ply boat re-build/repair

hello everyone, 1st post i think on these forums so i hope i've stuck it in the correct section!!
i've just today been given (well was given months ago but towed away today) a marine ply/fibreglass half cabin fishing boat. (more marine ply than fibreglass by the looks of things!).
i am rather skilled (self taught) in the works or fibreglass (through have had a little guidance through a couple of years from cliff kirchner in bundaberg, qld) but mainly used fibreglass with my cars and bodykits etc. i used to sail a fibreglass/wooden pelican down here in esperance many moons ago as a younger lad. haha

anyways, in a month or so i want to start repairing this boat. i ripped some of the floor up today and though bits of the inner hull where moist (didnt take pic sorry), it seemed to be intact and not rotten looking. the hull from outside is very solid. some sections of the cabin (marine ply with only paint) need to be replaced.

here are some pics of it, i thought it might of been a old bluefin, but it doesnt have ribs on the lower hull.









what i am wondering is.. is there a product available to be used on the inner hull ply to help either dry it out (other than the goodness of the sun) or condition it so i can fibreglass over it? i intend to strip the interior to a bare hull and fibreglass the whole interior hull and then build a new floor with marine ply/fibreglass.
then i can rebuild or repair the front lounge section and skippers cabin with new marine ply/fibreglass sandwhich. i also plan to make a ~2' pod off the rear that will house the outboards and act as sealed bouancy tanks, fixed to the transom. this will also some create more space on the deck.

thanks for any advise on this project as it's a fair bit different to what i do with my cars.

 

Nothing will dry the wood except maybe alcohol poured on it, but I wouldn't recommend anything like that. I would allow plenty of sunlight and perhaps run a fan to circulate new dry air into the area that's wet.
Nothing except sanding is needed to prep the wood, though I would absolutely recommend epoxy as the resin of choice (and few if any here would disagree on this matter, we've been over this subject so many times before).
Every boat I've owned that used polyester resin on plywood has let go somewhere--- especially flat surfaces over enclosed cavities, such as cockpit soles. Moisture from underneath, hot sun overhead, resulting in different expansion coifficients, etc..
So VENTILATE where you can, especially off-season, with removable plates, and use epoxy to ensure first-class bonds.

Alan

 

thanks for your reply Alan. i've never used epoxy resin, only polyester, no harm in trying the stuff thats for sure if it's going to work better in this situation than polyester resin would.
it's winter here at the moment and not a great deal of sun, so really i need to get it into a shed or tarp it up, but be able to breathe.

thanks again.

 

Ah, of course! Winter! I forgot the world is upside down down there.

 

Why do you need/want/think you need to glass it? It looks to be of molded plywood, which if not rotten should still be stought. Glass would certainly beef it up, but is a lot of expense and work if you don't plan on keeping this boat for several years.

 

haha.. at least we drive on the correct side of the road down here...

uscgret/e8, i'll have to get a pic of the inner hull and the 'damp' spots. the hull is made from a wood frame that has had sheets of ply nailed or glued to the frame. the outside of the ply on the hull has been gel coated or treated with something and then painted by the looks. it is solid to the hand thump.
i want to dry out the inner hull (seems to be only moist down the rear end) and fibreglass it all for added strenght and water tightness, mainly for the added strength. also incorparate sealed buoancy compartments through out it (even on the upper side).

i do plan on keeping the boat for some time if it all works out how i invisage.

thanks for the replies.