New project. help please.....

[boatrehab]

Hello all,

hello, i have a few questions for anyone
that has the time.

I have a older boat, 32' sedan. Sea Ray.
I plan on making it a cuddy center console. This hull
was also used on Express cruisers. It will have duel
diesel engines inboard. I'm going too be taking off
the whole top/fly bridge section in the next few days.
the boat is going too be gutted too.

Can the hull be made stronger on the inside? It has a good hull
now, but i want too add some strength too it.

What is the best way too make sure when the top comes off
the boat wont 'unfold' Im thinking wood beams every 2 ft,
screwed into the under part of the flybridge. This area will be taken off
in the future.

If someone has some spare time, and feels like explaining
how it would be best too do the floors, so it attaches
too the hull, and makes the whole boat one piece. Or any
other ideas would be a great help! This boat had a full interior,
and all that is comming out. I will use the front section of the boat
for a cuddy, and the rest will be a Center Console fisher....

The beam on this boat, is 12', is that a good thing seeing
how most other wide beam inboard center consoles are 9-10.5 '

Also this boat has the Sea Ray duel tunnels, With diesel/gas back here
(as designed) but without the flybridge, hows the boat going too be differant
underway?

I plan on making a large hardtop/with small tower too make up for the
lost weight of the flybridge top. Any thoughts would be a HUGE help.

thanks

[SamSam]

You can make the hull stronger by adding more stringers and bulkheads below the deck or bulkheads/walls above the deck that go along with your new re-arrangement of the accomadations. It's sort of hard to go by verbal descriptions sometimes to tell what someone is saying, pictures help. If you're going to gut the hull you have to be real carefull the hulls shape doesn't get twisted or spread or narrowed or bulges or depressions caused by insufficient support. Trailers sometimes work but roller trailers can cause problems. Any supports you reinforce the hull with will lock in whatever shape is there when the resin sets. Why do you want to make up for the lost weight up high? Here's a thread on attaching a 'floor' to the hull...
http://boatdesign.net/forums/showthr...ighlight=decks
I think what you are doing is a good use for older boats. You are going to get a first class fishing boat,(aside from being a Sea Ray) a lot lighter and faster.

[dsharp]

I don't really understand what you mean by unfolding. if you want to make the hull stronger you can grind/sandblast the interior of the hull after stripping and glass in a layer of mat and roven to stiffen up the hull sides. i don't think you need to worry about the boat unfolding. Just block the keel well and build 3-4 sets of chocks to support the hull bottom. I would try to save as much of the front and side decks as you can. They are a pain to remove from the hull due to the fasteners and adhesive where the deck cap is fastened to the hull. A carbide blade in a wormdrive saw works about the best to disassemble what you have. To build the back deck you have to glass a cleat to the hull for the deck frames to sit on. Then you sheet over that with plywood and fiberglass. I usually notch the deck frames down 3/4 about 5-6" from the hull so you can overlap a layer of plywood to make a gutter/drain to the transom. You need a couple of inches of crown in the deck for drainage. I don't think you need to worry about the weight loss. I would keep the boat as light as possible. Weight will kill the performance of a planing hull.

[boatrehab]

Originally Posted by SamSam

You can make the hull stronger by adding more stringers and bulkheads below the deck or bulkheads/walls above the deck that go along with your new re-arrangement of the accomadations. It's sort of hard to go by verbal descriptions sometimes to tell what someone is saying, pictures help. If you're going to gut the hull you have to be real carefull the hulls shape doesn't get twisted or spread or narrowed or bulges or depressions caused by insufficient support. Trailers sometimes work but roller trailers can cause problems. Any supports you reinforce the hull with will lock in whatever shape is there when the resin sets. Why do you want to make up for the lost weight up high? Here's a thread on attaching a 'floor' to the hull...
http://boatdesign.net/forums/showthr...ighlight=decks
I think what you are doing is a good use for older boats. You are going to get a first class fishing boat,(aside from being a Sea Ray) a lot lighter and faster.

