35 Motion Udderly Fantastic/CatCanDo restoration
05-25-2010, 08:47 PM
#11
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The guages would also be replaced. They look pretty bad in the photos. The pictures were taken after the boat had sat outside during the sawing, grinding, cutting and cussing to remove the rotted fuel tanks. New tanks ordered.
05-26-2010, 08:06 AM
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05-26-2010, 08:24 AM
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Gino - you turkey, your making me go out of sequence 
The sponsons were never used as fuel tanks in this boat. Instead, lightweight aluminum tanks were foamed into place on a foam/kevlar shelf. The sides of the boat and cockpit served as a bucket for the fuel that had leaked out of the tanks. The new tanks are 5053 T6 with an epoxy coating. More on this later.
The sponsons were never used as fuel tanks in this boat. Instead, lightweight aluminum tanks were foamed into place on a foam/kevlar shelf. The sides of the boat and cockpit served as a bucket for the fuel that had leaked out of the tanks. The new tanks are 5053 T6 with an epoxy coating. More on this later.
05-26-2010, 09:08 AM
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OK, so now we have the boat stripped. As cushion clamps are removed throughout, we find the cause of water in the bilge after sitting in the water for a few hours - 23 screws were run through the bottom of the boat. You may think, boy that is one thin boat. Actually, we encourage an do it yourselfers to avoid 1 1/2" screws when fastening to the bottom of the boat. In fact, avoid fastening to the bottom of the boat!! Other glass problems were minor - cracked glass at bulkheads (later found out boat had been stuffed hard in a race), stress cracks on sponsons @ delta entry, and the oil spot on the trailer was coming from a stress crack in the bottom of the sponson - Yep, stress crack in bilge allowed oil/water to seep into core, then out a stress crack in the bottom.
Off to the glass shop.
We begin by taking the boat to a local shop who repairs all the screw holes, foams in the new tanks, and closes up the cockpit to prevent water from getting to the new fuel tanks. The exterior was blocked out and painted with awl grip. During this 6 month process, we were inspecting the drives and found a cotter key had sheared on one of the gimble steering pins. The pin had then slid out of its bore about an inch and frozen in place. Since we were now looking at installing more power, the decision was made to convert to six drives.
However, the paint and repairs are now complete. While inspecting the new repairs / paint, we notice the repairs are all very visible through the paint. Hmmmmm......
We determine all repairs were made using vinylester resin. The boat is 100% kevlar /epoxy. The frustrations begin. After writing a LARGE check for all the glass work and paint (they also sprayed the bilge with a beautiful yellow gel silly string without asking), the boat was picked up.
A second glass shop was interviewed and hired. This shop was commissioned to remove all of shop #1's repairs, fill holes in transom for conversion to six drives, remove the yellow silly string from the bilge, and add additional support to the transom. Since the old drives used a four ram steering system, we were concerned the transom would not adequatly support the new drives.
Work begins......
Time to find a
Off to the glass shop.
We begin by taking the boat to a local shop who repairs all the screw holes, foams in the new tanks, and closes up the cockpit to prevent water from getting to the new fuel tanks. The exterior was blocked out and painted with awl grip. During this 6 month process, we were inspecting the drives and found a cotter key had sheared on one of the gimble steering pins. The pin had then slid out of its bore about an inch and frozen in place. Since we were now looking at installing more power, the decision was made to convert to six drives.
However, the paint and repairs are now complete. While inspecting the new repairs / paint, we notice the repairs are all very visible through the paint. Hmmmmm......
We determine all repairs were made using vinylester resin. The boat is 100% kevlar /epoxy. The frustrations begin. After writing a LARGE check for all the glass work and paint (they also sprayed the bilge with a beautiful yellow gel silly string without asking), the boat was picked up.
A second glass shop was interviewed and hired. This shop was commissioned to remove all of shop #1's repairs, fill holes in transom for conversion to six drives, remove the yellow silly string from the bilge, and add additional support to the transom. Since the old drives used a four ram steering system, we were concerned the transom would not adequatly support the new drives.
Work begins......
Time to find a
05-26-2010, 09:26 AM
#19
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I like the knee brace on the Penske Board reinforcement.
I remember the yellow silly string and John sanding it off, but I don't remember the repairs using Vinylester instead of Epoxy. Gawd... the pain!
I remember the yellow silly string and John sanding it off, but I don't remember the repairs using Vinylester instead of Epoxy. Gawd... the pain!
