78 Welcraft Nova question
 

Newbe question... I am restoring a 1978 Welcraft Nova Fisherman. It does'nt seem many were made, and I know it's not exactly an offshore race boat, but I think yall might have some information to help me out. This is the 26' single engine variant.


the outboard hull chines have a hook in them at the stern. The starboard side more pronounced than port. There is no hook anywhere else radiating from the cine. The ajacent hull is dead flat. I have ripped out the floor and see no indication that the stringer above the chines are damaged in any way. When running, before demo, it did not list.


This makes me wonder if the hull was designed with a hook in the chines. I have not been able to locate any information on the subject via exhausting internet search.


Does anyone know if it was designed that way? Should the hook be preserved, or should I attempt to remove the hook while replacing stringers?


Thank you,


Steve

Is that the same hull as the 250?

I wish that I could answer that with some authority. I do hear post '77s referred to as 250s, but I understand there was a design change between 77 and 78, then again in 80...

I'm sure some here know a lot more about my hull than I do.

Steve

Steve,

I have no knowledge of your particular hull. But, there are most certainly many cases of manufacturers building in a "hook" in a hull. As far as one side being more than the other again, no particular experience but one could think that engine torque in a narrow single engine boat could be counteracted with a biased hook. or possibly could counter prop torque/walk. If all of the hull is solid as you state I would assume it was there from the factory.

John

the 77/78 nova 250 change was the deck. the hull stayed the same. The "fisherman" thing is whats throwing me off. As for the hull, thats Brownies design from his original Nova company. Brownie is still around, very informative and entertaining guy to talk to.....

Its been awhile since he logged on here, but he is on FB https://www.facebook.com/allan.brown.73932

Thank you for the lead. Unfortunately, I'm not much for social media, but I'll try and contact him there. Thanks.

Never heard of a hook built into the hulls of the 25' Wellcraft's versions of the good ol' Nova Marine 24 Sprint design. Don't quote me on it, but nobody has brought that up that I know own one.

Here's some good reading about how the design came about Steve.

http://supernova19.com/nova_marine_a...m_m.htm#nova24

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...d322167bb4.jpg

I was able to contact Mr. Brown. He confirmed that the original Nova hull had no hook designed into the chines. Though he said that Wellcraft could have made changes, his perceived doubt and larslindroth experience posted above sure seem to support my original assumption that they do not belong. Now I need to figure out how to remove them...


Thank yall for the information.

Steve

That will be hard to pull out, if you get the stringers cut out see if it relives the bottom, you may be able to setup a jacking brace over topside of hull and jack it out with stringers cut out. you could also fill the bottom which may be easier but dont do that until new stringers are glassed in as they can pull up the hull during curing. Make sure transom angle does not move during any jacking to straiten bottom.

I think we need to see some clear pictures (although you will need 10 posts to put any up)
Hooks in chines just don't mysteriously appear over time unlike warps in the hull bottom showing up after extended periods of incorrect bunking .
Typically they were designed in intentionally for a reason , often to help get the boat on plane easier and a fair number of boats have them.
I have a boat that does not have them as it left the factory as a single engined boat but the twin engined version had them !

Thank yall for the continued input.

Maybe warped from incorrect bunking is the better description. The history is unknown and I only had it on the water for about an hour before tearing the floor section up, so I dont know. When I bought it, I thought that is exactly what it was, damage. What had me questioning that assumption was...

1) no listing underway, and it has a tuna tower, so any list would be pretty obvious.
2) no percievable damage to the stringers, even though they are rotten and need replacement. I thought when I tore the floor out I would find crushed or bowed out fiberglass at that spot in the stringer.
3) there is no "oil canning" or uneven surface in the hull adjacent to the hooks.
4) this is a single engine and most 250s are twins. So just maybe only singles had hooks.

Mr. Browns information that the hull contained no chine hooks certainly seems to suggest that its hull damage. Who knows what Welcraft did, but I find it hard to imagine that they added chine hooks for the comparatively few single engines made.

Still in the dark, I think I'm going to get it Bunked up perfectly, hollow out the stringers, and see what happens. If the hooks do not come out, and they do cause any problems, I can always fill and fair from the outside.

short of a definitive answer, does that sound like a logical plan?

I guess a little clarity is needed as to if it is definitely the chines or if it's the hull bottom .
You do know what the chines are , right ?
The area where the hull sides meet the bottom of the hull and form what is generally a 90 degree angle. If you're looking at the rear of the boat from astern they're the 'corners' of the hull closest to the waterline .
The hull bottom is a whole 'nother kettle of fish. I've got a boat that was incorrectly bunked for an extended period of time and it had a slight hollow deflection on both sides that had to be epoxied out . There was no stringer damage though as the incorrect bunking fell on either side of stringers.
I remember seeing a boat from a very reputable builder many years ago at a boat show that something must have gone drastically wrong with when they pulled it out of the mold and the bottom looked like a mirror from the fun house at a circus .
If it IS in the hull bottom you'd certainly want to correct it .

Thats what I would do. My SuperNova 19 had a bit of a hook in it at the very transom. Just feathered it out from the outside and never had anymore issues. Molds get used over and over they tend to get a little out of whack and then sitting in the Florida sun dont help either. They are almost never exact copies.

Slight change of plans... Starting to feel like i was getting in over my head, I researched local fiberglass repair shops. One was suggested 5 to 1 over all others. I contacted him, we discussed. Price seems reasonable, so I'll be bringing it to him for all new stringers, bulkheads, transom, motor logs, floor and some other miscillanious cosmetic work as soon as my new trailer axle arrives.

If this is my 10th post, I'll add a picture of the hull. Not because its anything to brag about right now, only because it might be unique. It's likely the only Nova anyones ever seen with a tuna tower.

Steve

A picture is worth a thousand words ! It'll be interesting to see what you're talking about for sure .