My latest boat restoration project....lots of pics

[ProcraftMike]

This is a 1967, 14' fiberglass Starcraft that I picked up last fall. My boy loves to bowfish, so I thought I would pick up a boat that we could convert into a bowfishing/duck hunting/fishing boat. I have a 1977, 25 hp Evinrude for the back. I basically replaced the transom, did a floor overlay, added and extended the front deck, plus added an 8' rod/gun/recurve storage box. All wood for the decking and compartment lids is 3/4" outdoor plywood. I used 1/2" plywood for the sides. All wood is treated with several coats of epoxy resin before it was assembled. I went through about 3 gallons of epoxy resin and about 70 yards of 4" fiberglass tape. I tried to make the compartments water tight, by adding a lip to the outside of the compartment. I needed to run drain tubes from the front compartment, as there was no place for the water to run. To save on some weight, I did very little framing on this project, but instead glassed everything together and where I could, directly to the boat.

[robertmee]

As always, sweet work. Wish I had your talent.

[JoePA]

Very professional!!! Great job!!!!!

[looking4five]

Wow! That turned out looking 1st class!

[Scrapper]

AWSOME JOB!! LOOKS GREAT!!

[ranger230v]

That was awesome!!! Great paint scheme. I see alot of guys on here build deck extensions framed out with 2x4s and was wandering why more weren't attempted with plywood or hardwoods, kinda cabinet maker style. When you water proof the wood you only use epoxy resin and don't need to use cloth? I'm gathering info for my own project. I've noticed your a regular on here, do you have other project boats?
Awesome work
Steve

[JeffA]

wow, very cool!

[ProcraftMike]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ranger230v &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">That was awesome!!! Great paint scheme. I see alot of guys on here build deck extensions framed out with 2x4s and was wandering why more weren't attempted with plywood or hardwoods, kinda cabinet maker style. When you water proof the wood you only use epoxy resin and don't need to use cloth? I'm gathering info for my own project. I've noticed your a regular on here, do you have other project boats?
Awesome work
Steve</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yep, a piece of wood properly treated with resin will make it water proof. You don't need any cloth for that. I normally use the cloth for covering screw heads, where ever there is a joint between pieces of wood, or where I am joining it to the floor or a part of the boat. I normally use 2 or more layers of cloth in areas that I am concerned about strength. I usually just use a single layer for covering up screws or bad spots in the wood. I will sometimes use the cloth to cover up a bad spot on a piece of wood, say a bad knot or a cut. I want to be sure that the wood is sealed, so the cloth gives me a flat surface to seal off of.

Besides my Procraft boat about 4-5 years ago, this is the only big "Epoxy" project that I have tackled since then.

[jseasor]

great work right there, paint job is awesome...would love to do some duck hunting out of that..
those are some hellacious hinges...

[SwatDawg]

Awsome Mike

[ProcraftMike]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jseasor &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">those are some hellacious hinges... </TD></TR></TABLE>

I tried to use as many items that I had laying around as I could. The hinges were left over from my Procraft project. I never used them, so I thought I would put them to use here. I should have recessed them, or installed them so they weren't sticking up, but it would have been quite tricky. I decided to take the easy way out instead.

The carpet in the rod box was from a couple of boats ago.

[GRANDPAOF7]

Looks great Mike. Question. I am going to put a floor in a Jon boat. I see you sealed yours with resign is that the way to go? How many coats and what was the thickness of your plywood. Awesome job as always.

[DerekNC21]

Wow, that boat looks amazing, great work Mike!

[ProcraftMike]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GRANDPAOF7 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Looks great Mike. Question. I am going to put a floor in a Jon boat. I see you sealed yours with resign is that the way to go? How many coats and what was the thickness of your plywood. Awesome job as always.</TD></TR></TABLE>

There are probably other means to sealing wood, other than epoxy resin. But, I have great confidence in this stuff and it seems to work great. I have bonded wood together with this stuff by accident and the wood comes apart before the bond breakds.

I normally like to put a layer of resin on both surface, before I lay them or screw them together. That way the resin helps with the bonding also and fills in some of the imperfections. I normally use 3/4" plywood for the decks, lids and areas that need strength. I only used 1/2" for the floor, as it was just an overlay. The old floor was still in decent shape, but the original glass was seperating from the floor. I just sealed it up good and and layed the 1/2" piece over the top. I put down a fresh coat of epoxy on both surfaces, then layed the new floor down and screwed them together. If it was a new floor from the stringers up, I would have used 3/4" plywood instead.

I also only used 1/2" for the box sides, as not much strength is needed, since you are supporting the load in a vertical fashion. I normally use at least 2 coats of resin on wood. The first coat will soak in good and harden, the second coat is added assurance that all is sealed up, especially the outer pores. I normally like to put on as many coats as needed, until the resin can no longer soak into the wood. I do this mainly on the surfaces that are exposed to the elements.

[GRANDPAOF7]

Thank you Mike. It is a old Jon boat that I am fixing up. I will use the Epoxy resin.

[ragin_cajun92]

mike you inspire me.. i'm about done with my restore.. would have never tried it without your help and ideas

[cyclone70]

A great job Mike.
Let me know if you need anything fabricated.

[ProcraftMike]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ragin_cajun92 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">mike you inspire me.. i'm about done with my restore.. would have never tried it without your help and ideas</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanks Brandon. I'm glad I was able to help you. This board has given me so much in my earlier days, when I was rebuilding my Procraft. I just want to pass on my knowledge and experiences to anyone that can benefit.

Let's see some pics of that bad boy, when you are done.

[ProcraftMike]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by cyclone70 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">A great job Mike.
Let me know if you need anything fabricated.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanks Tyler, I will keep that in mind. I may need your help on a bracket for the front of the boat. I am looking to add one of those 12v, cigarette lighter style receptacles, but I think I will need a plate, in order to mount it. I plan on attaching it to the vertical support arm for the bow mounted plate (you can see it in some of the later pics, mainly pic 21 and 22.)

The 1/2" breather plates that you made for my Procraft a few years ago are still looking awesome.... .

[ZL]

Nice work!