Re: Here's what I'm thinking
 

Spareparts:

I have done some investigating but counterweighting off the fulcrum point of the hull is difficult. If I have someone weighing 250 lbs standing on the back edge of the casting deck up front. The water line on the hull is even with the water surface and it raises the stern appx 1 to 1 1/2 inches.

Unfortunately the dual batteries are as far forward in the console as possible , actually they are in front of the tank directly under the seat in front of the console.

Here a pic that may help
http://members.cox.net/douggross/tank.jpg

Don't worry about project completion. I have replaced many a soft floors before and know whats ahead. Just not sure the hull is strong enough without the bracing the fore deck offers, as the bow flairs and just above the water line where waves often break when running hard.

Kamikaze

Re: Here's what I'm thinking
 

Got no idea about the weight issue brother, but in regards to the other mods I woud definetly do the strengthening rib forward.

Re: Here's what I'm thinking
 

I still don't think the liner offers much support to the hull? But you will know as soon as you open it up!

The real thing that stiffens the hull is the floor and the cap. So when you remove the platform and add flooring, then fix and glass the liner back to the floor you will be just fine.

Good Idea about using the sand bags to try different things. But you are using sand bags at the same time the tank is still in there?

I know, add sand bags to bow till you get the ride you want, then when you get rid of the casting deck, add same sand bags to the hull before you close up the floor, now you don't have to move anything ;) ;D

Re: Here's what I'm thinking
 

kam

I'm a Naval Arch Tech at NNSY (Norfolk Naval Shpiyard) in Portsmouth Va. I have friends over in another struct dept that handles nothing but ballasting. I've some exp with this matter in my line of work. What I've found out is a easy way mentioned by spare & air by moving weight (sandbags etc). Calculate the weight of the tank full of gas and move that much weight to the area you want the tk to be and see how it planes and rides. You can adjust the weight by movement fwd / back / side to side to get a feel of what to expect. BUT remember that when you actually move the tank you have to compensate for the loss of that weight back there and the best way to do that is run the boat with only bare minimum fuel to get a true picture of what the performance will be.

Next if you remove the casting deck, it is my belief you will have to beef the bow which you can do by vertical/horizontial stringers or by both in a configuration inside the stowage/locker you want to install. If there's not enough space in the locker then you could configure the stringers to look & hold rods and still achieve strength. I believe you must strengthen the bow based upon past calculations I've had to do in my line of work.

Re: Here's what I'm thinking
 

garagenc:

I work up in NSWC Dahlgren and it sounds like your the man I've been looking for. I agree with your suggestions on both accounts.

1.) Tank location will be easy to establish per your suggestion. Will do.

2.) Now for the hull bracing. I have access to 2 inch think solid hickory that I can use as bracing under the deck/ across the hull and as ribs up the side of the hull , much in the same manner as the current ribs are now formed. Don't think I can only rely on the hatch area as the majority of bracing as it will be to far forward and won't support the area of the bow that I'm concerned with. However even if I glass in the ribs to the inner/hull, it's still a large distance to rely on the joining of the ribs to the cross bracing under the deck given the flair and wave catching it offers. Or do you think what I suggest will take care of it?

Kamikaze

Re: Here's what I'm thinking
 

asking the obvious again, but is your setback bracket a floatation type? If not is there any room for floatation( add floatation swim platforms on each side perhaps)? Just trying to come up with the easy way out.

Re: Here's what I'm thinking
 

Ive seen these ribs installed quite a few times. Two layers of 3/4" ply glassed together and glassed in work very well and are easier to work with compared to 2" hickory.

Airslot

Re: Here's what I'm thinking
 

Here's an example of what I was referring to above.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...ingtrip011.jpg

These rids are two layers of 3/4" ply glassed in. You could do the same thing up towards the bow. The boat pictured is a 1970ish Aquasport 222.

Airslot

Re: Here's what I'm thinking
 

Kam

How is it up there at nswc?

I believe you should be able to tie the new stringer/frames into the existing floor stringers.

When you move the temp weight to find out the balance point see if you can leave the CC in it's original place; normally they are installed just fwd/aft of the fulcrum point (center of gravity) to keep the nose of the boat from staying up or down.

Re: Here's what I'm thinking
 

Check out BuilderFL's new pics. It's obviously a design that worked for Wellcraft.

Airslot