Im not sure its gonna be a V20 anymore!
 

I have been working on a complete refit of my 1985 v20 Fisherman. I have slowed down since it has been so hot. This probably wont seem like much but here it goes...

more
 

more pictures. i have tons more so if you want a closer look at anything let me know.

More
 

More

ok,. i'm gonna ask a question from someone who has never done a transom before.. What are the tubes sticking out of the back of it? Looks nice!

more more
 

more more

last bit for now
 

last bit for now

The "plugs" are dowl rods i soaked in resin and plugged the holes i made when i used threaded rod to pull the new transom to the existing skin.

thought i had included this pic
 

few more

Man, that is some serious work keep the pics comming.

Awesome
 

Wow you on a roll looks great ..Keep us posted ..

Wow Ben you are doing some amazing work, please keep the pics coming

Fantastic applied talent and crafstmanship:clap::clap:

You're right, it ain't a V anymore...that's a heck of a custom V you got in the works my friend. Congratulations :beer:

Thanks for the replies. I have been havin a hard time trying to stay busy on it due to the hot weather here and sanding on fiberglass is awfull when you are drippin wet.......And the fishing is so good! I did recieve my 140 suzuki yesterday tho. Shes gonna make a nice touch.

fish from last few days...

nice work, nice cobia, gonna have a great boat when its over'
are you planning on re-foaming under the deck?

Nice work!! Nice shop too! Are you gonna replace the original skin or build new deck and glass then paint over ? Have you ever done this before or just going for it? I would like to do similar just don't have the know how/time/equipment/money or room mostly know how. That's why I was hoping you just said what the heck only wood and glass. Please keep the pics coming makes a world of difference.

Dude awesome work!

What do you use to initially stick the stringers to the hull?

I had never done anything like this before i had started this FEB. I did a lot of looking around on the internet and sifted through various sights. Everything has been done with West System. (have acesss to port supply acount and have a friend who works there) I make hardly any money and all of it i make has gone into this project. ( my girlfriend bought the motor....shhhh ) I am 23 years old and i have done all the work at my dads house with little help but from my girlfriend.

I placed the stringers onto the hull with west system and 403 additive. Its great for filleting. I put a bead onto the hull in a couple small places and let it set up. (the stuff is strong as mess)

As for the foam. This is the most biased thing i have researched. I bought 2 quart urethane 2lb density kit from west marine just to mess with it. i decided to put it in one of the voids on the starboard side. Well the whole kit didnt even fill the void all the way and it was a pain in the but. i dont have a covered work place, nor a cover so the weather has been a huge factor. Any time it has rained and wood was exposed i let it dry out a long time before i thought of glassing it. I am worried about the foam holding water. I have a drain system made into the side bulkheads but it is useless once i pour the foam in. Feel free to pick me apart on this stuff because this is one area where i have been on all sides of the fence.

I wish i could use the old floor as it is in pretty good shape. Only thing is the previous owner sprayed rhino liner in a puke green color onto it and it WILL NOT COME OFF! I am going to lay a new floor down, one layer of 1208 underside and probably 2 layers on top.

Sorry if there are any typos, im eatin breakfast while typin and gettin ready for work. Keep the questions coming. I like being picked apart because everything i learned has been within the last year. i am by no means an expert.

drains
 

drains

Joe,
the white stuff is the west 403. takes some messin with to get the consistancy right.

the pic above was one of the first hot days i worked with the west fast and the 403. not a good combination. Made for a lot of sanding.

Do small batches when using the 403/404 with the west. otherwise you will get a mess like the pic above.

[QUOTE=BenFishin;145596]

As for the foam. This is the most biased thing i have researched. I bought 2 quart urethane 2lb density kit from west marine just to mess with it. i decided to put it in one of the voids on the starboard side. Well the whole kit didnt even fill the void all the way and it was a pain in the but. i dont have a covered work place, nor a cover so the weather has been a huge factor. Any time it has rained and wood was exposed i let it dry out a long time before i thought of glassing it. I am worried about the foam holding water. I have a drain system made into the side bulkheads but it is useless once i pour the foam in. Feel free to pick me apart on this stuff because this is one area where i have been on all sides of the fence.
http://www.uscomposites.com/foam.html

If you are going to use foam this is the place to get it from, it is less than half the cost of West marine..and several of the repairs by members have used it. In the original layout of the Wellcraft they only used foam in the outside areas of the stringers and in the fuel tank compartment. Foam does tend to give your boat some emergency flotation aspects but also tightens up the hull areas where it goes in to. Main thing that I found when re-doing my fuel tank area was the lack of complete drainage, I had included channels to allow for air passage and drainage all the way from front to rear.. You have a great project going thanks for letting us look in on you. Oh yeah, when you'rd done would you like to sell your boat?? Ha Ha.. P.S. the ClassicMako web forum has lots of rebuilds with pictures and discussions.that's where I got most of my ideas...

Tommy.:thre:

awesome work, im going to have to do that to my v before i fish in it again.

Awesome work.

One question, what did you use the pink sheet insulation as a form for?

