Making progress on the new stringers

[Bellinghamster]

I got two solid days of work in on the boat - unseasonably hot weather made for quick cure times on each step of the way. I'm sure glad I got the bulk of the grinding done when it was cool!

New stringers got glass wrapped prior to installation, then set in swiss glass (thickened resin) to bed them to the hull. The tops are all parallel and in plane within 1/16 inch. The original stringers weren't centered and the pylon upper support must have been "made to fit", since the center of the hole is about 3/4 inch off center of the bracket. I made a new bottom support for the pylon that will share the thru-bolts with the forward skeg rather than the stock glassed-in lower support. Engine mounts and pylon support will all be thru-bolted rather than lags.

Next step the overlay glass to hull with 17oz biaxial, doubled up in the center 6ft. It's gonna be tricky working around all the limber holes (drain holes), but (hopefully) worth the trouble in the long run.

Gotta get it done... gotta get it done... gotta get it done. I want to ski!

[SunCoast 83]

wow what a project, looks solid. what year?

[chico]

Good job,looks great

[Bellinghamster]

Originally Posted by Jay Haile

wow what a project, looks solid. what year?

1978. I bought it about 6 weeks ago. Hopefully I'll eventually complete a full restoration, but right now summer is just around the corner so paint and polish will have to wait until next winter.

[Bellinghamster]

Spent the weekend glassing in the stringers, then tonight doubled up where the engine mounts go. Hopefully will gelcoat it all tomorrow and start fitting the new floor later this week. I've got a goal of skiing by the end of June. A bit ambitious, but I think I can make it.

I ended up wrapping the bottom half with 1.5oz CSM prior to installing, then wrapping the top with the same half just prior to laying the 9 inch "L" of biaxial on each side. This made it a lot easier to do than my original plan of wrapping completely with 1.5oz prior to installation, then overlaying the entire thing with the biaxial... there's just too much sticky at one time to be able to do a decent job. I'm definitly learning - each layup gets progressivly cleaner and easier. I've gone thru a whole box of 100 latex gloves!

[GuitsBoy]

Wow, looks great. Cant wait to see the gelcoat process. Thanks for documenting the steps with pics.

[Bruce Carr]

Great Job!

While your at it, see if you can open up the bow area for storage like the later model (circa 81 and newer) S&S boat have. You will appreciate the extra storage.

Bruce

[87MCProstar]

wow, thats awesome you have the time and definately the skill for this project!

[Bellinghamster]

Yay! All the grinding is done! The last section was to level and prep where the floor glasses to the hull. I can't wait to hose everything out with water and be done with the ichies!

I decided to add some additional floor supports for the rear hatch, so had to notch those into the top of the stringers and glass wrap them prior to gelcoat. Saturday I applied the gelcoat to the stringers and hull, with only one (major?) mishap. I must have been breathing too many fumes, as when I mixed up the last batch of gelcoat I was focused on getting the coloring right (it was a smaller batch, so had to adjust the amount of blue and black color additives), and in the excitement of it looking so good and being nearly done, must have forgotten to add the catalyist... I brushed it on, then took a break for lunch. Went out after lunch to show my wife the progress and found the last section I did was still sticky... hmm that ain't right. Oh, no. I couldn't have. I must have! Arrrg. 2/3 a gallon of acetone, a roll of paper towels and over an hour later I was back to where I'd been a few hours before. Removing uncured gelcoat has got to be right up there with grinding fiberglass on my list of things I don't like. Ah well, my wife got some satisfaction from my screw-up and pointed out it's good to see that I'm not perfect (either).

I got the (this time) catalized gelcoat re-applied, then glassed the bottom of all the floor sections, so it's now ready for final assembly! Top side of the floor will get glassed over in-place. I sure hope I got all the cutouts in the right place!

[WTRSK1R]

That is just amazing to see the progress. I am way impressed.

Keep up the photo updates.


Steve