new carpet , deck extension, and transom replacement

[ranger230v]

Hey guys, I've been bouncing around this web site for about a week and am blown away by the quality of folks that contribute. What an incredible resource! I need to re carpet and build a deck extension for my 1980 Ranger 230v. While I develop a plan a couple of ? come to mind, I have the original rectangular hatch locks that stick up (trip hazard). Can I retro fit the round recessed style hatch locks onto my existing lids? Also, do I need to replace that aluminum trim at the bottom edge of my lids or can I just wrap the carpet around?
Thanks,
Steve

[ranger230v]

I've noticed the glass on my front casting deck is bulging upward in several spots. Could this be from excessive heat, or is it always a sign of water damage? It does get over a hundred most days in the summer here. The boat stays covered but its not garaged. It also has the usual soft spot at the floor in front of the drivers seat. And last but not least the bottom inch or two of my Hi-Jacker jack plate is cutting into my gel coat about a 1/16 of an inch on my transome. It feels solid as hell though. Anyway I'm on the fact gathering phase of the project right now.
All input is welcome
Steve

[Scrapper]

sounds like the spot on the front may be delamination...if you are going to pull the carpet up I would drill a test hole or two or even grind a little spot in that bulge and see how the wood is. If the wood is okay it probably just delaminated from the wood...cut out the bulge re-resin with epoxy and put a couple layers of mat back in the spot your cut out...be very generous with the resin. Be sure to make the piece on the bottom smaller than the piece on the top...this allows the fiberglass to grab in a couple different places. you don't want the bottom piece to be the bigger of the two or three peices...you want it to be the smallest and the top to be the largest.

Transom sounds like it will need some work...it can feel solid but still be gone. Tilt the motor all the way up and put weight on the skeg...then lift up on the skeg...there should be NO flex in the transom. I there is you may be able to go with seacast...lots of threads on here about that.

Do you have any pics?? would love to see some. I had a 330V....was my first boat..I loved that boat. It lives in tennesee somewhere now...lol.

[ranger230v]

Drilled a hole at center of bulge, wood was dry and not off color. What is the best tool for removing (cutting) the glass and not going too deep into the wood. Router? Needs to be electric, compressor cant handle air tools.
What weight glass should I use? It looks like the chopped up stuff was originally used . I'm also going to check for clearence to install a recessed TM pedal kit. Any recomendations on which one to get?

I deffinately want to post some pictures but have never done it so give me a couple days.

Sorry if I ask too many questions, just don't want to f@#k up

Thanks for reply

[ProcraftMike]

You can probably using a grinding wheel type attachment on your grinder, or possibly a cutting wheel. Please where a mask and long sleeves, if you are grinding fiberglass.

Ask as many questions as you want. It is better to get advise on how to fix something now, than advise on how to fix something, after you messed it up.

[ranger230v]

I actually used a cutting disc on my dremmel tool and it cut through the glass great. I removed about a 1' square area of glass. The plywood undernieth was great. The problem is the foam. It is over expanded and pushing up on everything. Maybe thats how it came from the factory, I dont know. A simple delam I could fix but this seems like it would be a huge fix trying to level out the foam and replace the plywood and re glass the whole area. It encompasses everything to the starboard side of my front livewell , from the front of the deck to the back. Port side has rod locker = no foam = no problem.

Damn the underneeth side of my forearms sure are *****ely. Should have worn a long sleeve shirt.

I know a pictures worth a thousand words, bare with me

[Scrapper]

from what I've done I'd rather have a big job and fix it the first time than patch the problem which will probably bug you in the future. I'm suprised the foam is doing that. I don't think it would be to tough to fix. Just adding another few steps to what your already doing. How can you tell the foam is pushing up on it? I would be tempted to cut out the existing bad piece...down to the foam...cut the foam down...set the piece back in...beveling the edges...and layup cloth back on the repair going back at least four inches on either side of the cut. I just think if you don't maybe it would do it again or there would be a bulge or high spot in the carpet that would bug you. Just my 2 cents. How does the wood look around the pedestal base?? thats normally where you see problems in these boats...since they are placed right over the live wells. boats that have set for a while with water in the livewells will have problems there.

[Scrapper]

on long sleeves and mask!! been there done that a few times ...will take sometime to get all that out of your skin...

[ranger230v]

Good advice, I just had one mental picture of how this was going to go and wasn't ready for all this. After reading about other restrations I should have known better. I am familiar with the feathering back and the patches going from small to big but the bulge goes all the way to my gunnel. Not sure how to feather that.
I'm going to try to upload a photo into the test area of this site. If I can figure it out then I'll be posting some pictures.

Thanks

[Scrapper]

upload the pics to shutterfly or photobucket....then right click on the pic and click on properties....highlight the filename or url of the pic you uploaded. put it between these...... [img][/img] and you'll have it. good luck!

[ranger230v]

Here she is, 28 yrs old and still a looker. Officially its only 16' 10"


The power plant. 87' XR2 150, high perf lower unit, Hi-Jacker plate, exhaust mod. She's scary fast and loud as hell.


Hot Foot, floor trim, Pioneer super tuner w/ CD player(behind culling rings), and a power antenna(near windshield).

[ranger230v]

Oh yeah and then theres this stuff

Jack plate biting into gel coat


soft spot on floor


Close up showing floor seperating from whatever it is that
its seperating from


I put a straight edge on the deck to show the bulge


Still bulging further forward on deck


So there you have it any and all input is , advice is welcome.
Thanks to scrapper and procraftmike for their advice thus far

[ProcraftMike]

That is a sweet looking ride and one that is definately worth restoring. I haven't seem many that color, but I think it is great.

