Not certain where I left off...

So here it is.



Kind of hard to see what I did by this picture, but I painted over the Gluvit I applied. Not crazy about the paint I used... but it works. I tried to make the center bench into a storage locker, but I screwed up the aluminum. The piece I cut out got warped and when I riveted on the hinges.. the heads were too long and caused the hinge to bind up. So I gave up and went with a wood top. MUCH easier. Used some flimsy 1/4 inch ply and sanded and plastic coated it. I am happy with it for this season.

If you are wondering what the wood at the bow is, you are not alone! I fashioned this solution for my transom mount trolling motor to go on the bow. Last year when I tried to put it on the bow, the aluminum flexed like heck and the vise bracket on the motor would not clamp down. So I bolted this little set up and I am quite satisfied... at this point.

After a couple of outings, I realized that I needed a better trailer tie-down system. I had to pull over and redo the ratchet straps 3 times on my last outing and got eaten alive by black flies.
Part of the problem for my set up is that if I wrap the straps all the way around the boat and trailer, the boat flexes under the pressure, and I think it opens the riveted seams a little. Same thing if I hook the gunnels...

So here is what I came up with;





Other side;




You get the idea!

And the rear home made 3 point ratchet strap;



This system ratchets down PERFECTLY! Solid beyond my wildest expectations. That son of a gun is not going anywhere. I cut the cheap straps to measure and now it takes me less than 2 minutes to get it all strapped down.

Next thing I tackled was the floor. I purchased some puzzle mat from Zellers (Like Target and Wal-Mart) for about $25. This got me 8 tiles that were about 16x16 inches each. Had some brain farts and messed up one tile, but I am satisfied overall with how it turned out. Contact cement and scissors is all it took.




Closer...


And...

Am I Relic?

Am I the only one who hears the theme from The Beachcombers in his head when he gets up to planing speed in his boat?

Those cheesy e-mails about the under 30 crowd...

I get those e-mails from time to time about how the under 30 crowd have it so easy for various reasons, from using card catalogs when we were younger to getting busy signals when phoning a popular friend.

I replied with my own quick and impromptu list. Here it is;

I would add the following;

If you wanted to go down on a girl, you could be guaranteed that you were going to get a mouth full of hair until you spit on it enough to part it in the middle... THEN you were able to get at the nub. So eating out took that much longer and made you that much more thirsty! I didn't have Gatorade to help that along either... or Propel... or any other good sports drink. I had Sunny D or Kool-Aid! And if it happened to be Sunny D, that shit is so acidic that if you were coughing on a hair stuck on the back of your throat, it would hurt like you just swallowed fiberglass. And to even get at the panty-afro you had to get through panties that would be considered granny panties today with the big cotton crotch piece... never mint g-string! Ever try to be erotic and suck through those? Like sucking on a lint ball that came out of the dryer!

In my day you tried to stick your tongue in a girls ear to be seductive, you got a dose of hairspray that would kill a colony of termites in Africa.

Never mind finding material to pound off to.. porn these days is so accessible. In my day we shared porno mags stolen from our father's sock drawers... believe me when I tell you we did not lick our fingers to turn the page... YUCK! I still remember the one porno mag I owned from the age of 10 till I was 18... I found it in pieces blowing down the street in the winter. I think it went through a snow blower... I taped it up in school and brought it home. It was as big as the Bible because it was water logged. It was in tatters and tapped together but I was still a hero among my friends because it was MINE!!

I am stealing...

I just stole 40 questions from my buddies blog that I want to try answering!

1. My uncle once: Told me it was called a tackle box.

2. Never in my life: Have I seen what is in those stupid 3d painting! A dolphin... indeed!

3. When I was five: I was a traveling salesman. I put all my Christmas toys on my wagon and went door to door selling them so I could afford to play Defender at the arcade.

4. High School was: Pharmaceuticaly Exhausting

5. I will never forget: The naked old lady on the balcony in January holding a potted plant.

6. I once met: some else's expectations... then I stopped.

7. There’s this girl I know: We call here puddles.

8. Once, at a bar: I actually ordered the proverbial bourbon, scotch and beer. I was 18....

9. By noon I’m usually: looking for a place to poop.

10. Last night: I dreamed about flying... I hate flying...

11. If I only had: Whipped Butter and a Red Highlighter...

12. Next time I go to church: I will leave with a nicer coat.

13. Terry Schiavo: A woman barely alive. We can rebuild her. We have the technology to make her, better... stronger... faster....

