rebuilding my V
 

I moved the boat up here from "down the bayou" this week. I haven't been able to do much except wash the mildew off the side of the hull. It has been raining non-stop for the last month it seems. Hopefully this weekend I can get everything out that needs to be out in order to remove the cap. Then I can really start to access the stringer and transom situation. Here is a pic of her.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...e/IMAG0173.jpg

Glad to see you get started, look forward to seeing progress.

thanks, I will be posting better pictures also.

CT, that's a good looking lady. I'm sure she will appreciate everything you do to her and will reward you with many more years of great service. Looking forward to seeing pics of your rebuild. :beer:

Can't wait to see you tear into her, good luck and take your time.
:party:

I was busy today with cleaning up around the house, so I did not have too much time to work on the V but I dud make some progress. I did not realize that the console was that heavy. I have a console from a Frontier that I might use instead. It has a smaller footprint and Is lighter. I would just put an ice chest in front of the console for seating if I were to do that.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...e/IMAG0175.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...e/IMAG0176.jpg

I am still not sure how the transom was able to crack yet. I did notice that the knees were not tied into the stringers but to the floor of the hull.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...e/IMAG0179.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...e/IMAG0178.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...e/IMAG0177.jpg

thanks for the encouragement! It sure helps in these Louisiana hot summers :beer:

The center section between those knees is what was flexing badly with the motor on. It was literally the top of the transom flexing outward. I was amazed that we made it back to the dock, let alone back to NOLA from Gulfport with the motor. I was worried that I might have dropped it into traffic.

It will be interesting to see what is found in the transom. Very odd for the transom to break in such a small span.

Why does Wellcraft cut all the rigging holes in the gas tank cover like that? The rotted 18 Fisherman i have had the gas hatch cut the same way and its rotted out.

I remember you saying that. Those cracks are pretty big.

quick and easy i am guessing. I am sure the engineers didn't plan on these boats running for as long as they have been.

I got my grind on today. I caught a break in the rain after supper and I was able to grind away the fiberglass holding the back of the cap onto the hull. I forgot how good a grinding disc works on fiberglass. I say probably 2 hrs of work.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...e/IMAG0183.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...e/IMAG0182.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...e/IMAG0181.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...e/IMAG0180.jpg

The tyveck suit and gloves and respirator made the job bearable.

Hey guys, I didn't get any work done today but I was trying to figure out how I was going to make a structure to be able to life the top cap out of the bottom hull. I was thinking about taking 2x6x10's and making, basically, swing set with out the swings.

Something like this:

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...t_After_lg.jpg

except using 2x6's

I figured I would give an update and apologize for the previous halt. My business has been extremely busy leaving me with little time to do work on the boat. So, I am going to be outsourcing my transom and stringer job to a local glass guy. Now I just need to decide between a 150 or a big block 200. Any of you guys run a 500 plus pound motor on a bracket on your V?

Also, I am doing some TLC on my trailer a few U-bolts and some leaf spring bolts.

I love my 150, but I run light and don't really need the extra HP.

I remember seeing some CCs w/brackets lookin a little squatty at the stern...Vic managed to get around it some way, though I ain't sure how...I would think a 150 on a CC would go pretty good...a 175 would be a good choice...I'd watch the weight...are you hangin a new one or lookin' for a good used motor?

I am the same boat, I don;t run heavy or fast. I was planning on getting a new E-tec after my boat is done, but I might have to wait until their next free 6 yr extended warranty and riggin promo because I doubt my boat will be ready before this current promotion is over. I was going to go used but I am done with having to make repairs on old engines.

I am still second guessing myself if I should go with a full transom and bracket or just to go with a jackplate on the original transom.

Close the transom and go with the bracket. I'm so happy with my current boat as a result. Besides, I'd really like to see this rig get the right treatment. Glad to hear you're busy, Case. Let me know how you like your glass guy; gonna have a major project of my own next winter.

Sorry I just noticed your post after all these months, my glass guy turned down the job because it was too big for him, but he does do really good work. He is very slow. I have a guy out of chauvin who is just as good and has done some work for me in the past. Let me know if you need his number.

Well, I was able to get the cap off my boat today. Was not as bad as I thought it would be. A forklift sure is one of the handiest piece of equipment for the marine industry. I am glad my grand pa picked up a new one last week.

