80's Arrowbolt 21 'Project'!

[rbcoomer]

Thanks Capn

Those links both look very interesting - had a quick scan, but will read & digest later. Cheers.

Regarding the sealer, yes - will do testing on new wood and old off-cut fibreglass (after cleaning so in effect the same as the 'real' work). It does say that you can do multiple coats, so after cleaning I will do a test coat and see how long it takes to dry and then it's touch dry in say an hour, I'll re-treat 30 minutes before glassing. They do say that whilst it's designed for wood, it can be used on almost anything - including GRP so I see no harm in prepping the hull too. I want to test first in order to ensure there are no adverse reactions and then stress test the join after say a week or two to ensure the two faces bond as expected. It's not that I don't trust the materials, more technique and inexperience!

I'd like to think I can get the stringers, bulkheads and floors back in by end of September so that I can use the winter months for wiring, trimming etc, but not going to bust a gut as it's supposed to be fun...

[Capn Jack]

Another thing I found out from the Sea Ray factory when cutting out rotten stringers on my old boat was that primarily the "hat" section around the wood was the most important strength factor. The wood did add strength, but it was there as added strength, mainly for stiffness rather than primary strength. The "hat" section I was told for my boat should have a thickness of at least 3mm but ought to be 5mm.

Testing your glassing skills is good practice for getting it right, it's all very well reading about it and I'm sure Ed will verify this but any resin is very sticky, if you get it on your gloves and please wear gloves, it'll stick to the glass and you will get it everywhere. Then you stick to the brush and if you pick up a pair of scissors they stick too. Barrier cream is a solution, I have also used talcum powder on the outside of my gloves, but that can become part of the resin and get a bit mushy.

So the best way I have found is to work slowly but with pace, in other words plan your stages well, be prepared to lose brushes, have lots of empty 2 pint plastic Sainsburys milk bottles available so you can cut the bottom off to use as mixing tubs. Then get all your glass together, cut to size and laid out ready. Better if you have some help with dry hands to place the glass mat, then you do the stippling.

Hope this is helpful.

[rbcoomer]

Hi All,

Apologies for long delay in updating - as you'll all be only too aware, the weather hasn't been too kind of late for outdoor projects! As a consequence of this and work - juggling 40 hour 'full-time' job, a number of contracted web projects, mobile discos and domestic/childcare duties, I've concentrated on a couple of aspects that needed research and capital costs. That and working to fund same.

Still no progress on glasswork/stringers as not yet removed that big old iron 'lump' at the stern...

Biggest cash outlay was a new (to me) trailer at £550. The old trailer could have been repaired, but aside from repair costs that were looking close to £1000, the original wasn't galvansied and was in fact rotting from the inside out. It was also heavy - weighing in at around 550kg by my approximations. The new trailer needs some work, but this is largely just a brake overhaul/adaptation (hydraulic), addition of some keel rollers and raising of bunks (new brackets needed). The single axle will also make rotation/maneuvering in my driveway easier (road too busy/gateway too narrow to reverse in routinely). Now by this point you're probably wondering why I replaced trailer this early on in the project, but there is method in my madness... Well, first and foremost one came up at a sensible price via a friend, it had a much lower keel position (over a foot lower) and was easier to move in the confined 'project space'. The latter two were important because they will facilitate the engine removal which is the next step - see below. However, I'm also looking to keep options open on the repaint and if I decide to take to a sprayshop after preparation, I'll need a roadworthy trailer!

New(ish) wheels...




Ok, if any of you work for the Health & Safety Executive, you should probably stop reading now. Tackling some jobs single handed requires a bit of ingenuity and a little rule bending here and there...

Boat (ahem) 'lifted' to remove old trailer and swap... (stern on blocks and no, I didn't crawl underneath!)



...err, yes, the bow is held on a ratchet strap between gate post and hinges...





Ooh look - no wheels


A quick rethink and addition of half-barrel as I discovered the gate post was in the way of new, wider trailer wheelbase! (nothing that a saw couldn't fix..)


Hrrmm - a bit light on the nose wheel!


Old trailer out.






Job done!



The second significant expense related to how best to remove the V8. After much deliberation on the benefits of a gantry to lift and transfer the engine, I opted for a more flexible route and have purchased a 2-ton engine hoist which will no doubt have many other uses too. I looked at numerious 1 & 2 ton variations on eBay, but settled on the 2 ton because at full reach it will lift 500kg whereas the 1 ton variants will only lift 250kg. I need the full reach both for height and reach.

I finally spent yesterday removing the remaining engine, power steering plumbing and engine mounts. I've test lifted off of the mounts, but now need to remove the swim deck frame. Unfortunately half the screw heads have rotted and will have to be drilled out. Standard 4mm hss bits don't make much impression, so I need to pick up a hardened bit from the tool centre tomorrow in order to progress. I'm guessing the screws were stainless steel...





