Rebuilding a 14 foot 1960s or 1970s Pigeon Marine fiberglass runabout...

Ok...

The sole is exactly a sheath wide, and I feel that having it in one piece would make it much stronger, especially that I want to glass the bottom of it before Putting it in... but I'll think about it some more...

Right now it's air... Foam is not more buoyant than air, but air contains moisture and that is bad for my boat...

Now next question... The cap / top mold is only glued / caulked all around, including the transom, I'm wondering if I can fiberglass it together, like wrap the outside hull transom glass over and back down on the inside of the cap... Is there a reason to keep the cap and hull pieces as 2 parts?

 

Buoyancy foam can save lives. So much depends on planned use. Ocean->buoyancy foam, so if you plan ocean use, plan foam. A couple guys in Florida died a couple years ago; vessel not found. No buoyancy foam. So, here, we push it, always. Number one threat to your vessel will be sinking. Fill with foam, threat is fire, not sinking. Just keep in mind.

Another threat to your boat is substandard transom repair. You must remove the gelcoat on the back and taper grind the glass to allow new fiberglass and epoxy to bond to the existing (what's left) transom. Epoxy is the only choice now as you have very little bond area. If you don't plan epoxy, I'd rather not assist.

There is no reason to worry about the cap to hull bond now. You have bigger fish to fry.

Grind the transom gelcoat away and taper the rest about 3" back or whatevers left.

The foam you are planning is not good for much of a boat more than a glass former.

You'll need to radius the top edge of the foam. Plan on about 1/4" lower than the existing or old sole cleat. Then wrap the stringers with 3-5 layers of 1708. Bond them to the hull with epoxy 6, 4, 2 " overlaps each side, or more, longest pieces first.

The transom will be replaced with 2 layers of 3/4" plywood, or let us know if that does not fit.

carry on with questions and pictures

I will help if you plan to ask.

 

WHY

And What? The cleats are what the floor sits on and not under!!!

 

Oh the cleats are what the floor sits on and not under!!!

 

The bond area is quite small for doing the transom area with poly.

Remember the video about the boat's 'front falling off' ? If the back of your boat falls off and there is no foam in it, then probably might be lifejackets?

The secondary bond strength of epoxy is about 4 times better than epoxy. Not to mention, epoxy is waterproof.

If you want to re-gelcoat, then you ought to consider puttying in the plywood with epoxy at least for the transom.

Cleats. Cleats are for ropes !!

The cleat is the old sole you left to lay the new sole on and build the stringers to...just a way to refer to any various attachment means. Usually when people Grind it off, they hole the boat. But the old sole makes a good glue bond area for the new sole.

 

Ok we will come back later to the transom... it's discouraging...
The floor!!! Could I lower it? I would make it like 1 inch lower... That would "uncover" some of the hull from the plywood...

 

Lowering the sole would require cutting out the old sole. Lotsa work. Then you have no bonding surface and need to make cleats all around. And there is loss of foam area, although you don't want foam.

Why be discouraged? If you use better materials, you end up with a much safer boat.

You're call on the sole, but more work than the value returned. Did you get that chisel going?

 

Nah no chisel... I'm waiting for the sugar to kick in
And they're is no cleats all around for the sole... Only the 2 from the stringers... And the hull is not a deep V so I'll have plenty of flattish surface to mayo resin my floor in place...

 

Ok... I did a mini fiberglass project today and tested Isolofoam EPS (Expanded Poly something and suprema XPS not bad IF I can keep the heat down...
So that was isolofoam fail... It just collapsed with the resin...

The thing... A broken plastic chain gear cover on a conveyor...

 

What makes you think u can use polyester on xps?

Lotsa u tubes on xps and polyester resin..

 

To try new things is my raison d'être...
Isolofoil is a product that I used extensively during my shipping container modification years, I used it to insulate and then make field office's or whatever... I had high hopes that I could use it on my boat... I also want to fiberglass a carved foam mold of my *** and back to have a super comfy chair so I'm looking at a spray that protects the foam or foam that's compatible and easy to carve... it's going to be a cost analysis at the end of it... IF the urethane foam is easy to carve...

 

Today I glassed the bottom of the floor...
Measured and cut the plywood with the help of some cardboard aided design.
And now I'm looking at the time and wondering if I should do the other side right now... It is dry to the touch...

 

Okay to do if u lay it on plastic..

Still surprised you don't want it waterproof.

 

Bought another boat... Looks like it toured around expo 69...
That one got more bling and the windshield is good but the motor was downsized to a 25 with a 35 badge before my purchase for 500$ Canadian.. the trailer is factory made with a tilt link that I'm curious to use.
Not sure what I'm gonna do with the boat yet but I'm bringing the motor to a mechanic to learn/see if it's worth fixing...