After removing the cap, I am pretty sure I found why the transom was flexing so much. In the pictures below you can see that the rear of the stringers are pretty much gone. Cracked in two places on each side. In addition to that, where they had knees installed, the part that the knees connected to were soft and were cracked also.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps94f51680.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps47c75b9f.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...psf0907192.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...psaa28d7bf.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps9ed04edb.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...psd1e4c8fc.jpg

I'm going to try and pour arjay every where I can instead of cutting out and putting ply back in. I can't believe the structure lasted this long with all that exposed wood.

From what I have heard you CAN NOT Pour that stuff on the wood, you must remove all wood first! I have heard, I have never used the stuff myself.

I did read that too. My idea was to cut the very tops off the stringers and then use an electric chain saw to cut out the old stringers if they don't want to come out easily.

I hope that works, but if it doesn't I might have to use the arjay just in the transom and then replace the stringers with marine tech ply and epoxy.

well finally today I was able to run into NOLA and get my PT Marine Tech Ply. I have been waiting a long time for the stuff to come in and for me to be able to run into the city and pick it up. I was also able to source some arjay from a distributor in nola. Should be in next week.

So I decided that I am goisng to use my existing fiberglass skins as a mold to pour a 1.5" arjay transom. I think 1.5" would workl because I am going to glass some knees in to the stringers and transom.

Anyway here's my score today.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps8d771cf7.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...pse66185d6.jpg

Had some time today to work in the V. I plan on doing the transom 1st and get that squared away before I tackle the stringers.

More glass cut out
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps98b35950.jpg

Stringers were past gone.
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps1d016b94.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps95008498.jpg

I could be wrong, but I thought resin wouldn't stick to pressure treated.

Figured I would say something before we found out the hard way.

Hate to say it, but I thought the same thing. Hope I'm wrong...

It normally doesn't due to the moisture content. These are kiln dried, that's the pic of the yellow moisture tag.

Good article

http://www.glen-l.com/wood-plywood/b...g-plywood.html

Ahhh....cool. You did your homework. Smart move. Some good data there. Thanks :clap::clap:

no problem, I actually learned about the pressure treated stuff from a local glass guy. The stuff is about 20 dollars less than marine fir down here. I think I paid 60 a sheet for 3/4". The only problem is that there is only one place that handles the kiln dried stuff and they are in NOLA. When they get the sheets in which is about 500 per order. It's all sold out with in 2 weeks. Then it takes about a month to get more in.

Must have had to go to Riverside! Quite the marine lumberyard. Biloxi has a good yard too.

The place I went was George Kellet and Sons. I have never been to riverside, it sounds like they have a big outfit there.

I was able to work on the V today. I figured I would take a break to eat and post progress.

It looks like the guy that fixed the transom before shreck owned it originally just added rover woven to the transom and made some kind of brace system. I say that because all of the rest of the wood is rotten really bad. It's coming out really easy and I should be able to grind off the rest.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...psdc1343c9.jpg

I am going to use this piece after I clean it up as backing when I pour my Arjay. A lot cheaper than coosa.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps296c0507.jpg

was there a motor on that transom

wow that looks like a lot of work long as you keep her alive :money:

yep it had a 225 merc. and I can see why the transom was flexing so much. The wood was all wet and rotted and then the stringers were rotted and they broke.

Lotta work goin' on there..but it'll all be worth it when ya getter done..turns out Wellcraft didn't do such a great job on their stringers, etc...but like said, they probably didn't envision us hangin' on to 'em 30-40 years later either...:clap:

you are right reel. The V20 has an exellent design and layout, but it was an entry level boat and Wellcraft tried to keep cost and labor expense down. You can tell by the way they cut into the stringers and laid up the glass they were pushing these out in a hurry. I kept thinking and I was suppose to go with Epoxy but I can get such a good deal on Poly that I am going to head that route. I like with the poly that I can go over layer over layer with out sanding by using no way poly and then spray some pain on top and be done with it.

Good job saving her! It'll be worth it down the road.

well I got my poly resin in last week and my glass is coming in this week. Hopefully I can get some work done to the boat this weekend. My plan is to pour in the transom before I start on the stringers.

That reminds me, I need to get some 1/2" PT ply to use to for my fuel tank bulkheads. I think 3/4 would be over kill.

I was able to get the inner all prepped. I put a layer of 1708 over the skin to stiffen it and to allow me to fit it in the hull a little better.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps9d47d98e.jpg