Load test complete - weight on hoist. Temp lift for now as I need to remove swim platform and move hoist closer to facilitate the lift prior to pulling boat forward.


Finally, I've also ordered a 'hinge-pin removal tool' as I discovered that neither a T60 nor T70 Torx star bit fitted the gimble housing Last on my list for this month (tomorrow) is a new tarpaulin as the cheap £20 one is now falling apart after the winter gales and is starting to resemble a net!!!

The target is to remove transom and replace that and the stringers/floor by October. There probably won't be much progress in August as I'll be paying back credit cards, getting some 'on-the-water' R&R with the 14' and redecorating the outside of the house before windows fall out (:() Mobile disco work usually goes quiet October to November so project pace should quicken with a few free weekends - reverting to workshop jobs like the engine & drive when weather deteriorates. There will be some subtle layout changes internally as a result of heating and cuddy changes (more later), so re-upholstery etc will probably not be until New Year/spring. Chances of a 2013 relaunch are probably 50/50 currently, but quality over speed is the ethos and a bare-bones shakedown is a more likely probability once floor and running gear is in...

Last of all, a quick reminder what all the efforts are for...

[markanddawn]

Last of all, a quick reminder what all the efforts are for...

Arh, the wonderful Torquay

[Capn Jack]

Is that actually the British Isles?

Try "not" to move the engine mount nuts if you can avoid it. That way alignment should be the same as when you took the engine out.

[salamis]

You're lucky to be able to use the engine hoist to remove the engine as mine did not have the height to clear the transom and had to use a froklift at the marina to take the engine out for rebuild at home in my garage.
Trouble then was I had to hire a Transit and use the hoist to put the engine in the back then take engine and hoist back down to boat so the forklift could put the engine back in the boat.

[rbcoomer]

Is that actually the British Isles?

Try "not" to move the engine mount nuts if you can avoid it. That way alignment should be the same as when you took the engine out.

That's the bit that's worrying me - I'm replacing the engine bearers too, so refitting is going to be 'interesting'... lots of measuring, lifting in, marking up, out, in, checking, out, glassing, in...... you get the picture!

P.S. Yes, they don't call it the English Riviera for nothing... shame it's just a day or two each year.

[rbcoomer]

You're lucky to be able to use the engine hoist to remove the engine as mine did not have the height to clear the transom and had to use a froklift at the marina to take the engine out for rebuild at home in my garage.
Trouble then was I had to hire a Transit and use the hoist to put the engine in the back then take engine and hoist back down to boat so the forklift could put the engine back in the boat.

The hoist is actually supported to achieve height - all will be revealed later when I remove...

[salamis]

Does this involve a small green character from Star Wars called Yoda by any chance?

[rbcoomer]

Does this involve a small green character from Star Wars called Yoda by any chance?

Blimey - you must be psychic!

(Actually a bit more mundane than that - concrete! Wish I'd have though of asking Yoda, I could have saved on the hoist... )

[Capn Jack]

Are yes young padawan.........."there is no try, only do!"

[rbcoomer]

A long time since I updated this thread so felt a post was in order!

There hasn't been much to write about to be honest - work, weather and lack of time have conspired to slow the project to a snail-pace. Just over 12 months on and I'm still in the 'deconstruction' phase. I removed as many screws from the swim platform as I could, but corrosion had taken it's toll on the rest and try as I might I couldn't remove. They had to be drilled out, in order not to damage the frame or the outer skin of the transom, but HSS bits went blunt within a 5-10 minutes of slow drilling. A friend sourced a carbide-tipped bit, but that too failed the grade - despite low speed, short sessions with plenty of oil. By chance however there was a guy selling sets of carbide bits in the first section of SIBS on Saturday for £40. He demonstrated these drilling steel, brick, ceramic, concrete and wood... Nothing ventured, nothing gained - so a set of hardened screwdriver bits thrown in and I took a punt... Very impressed yesterday when I tried attacking the stainless screws again - remainder beheaded thin minutes and platform frame now removed! At last I will be able to lift out the motor - roll on the weekend!!

Also at SIBS, I had a long chat with Jotun Paints and have finally decided to paint rather than gelcoat the hull. Cost is part of the reason, but more importantly confidence in my ability to do a decent job!

The new plan for the winter is now: 1) engine out and finish removal of floor, transom and engine bearers. 2) new transom. 3) new stringers/floor. 4) remove screen & ancillaries 5) invert hull & prime, fill, prime & paint bottom hull section. 5) revert hull to upright and repeat prime, fill, prime, paint etc on top section.

Hopefully if I can complete this by the spring, I'll be ready to refit motor/outdrive by early spring - overhauling both during the wet/cold parts of the winter when I can't work on the hull. I don't expect to get much of the console remodeling, cuddy and upholstery done until winter 2013/14, but have some quite ambitious plans that will become apparent as we progress... Hopefully more news after the weekend.