swiftcraft stiletto complete rebuild

Discussion in 'Fiberglass and Composite Boat Building' started by furious cub, Jan 23, 2013.

  1. furious cub
    Joined: Jan 2013
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    Location: australia

    furious cub Junior Member

    Hi every one I just got a new hull for a steal $255.00 and thought id rebuild it for a winter project.

    I will document the complete rebuild process along with ideas, how to's and your help will be an added help.

    so the boat of choice is a swiftcraft stiletto 14ft. I picked up the hull 2 days ago and so far im alowing $5000 for the rebuild.


    First impressions. well when i first saw the boat there was paint flaking from the cap and transom, the cap to hull joins were brittle and ugly but i kept positive what do you expect for $250 anyway?
     
  2. furious cub
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    furious cub Junior Member

    Then i got home and knew the first job would be to get the cap off and assess the damage. so i had a look at the cap and tryed to work out the easiest way to remove it as the join was terible i knew there was no easy way so i got the grinder out and cut right along the seem with the plan of rebuilding the joining area anyway. then came another problem there was no seem to cut the splash well from the transom, so i looked around and under and noticed the transom has been done in the past so i cut it exactly where they joined it.
     

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  3. furious cub
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    furious cub Junior Member

    now that the caps off i could get a good look at the damage. from what i can see 2 of the stringers were removed and never put back, all the other main stringers have been replaced by someone who either has no pride or knowladge of there work, glass was soaked in some places, dry in others, hung over and not contacting with wood, draping, and there was a repair in the front that was just shocking!!! so it all has to come out!
     
  4. El_Guero

    El_Guero Previous Member

    You have some work cut out for you. But, this time, the work is by someone who knows, and takes pride in their work.
     
  5. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Do a search on this site, for transom and stringer replacement. The subject is well covered.
     
  6. furious cub
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    furious cub Junior Member

    Thanks guys.
    Ive done alot of research on this already and im still continuing so i can decide which methods are best for me.



    So today i strated sanding down the glass from where the stringers were pre removed.
    then i found it! A previous repair that was the worse ive seen on this boat. They got a chunk of csm soaked it and just blobbed over a hole then layed cloth over it so it looked neat . It was a sinking waiting to happen so i took it right out, by the time it was removed there was nothing but gel coat so looks like ill be doing a full layip in this section.
     
  7. whitepointer23

    whitepointer23 Previous Member

    good project fc. i am doing the same thing with a 13 ft pongrass at the moment. the stiletto is a good design, seen a couple with 115,s on them and they really get going. what state are you in.
     
  8. furious cub
    Joined: Jan 2013
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    furious cub Junior Member

    Im in vic, yeah the design is what made me decide this boat was worth the time. I will be adding a swimdeck/pods to the rear of this once finished which should help with putting a larger motor on it.
    How far into your build are you??


    Update so i tonight i thought id get the rear skin off the transom and start on the keel stringer, after an hour of chopping and prying i gave up for tonight, it was 10pm i had to stop using power tools or the neighbors would crack it..
     
  9. whitepointer23

    whitepointer23 Previous Member

    transoms done , new floor next, lucky it has full glass stringers. i am sitting up waiting for the bush fire to get here. we all have our bug out bags packed ready to go when we get the word.
     
  10. furious cub
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    furious cub Junior Member

    Where abouts are you located??
    Best wishes to you and the family, we lost a property back when the kinglake bush fires happened.came out easy compared to other poor familes.
     
  11. whitepointer23

    whitepointer23 Previous Member

    we are in maffra, gippsland. i don't expect the fire to get as far as town but i think there will be a lot of burning embers blowing in so i am on standby to put them out as they land. we are ready to go but i hope we don't have to.
     
  12. whitepointer23

    whitepointer23 Previous Member

    just looking at the weather channel. flooding everywhere up north and burning in the south. bega area had a large bush fire last week now they are on flood watch.
     
  13. furious cub
    Joined: Jan 2013
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    furious cub Junior Member

    Hope todays cooler weather gave the fire fighters a chance! Im 200-300km away and could see the smoke from here its quite bad.
     
  14. whitepointer23

    whitepointer23 Previous Member

    fc, what size outboard will you fit.
     

  15. furious cub
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    furious cub Junior Member

    I have an 80 laying around so ill initially fit that then ill prob double it.

    Update im still trying to get this transom out but its proving to be a bi*ch. Probably because the wood is still in quite good condition. And after getting to the keel stringer ive decided i shall leave the others in. The existing stringers are made out of a different type of wood then usual ply.
     
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