Regarding the floor, my guess is that it is seperating from the plywood. That is one of the problems with fiberglass resin (as opposed to epoxy resin), the fiberglass resin doesn't normally bond to wood that well. Over the years, it will seperate. I had the same thing on my boat, along with the Starcraft that I just did some floor work on.

On the bulges, I would have to say that somehow that foam has expanded over time, for whatever reason. I assume those bulges weren't there or that noticeable in the past? I would call Ranger to see if they have had this problem before and a possible fix. There will be some work involved. Like it was mentioned before, you will probably have to make a cut around the perimeter of the area, remove the decking (and plywood), sand down the foam until it is level, add a bunch of resin to the top of the foam (test a spot first, to make sure it doesn't eat the foam, but I don't think it will) add the plywood and lay the decking back over the top and reglass the seam. I doubt that you can use the old plywood, as it probably has a permanent bow to it. I would sandwich resin between everything during the re-install, as it works great as a glue as well. I'm assuming all these bulged areas will be covered with carpet?

I think this has been mentioned as well, but on the jackplate, trim the motor part way up, have someone watch the bottom of the jackpplate and the transom area as well, lift up and push down on the lower unit of the motor (acting as a lever) and see if there is any movement on the transom. There shouldn't be any. Is there any cracks in your splashwell area, where the transom ties into the splashwell area? Is the area below the jackplate is cracked, where water could have gotten in? Is it possible the plate was loose and over time, it wore a spot on the bottom edge?


Modified by ProcraftMike at 7:41 AM 8/21/2008

[ranger230v]

I don't have any cracks on or around the splashwell or any where on the transome. I will do that test this weekend, I just bought a 10' x 10' easy up at wally world to keep the sun off me while I'm workin on the boat. I also sent a message to Ranger directing them to this thread so it will be interesting to see what they have to say. I'll let you know

[Scrapper]

you know now that I think about it...I had an 83 330V that had the same problem although not as severe on my front deck....maybe it was the foam they were using at the time?? I think your only avenue there would be to cut the wood out and refiberglass...I think you would be way happier with your work and how long it would last if you did that...plus you could strenthen it with new wood and epoxy resins. The part on the floor will have to be cut out...that should be sitting on the stringers below...it won't be a hard job to do...just time consuming...just take your time and read lots of threads...you have the right man on here helping you...(procraftmike) he'll put you on the right track fast!!

I bet that thing is insane to drive...how fast?? what prop?? I bet you are in the low 70's anyway... Thats to fast for me on an under 17' boat. lol. Is that a lining like rhino or lineX on the inside of the boat??

[ranger230v]

Yeah I think your right...I'm getting prepared to do the right thing...I'm waiting to here back from Ranger...I just contacted them yesterday and today I had an email stating my inquiry had been forwarded to the proper department. As far as speed, I don't know...I dont have a gps...also my tachometer doesn't work properly...the guy I bought it from 2 years ago said it does 70. I don't like to run it too hard for too long not knowing my RPMs. I must say it's not the best handling boat...no torque tab...and it's too short to handle rough water and even wake from other boats can get little sketchy. The prop is a quicksilver 23p...I'll work on the set up after all the top side work is done. I'm going to remove the carpet and glue this weekend.

[ranger230v]

Got some work done this weekend. This easy up from Wally world helped alot... it was around 100 deg. all weekend.


The gelcoat arond my front live well is peeling off...any suggestions on the best type of coating to use. I would like it to be beige iff possible


Here are some deck lids stripped and sanded...drilling out all of those rivets that hold the aluminum banding at the bottom was a real hoot. I absolutely dont want to have to put that crap back on...can I just wrap the carpet around the lip to underside of lid...or is the lip too sharp and will eventually cut through carpet?...I would rather build the thickness of the lip(if need be) than put that aluminum edgeing back on


I had some delamination on port side of deck (no bulging though) interesting how the deck is comprised of small boards butted together...I will epoxy resin and matt the tops of these when the time comes...still havent finished the project on other side of deck


Thats it so far... guess I better start buying some supplies...wheres the best place to get all my epoxy and cloth supplies...boatbuildercentral???

[Scrapper]

Man!! Your doing some great work!!

You can wrap the lids and I would...my 330V was just like that...it'll look way cleaner and the lids won't make as much noise as you walk around on them if you wrap the carpet.

That is very interesting how they did the deck...has the dark piece been wet before?? kind of looks like it. I don't know if while I had it apart that I would just go ahead and cut out a full piece to fit in there...maybe the would solve the bulging issue ever again...you probably won't get it anymore anyways..but I bet a full piece would not allow any bulging.

I dunno what you would want to do on that livewell...either go back with more gel...or maybe rough it up a bit and tape it off and spray some rhino liner around that area...it won't be seen anyways due to carpet. Would be a good place to practice some gel coat though also

And yes...any place like that would be great to get your stuff from.

I'm anxious to see this build...this is going to be a true restoration. Have you found anything at the floor yet??

[johnsinbelton]

I too would just wrap the carpet around. I have two of them I am redoing and thats what I am gonna do.

DeSean

[ranger230v]

Did you guys run into a problem with your lids sticking up a little after you wrapped the bottom edge? If they were flush with the deck, and then you add carpet it seems they would sit too high. I was thinking I could make a jig for my table saw and use a laminate blade and cut an 1/8" off the bottom edge to compinsate for the carpet...just a thought.
I'm trying to get ahold of someone at ranger to ask if those small pieces serve a purpose...otherwise I will probably cut one continuous piece.
Haven't got to floor yet.