Thanks for the info. I plan on taking out everything, Except a few walls
that are holding the lower part of hull together. Im going too remove
some of the top deck (too make it level) It has that 80's style funky
sharp edge cabin top. So im going to cut away the raised area, and re-mold
in a flat deck. Not sure how yet. But all the forward bulkheads will remain
too hold it together while i do new deck top. I'm going too remove the fly bridge, and before i do, ill use 4x4's running from side too side every
2 ft. Bolted through the upper hull (a area that will come off anyway)
THINK this will be enough too hold the top shape still? Can a hardtop
be used too add structure support too the hull after it is converted too CC?

This hull is the older searay tunnel hull. With 2 454 inboards. I could use
some more suggestions on what people think this boat will ride like in
a CC configuration with the duel inboards. Its 22' deadrise with 12' beam
Tunnel hull.
It will use new crusaders big blocks, with a good strong hardtop.
I plan on taking off all gel, and re painting. I also would like feedback
about just sanding the inside some, and adding another layer of glass
for more support? Thanks again for the suggestions.

[SamSam]

Photos would help. It's easy to do on this forum. Just put your photos in a jpeg form in "My pictures" on your computer. To post, hit "Manage Attachments" and follow the instructions.

Once the deck and cap are reinstalled you shouldn't need the hardtop for added strength. You should have a platform that you can do whatever you want to, or nothing at all, that is strong enough by itself. The cap is an important part of the structure, if you remove part of the 'upper hull', not sure what that means, so you can't put it back on, you have to somehow replace the strength it supplied to the structure.

[boatrehab]

Originally Posted by SamSam

Photos would help. It's easy to do on this forum. Just put your photos in a jpeg form in "My pictures" on your computer. To post, hit "Manage Attachments" and follow the instructions.

Once the deck and cap are reinstalled you shouldn't need the hardtop for added strength. You should have a platform that you can do whatever you want to, or nothing at all, that is strong enough by itself. The cap is an important part of the structure, if you remove part of the 'upper hull', not sure what that means, so you can't put it back on, you have to somehow replace the strength it supplied to the structure.

If you look a picture of this old 80's boat.The front deck over
the cuddy cabin (were the hatch is) is bumped up and has
a odd shape too it. I want the cuddy cabin roof too be flat across
the whole boat. I will lose some headroom, but thats ok, it's going too
be for sleeping only. Im going too put the Head under the console.
So my thinking (very well could be wrong) is cut this raised section
out, and just re laminate in a flat section. This way i don't need too
remove the hull too deck fitting. I will show what i mean in pictures.
Thanks again for your help.


Note: you can see raised section in 4th pic. I want this too be flat. You can see in 1st pic, this is were i was planning too cut
the 'buldge' I guess my thinking is i dont want too take the whole top part of, just too make the bulged area's flat.
I also included 2 pics (2nd/3rd) for all you hull experts too let me know what you think of this boat as a cuddy cabin center console,
and too get feedback on the tunnel hull setup,and what people think about it.
keep in mind the whole section from the just above window (pic 1) too the flybridge is comming off.

[boatrehab]

I looked around for boats that has the look of boat when i'm finished.
This one has that look, like what i'm shooting for.
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...1&photo=1&url=

[SamSam]

It would be nice to see a whole side view, cabin and all, but I can sort of imagine. Views of the back deck also. Unless you are going to eliminate the forward hatches, (which would leave you no way to get up there but to climb over the windows, unless you plan on eliminating the windows also) you are not going to gain much for the considerable effort and expense and time. You might consider doing what you want from the front deck on back and save that project for later. You might decide it's fine like it is, or only needs some slight modifications. It is swell to have a ventilating hatch in the sleeping quarters. Removing the deck from the hull, by removing the rubrail and whatever else is holding the two together, which can be considerable and/or inaccessible, is best avoided if possible.

[boatrehab]

Originally Posted by SamSam

It would be nice to see a whole side view, cabin and all, but I can sort of imagine. Views of the back deck also. Unless you are going to eliminate the forward hatches, (which would leave you no way to get up there but to climb over the windows, unless you plan on eliminating the windows also) you are not going to gain much for the considerable effort and expense and time. You might consider doing what you want from the front deck on back and save that project for later. You might decide it's fine like it is, or only needs some slight modifications. It is swell to have a ventilating hatch in the sleeping quarters. Removing the deck from the hull, by removing the rubrail and whatever else is holding the two together, which can be considerable and/or inaccessible, is best avoided if possible.

