Project 'Bad Habits' Build

[Finished Business]

Hey guys. Some of you may have caught my recent post in forum member boats, displaying my new (to me) '95 Crestliner Eagle.
Well I know everyone likes a project thread by the looks of it, so I figured I would start my own, as I am just getting into some work on the boat and would like to get some opinions and insight on the build. Critical or insightful, it all helps in some way!

I wanted to do a plywood mock up of the future cabin, but prior to doing that I realized it would be an incomplete mockup with the current storage and seat assembly still in the boat. So out it all came to prepare for the mock up. Looks solid underneath with floatation between the supports.

The large middle crossmember seperating the 2 gas tanks is likely where I would mount the solid rear wall and door, but a new support may be needed towards the stern to make room for 2 more cabin seats. The cabin wont be abundantly roomy with 4 anglers, but the seats will be removable when its just two onbaord.

I encountered alot of rot towards the helm and removed about 400lbs of old spongy floor all together.

Any other sensible additions or changes I can make in the general dancefloor and storage layout? I've only been on a small handful of boats so again, my experience only takes me so far (not far at all!)

For those more interested in the alloy end of the build, rather than the boat as a whole, you can check out another thread I have going @
http://aluminumalloyboats.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4152&p=34466#p34466 offering a more detailed summary of the build progress.

Enjoy the photos, looking forward to your comments as the build progresses!

The motor in the pics would be the blown 5.0L Mercruiser...looking for a low hours MPI 5.7L, anyone have one!?

Nick - FB -

 

[Sculpin]

And so it begins. You really need to go over her with a fine tooth comb. You will be glad you did.

Are those fish boxes under the seats? I would be pulling that fuel tank and checking it for corrosion and to see whats happening under it. Also check to see if there are routes beside or around the foam for water to flow back to the bildge. If not then you need to make some. There was a couple of really good threads on the Hewescraft forum about this.

Good luck with her FB. I will be paying attention to this one for sure.

Cheers,
John

 

[Finished Business]

hey thanks for takin a boo john, as always! Kevin over at AAB made some verrry interesting points about the corrosion...cant wait to get into things to clean it up some.....should be ok to blast with the pressure washer and some hot water no?? Will take some more detailed shots of drainage once she get s a wash...

 

[MGH]

KEEP the water away from the foam, the stuff sucks up water and does not dry out!!!
Just took over 20 garbage bags of foam out of my old new to me boat. Squeeze it and water pours out like a sponge.
Expensive stuff to fill with new pour in foam. One gallon does 8 cu ft. at close to $100 bucks each. Or you have a friend that gets it cheaper but still expensive stuff. Still fun to rebuild old boat.
MGH.

 

[Finished Business]

MGH, the foam is very very dense and upon my first viewing it was all very solid (was able to walk on it without worry)....no spongy spots but I will look closer tommorrow....tho methinks it will be alright.

 

[MGH]

Cut a piece out and stick it in a pail of water. Wait a few minutes and see how much water it holds. Maybe ok but if not you don't have to carve wet foam out of the boat. A penny saved is two pennies earned!
MGH

 

[chris73]

I'd also keep water away from the foam.

 

[wildwest]

Some drill a 1 inch hole down to the bottom of the foam.Wait a day or 2 and inspect for water.

 

[Finished Business]

just got into the foam guys....it all looks very good!! There was one spot that oil had dripped onto that seemd to crumbled it, or it was a small mouse making a den, but i trowelled out the problem spot and once i broke the surface it was clean new foam! This boat further makes me smile!

Was worried about corrosion on the gas tanks but all the filth, grime, and residue whiped/scraped off to reveal smooth bare metal. Cut all the old gas and raw waterlines today and Im hoping to removed the gas tanks, so long as I can find a sensible way to siphon it...just to go the full 9 for peace of mind! hoses were in good shape but they will be replaced since Im already into the hall, and rubber is cheap!

pictures to follow once the tanks are out.

 

[staying alive]

FB i saw all your other pics on the alloy boat site --interesting to see it stripped down --whats your opinion on the welding does it look well done --any cracks ----is there a way for water to drain past the foam??--- By the way I am a glazier with 40 years in the trade if you need a hand with the windshield----- are you planning on putting the same type of flooring down vinyl over marine plywood --mine appears to be sound but it has been stored indoors its whole life. Keep the pics coming.

SS

 

[Finished Business]

SA

planning to get away from anyting that rots...I want to go with an aluminum floor, still debating if I go checkerplate or just flat alu with no profile...leaning towards flat sheet with no profile. When I was checking out the boat, the owner pointed out a soft spot in the floor behind the tanks toward the stern...everything else "seemed" solid at the time..;.after pulling things up, I could see that the soft spot was probably one of the least rotted out of all the boards!! the floorboards at the helm literally ripped in half, like wet cardboard, when i pulled them out. Totally rotten. The crossmembers over the gas tanks were quite FLIMSY, like very flimsy...and the original soft spot was actually from the crossmember flexing over the 3 foot width of the gas tank...I will be replacing the crossmembers for sure with something a little heavier.

