Great project, mtnrat! Thanks for sharing. Which Coosa product(s) did you use for the transom, stringers & floor... all Bluewater 26, Bluewater 20 and/or Nautical?

Thanks!
Dan

All bluewater 26

I will also be replacing stringers before long. Everything I have heard is to stick with the material the boat was engineered with so as not to create a hull that doeasn't work as a system by having one area stronger and less flexible than another. I will replace mine with wood. JMTCW.

Which of course has some merit to it, and many people who do these repairs for a living have said the same thing to me and on a few other threads. Although I know there are lots of good reasons for using the original materials, I've also seen many reasons (engineering and test data) that in my mind make a good case for using the composite, and I've also talked to people who use the composite exclusively in the repairs they do for a living, and that's why I'm going to use that instead of wood. I don't think either way is necessarily more right or wrong than the other, but it's just my opinion.

Wow CCStinger & Mtnrat you guys are renewing my enthusiasm for the composite way again. Thanks for that. Mtnrat your project looks awesome, well done mate!! I really would like to know more from you guys about the thickness materials of the bluewater 26 you decided on, the qty of 4x8s & also the resins you opted for. Since they are old boats & hull frequency is an issue, was epoxy, vinylester used or did you stick with polyester??

Jez

Additionally, down here in Australia we have to deal through a distributor not Coosa directly. Due to pricing, they only stock certain sizes in the range & the rest is special order. The stock holdings are only small too so once they've sold out, one has to wait for the replacement order which could be 3 months or more. Naturally they like to put their margin on top, which means I'm looking down the barrel of $600 or more per 8 x 4. What are you guys paying for it?

Thanks,

Jez

Here is what I paid.
http://www.fisheriessupply.com/onlin...ct/A01/Ntk/All

I used 1 sheet of 1 1/2" for the transom,
2 sheets of 3/4" for the stringers,
4 sheets of 1/2" for the sole

I used the same thickness of what was in the boat. I laminated the 3/4" to get a stringer width of 1 1/2", overlapping about 2'.
I used system 3 silvertip epoxy to put it all together.

This stuff is way easier to form than wood, and I was a carpenter and built houses for many years in an earlier life.

Wow so that makes it about $1800-$2000 in raw materials.

Often time the reason that they rot out in the first place is that there is a spot were they did not glass properly of you have a untreated cut opening. I would just use wood and make sure that it is glassed up properly and know that I will never have a issue in my lifetime with the boat. I just don't see it as a worth while investment. Wood if installed and glassed correctly will not rot out. Look at all the old cigs running around with out an issue vs. the older cheaper boats that need lots of work.

Jon

Yep a lot more cost than wood. Factor in the cost of epoxy, grinding discs etc etc etc and the cost of a restoration can get quite high. I still have not added it all up. Wood will last 20++ years or more if the boat is stored properly and water is never left sitting in the hull. Resin is not 100% impermeable, so water will eventually find its way in. I went with composite so I would never have to do the job again and because that boat will stay in the family and be a great boat for the young ones to learn. I can also rest assured that the boat is now better than when it left the factory.