23 CC SeaCraft 1979 Rebuild questions
 

Hey guys, first of all I want to thank anyone and everyone who comes across my thread and gives me suggestions. I am in the process of restoring a 1979 SeaCraft 23 CC and my stringers are "busted" or better yet compromised. They are leaking water from underneath; the stringers will be cut, re-foamed, re-glassed and brought back towards the transom.
Next to the stringers I have old foam which will be taken out.

My fiberglass guy said to leave it unfilled because foam absorbs water and that's not what he would like, basically just clean it and leave it unfilled. What do you guys think? Would this decrease the boats buoyancy, would it affect the ride or integrity. Should I re-foam and glass?

Boat has an enclosed transom with bracket and the goal is to mount a single 250hp engine in the back.

Thanks in advanced.

Without foam your boat will no longer have upright flotation, a huge loss in safety. The newer USCG spec foam does not absorb water unless its exposed to gas/chemicals, then the foam cells can be busted and it can soak up a small amount of water. So that the safety reason, another reason is vibration/sound dampening, the boat will "feel" hollow, more vibration when hitting waves.

On my 23, I even filled the spaces between the outside of the stringers and the hull side with foam, no just for added flotation, but for dampening.

My store happens to sell 2 lb buoyancy foam, cheapest place on the net to buy it too.


Best to glass the stringer back to the hull "re-tab", then fill them back with foam. If you can post some pictures of the stringer damage, i can be of better help.

that is my set up as well, I love it


Joel

Do you remember how many gallons you used on your boat?

Ok, this is what Ihave so far and yes I am referring to the stringers and the space on the lateral sides Left and Right. How much foam do you think I will need for those sides running from the front step all the way down including stringers which will have to be gutted.

I noticed that under the foam it was wet. When the deck is fully taken out I will determine where the water intrusion is coming from to prevent this from happing to the new foam.

I manage to snap some pictures of today’s work not much but that's what I have at the moment.

Dont know for sure, but it was a lot. Not counting the stringers, I think I used around 6 gallons of foam (side spaces, plus foaming in tanks). I

In my restores I pulled out all the foam except for what was in the stringers. There I dug out the foam where the factory fill holes were and drilled holes on the inside of the stringers and let it drain and dry out. Replaced what foam I dug out stringers and glassed up the holes. Be careful if you are going to be foaming your gas tank in. Especially if its aluminum. I would not suggest it. I never noticed a big difference in ride or sound in my 20' or 23' w or w/o foam. It really just there if you capsize to keep your boat floating. I would also glass a couple kness from the transom to the hull

Thank you all.
Plan is as follows. Everything will be cut and dug from bow to stern. Stringers will be foamed and glassed, they will also be extended and joined to the transom, similar to Shine's work (awesome work by the way). When that is done I plan to move to the fuel tank which will be sitting on a fiberglassed piece of plywood maybe ½ or 3/8 not sure what the glass guy said at the moment. I would also like to put a couple of stardboard pieces there to avoid any corrosion in the future. Tank will be sanded and gelcoated 2 layers.
How does that sound up to now guys?

After that is done I will run my hoses for all my electrical stuff to run through and sealed the sides to further prevent exposing water to the new foam and foam at the level of the stringers or basically below the floor level.

Coal tar epoxy is reccomended for the fuel tank. Sounds like you're on your way definitely keep us posted!

[QUOTE=armandozx;213307]. . Tank will be sanded and gelcoated 2 layers. . . QUOTE]

Gel coat is a waste of time! It's just polyester resin with some pigment in it, so it's brittle, porous and not totally waterproof, and has nowhere near the bond strength of epoxy. And whatever you do, DON'T foam in the tank - that just traps moisture against the tank, causing crevice corrosion! Check out Dave Pascoe's article on the right way to install a tank: http://www.yachtsurvey.com/fueltank.htm

i've typed on a few occasions,the correct,accepted method of installing/protecting aluminum fuel tanks - search my information,you will find it

attempting to coat aluminum with a polyester product isn't a very good idea...

Guys thanks for the input. Pelican I have read some of the threads you have contributed on mentioning the interprotect 2000e product.

I have also landed here http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...t=shine&page=4 which uses both methods. I will not be gel-coating the tank and lean towards the preferred Coal tar epoxy application.

After having done this; would you still advice against foaming in the tank and then glassing it? I do plan on raising it using this as my guide http://www.yachtsurvey.com/fueltank.htm but truth of the matter is moisture could still be an issue.

Thank you all for the contribution.

tanks should never be foamed in place - use "chocks" - at my shop,i make up chocking systems from starboard...

pay attention to the prep process - it's best to clean,scuff sand and chemically etch prime the aluminum surface prior to application of any coating...

Looking good!! Keep pics coming I'm about to do the same thing as you good luck.

Patrick

So I got some cover on the boat and finally got the stringers cut from the top. Busted and soaked with water. This is turned into the biggest pain in the ass but, it is going to get done slowly but surely. Have gutted some of the stringers but there still remains some water and foam towards the back will probably have to cut them from the side.

The plan is to dry them out, glass them from the inside and then from the outside once foamed in. Any suggestions on this? Also, what is the best way to air these things out?

Transom was reinforced with biaxial and mat.

The work never stops!

Enjoy.

I've been under the weather lately due to certain events that have happened so progress has been slow and to some extent depressing. For starters, the guy that I payed to do the work pretty much ran off with my money after the first week and a half of work. Luckily enough I did not grant his request when he said he wanted the rest of the money, with only having done 25% of the work if at that. Between my schooling, boards and a dead stop due to not having the experience or knowledge to continue doing what is left. I have halted the project.

Beware, if in South Florida and you come across a guy name Joei... He is black, believe Jamaican. Referred to me by Andy from El Capitan which he tells me the guy will never again be recommended from his mouth to anyone ever again.

Stringers were gutted, sanded glassed and refilled with 4lb density foam and closed up. Bulkheads x2 (6lb foam coring glassed with mat,1708,mat front and back)

Fuel tank was sanded, washed, cleaned, primed, coal tar epoxied and foamed. Tank does not rest on floor and has a 1/2in rise off the floor ( no wood )

I made a mold for a tank for fresh water wash down, first tried had microscopic leaks, I added paste all around and reglassed no leaks what so ever. Will finish it with a coal epoxy paint job just in case.

I have hit a wall when it comes to throwing the floor on. =/ Ideas are present but have yet to go through with them.

Nice

Thanks man, hanging in there. Had no idea these things took this long.

O Yeah. Course u can spend unlimited amount of $$$ and time. And fair and sand all day. Just depends how "perfect" u want it.

As perfect as it deserves to be, nothing less for my SeaCraft.

That's the spirit!