14. What worries me most: locating my left handed scissors.

15. When I turn my head left, I see: I can only turn right... I am not an ambi-turner... *sniff*..

16. When I turn my head right, I see: Ross Perot?!!

17. You know I’m lying when: You ask me a question.

18. What I miss most about the eighties: My feet and virginity.

19. If I was a character written by Shakespeare, I’d be: A foot note.

20. By this time next year: I will have forgotten about writing these!

21. A better name for me would be: Skip

22. I have a hard time understanding: Babbling people.

23. If I ever go back to school I’ll: be reincarnated as a real kid...

24. You know I like you if: I show you my rat.

25. If I won an award, the first person I’d thank would be: the person who gives me the award... it's only polite!

26. Darwin, Mozart, Slim Pickens & Geraldine Ferraro: One porn I would not see.

27. Take my advice: Don't see that porn!

28. My ideal breakfast is: eaten off a (female!) cheerleader's belly.

29. A song I love, but do not have is: The Romantics - Talking in your sleep.

30. If you visit my hometown, I suggest: you stay off the railroad traks.

31. Tulips, character flaws, microchips & track stars: Ingrediants for a Candadian teen soap opera.

32. Why won’t people: Pull up their pants?!!!

33. If you spend the night at my house: Stay away from my daughters and that cornfield.

34. I’d stop my wedding for: ...my wife is a crazy bitch who will suck all the life out of me.

35. The world could do without: Hillary Duff... she doesn't give boob slips or crotch shots... what the hell is she good for? I MEAN HER NAME IS DUFF!!!!

36. I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: Lick Delta Burke's belly.. I'd die of thirst by the time I was a third of the way down... yes down... that is the natural direction!

37. My favorite blonde is: Phyllis Diller

38. Paper clips are more useful than: papered clips.

39. If I do anything well, it’s: climbing up it's sides after getting a bucket of fresh cold water out of it.

40. And by the way: If you see your mother this week-end... would you be sure to tell her; SATAN... SAtan... satan...

There you go!

Yanking in the Snow...

I love titles...

I took it as a sign from the Boating Gods that it was time to start on the pile of tin. There are things I HAVE to do to get this boat and trailer ready for the April 24th trout opener;

Fix trailer:
1) Fix shocks - Adding a cotter pin to each or threading a nut onto the posts should do it.
2) Change tires and Valves. I bought new rubber and valves... now how do you go about mounting these buggers on the rim yourself? I can remember when I was a kid, seeing guys put lighter fluid in the tire and lighting it up to set the tire into the rim. Don't know if I can do that... I don't even know if I can get the tire onto the rim! I know I don't want to pay $17 per tire to get them mounted... I paid $20 for the damn rubber!

3) Redo the back wiring. I had a blow out on my last trip before the winter comming back from Lac Saint Marie, the shrapnel from the shedding tire took out my shock and some wiring with it. I will have to replace some of the wiring and redo some connections.

The Boat:

1)Take out the middle and aft seats so I can get at the seams and/or rivets that are still leaking.





2) grind all seams and rivet clean with a wire brush on my drill or die-grinder. Pound the rivets tight.

3) Clean with vinegar or acetone.

4) Apply Gluvit. (Epoxy leak stopper)

5) Modify the middle seat so that it becomes two small side seats.

6) Modify the rear seat so that it can accommodate storage under the bench... I am thinking Piano Hinge... and rivets.

7) Repaint with E2000.

Go fishing.

I do have some future plans; Bow and Aft casting decks with twin battery storage in the bow and a vented gas tank cover plate/ casting deck at aft. Apply rubberized EVA interlocked flooring tiles to all horizontal surfaces; decking, seating and tread.

I also want to mod the trailer a bit to make tie downs easier and launching and trailer-ing.

