Skeeter SK2000 Transom(and more) Replacement

[Klail]

I just read this entire thread and veiwed all of the pictures. All I can say is WOW!
I would have thrown a match to it by now. You have a lot of patience and as some others comented are perfecting your glassing skills. I have worked glass just enough to know I don't like it.

[Alan S]

That's almost enough work to make a career out of it!

Awesome job!!!!

[SwatDawg]

I don't think i would have even attempted that kind of work... unless i had another boat that I could use while doing all that work... Seems interesting, but I know me well enough to say i would have parted it out and bgought another one

[boostedone]

LOL.. All thoughts have gone through the mind....

There was an old Cajun on craigslist with a blown powerhead a few months ago for like 450$ witha trailer. I was about to hand over the money and use it while I did the work, but then figured that by the time I did the engine swapover and took care of the little things the cajun needed I would have wasted atleast a few weekends, and then all the weekends I would have been spending fisihing on my temp boat instead of completing my real one..

And for the record, I DO hate this stuff, hahah....

[frogbite]

Talk about determination! Once you are done with this boat it will be "better" than new. If you need a second set of hands just IM me and I can help you out. I know nothing about glassing but would not mind learning as I am sure it would come into use someday.

[boostedone]

Might have to take you up on that sometime, thanks!

Im getting near the end of the ultra crappy work(griding old glass) which I wouldnt ask an enemy to do.

[toplesshorse]

Wow. I just read the whole post as this is in my future if I hold onto my current boat. Maybe next winter.

I really like my boat and it is small enough to fit in the garage. I have done a lot of glass work in my life. I did it for a living for two years. I feel your pain and your itch.

Thanks for you patience in doing this post. It truly is helping many people. Makes those metal boats that start with X more attractive though huh.

Keep it up man. If you need any paint input I would be glad to share what I know. Southern polyurethane is in my backyard and those guys rock for primer/filler.

[boostedone]

WOW, I have been slacking!!!!!!! I know it felt like it, but seeing the date on the last post confirms it! LOL..

Actually been tryin to do some things OTHER than work on this God forsaken project and go to work, so progress slowed a little as well as doing alot of work that doesnt show up well in the photos.

I dont remember when, but some time in the past week I went over to the shop and ground down all the fillets for the old outer stringers. GOOD LORD!
Talk about fiberglass dust, LOL. At the same time, I also utilized the power of the fan and the air blow gun. My boat is backed into the shop, and I have a fan on the bow that I used to use to keep me cool when working. I since flipped it around the other way so it blows out into the parking area. Just doing that keeps down on the dust inside the shop. Well, I recently combined that with using the compressed air blow gun. With the fan on high, it makes a powerful tool for sending a message to your neighbors at the shop(that message being 'eat ____')... I think I showed them what I think of them constantly blocking my door..

A white christmas in Florida? LOL... Thats a blacktop driveway..LOL..





Here it is after grinding down the fillets for the old outer stringers...







I made a pattern for the old outer stringers and transferred it to 3/8 meranti.. Here it is waiting to be laminated.



Tonight I planned to do all the glass work that goes under the stringers, and found myself supplies limited. I need more rollers and pan liners, so I just did the rear part of the left side Its 6 layers of 1700 from about 3" from the inner stringer until the edge where I cut out the core, then another 4 layers in the area where you see fresh glass...

[boostedone]

Update..

I don't know what I have been doing, but its apparantly not making showable progress until recently.

Since the last update I put more glass down on the hull to finish the core replacement with a single skin, as well as added 3 or 4 layers(staggered) of 12oz tape to the areas that go under the stringers.







I also trimmed the outer stringers to fit the wavy floor better...



Yesterday I visited the nice folx at E-Boat again, got great advice and a great product as usual. I was going to set the stringers on Weds night, but only had a gallon and something of resin and got nervous it wouldnt be enough.. I was right, as there were some good size fillets that needed to be made.

So I finally got back from E-Boat at like 7 or 8, and made my way out to the shop by 9. I didnt get both stringers in, but I got one.

