prostock85

Like most projects mine started with a simple inspection gone array. I now have a cabin stripped of all furniture and partial stringers which brings me to my questions. Some pics below.

Boat is a 94 32ft Fountain Fever, with no drives, engines or cockpit sitting on a triple axle aluminum I-beam trailer.

1. How much of the cabin stringers can I remove at a time? Ideally I would like to remove them all with the exception of the upper center section (pass thru to the v-berth)?

2. How would one go about changing the bulkhead between the fuel tank and cabin without touching the cockpit? It's 2 layers of 3/4" sandwiched with a layer or two of glass. I thought of grinding/sanding down to the middle layer and leaving the other half to a later date. I know the cabin side is rotten due to water sitting in the cabin so it's feasible though unlikely the other side is ok.

3. What are the stringer bed with? It is sky blue in color and doesn't appear to have any imbedded glass fibers.

4. The hull was finished with what appears to be a V-notch trowel finish. When I grind down to prep for tabbing should I remove just the old tabbing leaving the pattern or try and get the original finish completely flat?

5. What would you recommend for tabbing? 6oz, 1708 etc.

6. What's the best way to glass in colder temps approx 60? I can't fit it in my garage and I don't want to move it until I get the stringers back in. (I'm in New Jersey)

Bulkhead between cabin and tank



Cross section of same bulkhead



Close up of trowel finish and tabbing



Couple of progress so far (top section is what I want to keep)

ren3

Welcome to restoration! You are going to need to work with a temperature of 70-75 degrees minimum. Resins just aren't going to cure properly below that, and the important temp is the boat structure itself, not just air temp. You are going to need inside space. The bedding is probably a methacrylic compound. If there are two stringers on each side, I woul work on one at a time so that the hull bottom does not distort. The trailer bunks can only support a limited area with no reinforcement. I would take some reference measurements to make sure that there is no movement. You will need to grind down the troweled surface with 36 grit to get a consistently even surface for bonding. Use 1708 with vinylester resin; 1700 (no mat) with epoxy resin. Avoid plain polyester resin if possible and use the stronger alternatives above. Any rotted wood needs to be removed and make sure that all new wood is completely incapsulated with 3-4 layers of cloth and resin with appropriate tabbing with a radius on all inside and outside corners. I converted my 35' Cigarette into a 28' center console. There is a thread under Cigarette boats about the conversion if it could help you. Look at the advice that "Glassdave" gives to forum members. He is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Let me know if I can help further. Good luck with your restoration. Bob N.