So, today, I got the mid and aft benches out. Still deciding on my approach on modding both benches. The mid bench should not require extra material other than rivets. I will use the existing material to accomplish this mod. The aft bench mod will require only rivets, a piano hinge and a pull ring.

Spring is here...

A working camera!

Finally... a working camera and some sun and melting snow to encourage a photo session with my Bok! This will show some of the work that I did late in the fall;

The transom on the outside:
Transom on the inside;
Notice the Battleship gray colour inside AND out ...

As you can plainly see, I have painted the Bok. I used an epoxy paint that is supposed to fill leaks as it covers... but I suppose that my rivets and seams leak a little bit more than this stuff can fix. I am getting some Gluvit within the next two weeks. I will remove the center and rear benches. temporarily, so I can get at all the rivets. I am going to pound them in an effort to tighten them, then apply the Gluvit. Gluvit is meant more for this application than Interprotect was... it is flexible when dry and runs into the cracks and seams for better penetration. We all want that... better penetration.... mmmmm....

Once I am finished with the Gluvit, I will re-rivet the benches back into place for the year. I am going to save up my change and soda bottles to get enough money to mod this bad boy. Front and rear casting deck and center bench delete. Boat is quite shallow... so I don't think I will put in a floor... flat bottom too... so I am already there.

Motor Fix and Glimpses Of The Diogenes

Here is the story about my motor;

I bought an Eska (1977 15hp) because I did not know better. I bought it on a whim and then read all the horror stories about it.

At the start of the season I was on my way to a little fishing vacation when the hinge that holds the engine onto the bracket cracked off while driving. Good thing I had a couple of straps on it or it would have been a hood ornament for the little Matrix that was on my butt for about 20ks.

After much ado... I fashioned a fix a couple of weeks ago. It seems more solid (This hinge) than the original.



From the top.


From the bottom and behind.



Here is a pic of the Eska, and a glimpse of some of the completed work on the Diogenes. Battleship Grey at this point... some of that may change in the spring.


I hit the water with it for the first time in mid-October '08... and she ran great! Maybe a little under powered for a 15, but I was VERY pleased. The water pump was pumping and the spark plugs were sparking... Quite happy! By my calculations, I achieved about 20 to 25kms per hour and planed beautifully. I was skipping around some of the bends on the Gatineau river!! Freaky feeling. But, maybe that is what you get when you put a 15hp on a boat that is rated for 7.5hp!

The next thing I want to do is get a carb kit, new impeller, spark plugs and change the LU oil.

The List Of Things Done and To Do

Here is some information on the work that I have done and the work that is still to come. My camera is a battery hog… therefore there are no new pictures. I will try to take some over the winter to show some of the work that I did.

I used a wire wheel brush on a couple of drills and ground out all the paint on the outside and on the inside. I used about 5 wheels to get this job done. I used two sticks of StarBrite on the keel hole.

I then changed the wood supports on the transom both in and out. The replacements are over sized to accommodate the 15HP engine. The wood was coated with Polyester resin.

After the brushing, I applied one QT of E2000. Went on nice and dried well in the sunlight... unfortunately, I needed it to dry in the night too. When I did it, it was about 2 to 8 degrees C (35 to 40 F). Dry time is dramatically increased.

After a second outside coat (another QT) and two or three days of dry time, I flipped the boat and started to do the same on the inside. Two coats inside as well.

I replaced the old plug, but it would not fit right. This drain style is on the floor of the boat and has a plate on the outside. This plate limits how deep the plug can be. The placement plug is about 1/32 of an inch too deep, so it won’t fit right L
This is what I did… not necessarily what I SHOULD have done!
I used the boat about 6 or 8 times in October and November. It started to leak after the second trip. I am relatively certain it was due to my stupidity. I ratcheted the straps way too tight when I attached the boat to my trailer. I think that the hull flexed to the point of the seams opening up at the bottom of the boat. This caused some leakage… not terrible, but enough, about a half quart an hour.

What I should have done is this;

-Ground off the paint in and out.
-Removed the center bench so I can get at ALL the rivets.
-Tighten all rivets by pounding the snot out of them.
-Apply Gluvit to the INSIDE only of the boat leaving the outside bare.
-Not tighten the ratchet straps that hold the boat to the trailer to the point of flexing the seams at the bottom of the boat open.
-Pound the plate under the plug hole so it can accommodate the new plug.
- Redo the wiring on the trailer.
- Get new tires for the trailer and replace shocks.