The pink foam is what i made my insulated fishbox for the transom out of. Ill have to try and get a finished pick of that tonight. It turned out great. Should hold ice pretty well to.

the pink foam doesnt melt like the blue foam or did you use epoxy and that doesnt melt any foam?

Hey man, that is just awesome. I like what you are doing with the boat. Keep up the good work and you'll have one heck of a nice boat soon.

Love that tower and the windsheild knocked off, gave me a chub.:hide:

Something i have been pondering
 

I was thinking about getting a porta bracket but in reality i am not gonna be able to afford it. I have a bracket that was on the boat before i redid the transom but the way it was set up was for a 20" motor and had a manual jackplate to run a 25" motor. I would like to do away with the manual jackplate. So can i just move the bracket up to use it as a 25" motor? or will that create too much of a moment on the transom? I know there is a calculation for how high to mount it based on the set back but i am just lookin to see if i can use it as a 25" bracket for now. If not would someone like to trade?? haha

I cannot wait to paint the console... im sure as soon as i prime it i will find 10k imperfections. I have all the flush mount kits for my electronics.

lowrance gps unit and seperate lowrance depth finder that look identical and both will be hooked up to the NEMA 2000 network on my suzuki. i cant wait to do that. also have a vhf that will be flush mounted as well as cd player. Batteries will be under the console. I need to take a pic of the back of the console where the hatch is.

You can put the bracket any were you want no need for a new one. As for the height, I believe it is up 1 inch for every 12 inch of set back.
I did not do it with mine I just went to the 25 line and was fine. But you must use a 25" shaft and use the smallest set back you can for the best fit.
I had a 28" set back and it was nice to tilt a V6 all the way up, but after a few others have converted theres we found that the best way is to use a smaller set back, but your is fine cause you can't change it any way.

Keep up the good work, can't wait for the finish.

How long do you think it will take for a piece of ply to dry out fully after it was soaked in rain water for a day? I didnt get hom eto put my crappy boat cover on before it rained and i had a unglassed side bulkhead glued in. it held a pool of water for a good day. Im kinda stressin about it considering i dont have a 100% waterproof cover on the boat. I wish i had a car port type thing to work in. its killing my progress.

Ben, pick up a 12 x 24 blue tarp at walmart. That is what I use and it is completely dry. However I have my windshield sticking up which allows the water to run off the bow and stern since it is the high point. I'll try to put up a pic. I've had the boat for 4 years and I'm on my 3rd blue tarp. They last a little over a year before they start to leak. I think they are around $25 and fit nicely.

Sure I'd love to have a custom cover, but they are $$$$$$.

P.S. Put a fan on that wet ply...should help it dry faster.

Dry time will depend on heat/humidity/wind...BR's suggestion on the fan is a good one, but it shouldn't be a problem after it dries out unless it swells up and the ply delaminates...if it got THAT wet, you probably should replace it...

You can also refer to classicseacraft.com for lots of projects and general fiberglass info there, plus we got some of the best right here on this board as well

You're doin' some GREAT work there, Ben...you may not have started an expert, but you'll be one when she's done!!...THANKS for sharing w/us...great pics!!...

progress update. not many pics as i lost my camera overboard that had a lot of them on it. need finish coat of paint on the console. I have finally gotten all of my electronics and flush mount hardware, hynautic dual station steering, dual morse controls, hydraulic trim tabs plus a few other things. here is all i have of the current progress. almost ready for the floor. Need a little more foam to finish the voids.

couple more i found. and a cobia picture from a few days ago

more
 

didnt realize i didnt post any of the fish box. ill have to take some more

Wow, I admire anyone who has the intestinal fortitude to take on a project like yours and see it thru to the end.
I wish I had gotten to you before you cut that floor out, I say this because it is a ton of work fitting the floor to the liner. I guess with the Rhino Liner you didn't have much choice. What a project. Great pictures.
I am interested in seing how you reinforce the top of the liner to accept the tower. Amazing work.
I think you should call it SirBenGlassinALot.
You don't know me and vice versa but I know people.
Having said that I offer one word of advise, if the girlfriend bought the outboard she is a keeper, trust me, boats will come and go but a woman like that comes along once in a lifetime.. JMHO
:fam:

Memories, memories, memories, i went thru that 3 times in my life and loved it, hard work but it pays at end when you see the finish product.
You do very good work, keep the pics coming.

Update
 

outfitted the console with some goodies this afternoon. I am so excited with how it came out. i have put almost as much time into this console as i did on the boat. I was almost about to start thinkin i should have bout one but after seeing it come together knowing i built it, everything is worth it by far. The two units are lowrance gps and bottom machine, both are going to be capable of displaying all of my motor diagnostics digitally. as well as fuel flow and fuel level. the center gauge is the tach/smartgauge for the suzuki. I will get a analog fuel gauge to put above the tach and a volt gauge to go below. Vhf flush mounted to the right and a switch panel. cd player goin either under vhf or in the recess under the console. Of course morse controls for the helm and tower.

I like it, I did something similar, the flush mount electronics look sweet.
Q. Is there access to the underside of the console for rigging and such?
How much longer to completion? :sly:

there is a huge flush mount hatch on the front side of the console. ill try to get some pics on it tonight.