Working wet on wet...



You can see the still soft putty there.


All taped in...







I'll probably type more later, but I'm gonna run over to the shop and try to get the last stringer in!

[Legend Chris]

WOW I am amazed looking at this project unfold..Great job and this is why I love looking at the restorations page!!

[boostedone]

Thanks Chris. You like looking at what we are doing while you're out catching fish eh?


Anyhow...

I forgot to take the camera over Friday night, but on Friday I got the last stringer in!!

Here's how it looked when I got there last night..






So last night I trimmed the execss glass from the outer stringers and moved on to making the frames. Maybe if I don't do any good at fishing I will find the ski lakes and use it as a stunt boat and jump off the ramps. I'm going way overboard on the frames compared to the factory. The factory had three frames that ran between the outer stringers and the inner stringers, and they were not tall enough to be tied into the hull. They only had two that went between the center stringers.

I have 5 frames between the center stringers now. There will a frame at the same location between the center and outer stringers.





I did get the two in the front glassed in last night.. That was a PAIN doing that first one, since I did the full width, and there was two stringers and a big stiffener I had to cut around. That one really sucked.







As a comparison, heres the factory method with three crappy frames that didnt even touch the hull on the outer stringers, and the single one that was 2" tall that went from the stiffeners, across the center stringer. I also extended those front stiffeners further back about 6" longer.

[Skeet'r89]

Scott, ypu are going to need a souped up 300XS to even get this thing on plane. I hope you are not going to overboard.

[Legend Chris]

Scott, I wish I were fishing, been in Iraq for the last 14 months. Still a little to go till I'm home. Keep up the good work...yeah 250 will be needed..

[boostedone]

Oh no kidding Chris? Thanks for the sacrifices you are making.

300, 250, hardy har har. LOL...


Well, compared to my last boat, if it goes 45-50, that would be haulin ass :)

Stay safe!


Modified by boostedone at 6:07 PM 12/10/2007

[boostedone]

Got the center frames in...

Too tired to work on doing the outer frames tonight, but damn, its getting STIFF now!! Maybe I will do the outer frames tomorrow...

[Dando]

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I didnt realize they cored the hull too. I understand Skeeter is supposed to have real good customer service, maybe I could just call them tomorrow and ask while I am replacing everything in their half assed, get it out of the factory construction, do I have to worry about a balsa core in the hull or is it just glass with stringers...

Its amazing.. with all the unprotected wood, I bet if you split the deck from the hull when this thing was only 4 years old it would still look like hell..

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I saw this back on page 1. And I must say that's some really good insight. I just took 200lbs of stanky, saturated foam and rotten wood out of the rear 4ft of an 04 ZX250. (that's a boat advertised as no wood in it, and it's not four years old).
And this boat hasn't been under, or full of water.

Anything to churn out 100 boats a day and save a buck doing it is how most boats are built. Or, seems that's been the case with the ones I've taken apart.

[boostedone]

Thats pretty messed up.. What in it was wood for this no wood boat anyhow??

Well, back to this one that definately has wood in it...

Got me a new toy today for when its done. Brand new in the box off Craigslist for 500 bux. The tape seal wasnt even broken yet. Granted it will probably be totally obselete by the time I'm on the water though :D



I went over the shop tonight and laid out my outer frames with cardboard cutouts, then went ahead and cut them out of 3/4" marine ply. The night was still young so I went ahead and glued them in....




A few hours later, and I'm done with frames!!!!!!!!!!!!
Next step I have to glue cleats to the inner stringers in the mid section where the stringer is way too short(you can see where the frames stick up), but after that Im ready for foam and soles!






And a birdseye view....





This is going to be one STIFF boat...

[Trent_in_BG]

How much additional weight do you think you put in your new boat? I say NEW b/c that is built better than from factory. You have done such a great job with your build.

[Skeet'r89]

I sure hope that the sides haven't sagged out of shape and that you can get then tucked back up under the top cap.

[plbass]

I was thinking the same thing. Hopefully the top cap will go right on. Excellent work!!!!