New Project Boat Rebuild

[PAR]

You're correct, it's 5%, but that's still huge over 24 hours. A properly epoxy encapsulated wooden plank, will have less then 3% over 30 days immersion and hardly measurable after 24 hours!

It still isn't a self supporting product, so has limited if any structural value. In a sole on a powerboat like Peter's, it's nothing more then a heavy, decorative finish product. Even if it could be tabbed to the hull shell, it would just buckle and flex the tabbing right out in short order, not to mention what it would permit the hull shape to distort into during this process. As lapped siding on a garage, where the loads are carried by separate structural elements, it's fine, much like hardy board, concrete board and the other decking and siding alternatives. As a substitute for a plywood or a composite sole, it doesn't really have a role to play except as a heavy, decorative overlay.

[lumberjack_jeff]

Marine ply can be expected to absorb almost 4% in 24 hours, and that's starting with a material which is already 12%+ water content.

... and his replacement sole isn't going to be constructed of epoxy saturated planks.

Also, how much structural integrity does the rotten plywood on his boat provide? (In my experience, production powerboat soles are screwed to the stringers and are therefore relied on for structural purposes only as shear panels.)

I don't suggest that it's a panacea, (because it is heavy, flexible and hard to glue) but based on my experience actually having touched the stuff, I can see that it has many promising applications including cockpit soles; provided stringer spacing is adequate to mitigate its flexibility.

[Ike]

I have already decide what I am going to use, but thanks for the suggestion.

[Ike]

Thank God, Spring has finally arrived. The last week I have been able to actually get something done.

I did replace the rear seats. I built new ones. I did this back in January when we had a few days of decent weather,



I spent the meantime collecting materials and planning how to proceed. Wire, connectors, heat shrink tubing, dielectric grease, etc

Also hoses for the fuel system.

I took the tank out, and it is actually in good shape. It's a Tempo roto molded PE tank. Someone had replaced the original aluminum tank. But the fools didn't change any hoses or fuel fittings. All SAE J30 from the 70's The are all being replaced with USCG Type A1-15 J1527 hose

I have developed a Plan. I am starting at the bow and working my way aft. The first thing was to take the tank out so I could access the bow area, and get to the wiring. I took off the old bow light. It was really trashed. It looks like it got too hot and melted the lenses. Plus that, whoever last installed it used wire nuts! That's nuts.



So I bought a nice LED combo bow light. I installed the light a few days ago, but had to wait a few days to get to the wiring. I ripped out the old and put in all new, and no wire nuts. Each connector is properly crimped, greased and covered with heat shrink tubing.



It's amazing how long it takes to do things laying flat on you back, working over your head. It took about 3 hours to put in two wires about 8 feet long. Of course that includes putting in new wire hangers, clipping off the old wire ties, removing the old wire, inserting the new wire and putting new wire ties on the bundles, and putting new ring terminals on the wire.

I also took out all the old fuel fittings and put in new a few days before doing the wiring . The fuel fill



Seems simple, but not so. The size of the fill looked the same as the old one, and the package said they were the same, but they lie!. The connection for the ground sticks out too far and there are little humps spaced around the fill that make it slightly larger. So I had to enlarge the hole, and of course the screw holes didn't line up either. But it's in. I also put in a new vent fitting. At least that one didn't require any alterations.

After wiring, I put the new hoses on the fill and vent using good all stainless steel clamps. I am waiting for a new fuel gauge sender to arrive before I put the tank back in. I snaked the fuel hose through the hangers and tubes, that goes from the tank to the engine, but haven't hooked it up at either end yet.





I also bought an alternator but that has to wait.

Today it was so beautiful my wife and I polished the boat from the chine up. We went over it with oxidation remover, and then waxed it. It looks a lot better now, not new, but better.

So the process has begun. The weather is supposed to hold until at least Tuesday or Wednesday.