Started at 6 this morning and at about 9:30 I had the cap off. I had to jack the boat up and put a 2x4 under the cap edge on the bow then lower the trailer and bounce on the tongue to get it broke loose. To discover foam we sprayed in the bow. Glued it up pretty tight. Next came the transom, after winching, raising and lowering the bow, and opening a pretty good sized stress crack in each corner of the cap I figured the splashwell was glued to the transom. Tore the fiberglass off the back edge of the splashwell, and it was glassed in. I think I hit it with a hammer and flat bar about five times before it gave way.
Got the hull out from under the cap. Now some bad news. Looks like I am replacing every stringer and floor (cross stringers) in the boat, up to the cuddy liner. Everything is rotted out and where one stringer meats another stringer its broke. After seeing this on TWO Wellcrafts now, I am thinking about running twin stringers glassed together in place of one stringer.
I did not know the stringer cavities on the outside edges were completely filled with foam. There should be enough foam in it, to keep it afloat if something bad happens. Right now I am removing the foam around the gas tank with a chainsaw to have a look at the tank. Pics a little later.
Cap is off
Threaded Mode