more pics from a yanks searider project

learning to fly · 08 January 2007, 02:48

I finally have done enough work on the boat and had enough time and good weather to take some more pics. These will show you how I have the boat set up to work on and some of the many defects I will try to remedy. Spent some time grounding out numerous gouges and have started to work on the back part of the boat. The pics that follow will show in hopefully great detail what I have to work with

learning to fly · 08 January 2007, 03:04

In the previous pics I posted You can see the transom before and after I did some cleaning. I have begun to really get ready to fix the back of my keel. You can see how much I had to grind before I got anything solid to build on. I hated to make any hole in my boat larger, it goes against everything I thought a boat stood for. But when I look at the pics from " A major searider project" I realize how lucky I am. Now I am worried about me transom. It seams very solid but will definatelyy take a look while everything is open for inspection now. Hopefully by the weekend I will start to do the bodywork. I ground out a lot of gouges and even my friend helping me was surprised at how thick and solid the gellcoat was on the boat. I contribute this to a good quality boat.

I have been reading the threads about replacing the transom with the epoxy, dont think I need this but if I do I might as well start planning it and get as much info as possible. I have a couple of spots that I will glue while the boat is upside down. I also was thinking about applying one of those keel guards to my boat and was wondering if anyone has used this product and whether they liked it. Was it easy to apply and does it hold up. Thanks for any input

learning to fly · 08 January 2007, 03:10

Am I limited to 5 pics when I post or is there a way to add more on one posting? Anyway for now a couple of more pics, One is of the inside of the flooding hull, remember the boat is upside down, You can see the hump where the seat and consoles are attached. I was also thinking of adding a samson post to my boat but do not have a good way to attach it solid enough. Ill post some more pics soon

dctucker · 08 January 2007, 03:44

Quite a load of work you've undertaken! I understand how scary it is to take the angle grinder to your boat, but don't be shy, make sure you get down to the good solid stuff.

Any idea how long you'll have that splash well off? I'd love to make a mold of it to make one for my boat. Wouldn't be able to get down to RI for about a month though... Whadda ya think?

learning to fly · 08 January 2007, 04:03

Dtucker, you are very welcome to take a mold of the splashwell. it will be off for awhile, we will get something made for you. If I remember right you were going to florida for a little while, right? feel free to send me an email any time you want. One thing about my splashwell is there is no xtra clearence when my motor is in full tilt. If the motor is fully up and not straight it would touch. As I said before, after looking at other pics of projects on this thread I ralize just how little work I will have to do.

Tomas · 08 January 2007, 11:14

Flyer,

Nice work. You'll have a great boat when you are finished, I'm sure.

How old is the hull?

When I inspect my transom I'm going to look for any sign of movement at the deck or gunnels. Casual glances have not revealed any. Then I suppose I'm going to resort to the old wooden boat trick and tap tap with a proper little banger to try to detect any change in pitch. Assuming (ha) all looks and sounds well, no doubt I'm going to see about re-sealing any and all perforations. I'll likely remove even the engine mounting bolts, one at a time and shoot some West System into the bore to cure. A good reamer following that at the exact diameter of the bolt, plus minimum clearance will be the trick.

Keep us posted!

dctucker · 08 January 2007, 18:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by learning to fly

Dtucker, you are very welcome to take a mold of the splashwell. it will be off for awhile, we will get something made for you. If I remember right you were going to florida for a little while, right? feel free to send me an email any time you want. One thing about my splashwell is there is no xtra clearence when my motor is in full tilt. If the motor is fully up and not straight it would touch. As I said before, after looking at other pics of projects on this thread I ralize just how little work I will have to do.

Thanks!

Yes, I leave for FL on Thursday, won't be back in New England until Jan 26 or 27. My RIB will stay down there until late March or early April.

Once I pick up my boat with the new E-TEC (tomorow!), I'll see what kind of clearance there is at full tilt. My original plan was to just block in the transom cut out as much as possible around the motor. That would save some space in the back of the boat. I'll almost certainly do that as an interim measure while I'm in FL. If it works out well enough, I may not bother with the splashwell, though that is a more effective solution I'd guess.

