Converting a Race Boat into a pleasure Boat

[Rick_K]

Than we started to tab in and attach the front. This area will be under the dash so it's best we do it now when its easy to reach.

I started with small 4" x 10" strips of 1708 cloth that I laid across the new part to the boat intertwining them. After they are done I'll lay a large 16'x34' sheet over the small pieces.

[Rick_K]

I pre-wet each of the small pieces on a sheet of cardboard, this seems to be the best way..

If you notice the "Gray" bead near the edges. This is the gunk that I have posted about. The great thing about gunk is it uses resin as its hardening agent. You can lay right over wet gunk with glass and really pack the cloth into the corners. This way you can be really sure you don't have any air voids.

[Rick_K]

I than jumped back to the corner pieces I gunked in and ground them flush with a small radius on the edges.

*Than a quick vacuum and sweep and I'm done for a couple weeks with easter and work needing to be done to get the 34 Sea Ray ready for spring launch.

[Rick_K]

I said it before and I'll say it again, This project is going to take a while with the kids racing, soccer, band and all the other normal family stuff.
As of now I have 1 free day a week to work on the boat - Wed night from 8:00pm till 10:00pm


May - 12, 2010: I glassed the dash into place and used "Gunk" to blend in the edge of the dash to the deck. *Note the cardboard guage cluster for my layout

It's hard to tell but the 2nd picture isfrom under the dash. I glassed each edge to the cockpit. I also made 4 braces attaching the front of the dash to the front bulkhead for strength and to help support the helm.

[Rick_K]

I than removed all the rigging * I really just pulled it into the back and hide it untill I need to deal woth it later.


The one side of the cockpit wall had a large "heavy" self that the fire extinguisher and a few other items sat on. We removed this and opened up the hole earlier in the project to allow easier access to the sponsen for glass work. Now I'm cleaning up the top so it will match the bottom and building a couple access panels. I than cut a scrap pc. of core to match the top to the bottom, I'll gunk it in later

[Rick_K]

Cutting the back seating area and rounded the corners was next on the list.
After the corners were cut I ground the deck flush with the cock pit walls

Than ground out the rear seat base clearing the floor up for the new seat mounts I'll be installing at a later day.

I cleaned up and called it a day..I really wish I had time to do more

Not many encouraging comments here!

Thats a bit disappointing imho.

Thanks for sharing Rick!

[ondarvr]

I like to see this type of a cut and rebuild project, it does remind me that I have a project in the shop that needs to be started though.

[Rick_K]

I post a few more up ..

I placed both seats in the boat and set my head height for the canopy. I did add a couple extra inchs for helmets.

I cut a couple main ribs to get started and set the cock pit area in stone.

I than started adding 1 inch pine and let the shape flow.. worked out better than I expected.

Now this is the "part" I will be pulling the mold off so I wrapped the thing in shrink wrap. This will help the resin from sticking to it.

[Rick_K]

next I laid out 1/4 balsa core over the part. This balsa-core will be the finished canopy
when I'm done.

This was a GIGANTIC puzzle.. This might look easy but its not. I think this was the hardest part to date for me.

[Rick_K]

Now I simply roll on about 2 gallons of resin. This fills the small cracks and give the part a little structure so when we start doing body work it wont move, crack or twist.

[Rick_K]

So far working 2 nights a week for 3hrs each time this project has taken 7 months and some change.. and to make matters worse I almost bought another race boat while at the worlds last week. Price was right and I was sure Mary would understand, well I was wrong.. thank god I did just buy it with out checking with the wife

[Lurvio]

Just found this thread, it sure is an interesting project. I know very little about these boats so I'd like to know a bit more of the boats former life.

Lurvio

[Rick_K]

She started out life as the Hooters Superstock cat rigged with triple 2.5/280's. That I raced he as a class 4 boat with twin 2.5/260's.