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Attached are some of the latest progress photos. There truly is no substitute for experience. If I had to do this project again, I would do it backwards. Look at all the fiberglass dust! Granted, I was the one who decided to go with the 2”x2” structural fiberglass. For all those who are contemplating redoing there deck, I would recommend that you consider this option. The stuff is strong! I just hope it’s not too rigid? Capt Pat and others, what do you think about the deck framing and its reaction to the boat flexing. Will I be OK? Anything you would recommend.

I also, included some photos of my custom made surge tubes. I had to go with a hard 90 degree bend from my riser to my exhaust because of the spacing constraints. I wish I could have gotten some sweep back from the riser, but I couldn’t. I figure (and Tony Athens) with the 8” diameter I should be OK. I like the way the exhaust worked out.

I’m looking to get my inspection from Cummins early next week. I’ll keep everyone posted.

Vince

Vince it all looks great. I have used a lot of the structural FRP and it's the way to go, but $$$$. I practically built my last boat from various types of it.

The FRP box, angles, channel, etc is typically "pull-truded" and creates a very dry composite. They can closely control the resin-cloth ratios and the results are an extremely strong member. I have used the 1/8 & 1/4 4x8 plates as well....but they are super heavy and work best vertically, or as a skin.

Not sure were yours came from but I have had excellent luck with Fibergrate out of dallas. They have distributors all over the country. You will never have to mess with that stuff again.

Vince- Based on how you're set up, I'd guess you'll have a helluva job getting your air filters off without dismantling some hosing. I'd suggest you get a set of B&N air filters from Tony Athens. They're smaller, inexpensive and reuseable after cleaning. They'll slip in and out in the space you have. Those disposable ones won't. Mine paid for themselves after 2 seasons and were Tony Athen's recommendation. Walter

Vince,
If you plan on continuing to grind more do yourself a favor and remove and bag you air filters and cover over the intake and keep it all dust free.

Thanks guys for the suggestions. Walter, good observation! It's amazing the things you miss. I had planned on getting the K&N filters after these are used up. Others have told me the same thing as you have, that they will pay for themselves very quickly.

JP, I'm pretty much done with the grinding. I should have done what you said prior to grinding, but we got carried away in the moment(s) over the weekend. I will get an air compressor and blow out everything.

Vince,

It all looks good except that you need to really study your joints on the tubing and channel fiberglass...

Think carefully about the joint strength when the boat flexes. I can see that you'll be tabbing the joints, but you should be using epoxy as your bonding and glassing for strength. Polyester over fully cured fiberglass has very little bond strength and will pop loose under torque. You might consider also through bolting the joints where possible. Like where the channel sections are sandwiching the square tubing. I'd put two 1/4"x20 through bolts at each of those face joints & two #10 screws in the overlap onto the stringers.

Where the cross tubing ties the longitudinal deck joists together, (and any "T" joint), add a healthy 45º brace, epoxied & glassed in.

If it's not too late for the suggestion, shift over to a thin, (not thinned), epoxy for your tabbing and build up a good thickness of glass where ever possible. The strength of polyester resin requires that a cross linking of molecules occurs. This can't happen when glassing to pre-cured fiberglass. Epoxy, on the other hand, doesn't require the cross linking since it's a true adhesive... Where a joint might be subject to cracking, a light weight tabbing will only shear through. Build fillets at the inside corners to make glassing easier and add strength to the joint by increasing the bond surface. (See: Epoxy Bonding and Fillets)

Br,

Patrick

Thanks Capt Pat for the input! So I take it from your post that hull flexing will induce a lot of stress on the joints. I hear you loud and clear! (I remember my post about the fuel pickup plate). I will strengthen all my joints as you suggest. I was thinking of making gusset plates for the joints out of solid fiberglass sheet material. The good thing is that I have used 100% epoxy for everything to date, except for the surge tubes. I used vinyl ester resing for the surge tube. You really can learn alot from reading these posts!