Crusader Project

[Crusader]

James. I think I'm going to encapsulate the floor and stringers with epoxy and matting. Then fill the voids with the foam that I ordered and then completely seal the floor with more epoxy and matting. Also my plan is to mount the pedistles and gas pedal is the same fashion Matt mentions.

Something funny happened today and I have to share.

I'm getting ready to do more grinding on the jet boat and I place my dust mask up on my forehead in the "ready" position and my son starts laughing at me. I ask him why is he laughing and the smart a$$ kid says "because that looks like a boob on top of your head"!!!

That little squirt!!! Hahaha.

Here's a picture of the progress made this evening. I have to borrow my buddies saws all.

And here's my comedian son!!

 

[KONA77]

lol,  pretty funny,    looks like a one boob bra to me  :smile16:

 

[SimplyOrange]

go to screamandfly.com, thats where i first heard about them, some guy put them in either  a hydrostream or a mirage, i dont remember but it offered weight savings and reliability. if i remember tomorrow ill go dig through the forum and see if i can locate the thread.

 

[ChryslerJet]

Coat the underside of the floor with resin and do what ever you can to minimize penetrations.  I cut some smaller pieces of ply and used T-nuts to mount my go peddle in the Rebel and pedestal seats in the cruiser.  The small pieces are attached to the floor with peanut butter, glass cloth and epoxy resin.  There are no penetrations in the floor of the Rebel.  if anything rots it will be the small pieces.  I can cut them off and replace with very little effort if they do rot.

Matt that's a pretty good idea I was going to run T-nuts in my floor and just seal all the threads with 3M when I put the bolts in but I like your idea better.

 

[blazeracer]

Coat the underside of the floor with resin and do what ever you can to minimize penetrations.  I cut some smaller pieces of ply and used T-nuts to mount my go peddle in the Rebel and pedestal seats in the cruiser.  The small pieces are attached to the floor with peanut butter, glass cloth and epoxy resin.  There are no penetrations in the floor of the Rebel.  if anything rots it will be the small pieces.  I can cut them off and replace with very little effort if they do rot.

Matt that's a pretty good idea I was going to run T-nuts in my floor and just seal all the threads with 3M when I put the bolts in but I like your idea better.

I did mine like the guys on Iboats suggested. Built a rock solid stringer support system under the floor that drains well and is completely sealed. Then  resin the bottom of the floor and let it cure. Once cured lay the floor on top of the stringers but DO NOT attach it to the stringers. You don't want any penetration points on the stringers. Attach the new floor to the remains of the old floor around the perimeter. Then feel free to screw stuff into the floor as needed.

The thought process it that if there is carpet on the floor it's going to get wet no matter what you do to protect it. The floor is going to flex and crack and moisture will get into the wood. In 10 years when the floor has to be replaces again the stringers will be fine and the floor will lift right off. Just peel the carpet, cut the glassed seam around the perimeter, lay a new ply on top, glue down the new carpet. Done.

 

[ChryslerJet]

Coat the underside of the floor with resin and do what ever you can to minimize penetrations.  I cut some smaller pieces of ply and used T-nuts to mount my go peddle in the Rebel and pedestal seats in the cruiser.  The small pieces are attached to the floor with peanut butter, glass cloth and epoxy resin.  There are no penetrations in the floor of the Rebel.  if anything rots it will be the small pieces.  I can cut them off and replace with very little effort if they do rot.

Matt that's a pretty good idea I was going to run T-nuts in my floor and just seal all the threads with 3M when I put the bolts in but I like your idea better.

I did mine like the guys on Iboats suggested. Built a rock solid stringer support system under the floor that drains well and is completely sealed. Then  resin the bottom of the floor and let it cure. Once cured lay the floor on top of the stringers but DO NOT attach it to the stringers. You don't want any penetration points on the stringers. Attach the new floor to the remains of the old floor around the perimeter. Then feel free to screw stuff into the floor as needed.

