Bottoms Up 23 Build

[Kraken]

Made some progress this week. Got the console holes filled and started to fare them. The compound didn't fully kick and gummed up the sandpaper. Now I need to get it all off and start dating again.

I also got the under deck raceways plumbed. Tomorrow I plan to build forms to pour the foam.

[Kraken]

I decided not to bond in the transom yet. It is nice to climb in and out over the lower cutout.

[Kraken]

Got one stringer filled and shaped then ran out of foam. Spent some quality time with the grinder removing gelcoat in preparation for the deck.

The first 64 gallon moeller tank showed up a fit great. It even came with hold down brackets that should work. I need to rethink the fuel vent line routing. The tank is higher and the old route my have a low spot for fuel to collect in the line. Ordering the second tank today.

[Oldboat]

I am doing a 1973 23 I'm a little behind were your at but close. My deck is cut out just about the same and I'm cleaning out transome now. I think I am going to get my transome done going to crown it be for I rebuild and reform stringers. I'm a little worried about the hull/ gunnels staying in form if I cut it up to much at once I don't know if this happens but my gunnels got a little flimsy when I cut the deck and transome out. Did yours get a little play in them. Still trying to post pics but I'm having a hard time

[Kraken]

I left my cap and liner intact and the gunnels are still solid. I also left the outter transom skin.

[Kraken]

Took a hit from hurricane Erma. Rebuilding a house in Marathon that got flooded by an 8’ storm surge. Should be done around Christmas then back to the seacraft.

[Kraken]

Haven’t had a chance to work on the seacraft since hurricane Irma. Totally flooded my house in Marathon with 18” of storm surge. I should be done with the remodeling by Thanksgiving. Then back to the seacraft. I got both 64 gallon fuel tanks just before the storm and they will work great. I also bought all the resin and glass to install the Costa transom. It’s all waiting on me.

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[Kraken]

I’m done with the hurricane damage repair in the keys. Started back on the seacraft. Finished the stringers. Added a insulated fish box and cooler. Ran the drainage lines for the coolers.

Started working on the fuel tank install. The tanks are to be fully supported. So I flipped them over and laid glass on them to creat a mold. It was a little flimsy so I stapled wood supports to hold the shape before I glassed the form in the Boat. I’ll knock out the wood after it cures then cut some holes in it with a hold saw and pour some foam under the form. It should work or I’ll have a big mess. I just don’t want the foam to pop the form upwards.

[Kraken]

I created a mold of the anchor hatch receiver out of mdf. I painted it with enamel and sanded it. I screwed it to some melamine. I added clay radius and a coat of wax then pva. I sprayed the pva to heavy and it dried with a lot of air bubbles. I then laid 1.5 oz cs in all the radi. After two Coates of 1708 I waited for it to cure. Popped right off with no effort. The air bubbles did show up in the final part but it is very usable and will make a great anchor locker.

The reason I tried the anchor part first was to learn how to mold a deck with the same method but on a bigger scale. I already templated the deck and transferred it to a few sheets of melamine. I made all the hatch receivers out of 3/4 mdf. The middles are filled with 1/2” ply. I Ran a gutter along the transom with recesses for the scupper drains. I also made a1/8” disc to recess the fuel tank access cover.

[Kraken]

The rest of the pics