Into the re-build - 07/01/02
By this time, the boat has been just about stripped clean of everything except the hull, cap, house, and flybride.
Not a lot of work on the boat was accomplished prior to this period while I cleared up pre-scheduled projects and commitments. However I did manage to get the boat moved from Cracker Boy, (after the engines were removed, and Blake had stripped the bottom down in preparation to repair the many blisters). During the next 13 months, I had the boat in a storage lot near my shop.
Also accomplished, but not shown here, all the windows & aluminum frames were removed. The front windshield assembly was replaced with a new fiberglass part from Bill Holmesy of Jupiter, FL, and the new side induction air ports were started.
All questionable plywood was removed, (rudder shelves, bulkheads, partitions, etc.), and either discarded or saved for templates. In the lead-in image above, you can see a template for the new aft engine space bulkhead.
The following images will show more of the preliminary re-construction and addition of new custom items.
The new aft engine space bulkhead glassed with mat and epoxy is ready for installation.
The console bubble has been fitted and epoxied into place.
The new rudder table stock is a vacuum bagged multiple laminate of 3/8" PVC Foam Board and roving.
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The bulkhead is first epoxied into place and then tabbed with 24 oz woven roving.
The numerous major blisters are glassed in with roving and epoxy.
After clean up, the base laminate will be totally encapsulated in vacuum bagged 1708 biaxle fiberglass.
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Other accomplishments include glassing up the old shaft alley holes, removing the old backing plywood over the struts and rudder ports. These were replaced with 3/4" plywood, bedded and glassed over with epoxy and 1708 biaxle fiberglass.