The list above is my to-do list for this spring!! I will make sure I have a better camera and batteries!!

The Set-Up

Here is the new victim. There has already been a lot of work done to it. But this is what it looks like and what I have documented to this point.


This is what it looked like not long after I brought it home in mid-September 2008. Tire chunks bolted to the side is still a mystery and the object of much conjecture. Best geusse is that it was protection for a vehicle when it may have been used as a car/truck topper.

This is the transom's motor support in it original form. Kind of reminds me of 90s muff hair style... the "Hitler"... yes?


The inside stern facing. There seems to be a lot of room between the aft bench and the transom. I may make this into a rear casting deck in the future.




Another look at those gorgeous tire chunks. The transverse ribbing is good and strong, I might only have to add two or three of them if I choose to gut the benches and make pedestal seats and fore and aft casting decks.




Here is the first atrocity that I have found; Shelving braces used to "Protect" the keel. While I am certain that it seemed like a good idea at the time; At a Grateful Dead concert on PCP, it is obvious that the steel screws that were bored into the keel caused more damage than it prevented.


Found this under some (David) putty. Yah... thats right.


Here is the coolest logo in all of boating. This will go well with my Impala!

Time to change this up!

I traded the Prince's Craft. I got an aluminum boat in return. I was very happy to have done it. It is light weight and a lot more sturdy. I am not afraid to hit a rock, or put a hole in it getting it on the trailer!

So moving on, I will up date this blog with my new boat's transformation and spew a few ideas looking for input for my multitudes of readers.

A Call To Arm; LOOK OUT... It's The Screw Driver!

I am not sure what is more work; A Blog about restoring a boat or actually restoring the boat!

A lot has happened since I last posted. I will try to run through them as quickly as possible.

Went through 3 gallons of resin. (Probably could have used 5 quite comfortably.)
Decided to use carpeting instead of the paint and sand anti skid trick.
Got sick and tired of working on this thing and just want to go fishing now.

Doesn't look like much spread out over three line... But it was a LOT of work!

I had to rip out some of the glass I put in due to terminal bubbles. It was WAY too much like rotten ice. Too weak. So I reglassed and used a shit load of Peanut Butter. Framed and PB'ed the rod locker. Every stick of wood was covered in resin and most with mat and roving. I will post some pictures now and go lie down. I started today at 6:30 am and finished at 9:15pm. I am going to a cottage next week for 7 days, and I HAD to get the boat done so I am not stuck shore fishing and my kids wont make fun of me!

Between that crappy rainy weather and work, I had to take advantage of this great day. Good weather is not guaranteed. Here is what I have done to this point.











So I painted inside and out. The bow trim is now royal blue and matches my car. I was not sure if that was a little fancy or not... still not so sure...

Any how... it needs more color. I look like I should be selling poutine out the back of this thing as it sits there now. I will paint the new lids a different color... not sure what color.... when I get them from some dumpsters at construction sites near the house. I will likely use *gasp* chip board. It will obviously be a somewhat temporary solution. I ran out of money and patience.

One word of caution to anyone planning on laying carpet in their boat... or any where else for that matter; do not make any upwards thrusting motions with a screw driver in an attempt to remove a staple when your arm is any position to catch the business end on the follow through.

OUCH!

Please sir... more fiberglass.... please...

So the day finally came;

No ruptured back muscles?

Check.

No jobs to do for Mom and Dad?

Check.

No torrential down pours in the forecast?

Check.


Well hot damn! I have a green light!!!!

So I started on Friday. I purchased 2 4x4 sheets of 1/2 inch plywood at the local big box lumber store (RONA). They have a policy that they lend you their trailer for free for up to 2hrs. Good deal! Can't fit too many sheets of ply in the Imp!

So I got the plywood and I bought some supplies like decking screws, acetone, rollers and a painters pan with plastic liner inserts. (More on that later)

I started at about 3pm. I diligently took measurements and did my best to make the right cuts the first time. It turned out.. well.. I will say; "OK". I may have enough wood left over to redo the casting deck platform as it is a little wonky looking... too much space between the edge of the wood and the side of the hull.

