Need Some suggestions...Cap Removal/False Wall

[BigHE]

I must admit I was a little shaken earlier. I went out to the boat to take an actual look at the situation.

Its not so bad. In fact I think it may be better this way. The only thing that concerns me at this point is "puttying" the floor to the stringers and hoping to get a good bond. For some reason, I imagine its easier laying the wood right side up. It could all be in my mind.

Anyway, I took off the remaining rubrail, took out all the screws and rivets that were holding the other side together (without the rubrail) and removed all the sealant holding the cap/liner to the hull. I can kinda lift the cap off the hull all the way around (except for the splashwell).

I spoke to a fella at the marina where I store my boats. He was driving by in a backhoe (smelling what I'm cooking ) I asked if he would mind helping me pop the cap free from the hull with the backhoe. He said "No problem." I just have to let him no when. He'd be more comfortable using 2x4s than pulling directly on the boat cleats, so we'll just have to figure that out.

That hoist/rack is sweet. I'm going to look into building something like that at my rebuild location. I'm gonna have him pull the liner free and then lower it back into the hull. Then I'll move it to where I'm actually doing the rebuild. I wanted to have all the dirty work (foam and rotted wood) removed before I moved it. Not a big deal. Change of plans due to liner issue.

Should I remove liner with hatches attached? Will the hatches add stability to the liner once I remove the liner from the hull?

Thanks for the info and the tips.

[BigHE]

Oh yeah. I am in Stafford, VA. The bulk of the rebuild will be done in Woodbridge.

If anyone is close and would like to give me a hand, I won't turn you away, lol.

Same goes if you need a hand. Let me know. I'd like to see other rebuilds and learn different things. Even if its just to lift, hold and pass things, I'm available. I do have some experience glassing though, just not boats.

[phatdaddy]

bighe, how much of the deck is bad? i replaced the piece in my 83 cuddy from the cabin bulkhead back to the fuel tank, gunnel to gunnel. i never took the cap off, i just cut the area out and left 2 inches where the deck meets the side and replaced the rotten part.

if you will look at the pics of vics redo of the rear deck & stringers . he never removed the cap
http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/v20_vic?page=1

[BigHE]

Originally Posted by phatdaddy

bighe, how much of the deck is bad? i replaced the piece in my 83 cuddy from the cabin bulkhead back to the fuel tank, gunnel to gunnel. i never took the cap off, i just cut the area out and left 2 inches where the deck meets the side and replaced the rotten part.

if you will look at the pics of vics redo of the rear deck & stringers . he never removed the cap
http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/v20_vic?page=1

Not really sure how bad it is down there. It may not be bad at all, but before I put my family on it I want to take a good look at the stringers and fix that transom. I'd feel like crap if I didn't and something happened ya know. Tanks gotta come up too. Gonna check it all out. The crappy transom job has me suspicious.

[RidgeRunner]

I built a jig to fit the cap when the liner was off and flipped upside down. It supported the liner well while I went after the bad core in the floor. Mine liner had plywood squares laminated from the bottom. Tools of choice, an angle grinder, hammer and chisel. It was rotten so bad the core removal was easy. The jig was framed with 2x12x24' as a base, 2x6's for uprights and some 2x4 for the cross braces and then plywood was screwed to the top of the frame where the floor would rest nice and flat. It took some time but made a simple job out of putting the core back plus I installed a 1/2" piece of allthread and a couple of pneumatic tires and made it easy to move around with a forklift.. If I only had pictures..

Once the liner is really loose at the gunnels, you will find the liner very flimsy. Pulling at the cleats could cause a bit of damage depending on how well the cap is stuck to the stringers. A 2x4 cut to length and placed side to side down low in one of the access holes with a rope pulling up and some carefully driven wedges of wood should do the trick on releasing the cap from the stringers.. I started in the front and put a piece of wood from side to side in the front compartment as my first lifting spot. Once it started to come loose it was over in a jiffy. Startling actually..

[BigHE]

Originally Posted by RidgeRunner

I built a jig to fit the cap when the liner was off and flipped upside down. It supported the liner well while I went after the bad core in the floor. Mine liner had plywood squares laminated from the bottom. Tools of choice, an angle grinder, hammer and chisel. It was rotten so bad the core removal was easy. The jig was framed with 2x12x24' as a base, 2x6's for uprights and some 2x4 for the cross braces and then plywood was screwed to the top of the frame where the floor would rest nice and flat. It took some time but made a simple job out of putting the core back plus I installed a 1/2" piece of allthread and a couple of pneumatic tires and made it easy to move around with a forklift.. If I only had pictures..

Once the liner is really loose at the gunnels, you will find the liner very flimsy. Pulling at the cleats could cause a bit of damage depending on how well the cap is stuck to the stringers. A 2x4 cut to length and placed side to side down low in one of the access holes with a rope pulling up and some carefully driven wedges of wood should do the trick on releasing the cap from the stringers.. I started in the front and put a piece of wood from side to side in the front compartment as my first lifting spot. Once it started to come loose it was over in a jiffy. Startling actually..

Any pics from the process?

[RidgeRunner]

I have two pictures that are non-digital, 4x6 glossy from a throw away 35mm. I have a scanner around here somewhere, luckily the jig is in one of the pictures and the whole arse end of the cap had been cut off. At least it would prove that my 83 model did start life as a notched down transom. I will get to work on scanning ASAP.