My plan im asking for help with is too cut everyting off from the top of the small
side window hatches up. The windshield, flybridge, will be removed.
I plan on cutting the front section out from the front of winshield forward too
pulpit, too make this section flat. If you look at this pic, you will see
areas that have angles, i want the front deck flat. I dont want
too take the top deck off hull (rub rail up) All i want too do is cut out
a section of top deck and remold in a replacment thats flat.
The windshields, ect will be gone. I posted a boat pic link of what i think i can achive. How after i cut the front deck levil, would one go about molding in
place another deck.
I will just add another top hatch for the sleeping cuddy. The boat has AC.
This is what the boat looks like (not mine) if you look at that side window, and cut a line from the bow too the stern, everything from that line up is comming off.
So im looking for info before i do this on what type of CC cuddy boat this hull will make.

[dsharp]

To answer your question, the boat should run fine, I would guess close to 30 mph with 454's if you keep it light. I don't have much experience with tunnels though, so someone may have more experience about that. I've done the same thing that you're wanting to do with a 36' Hatteras that caught fire. The hull shouldn't lose that much strength if any by removing the cabin. you won't need anything as heavy as 4x4 for the deck beams on the frontdeck if I understand your plan. I would use 5/4 mahogany beams about 4" deep with the crown cut in the top. I can't tell if there is enough side deck in the front to tie into or if the cap comes straight up from the hull. Most caps have a built in toerail that ads quite a bit of stiffness that would help if you could leave that part. I hate to discourage anyone but we did these kinds of jobs during the winter to keep our boatyard crew busy. I don't think we made any money at it and the boats can be difficult to insure and sell. But I understand the desire. Take a skillsaw to it.

[boatrehab]

Originally Posted by dsharp

To answer your question, the boat should run fine, I would guess close to 30 mph with 454's if you keep it light. I don't have much experience with tunnels though, so someone may have more experience about that. I've done the same thing that you're wanting to do with a 36' Hatteras that caught fire. The hull shouldn't lose that much strength if any by removing the cabin. you won't need anything as heavy as 4x4 for the deck beams on the frontdeck if I understand your plan. I would use 5/4 mahogany beams about 4" deep with the crown cut in the top. I can't tell if there is enough side deck in the front to tie into or if the cap comes straight up from the hull. Most caps have a built in toerail that ads quite a bit of stiffness that would help if you could leave that part. I hate to discourage anyone but we did these kinds of jobs during the winter to keep our boatyard crew busy. I don't think we made any money at it and the boats can be difficult to insure and sell. But I understand the desire. Take a skillsaw to it.

Thanks it dose have a toe rail. I don't plan on removing anything under the side decks. I think i have enough side deck too tie into. And the only part of the top deck im removing is the center part to make it level from side too side, front too back. What ill do before i cut the top off, is put a 4x4
every 2-3 ft bolted through right under the windshields, (this area will get cut
off anyway) this way when the whole thing gets cut off, the hull wont fry too flower out at all. Ill leave the 4x4 bolted up until i install a hardtop/ small tower. This tower should help with the structure some too i would image.
Any other thoughts, or suggestions????????
You mentioned problems with insurance. Will i have problems getting this boat coverd by a company if its not as built from factory?

[boatrehab]

Anyway too release a auto windless without power? I want too see
if i can release the anchor.
Anyway i can hard wire it too a 12volt, too see if it works?

[mydauphin]

Remember that a hulls structure is not just stringers and hull the top section also provides all kinds forward to back strength. So you must add what you take out. If you dont the bow will fold back into transom when you hit a wave at 20 knots. So use wood, mat, fiberglass or epoxies and reinforce hull by boxing it.

Propellers pockets, if you leave original props, shaft, rudders it should work fine. The clearances are important just change pitch of prop later.

Add some foam flotation to hull, not around fuel tank. The reason is this. Before if a wave can over top it would not go in boat. Now wave goes side you are swamped, increase bilge pumps.

If I were fitting out such a beast, I would install a single 300hp diesel in middle. Power, range, good speed. You can fill in pockets easily.