So Friday consisted of me cutting out all the wood parts. I stayed with only the essentials; Stringer, floor, casting deck. If that looks all right after glassing, then I will use what I have left for the extended locker and lids.

Saturday, I went to my friends house to pick up the mystery fiberglass supplies. I say mystery as he did not know if it was polyester or epoxy. Turns out that it is polyester. It is called CADOX M50A. This is what I kind of feared. From everything I have read, epoxy is the way to go. But beggars will not be choosers in this case. The matt was incredible. It is the thickest stuff I have seen. I believe that it is 18 or 20 oz. He uses it at work to make molds for custom cement panels and pieces. So you know its strong!

I grounded out the remaining crap that was left over from the rotted out stringer and floor. This took MUCH longer than anticipated. But I know that prepping to the nth degree is well worth it.

By the time 3:30 rolled around, I was ready to lay some peanut butter in the stringer groove. Sharp scissors are a must when making this concoction. I chopped some matt nice and fine into the painters pan and added some resin. I have never done this, so I was not sure how much I would need. Once I had the resin and matt mixed, I then added the catalyst (Hardener). I was cautioned by my buddy that it only takes a few drops. I was cautioned on the boat restoration board that 1% is the proper mixture. Well... they were right!

I slopped it into the groove and stuck the stringer in the sludge. I used an old plastic putty knife to slather it in. It worked quite well until the glass started to kick. "Kick" means that the hardener is starting to do what it is designed to do. Is gets super heated through the chemical reaction while it hardens like The Rock of Gibraltar. Did I mention that is gets super heated? My poor plastic yellow putty knife... May it rest in peace.

So I have to say that it went quite well. The next part... no so well.

At this point I am feeling kind of cocky and I thought that perhaps I was born to glass. So I cut a 9 foot by 16 inch length of matt and this was going to cover the stringer and give it added integrity. Yes.. one big honking' piece of matt.

I acetoned the area and I mixed a big bunch of resin and catalyst. I used the nice little foam roller to lay on the resin on the hull. This spread nicely. I then laid the matt on to of this wet area. Pulled it tight with no wrinkles and started to roll on more resin. At this point I noticed chunks being left behind as I rolled along... what was that? AAaarggh! It was my nice little foam roller disintegrating from the chemical concoction that was the resin. I switched to another roller... a yellow one.. like my putty knife.

well, to make a long story short. I mutilated the job. The top of the stringer would not bond to the glass matt. Every time I run over the matt, it sticks for about 2.5 seconds and pops up about 1/32 nd of an inch. This is the running theme for the length of the stringer. Did I mention the bubbles?

At this point I am questioning the decision I made to use one whole piece of matt. Good thought but WAY too late! I did my best with the mess... and I still must say.. I mix a hell of a resin. It took a while to kick! I would say that it kicked after about 25 mins. This is supposed to be the sweet spot as if it kicks too quick, the result is too brittle.

Tomorrow's plan is to put in the floor. This time I will use strips. And I will take my time. First I have to stop at the hardware store to pick up something better to apply the resin. Something that wont melt or disintegrate.

Yee-haw!

I will snap some shots tomorrow of the carnage.

The Wait/Weight; Take a load off

Still waiting for;

1) Good weather
2) No work
3) Good weather

Remember that board that I am a part of?

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=254371

The Rebel flag...

Never Mind! I just need to let things go and get off my soap box sometimes.

Love Thy Neighbour... or at least give them directives!

This is how she looked the first part of the morning of day three of renovations. I cut part of the left locker/bench away.



This is a close up of the stringer as I found it. I find it kind of odd that it stops well before the bow takes an upturn.



I sliced away at the stringer and ground out a good bit of the old fiberglass lip that was left over where the wood decking and casting deck was.

Here comes the rotting hot wet stinking piece of crap. It came out in three pieces. I figured I would keep it for a template for the new one.



Here is how it looked at the end of the third day of destruction.
Left locker cut out.



The stringer is gone.




Fiberglass lips and wood remnants ground out.



