I Need A Shrink !

[McGillicuddy]

Yeah, Strick, I've seen red, white, yellow and the predominant one, the orange Golden Poppy. Red is definitely the prettiest. Symbol of the American Legion, I think. See them going up and down the grapevine over Tehachapi pass on the way to fish the Kern River north of Bakerspatch. And across the 138 to the 395 - the long way to Owens River. Kind of the west edge of the Mohave Desert - next couple of weeks should have insane blooms after the coming rains...might just have to make a road trip.

I used 1-1/2" angle cleats on my seat boxes and they are stout.

Your Seafari looks awesome! looking forward to the next slide show.

[Titaniumboy]

sanding the teak swim platform. This thing is going to look really nice when finished.

Nice job on the teak swim platform.

You had mentioned earlier in this thread that you were going to build a fiberglass swim platform. You must have changed your mind?

If you had built a fiberglass swim platform, how would you have gone about making the mold and doing the layout schedule on the fiberglass? I'm interested in helping one buddy add a fiberglass swim platform to a 1978 18 foot BeachCraft open-bow runabout. If this works, another buddy would like to add a fiberglass swim platform to his 1996 20 foot Glastron open-bow runabout. The cost from the two swim platform manufacaturers in Arizona would run around $1500-$1600 for a delivered swim platform. Far too expensive of a proposition for these two older boats.

Here are a couple of links that show some [incomplete] pictures on how one marine fabricator makes fiberglass swim platforms.

fiberglass swim platform construction 1

fiberglass swim platform construction 2


Thanks!

Titaniumboy

[strick]

Gil- I never seen any white poppies but I have seen a few yellow poppies. We got tons of the little flowwering weed in my area. I was thinking of glassing in a cleat but now that you mention it I guess I could use some aluminum angle. I need to be able to calk around the bottom of the seat boxes for obvious reasons.


Titaniumboy- I decided for now just to keep the teak swim platform. It is such a nice looking piece of wood and is heavy duty as well. If I were to make a fiberglass swim platform I would have gone about it much like the old gal in the photos on the link you posted. Lay up would have been something like this. One layer Duratec sanding primer, Two layers 1.5 ounce matt, One layer 1708, 3/4 inch core cell and two layers 1708. Pop out of the mold then sand and paint with Awlgrip. Either have some braces welded up or make some fiberglass ones.

Some more photos of the second seat box coming out of the mold. This one will have the livewell inside.













strick

[Islandtrader]

Those boots are getting to look familiar...I now would recognize them anywhere

[NoBones]

Gil- We got tons of the little flowwering weed in my area.

strick

I do hear that is Califorina's cash crop...
Good thing Spidercrab does not live close to you.. [img]/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Pick-up the pace strick, 2:30AM post you should
have been in the shop WORKING!

Lookin' great!!

See ya, Ken

[strick]

My clothes look like my boots. Going to the store to buy new clothes would take away from time I could spend working on the boat.

That clock is about 4 hours fast. I have tried to change it but have not been able to...so you have to count 4 hours backward when you read my posts...gotta keep you fellas alert all the time

strick

[Titaniumboy]

I decided for now just to keep the teak swim platform. It is such a nice looking piece of wood and is heavy duty as well. If I were to make a fiberglass swim platform I would have gone about it much like the old gal in the photos on the link you posted. Lay up would have been something like this. One layer Duratec sanding primer, Two layers 1.5 ounce matt, One layer 1708, 3/4 inch core cell and two layers 1708. Pop out of the mold then sand and paint with Awlgrip. Either have some braces welded up or make some fiberglass ones.

Strick,

Thanks for the reply. I do like the look of your teak platform. Did you build this yourself? If you did, where were you able to find the teak lumber, and at what kind of price per board foot?

Regarding a fiberglass platform, you mentioned using 3/4" core cell. Could one use 3/4" plywood or end-grain balsa instead? If the wood would work, would it still need to be 3/4" or could you go down to 1/2" or 3/8"?

You said after that after popping the swim platform out of the mold to sand and paint it. Does that mean I wouldn't need to do any fairing work?

Thanks again! Looking forward to more progress pictures of your restoration.

Titaniumboy

[strick]

Moving along steady as she goes. This is a male mold for the fish box/cooler. Made out of 5/8" MDF except for the bottom flange which is 1/4" exterior grade plywood. Its 34 inches long and 15 inches deep.






I sanded it with 220. Clay was used to fill the staple holes and any imperfections. Then it was sprayed with duratec high gloss. The high gloss gets sanded lightly with 220 and 3 coats of wax are applied buffing in between coats. Tonight I sprayed it with 5 coats of PVA. It still might be a royal pain to remove from the part so stay tuned.

















This afternoon we were able to apply Awlgrip 545 epoxy primer to the bottom and sides of the hull. There are 2 heavy coats on right now. The primer will help show any small imperfections that need to be fixed. We will fix those and then 2 more coats of the primer will be applied. Then the boat will get block sanded and readied for paint.












Side cabin windows have tinted tempered glass. I will most likely be painting all of the window frames on this boat with Awlgrip off white. I told the window guy that I would mount the windows but he went ahead and did it any way so I guess I will be taping these windows off prior to paint. These were the only windows that I had to have made. All the others are brand new and in boxes waiting to be installed.




strick

[Capt Chuck]

Coming along very nice Chuck. I wait for your posts each week!! Keep 'em coming.........

BTW:

Its 34 inches long and 15 inches deep.

I won't comment on that remark but whatcha going to do when you score one of those 60" Sturgeons [img]/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[strick]

Thanks Capt Gucci! gotta help keep you fellas entertained

If I ever go fishing again I guess I'll have to strap one of those big Sturgeon to the teak swim platform...or just throw them back. Both these were released to fight another day. 73 inches and 69 inches respectively caught within 30 min of each other. BTW your marlin photo that you just posted makes me green with envy





strick