1975 18' sf

[dave s]

My name is Dave and I live in Boca Raton, South Florida.
Been a member for a few months, mostly just reading and planning how to restore this 18' that needs a complete overhaul.
Not in a rush to finish this project, since I have other boats to use.
Recently finished redoing a 91 Contender and have an 18' Sea Hunt to fish from.
I got the bug to redo a boat and it's good for my mental health!

The demolition was mostly done on the hull when I got it, and I cutout the deck, liner, and cap. Plan is no liner, flush deck/ no step up box in front, raising the stringers and deck, raising the hull sides to keep the freeboard, make the cap one piece, and close the transom for now. Thinking about bracket/ hull extension.

I'm posting this on my IPhone, so can only upload one pic at a time.
Also put this build up on BBC, but pics won't load.

Here is how she looked when I started.

[dave s]

Here she is after cutting the deck out.

[dave s]

If you can see it, the transom skin is distorted. Ground down the gelcoat .

[dave s]

Taped over the holes with 6 oz. cloth.

[dave s]

Also cut out front cap and step up boxes; left some of the liner on the sides so hull doesn't splay out. Bow cap and stern boxes are detached, just laying on hull for now.

[dave s]

Ground out the inside of the transom and cut back the stringers to have more room to work and tab into.

[dave s]

Test fit of Aircell 24lb. high density foam.
Looks like close contact with outer skin; hopefull some mat, 1708, and putty will fill the gaps.
Also rounded top of core so glass will curve over it.

[dave s]

Filled in the holes on the skin with thickened epoxy.
Glassed in a layer of matt and 1708 on the skin and another layer of 1708 on the core. Thickened epoxy putty over the skin and around the core edges.
After setting the core in, screwed it together from the outside and then added a fillet and tab of 1708 on the inside.

[dave s]

Transom from outside.
Well that didn't work so well. Looks like lots of gaps.
I should have just cut off the skin and made a new one, but hey this is a learning experience!
Thankfully I got this boat cheap but between tools, materials, and screw ups it's adding up fast.
Already had to buy another 6 gal. of epoxy.

[dave s]

Ground most of the outer skin off; probably going to remove the rest too.

Debating whether to continue from the outside and tab Biax to tie the core to hull outsides, and finish with 1708, or go from the inside.

Will be easier to fair by going inside but I'll need to make a MDF board face/mold. And I might not be able to remove the core at this point.

Glassing to the outsides and under the hull and then fairing will be a pain.
But at this point I may have to continue this way.