You know... it might not look like much, but I feel like I got a lot accomplished.





I am getting a little bolder with my pneumatic die grinder; at first I was scared shitless that I was going to grind through the hull. Now I just go! Still a whole lot of grinding to do. Next time I will warn the little widow next door to move her Jeep. I was getting the stink eye from her the whole time. (Even though I warned her that I was going to do it today... I just didn't "instruct" her to move her ride!)

Oh ya... the ever growing junk (A.K.A. "Template") pile!




Gonna piss rain for the next 24 hours or so... that will bring me to Sunday the next possible work day. It will have to be in the afternoon as I will undoubtedly be fishing in the AM. One last kick at Meech Lake before the swimmers force us to start paying for parking! I think the beech opens next week.

Let 'Er Rip!!

This was the first exploratory cut.


It was obvious that the rot went right to the transom.


So cut number two came, and I was able to have a look at the stringer;

Starting to look like a renovation!

Better view of the stringer here;

The stringer was certainly rotted.


The first pile of guts and skin;


The progress so far;


And now, for what every Encino CA, teen aged girl wants for their sweet sixteen; Nose Job Time!

Here is the "Before" picture.


During;


Nice Styrofoam. This how it was stacked in the bulkhead. Not much buoyancy. It was a spore incubator. There were trilobytes and snails stuck to the underside of the casting deck. I am starting to wonder if the guy who sold this tub to me was Relic from the Beachcombers and some how raised it from the bottom of Lake Ontario.


The ever growing pile of junk;




I took a bunch of other pictures, but I am using my daughter's camera and I messed up somehow. It made noise like it was taking pictures, but it didn't for some reason.

I tarped it up because I was not sure when I was going to be able to work on it again. I may skip a doctor's appointment to get some work in. But if I don't, we are expecting at least 10mm of rain.



Until tomorrow! (I hope!)

Prince's Craft

Hi,

My name is Craig Prince, and I am renovating a 1989 Canot Grand-Mere 14 foot Fisherman Super Delux boat. I bought this thing for $250 in a snowstorm in November of 2007. (Thank you CaptainZapo!)

Now, here I am in May 2008 starting the big renovation.



I buddy of mine fixed a few holes and dings, sanded and painted the hull using Weather Gard paint. I bought a 1.5 HP 5gal compressor for $40 to do the job. It worked wonderfully. I bought a cheap old trailer and fixed it up too. I should have taken some before pictures, 'cuase it was REAL rough. My buddy swore that I was anally raped when I bought it. (I wasn't!) The tailer is solid. I had my kids sand and scrape the hell out of it, then we painted it. 2 coats of spray enamel later and it looks acceptable.

I bought a 15HP 1977 Eska outboard. Then I bought a Minn Kota Power Drive 40 Bow Mount. The next thing I thought I would be doing is going fishing.

WRONG!

I noticed a small hole near the back bench in the decking. I probed it like a civil war doctor would a festering wound... and let me tell you; this thing WAS festering. All the wood in the decking was punky and rotting.

So I started looking closer at the whole boat... kept finding more and more... I had a decision to make; Patch it up and start fishing, or rip it all out and wait a month (I hope I am not be naive) or so and have a real solid and satisfying tub.

Hijinx ensued! I joined a board on the internet ('cause the internet knows all!) on the iboats.com site. It is AWESOME. People there are not too snotty and are willing to help out idiots like me who want to get nuts with fiberglass. Lots of great resources and advice to be found on that site.

So I decided on keeping the original floor plan;



with a couple of small adjustments;

1) Install the casting deck's bench PROPERLY.
2) Design, create, fabricate and install a bow mount bracket especially for my boat.
3) Extend the left side bench/locker. It will grow from 48 inches long to 84 inches long. This will enable me to stow fully assembled rods with no trouble.

There will be other adjustments made; Totally seal the decking so that NO water can get in, make a bilge bowl that will be sealed properly. Increase the buoyancy of the boat with foam under the decking (There wasn't any) and pack under the casting deck with as much foam as humanly possible (There was very little in there when I got into it), AND fill and seal the back bench with about 2/3rds of the cavity with foam, and *some* waterproof storage space.

Thats the plan anyway!