Searider rebuild project

[willk]

Originally Posted by hamster

Instead of a drain trunk I'm using a cup and ball type device which works automatically rather than rely on people remembering to pull the trunk up and not leave the boat to flood when left on it's mooring.

That's an incredible refurb!

Have you had experience with the "autobailers"? If so and you're happy, fine, but I've not heard much good word on them. They have a tendency to block partially open.

Personbal experience has been that they are slow to drain much too.

[hamster]

I've used them before and not had any real problems with them. Occasionally they get jammed open with a bit of weed or the end of a rope.
I wanted to try something different to a trunk. I have 3 4mSr's which live afloat and get used by hundreds of different drivers who frequently leave the boats in a state despite my nagging. I often find the boats with the trunks left down or half down and a boat full of water so I'm thinking if they don't have to let the trunk down they can't forget to pull it up again!
On two occasions I've found the boats full of water and the tube partially deflated as well meaning it's filled with enough water to submerge the ignition barrel meaning it needs replacing at around £200 a go.

I'm fitting a bilge pump with float switch to get rid of rain water so if the ball gets stuck open the boat shouldn't flood. We check the boats regularly and they dont often go longer than 48 hours without being used so shouldn't have problems with flat batteries.

Only time will tell if it works. If it doesn't I can always put the old trunk back on.

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[marinesafety]

Graham, you need to find a new supplier of ignition barrels if you're paying £200 a pop!

[hamster]

I think the £200 estimate included a few pounds thrown in to pay for my annoyance at other people's incompetence (or stupidity!)

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[hamster]

After a sand on the bottom and temporary coat of flowcoat to the hull the boat is back on the water and in use.

The bilge pump is fitted and working well. Just a slow leak in the front tube section to patch and a very slow water leak on the transom where the tube attaches on the port side. It must be above the water line as it only leaks when I stand at the back of the boat.

It turned out to be a lot more work than I originally planned for as I originally planned to just replace the transom, however once I started cutting things out I kept finding more and more rotten bits which I needed to get rid of and replace.

I was surprised at how much higher it floats than my other flooded Sr4's when at rest. It looks much better when in use and comes on the plane so much quicker even with an older engine fitted so should save me plenty of fuel.

Next winters task is a retube and turn it over and do a proper job in the bottom. Best make sure the polisher is working!

I'm pretty pleased with how it's all turned out and u had great fun doing it. The satisfaction of all the work and hours spent covered in dust deom sanding orsmelling of fibreglass are worth it in the end.

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[Jordanis3r]

great work!

I have been tempted to attack an SR4 project myself ...

[MustRib]

my SR4 project still for sale .. last few hours on fleabay ....
shameless plug

[hamster]

After 6 months afloat the work done last winter held up well with no cracks appearing or bits falling off! The only thing that didn't work to well was the float switch for the bilge pump broke when somebody stood on it and it seems I didn't completely seal the bung fitting in the well to drain the under deck compartment which meant this filled with water slowly if the boat sat with water in it for a while. Only minor things and all easily fixable.

So, after 6 months use with the new deck and transom installed, its time for part 2 of the refurb to take place. Jobs to Ben done - refurb or replace tubes, service engine including timing belt, gear box seals and repair damaged couling, turn boat over and tidy up hull which at some time in is life has been painted with numerous layers of paint and antifouling in various colours. A few hours work!

First job was the hull so engine off and boat turned over I set about it with the belt sander and polisher with sanding head fitted. Two days and lots of worn out sanding belts later it was down to the original gelcoat and something solid to start laying new flow coat on to. Underneath all the red paint it was actually in fairly good condition. A few chips on spray rails to fill and a bit of tidying up on a patch I'd done previously to the front part of the keel was all it needed

[hamster]

The hardest bits to prepare were the strip between the two spray rails on each side as the belt sander was too wide to fit in the gap and the lip that the tube attaches too as its only a narrow strip to sand but you have to be careful not to damage the tube.

Both bits were done were done with lots of care with the sanding disc on the polisher. I was glad I decided to do all the sanding outside as the amount of dust and debris produced from 3 - 4mm of paint and old gelcoat was amazing. I'd be vacuuming my work shop for the next year if I'd done it inside!

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[mister p]

Scrap the thing and I'll have it off you for 50 quid. Can't say fairer than that. You know it makes sense.

[hamster]

Once everything was prepped it was time to start adding new gelcoat.

I mistake on my part (the tub of pigment in my store I thought was orange was actually white!) meant it got a coat of clear get to start with followed by a coat of orange and another orange coat with wax added.

Pictures show 2nd coat going on.

Once it was all set and had a couple off days in workshop with heaters on to cure properly was time to get busy and spend a day with the orbital sender and polisher to etit smooth and shiny again.

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[mister p]

ok, now you're ignoring me

[hamster]

While I did the hull the engine went away for service including timing belt change, gearbox overhaul (fishing line round prop shaft knackered the oil seals), new prop and new ignition barrel. I was going to rebuild and respray the cowling but I managed to lay my hands on a new one at a very reasonable price.

Once I'd finished the hull it was time to give the tubes some tlc. I got some quotes for a retube but these were way out of budget so instead I sent it to Scott at Rib Repair for a refurb. Scott and his boys did and amazing job and were real value for money. Jobs they did included removing all old patches, rubbing strakes, grab handles and lines and all 3 valves and replacing them all. Also they put wear patches in places it needed it including over the bow to protect from chaffing mooring and anchor lines, on top of the tubes where people sit, on the back end of the tubes again for mooring lines and security chains when afloat as well as on the end of the cones and under the bow.

I was really impressed with their work and would recommend them to anybody. I honestly thought they had replaced the tubes when I went to pick up the boat as they had transformed it that much. It really made the boat look smart and made all my hard work doing the rest of the boat worth while.

Once I got it back to my work workshop it was time to spend three days fitting it out again. New console, steering system and control cables, refit engine, transom brackets and transom plate all with new stainless eye bolts to provide lots of places to attach tow ropes and mooring lines. New auto bilge pump (no float switch to stand on and break!). Finally new morning lines, bridle, towlines and grab lines to finish it all off.

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[hamster]

Finally she was ready to go back in the water.

After a lot of work I'm really please with it. I think I've got a lot better looking boat than I'd of been able to get spending the same amount of money on a second hand one. I've just looked back through the photos of what it used to look like while writing this and can't believe the transformation. Well worth the hours spent locked away in my workshop.

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[mister p]

Absolute genius work.........top job hamster!
RibRepair did a fantastic job too.

[moonshadow]

Brilliant blog,just read this through from start to finish you have done a wonderful job and given a new lease of life to the rib well done!!

[TomKat]

nice!

[Oli.]

Wow, good work. Must be very satisfying when looking at the before and after pictures

[Boatnomad]

Excellent Searider refurb and pictures.That Deck-Well is a great idea.

[hotwater]

Could the float tanks shown in the refit be used for Petrol Tanks?

Regards
Bill