First Post - Restoration of mahogany ply jet boat from 1974.

The price of retail epoxy, from my experience, was much much more than the online sources. It makes a big difference at the end of the day, in the checkbook. Glass is the same deal, order online and save a bundle.

 

I have the glass already. I'd like to do the whole thing top, bottom. and in the bilges. Was hoping to go with polyester as this is what I am more used to and to allow me to go with a gelcoat (just for the "slipperyness). Have more or less decided to go with epoxy at this point.

No real budget. I am familiar with the various "hole in the water to pour money into" and "BOAT = break out another thousand" references and have already resigned my self to not ever expecting to see my money back out of it....at this point and for this year I would be very happy to see the hull back in shape.

Next year I would like to rebuild the Jet and perhaps the year after that repower / reappoint.

My friends Dad built it and I'm a sucker for stray machinery....so it's not a money thing.

So basically just keep throwing money at it provided the rot situation isn't too bad. Starting again in the am with a sharp pokey thing.

 

I just finished a 6 month rebuild of my 15 foot fiberglass sailboat. Below the deck is a bunch of wood and I had to replace, rebuild, or re-bond most of it. I also rebuilt the original mahogany foils.

Those are just the latest projects (and this is my second boat.) I've been working on this hull for years and I always used epoxy. This winter I decided to try polyester just to get some experience.

I bought some of this stuff.


I'm sure it's great polyester resin and the people at the company were a pleasure to work with. Here is my point: I used this resin; I handled it, broke it up with hammers, and snapped it apart with pliers. It is NOT as tough as epoxy. Poly has it's purposes, but epoxy proved itself to be so much better that I'll never be in doubt again.

I put the remainder of the polyester aside and ordered this epoxy. It represents a fantastic value over retail (fantastic.)

 

Another labor of love begins.

 

That's the plan this week. Gonna spend some time going over all the stringers and keel with an awl, pulling up the glass fabric inside as I go.

One thing that really frustrates me with this boat is how any water that get into the bilge is trapped by the structure of the stringers / frames.

And pretty much committed to epoxy at this point. I wish epoxy would wet out mat as I was hopeful of using some to redo inside in the bilge areas.

 

I work on bikes quite a bit and am totally familiar with the cost savings associated with sourcing online. It's so bad this way where I live that I don't even price parts in town anymore.

 

I realize it's an unreasonable compulsion and judging by the patronizing air of visitors to the shop while I survey this thing I should probably drag it off to the dump. But I really can't describe the one summer we had it running after dragging it out of a 15 year sleep, it was a great summer and it was a great boat (notwithstanding the terminal porpoise at 42 MPH). It handled and sounded great and everyone who got in it loved the thing....even while they tripped over the open stringers. It's wide open inside and with the wide gunnels and hard chines it's really stable for fishing or drifting.....you can walk around the outside of the whole thing and it barely lists at all. Not great in the rough on the lakes but I've had good success just plodding along in rough weather.

So yeah, I'm committed to at least putting in the hours to get a clear picture of the rot thing....from there who knows.

 

No-one can accuse you of being a party to the "throwaway society" !

 

No....no they cannot.

 

Every guy should restore at least one truck and one boat. It should be mandatory.

 

Or a motorcycle.

 

The world would be a better place.

 

I was looking at the truck. Is that the regular stance or is the trailer really about to lift the front wheels off the ground?