Audiofn

Today is another day. I am planning to get cutting into it some more as long as I can get the electrical finished at my shop. Once that is done I will take the rest of the day and keep ripping into it. Stay tuned hopefully some more pictures to come later today.

fossil fuel

The camera up the center drain plug will tell you many things. I did have to run a 5/8" drill through the hole though to get through some blob of plex. I would caution foam filling this area. The areas under the liner drain to the center hole, it would be bad to obstruct this water flow with foam? On the suspended stringer issue, The wood at this area is only to bolt and through bolt. The liner gives all the strength in the engine compartment, not the wood. I would say its not really a wood stringer system as we would see in other boats.

Audiofn

Ya I would be very carefull not to plug up any of the drain plugs. I don't think were I plan to do any of the foam in areas that could clog the passage ways. The suspended stringer issue has nothing to do with wood but air. There should be no air at all between the two sections of glass (liner and the hull). IMO the most important part is under the edges of the stringer. So far in my boat there is no support at all in that area. This must allow the bottom of the boat to move in ways that it should not be? If my brother ever shows up to my house so I can load up my air compressor and get to my shop that would be fantastic. As it is I am not 3 hours late starting my day... grrrrr

badmonkey

Jon,

As you well know there should ZERO gaps under the stringers...."oil canning"....hence stress cracks... Wish I were close to explore with you...may need to make a road trip to visit....

Chris

Audiofn

Well I did not get much time to work on it today but I did get enough done to get really frustrated with the construction of this boat. There was a time that I dreamed that I would own one of these things. Now that dream has quickly turned into a nightmare and the more I dig the worse it gets. Sadly I have to say this is likely to be the last formula that I will ever be buying. I am sick of working on poorly constructed boats fixing things that if they just took a little more time and care and or had some one supervising the minions building them then they would never happen. Chris and I should NEVER have to be doing what we are doing. If the boats were built properly we would not. How can you build a boat of this level (or the reputation for a good quality boat) and not use marine grade plywood? What an extra less then 100 bucks on a boat that cost this much is out of the budget?Now see the photos below and see why I am so upset now that I have got one side totally opened up.

This first picture is the piece I removed today. Using my Fein multi master and a Bosche wood metal blade I was able to cut this out in around 15 min. One cut around the outside and it about lifted right out with just a quick pop of the pry bar.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]553836[/ATTACH]

The parts that are white are the parts that had a little bit of adhesion. When I say a little bit I mean a little. It was no effort at all to remove these. As you can see less then 1/3 of the piece was supported at all.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]553837[/ATTACH]

This is the gap under the center stringer.

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The gaps are large enough to slide a very large pry bar under!

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This is the gap as you look back at the transom.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]553840[/ATTACH]

Just as a point of reference to how LARGE that gap above is this next photo is my hand in the gap with all 4 fingers inside all the way up to my hand!


[ATTACH=CONFIG]553842[/ATTACH]

I have to get in touch with Dave but it looks like mine may be a little different then his. If I was understanding him correctly he said that the stringers on Chris's boat were hollow. They are filled with foam on this boat. So I am not sure if that was done at the factory or if that was done by some one trying to do a quick repair? The foam was just maybe a 1 pound foam so no structural strength just filled voids.

rak rua

That is an absolute shocker.

I hope someone at the factory is keeping up with this. I understand their refusal to help out (I don't totally condone it) but I also understand why people looking at boats may think twice about buying a Formula.

RR

Audiofn

There will be two that you can own once Chris and I are done fixing ours... Going to get at it today as well. Hope to have some more time. Just a little more wiring at the shop then I should be able to get a few hours in.

fossil fuel

GASP.......On my 382 I think the engine compartment liner is a separate component from the rest of the system, not 100% sure but as I recall. Formula may be able to make you a replacement liner section. Just a thought. Cut everything out and set a whole new piece in place. It would sure eliminate alot of work finishing those areas to look nice in the end. What did we ever do without Fein tools. I remember in the days of old using a chainsaw to detail this kind of work. A little rough on the edges but fun..
Oh, a good trick to get the itchy fiberglass out of your skin and pores. Wad up a ball of duct tape sticky side out and use as a lint roller.It will pull the tiny fibers out......

GoodTrade 2750

Following this thread, I have been thinking the very same thing. After being in Jon's boat and looking at all of the structural elements to the grid/liner, there is a ton of work in replicating (aka the amazing work Glass Dave's job on Chris's boat) the stringers and tying everything in. Taking the time to properly fit a replacement section and then bonding it in as originally intended might save a lot of lay-up and stringer construction time. You could then glass the splice joint.

Getting a replacement piece from Formula would be something I would be looking into. Although the splicing needs to be carefully considered so you have a chance of achieving the original design intent and strength. Something like a V-shaped joint that starts on the outboard sides at the rear seat bulkhead and then runs to the point of the Vee somewhere like 5-6 ft forward. That said, I don't think there is a better approach than GD's which should a stiffer and truer running surface.

Gives me a headache just thinking about it...

Love the suggestion for getting the glass fibers out of yourskin! I could have used that trick many times!!

-Paul

phragle

iTrader: (3)

The only problem with that is unless you are going to play jigsaw puzzle or your cutting the deck off the back of the boat to fit the new liner in. Its too long and too wide to just "drop in,