???? LOL!!! Whats HD mean?

REEL to be honest with you Im kinda taking this part one step at a time. Im gonna build the splash box. and then temperally mount the motor and tanks and mock up average weight then splash it to see waterline and then figure it from there. Im now running into issues to were I cant trim my motor up If I build the false angled floor in the splash box. This part of the build is really becomeing a pain in the a$$!!!!!! I will figure it out step by step. This is the part you dont want to screw up on!!!!

Why are you adding a splashwell at all?...w/the sump in place, all the water's gonna wind up there...I think yer gonna find after you mock-up the weight and splash, your floor deck will be below water-level, so scuppers won't work...I believe it's all gonna be the bilge...which all the pre-'78s are and there ain't nothin' wrong w/that...

Heavy Duty. 1 and 1/2" thick splashwell walls before glassing. It would make a heck of a sturdy seat base, or a launch pad. All positives.

Im trying to consolidate most of the transom wash with the splash box. Weight yes! The box I made is heavy as $hit! I was thinking about putting 2 brass tubes thru the transom and put a ball scupper on the outside, I can then plug the inside when fishing and under anchor,and when I'm running I can pull the plugs and drain water and I can also pull plugs when its on the trailer for rain water purposes.the 2 drains would be deck level on either side of the splash box.

Like you said...you'll have to determine w/a mock-weight/splash test...hope it works out for you..lotta nice work there...:beer:

Do I necessarly have to make it go in the bilge? I dont want my bilge open to any deck water at all I just dont feel comfortable doing that. why not just put the structual grate over the sump with a bilge pump in the sump with a float switch and let it just pump its self out as needed. I would love to keep the back wide open with no splash box to get in my "fishing zone"

Go way back in this thread...that's what I thought you were doing back then...LOL!!...that's EXACTLY what I was talkin' about...a grate over the sump w/a couple of SUBSTANTIAL bilge pumps to keep it all dry...no box (or the weight )

Im the happiest man in the world!!! the most expensive item for this boat and the item I dreaded buying the most has fallen into my hands at a unbelievible price!!!! The Guy just call me who im buying my t-top from and said $200.00 !!! I about jumped thru the roof!!! Im getting a all aluminum t-top that ironically was orginally custom made for a v20. The guy might be joining the forum he owns a v20 slapping. after purchasing this top I will be right at 700.00 dollars on this build. I have a budget of around 1500.00 dollars. The 1500.00 does not include outfitting with electronics( I already have a really nice lowrance bottom machine Thats brand new and still in the box).:hide:

Kracker, after dozens of opinions,, I would like yours, what did you end up using to glue your stringers in?

I was thinking of using a bunch of pl glue and fileting the edge with the excess, then coming back with 1708 oooorrr rubber 1/8" spacers and thickened resin to bed it and fillet.

It looked like you left the bottom 1" of your original stringers glass to hold the new in place, is that right? If so, did you leave the entire channel or just pieces to hold the stringer in place?

Numerous guys I talked to in the begining used pl. I was gonna go that route simply because I didn't know much about additives and thickners. After doing more studying and research I learned to use thickeners. I would cabosil your resin and glue it like that,then make your fillets with the same mix then layup your glass. My stringers are bullet proof using that method. Your pl wount do ya much good as fillets in my opinion. I'm am no professional either

t-top
 

Heres the t-top i purchased. Yes its old school and has a boxy design but its built like a bull moose! but for 200.00 dollars im not gonna complain.

Ya, yer right...that blue trash can in the background does have a boxey look. As to the T top, it just looks sweet,...and at a really good price too. Congrats on a smart purchase!! :clap:

Not bad, not bad at all. Try coastal canvas down in morehead (maybe Harkers Island) when you get ready to buy the canvas top. He was cheaper than anythig I found online and he takes alot of pride in the grommets and stitching. Tons of colors to choose from although I recommend the Pirates purple with gold thread.

I think once you get new paint and canvas on it, that top's gona be GREAT!!..Are you gonna paint it white??...I got a buddy w/an Everglades w/a white top...looks GREAT!!...:clap:

You gonna make yer own canvas?...there's a video online shows the whip-stitch all around to hold it in place...:beer:

Yea I'm gonna paint white. I'm doing my aluminum prep and primer research as we speak. And yes I'm gonna white,white frames on t-tops look awesome. I think I'm gonna give a hard top a go! I'm gonna make my own. I'm researching light core material also as we speak..

Actually you'd probably want an off-white of some description...What color you gonna put on the boat?

A canvas top would be much LIGHTER which is a certain consideration on any 20' boat...

