1985 Baja Force Build Thread - Loaded with pics and looking for advice
 

Guys, I am officially starting my build thread.

Backstory, sold the Harley and wanted a summer toy, live up in the Sandusky, Ohio area close to the bay and islands (Kelly's, PIB, ect). So I started looking for a boat and came across a deal on Craigslist for a Baja force 250 for 3000, has a 454 bb high performance Mercury cyclone. Needed some TLC, interior was good.

Brouught in home and found it needed more than I thought, stringers. Here is my thread about my stringer questions. http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/b...placement.html

Here are some pics of when I brought it home.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...6/a2b3af89.jpg

Started dissassembling the boat and made the decision to take it down to nothing and build it back up.

First thing I did was derig, remove the engine, interior, floors (still good). And started purchasing parts.

Needed:
New trim tab pump and line
Batteries
Bought newer Baja switch panel and fuse block from great lakes skipper
Bellows
Seals and bearings for transmission (water in oil, opened up, seals were bad.
Engine oil and power steering cooler (idiots tried to hold it together when it separated with screws.

Redid bunks on trailer, they were not correct for this boat and were putting pressure on spots and created a wave because it sat on the trailer for so long, after the boat was on jacks, waves relaxed and new bunks were fab Ed.

Here are some pics of the stringers coming out.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...6/a54005a0.jpg
What was left, pure crumbles of rotten 2x12http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...6/b2ea519b.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...6/421cc6ef.jpg
When we realized the stringers needed done
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...6/30bf4d86.jpg
The engine
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...6/0981ff19.jpg
Front bulkhead
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...6/ce2ff6b5.jpg
The most solid piece of stringer from the boat
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...6/515409fc.jpg

After further review we found that the fuel line going from filler neck to tank had a hole in it the previous owner never knew about. Which therefore filled the bilge with fuel all the time. Then the fuel soaked into the floor and stringers. They literally smelled like gas when we removed it. Talk about a ticking time bomb!

This is where I'm at today. The LVL I'm using for stingers has been ordered, and am going to buy my fiberglass and resin from Glass Dave this week, he is such a great resource to have and only lives about an hour away.

Pic of one side removed and ground down.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...6/d5bc38c6.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...6/68b70adb.jpg

One question I have is how far ground down does the old fiberglass on the hull need to be? I have it pretty much flush everywhere and just a couple little raised spots in the engine bilge ( they used a lot of resin and glass there, really built up)

Hopefully going to start laying glass a week from today! Engine is going to a local engine shop this week just to get a once over checkup to make sure it's not all cobbled like the rest of this boat.

Thanks For looking guys, leave any suggestions or question answers you have here please! Love this site!

I don't believe it needs to be ground down perfectly smooth, I would definitely make sure its decent and clean so that the new bonds to the old. I ground mine down cleaned it with a acetone and then ground it again just to scuff it up before doing my glass work!!

I would have used marine grade douglis fir plywood laminated together over the lvl.. But keep the pics coming and I will chime in and help out anyway i can!!

Can't wait to watch the progress!! Good Luck!

Fleg

WOW! glad you got that enrgy and know how, I was gonna have to completely redo my 320 and I was like... nah... lol

good luck and I plan to keep wathing the pics!!

I wish I had somewhere to store that 320 of yours safely for a couple years then redo that!

find a place!! going to scrapper next week!!!

While you have it gutted like that pull all the screws from the deck joint and laminate the top deck to the hull then re screw it and that boat would be as solid as a rock!!!!

It looks like it was riveted together, some rivets are broken and such on the bump strip and go all the way through to the cabin, is there another layer of screws under that?

there could be more screws under the rub rail, pull the rub rail and check!! I would screw the rubrail back on over rivets, think about it rivets will break loose and get week over time>>
If its riveted then I would definitely grind them off and glass the hull and deck joint on the inside, then thru bolt the deck joint with bolts and nyloc nuts and washers, then use stainless 11/4" wood screws to install the rubrail over the deck joint.. Doing this will eliminate a lot of the twist and flex from the boat while running in the water..

Hell you have it gutted and its just a matter of pulling the rivets and a little bit of work to do it right!!!!

Just my 2cents but if it were me and I had my boat torn down to the point that yours is its a no brainer to make it right!!!

Fleg

:poopoo: double post

YOU NEED TO PRESSURE TEST THE GAS TANK. Mine had a area on the bottom of the tank with porosity that allowed a leak that I could not find until the tank was upside down on the bench at 3psi or so with soap/water solution bubbling away. It was a aluminum corrosion that occurs when water is present without enough oxygen to form the oxides that protect aluminum from corrosion. Your boat has clearly spent a bit of time with water in the bilge, so I would be amazed if the tank is not either leaking or close to it. I had to replace my tank with a 40 gallon to get the right width. I am on Lake of the Ozarks so reduced range is not a issue, we have gas docks all over. Otherwise it would have been custom to replicate the 62 gallon original. Both were from RDS if I recall correctly.
I have screws and rivets that are definitely under rub rail along with the screws that go thru rub rail and then through hull/deck.