue about a foot back out so when backing around sharp corners the corners of the bow won't bust the back window out of her Explorer! The rest I most likely will cut off, or I might weld a couple of the old trailer rollers on here to center the boat as it comes on. Hmm, that's a pretty darned good idea!!

I am sure glad you are going to lengthen it. A longer tongue also makes it easier to back up. It also puts the boat further in the water before my explorer rear end is in the water.
I bought that one roller for up by the tongue. Also I would like a roller on the back of the trailer so I have something to aim at. This is sure going to be a learning curve.
Thank you Steve. Even writing up these reports about it too. All I did was save the pictures and copy, paste, and upload. I estimated 15 minutes. It took me a half hour to do before work today. I was almost late.

[Idstud]

Shes coming along very nice. You have given me some ideas with my trailer. A thought on the extra tongue under the nose of the boat you might add a roller there. That way it will always line up on the nose rest even if the trailer isnt just right in the water at the launch.

Idstud, I have thought about that, I'm going to lengthen the tongue about a foot back out so when backing around sharp corners the corners of the bow won't bust the back window out of her Explorer! The rest I most likely will cut off, or I might weld a couple of the old trailer rollers on here to center the boat as it comes on. Hmm, that's a pretty darned good idea!!

I have one once in awhile. Im needing to do it to my trailer but have put one on my Dads trailer. It will help with receiving the boat and push it up to the noise rest and when you launch keeping the boat noise out and away from hanging up on the noise rest. I think it will also make it easier for Toni working the boat by herself. Your work is looking great and thanks for sharing on a thread.

[Steve Ericsson]

I bought that one roller for up by the tongue. Also I would like a roller on the back of the trailer so I have something to aim at. This is sure going to be a learning curve.
Thank you Steve. Even writing up these reports about it too. All I did was save the pictures and copy, paste, and upload. I estimated 15 minutes. It took me a half hour to do before work today. I was almost late.
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Yes, that is a bow roller, almost never see one on a bunk trailer as they're not needed. You'll be aiming down the middle of the bunks when loading, hopefully you'll never see the back of the trailer as it'll be underwater. However, I'm thinking of using it there anyway just to help center the bow when winching it on the last foot or so. We talked about a roller at the back for retrieving if you get caught with the tide way out, which is part of the reason for the new cross member. I originally was thinking of two of the old rollers, but I'm not real sure they'll fit in the back or if they'd work in that capacity now that I see how sharp your bow is. I'll figure all of that out later as I'm on to the next bit of work - you've probably noticed I'm a bit single minded at this type of thing, I try to concentrate on the job at hand and figure the other stuff out as I go. It is frustrating at times!! You know, that whole Plan A, B , C and D thing.

[Toni]

Had a couple set backs. BUT here is what Steve has done:
So after the warehouse owner taking an exception to doing boat work in the new space, the boat come home to my place. They specify no auto maintenance, however I thought I'd be fine. They didn't care for the smell of fiberglass resin either, but nonetheless it will be way easier for me to work on it here without having to go someplace to work on it. Yesterday I spent the morning sanding the edges of the floor around the fishbox, the bilge and along the shelf edges. Oh yeah, the shelves went in last week. Yesterday afternoon I did a good soap and scrubbing and hosed it all out since we're finally waterproof and I wanted the floor very clean for gelcoat, have a small window of good weather today and tomorrow to make some real progress.

All clean!

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This afternoon once the fog burnt off, which can take awhile down here on the dirty south end, I towel dried the floor of what water didn't evaporate over night, which wasn't a whole lot but that got it dry. I let it sit for awhile to let any other moisture evaporate and to let the floor warm up a little in the sunshine. I also cut the vent tubes back up close to the cap, they just get in the way. Once I was ready, I gave the entire floor an acetone wipe down to get anything else off that the wash down wouldn't get up and was ready to go. Wannafish wanted a very light blue tint to the floor and provided some blue gelcoat tint to add to the white. Just a few drops and a whole 3/4 gallon was tinted light baby blue, perfect. Then with a brush and a roller I went to work, starting with the anchor locker since it does get wet in there when it rains, gotta' protect my fresh glass! One decent coat took about an hour or so, it was just starting to gel up just as I was finishing, perfect amount, that never happens!

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[Toni]

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Wow, what a difference, huh?!?! I couldn't get pics to really show the true color as I didn't have real good light, it looks a lot darker in the pics than it is but this is pretty close to the color that it is.

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[Toni]

And there you have it, a gelcoated floor!! I tried, but not too hard to talk her out of a blue floor and to go with white, but she insisted on light blue. Now that it's on, I really like it, I think it adds nice character to the boat in keeping with the outside color and looks age appropriate for the boat. I may be biased because the UB has blue interior, or what's left of it and I've been looking at the bare glass floor for so long, but I really like the color and I'm glad she held her ground on the color - it looks fantastic!!

My little space heater wasn't really up to the task and with a tarp on my Heater Buddy keeps shutting off due to low oxygen. I decided to take the big Red Dot heater off the wall in my garage and use it to heat the boat to kick off the gelcoat. This baby puts out some serious heat!!

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[MarkFromSea]

That does have a snappy color! I like it! Reminds me of being in or next to a pool. It'll look even better with some blood on it. Really nice work!

[Toni]

That does have a snappy color! I like it! Reminds me of being in or next to a pool. It'll look even better with some blood on it. Really nice work!

When it is all done I thought about using the traditional champagne but changed my mind to catching fish for the fish blood splatters dripping.

[MarkFromSea]

I agree! Fish blood is the way to christen a fishing boat!

White can be too bright for my eyes on a sunny day. Gray is good but I like that blue!

[wizzer]

Hi Toni, bring on the blood! Your new old girl is looking pretty and fishy. With the great work Steve is doing it will handle it easily and be easy to clean. Just don't scrub the fish smell off!

[Toni]

Hi Toni, bring on the blood! Your new old girl is looking pretty and fishy. With the great work Steve is doing it will handle it easily and be easy to clean. Just don't scrub the fish smell off!

I thought about champagne but I think getting fish blood on the deck it more than appropriate.

[Toni]

I went to talk with Steve about the boat today. I got to see the floor and shelves in real life for the first time. They are great, awesome, and beautiful!

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This is the finished side

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[Toni]

I was looking at it and thought about how ugly those bearing buddies are compared to the nice boat. How can I clean them up?

[Toni]

Also Steve said it would be done in May...2014 yes this year!

[Rosann G]

WooHoo!!! Looking good! I like the blue. Can't wait to hear you've had her in the water, caught some fish and christened her with fish blood Toni. Beautiful work Steve.

[Bodofish]

I was looking at it and thought about how ugly those bearing buddies are compared to the nice boat. How can I clean them up?

Just toss'em, they're only like $40 a pair and the new ones are vastly improved. You could take them apart polish all the pieces and they'll still leak like they do now. And the $40 is with the plastic covers.

When you have the hubs apart, just replace the bearings and seals and be done with it. I'd hate to see that baby sitting on the side of the road on a jack.........

[sickbayer]

I was looking at it and thought about how ugly those bearing buddies are compared to the nice boat. How can I clean them up?

Just toss'em, they're only like $40 a pair and the new ones are vastly improved. You could take them apart polish all the pieces and they'll still leak like they do now. And the $40 is with the plastic covers.

When you have the hubs apart, just replace the bearings and seals and be done with it. I'd hate to see that baby sitting on the side of the road on a jack.........

Yup good point something's are not worth trying to fix. Just buy new.

[hewesfisher]

If you were closer, I'd media blast those rims and paint 'em up nice for you, maybe add some chrome lug nuts too.