The thought process it that if there is carpet on the floor it's going to get wet no matter what you do to protect it. The floor is going to flex and crack and moisture will get into the wood. In 10 years when the floor has to be replaces again the stringers will be fine and the floor will lift right off. Just peel the carpet, cut the glassed seam around the perimeter, lay a new ply on top, glue down the new carpet. Done.

Hadn't read that on IBoats but sounds like a good idea.  I had read that every screw hole they fill with 3M 5200 putty/sealant whatever it is. which should seal it from weeping.

 

[Crusader]

As I was trying to remove the old stringers last night, I kept thinking to myself that the wood used originally for the stringers is far more solid than the spruce that I've purchased to replace it with. So I called around to different lumber yards and found 84 Lumber in Garland has the 2x6 I need in the Douglass fir.....but it's in 22' lengths. The Douglass fir is much more solid than spruce and won't warp in time either...

At $13.03 a piece for the 22' length, I can't go wrong.

With the stringers, I plan on running the fiberglass matting up the entire sides of the stringers and then liberally applying epoxy resin on the tops of them...... hopefully to prevent moisture from seeping into them.

 

[KONA77]

sure hope you plan to matte over the top of the stringer,  just the sides is not enough,  i believe your putting to much faith in the apoxy alone

 

[Crusader]

That was my original plan was to apply the matting on top too.....but I read some floor replacement threads over on Scream and Fly and those guys said to do what I mentioned above...

 

[blazeracer]

Don't the guys with light layups put their mat over balsa then bolt rail kits to it? Maybe they used hard wood out back and balsa up front.

 

[KONA77]

OK!,  your boat  crazy.gif

 

[spd500]

I agree , I would completely wrap the stringer with the mat . The resin itself really doesn't have any strength without the mat , it is very brittle all by itself .

 

[blazeracer]

Hadn't read that on IBoats but sounds like a good idea.  I had read that every screw hole they fill with 3M 5200 putty/sealant whatever it is. which should seal it from weeping.

If you have a material touching the wood that retains water, like carpet, there is nothing you can do to completely stop the weeping. Hence and easily removable floor since it touches carpet. The stringers never touch carpet so they will dry out just fine IF they can drain properly. Foam retains water too, so it doesn't touch my stringers at all.

 

[blazeracer]

I guess this one boils down to is about 10 different ways to skin a cat. All are better than what's in your boat now!!  jump.gif

 

[Crusader]

If y'all think it's best to wrap them, then that's what I'll do.....go back to plan A.

 

[ChryslerJet]

I agree , I would completely wrap the stringer with the mat . The resin itself really doesn't have any strength without the mat , it is very brittle all by itself .

That only applies when using Poly Resin, Epoxy resin is strong enough on its own.  Poly resin is very brittle.  In fact you could use cloth without mat when using Epoxy.  Mat really is best used with Poly since the additives in the poly breakdown the bindings in the mat epoxy doesn't have any of the additives so you have to use elbow grease and the roller to break the bindings.

 

[ChryslerJet]

If y'all think it's best to wrap them, then that's what I'll do.....go back to plan A.

Yes its best to wrap them or with the Epoxy coat the tops as it will seal it quite well.

 

[Patchman]

Wrap those rascals! I really don't know, I'm just a mechanic that wants to participate on your thread man! :smile16: :smile16:

 

[Crusader]

Ouch!!! Ya, I know......I'm a big baby. Lol, my GF reminds me of that all the time.

Believe it or not, I'm actually making progress. Another three hours on the job tonight yielded some results.

(Clickable)

 

[spd500]

I agree , I would completely wrap the stringer with the mat . The resin itself really doesn't have any strength without the mat , it is very brittle all by itself .

That only applies when using Poly Resin, Epoxy resin is strong enough on its own.  Poly resin is very brittle.  In fact you could use cloth without mat when using Epoxy.  Mat really is best used with Poly since the additives in the poly breakdown the bindings in the mat epoxy doesn't have any of the additives so you have to use elbow grease and the roller to break the bindings.

I think you have to get a different mat when using epoxy resin .  think.gif