M-125 · 08 January 2007, 18:42

My transom looked good on the outside. Some previous owner had tried to dry it and poured some epoksy resin in there. Hoping the dry wood would bond up and go solid. It could have worked, but since it was wet in the rest of the transom it did not. I discovered my rotten transom when I drilled new holes for the engine. Moist rotten wood came out with the drill bit. Because of the complexity of the corners it is impossible to get all o the wood out without opening it from the inside. So if you find anything and wants to try some simple solution be careful to get all the wet stuff out.

Looking forward to see more pics and progress on your boat. It´s really cool that so many decides to fix up those old seariders.

Rogan · 09 January 2007, 15:30

When we found a bolt for the engine that wasn't sealed properly through the transom we drilled exploratory holes. Using the smallest drill bit we had we made little holes succesively further from the bolt to see how far water had made it into the transom. You can easily tell by the shavings on the drill bit if it's damp or really crumbly. Not sure if this is the best method but it gave us a good idea to the extent of the damage and if we were going to replace the transom or try and fix it.

Stoo · 09 January 2007, 15:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by learning to fly

I also was thinking about applying one of those keel guards to my boat and was wondering if anyone has used this product and whether they liked it. Was it easy to apply and does it hold up. Thanks for any input

LtF... I had one of these added to my boat last year and it has held up well. We routinely "beach" our boat (gently!) on limestone. I didn't put the thing on my self, but my guess is that it would pretty straight forward while the boat is inverted. (Mine was still on the trailer.) There's a thread in here somewhere, but I think the trick is to make sure the work area is quite warm so the guard remains flexible... Mine was the 3M product... I don't know if there are others.

Nick Hearne · 09 January 2007, 16:07

http://www.keelguard.com/
I have used this & it work very well, very easy to fit & yes do it when it is worm!

learning to fly · 09 January 2007, 22:24

Thanks for the rersponse, I think I will be looking into installing the keel guard. As for the year of my boat it is a 92.
I was wondering why my post has been moved? Did I post in the wrong place? thanks
Scott

Jizm · 10 January 2007, 00:50

Keep the pics coming, I am doing similar things to mine, not so extreme tho'.

M-125 · 15 January 2007, 15:58

er.. actually the lump you can see on the inside is not where the console is fastened. It is two of these trays under the deck of the searider. One in front and one just forward of the transom. These are (at least in my boat) filled with foam. They are just glassed to the hull and deck. What had happened on my boat was that the grp between the trays and the deck had cracked. Water seeping into the deck, and rotting deck as a result. The raised part in the deck is actually a plywood pate glassed under the upper grp of the deck.

learning to fly · 08 February 2007, 05:23

I was haveing trouble uploading pics, I hope these come through. The pics should be small enough. I have done nothing different than the last ones I posted so I hope they come out

learning to fly · 08 February 2007, 05:26

These are of the boat witht he finished hull painted on the bottom

learning to fly · 08 February 2007, 05:31

This is the boat right before it went in to get the inside painted. Also included is a pic showing the contraption we used to flip the boat right side up again. It bolted right to my transom using the motor holes and then we were able to lift it up with a fork lift and tune it like a chicken over a campfire. I wish I had been able to take a pic of that. I also through a picture of a nice copuple of motors ....a little big for my boat though.

learning to fly · 08 February 2007, 05:37

I must have missed the last post with these

learning to fly · 08 February 2007, 05:45

Boat is finished painting and back at my house. I will be installing the motor again this weekend and then start thinking about what I am going to do for a seat and a frame.. I still have to install the keel guard when It gets warm again. Didnt get to do it when the boat was upside down. too bad..
I hope these pics can help someone out. Feel free to ask me any questions you have. as I finish up the boat I will post more pics.

Biggles · 08 February 2007, 10:54

Looks like a new boat. Well done. That's another Searider saved for posterity