I have a buddy that does tops,curtains and apolstry. His name is Charlie Petty with Petty Marine. He would do the canvas for me. My boat is gonna be Fighting Lady Yellow(sides) white vc performance epoxy(bottom) and Off white inside the boat

Proper primer for aluminum is zinc chromate. Two coats, first coat up and down, second coat side to side..that way there are no highlights. There are several other types also, including epoxies, but the US Navy uses zinc chromate ... and most of their equipment seems to get a lot of salt usage for some reason.

Good info. Thanks Destroyer.

Exactly what I did when I painted my half tower on my 236 Mako. Followed the 2 coats zinc chromate with 2 coats of Interlux Perfection.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49...k/IM000167.jpg

Closer

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49...k/IM000177.jpg

Draglink - "A fine pilsner beer" indeed. Nice rig. Thanks for sharing that, you still have the Mako? How did it hold up with that paint system? Kracker that top is a find.

Unfortunately a guy from Richmond threw a crazy amout of cash at me and I sold her....I still regret it, it was the best boat I have ever owned (ok tied with my V:love:) , had her for 12 years. I sold her 2 years after I painted the tower and there was not one chip. The only flaw was where my 16' VHF ant rubbed through

Drag, so you went with perfection. I was thinking about using the same paint on my t-top that I'm gonna use on the bottom which is VC performance epoxy. Nice boat Drag! I will also be starting the prep for spray shield this weekend like your Mako console has!!!!! That is sweet!

Thanks guys, she was sweet thats for sure! I think the VC will work, but wont have as high gloss as Perfection. The windshield is so low on that console I just turned it into a spray shield....I like how it turned out also.

Keep the updates coming on you V- Im loving your project!!!!

What is your spray shield made of?

Its just the plexi-glass windshield that I put a layer of glass on the inside for strength, then faired it out smooth

Great deal on the T top Kracker!

I like the white painted frame Drag.

There was another famous boat also called Natural Light.

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...horePBA001.gif

I almost have the cap foundation complete and ready for fabbing the cap. here are some pics of the stern pieces i glued on lastnight and finished up tonight. I also included a picture of a piece of mocked up scrap plywood cap that i have been using to get all angles and dangles right. And notice the picture of my console with the free 27 gallon clear Moeller tank!!!!!! just got it yesterday for free from a buddy at work ,it was on his carolina skiff it has a sending unit and aluminum fittings Im stoked!!!! Its 3 inches narrower than the red 30 gallon tempo tank I bought 3 weeks ago. You will notice that the pic with the t-top that the bases on the top I bought are angle brackets!!! poor design!! alot of pressure in a very small area. Im gonna be putting new bases on it to fix that issue.

I also just wanted to pause for a minute a thank each and everyone of you on this site. All you guys have given me some great ideas and solid advice thru-out this build so far. This web site is awesome!!!!!

Grind,grind,sand,glass Grind, grind ,sand ,glass. Uh!!!!!! I'm gonna take s break this weekend and go taught fishing!

Grind,grind,sand,glass Grind, grind ,sand ,glass. Uh!!!!!! I'm gonna take a break this weekend and go taug fishing!

Here are some pics showing the way im glassing the rail before i fab and install the cap. The one pic of the transom shows some fairing and filling shaping and squaring up the transom lines.

Its looking sharp! Almost time to start talking paint?

Looking good, that thing is gonna be a tank!

Im trying to come up with a easy cover for my t-top. Of course canvas is the first option because it light weight. I personally want a hard top. I was thinking about making a mold a building my own hardtop but that is really expensive. So i had really good idea tonight, I logged on to craigslist and looked under auto parts and searched for fiberglass tonneau covers for pickup trucks. I found one for 50 bucks I plan on triming this tonneau cover so it fits my t-top and to also lose alot of weight.

1/4" Starboard is cheep and you can use it for many other things as well!!...

Here are some new pics. #1 Kracker in action,#2 re-enforcing console to handle horizontal shift of the hardtop,#3 roughing in the gunwal ribs

Looking good, are you going to leave the ribs exposed? If so thats going to put your glass and fairing skills to the test. I have no doubts you'll make it look sharp.

Yea they will be exposed. The 2 in the rear Im gonna drill holes in them and then glue pvc pipe as inserts, for fishing poles. I definitely have my hands full with fairing. Im waiting to install my cap before any finish fairing starts.

Heres the cap supports I've been building. They are leveled up to the cap with a width of 8 1/2 inches. Another set goes up closer to the bow making a total of 3 per side. Give me your opinions on looks because it kinda looks wierd with the second one from the transom being high on the liner. They will all be glued, taped in and a progressive lap over the liner about 8 inches with 1708. Each support also gets 2, 4 inch stainless screws thru the rail also. Please tell me your opinions on design astheticly and structual. Thanks fellas