I figure I removed at least 400 lbs of old plywood flooring (1" thick floor), which will be replaced by maybe 100 lbs of alumnium floor...which equates tooooo 12 more tuna at an average of 25 lbs each haha...that and I will never have to worry about rot again! even without the water-logged floor, i figure the wieght savings would be at least 200 lbs new plywood to aluminum...

I will get some more pics up tommorrow once I'm back at the shop computer tomorrow.


,,,,,tanks are out, the boat came with 60 gallons of free fuel to boot! lol

 

[Finished Business]

...going tankless

 

[Sculpin]

So what's it look like under there (hard to tell from the pics)? What condition is the inside of the hull at the bottom? Your really given her on this project. Cool stuff.

 

[Finished Business]

well the tanks are flat on top, but shaped to the hull on the underside. The are short ribs following the length of the tanks, which they sit on, supported by some 3M style adhesive shock abosorbing foam tape strips. The tanks were held down with some angled plywood blocks ontop with the shock foam. as well as the flimsy cross-members.

There appears to be two channels 2"x4" x2 that run the length of deck, to the bilge pump right in the centre of the hull. Still trying to determine if water passes under the foam or if it travels down the higher side of the hull, and then bails down to the bildge at the back...I think most of the dirty looking area under the tanks is due to a small exhaust leak as there is residual evidence of that in and around the underside of the tank and hull.

Having lots of fun getting into the nitty gritty of this boat. It all becomes very simple once the guts are visible. Couple fuel lines, water lines...electrical controls from the throttles, and a motor...with little left out. I rebuilt a truck from the frame up some 8 to 10 years ago.....the boat so far is proving to be muuuuch more forgiving in a lot of ways!

Once its all cleaned up and a few more questions answered I will be yanking that 5.0L paperwieght and ordering cabin and floor material. The fish wont wait for me so I feel I need to step on it....have you seen the reports trickling in

 

[trendsetter]

Be sure to carefully inspect the transom when you remove the motor. Usually when the floor and bulkheads are rotten then the transom is too. At least at the base where it joins the hull. It will depend upon how well the original glass work was at the factory.

Looks like a fun project. I did a full transom, floor and stringers job last spring. Lots and lots of labour but worth it in the end.

 

[Finished Business]

Be sure to carefully inspect the transom when you remove the motor. Usually when the floor and bulkheads are rotten then the transom is too. At least at the base where it joins the hull. It will depend upon how well the original glass work was at the factory.

Looks like a fun project. I did a full transom, floor and stringers job last spring. Lots and lots of labour but worth it in the end.

No fiberglass on this boat TS! Shes a fully welded alumnium rig!

But...
Transom I went in for a good look before I bought. Once the doghouse is opened up you can see the whole interior structure. it does have plywood in the transom but it was 100% dry and had not seen water I'd say. Aside from the 1 pc in the transom and the floor, there is no other wood in the boat, except the wall of the cuddy cabin.

 

[ComfortZone]

Lookin good bud! send me some pics of your storage layout plans if you have any scetched up...Im curious...I need to get down to the shop to see this progress first hand!

 

[Finished Business]

Leg and Motor Removal

This motor and leg removal really surprised me with how easy it was...

I used this youtube video as a 'how to' for the leg:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mkl6hXEYnd0

the only difference was my leg had a pin with clips holding the hydraulic arms, where-as in the video it was a bolted style.

The video I used for the engine removal was this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB4h8GVTuys

took a couple of seconds to find out where the power steering lines he disconnected came from, but alas the power steering cylinder was mounted to the transom and out they came...

with the help of the videos the entire removal took a little less than 2.5 hours

here's a few shots to gander at....


Thanks to Staying Alive for popping by to check out the progress. Always great meeting another board member!

 

[Sculpin]

Cool stuff Nick. Now can you remember how to put it all back together lol.

I was thinking about your floor and 3/16 aluminum with a sandblast finish would be nice. I had that in my old 16.5' Cope and it was one piece with the side edges marine chaulked to the side walls so all the water ran back and into the bilge and non got in infront of the tank or sides if that makes sense.

Keep up the great work. These types of threads are awesome!!!

Cheers,
John

 

[Finished Business]

Hey John, I didn't think I would need to go 1/4" on the floor...3/16 sounds just about right...really like the idea of having all the water run to the back into the bilge...i see no reason for water to penetrate any closer to the helm than the engine bay...

I took off the old windshield today to try and start mocking up the cabin out of plywood and 2 x 4s....a lesson in frustration it has been! BUT even mocking up a few supports really gives me an idea of what should be done, and what shouldn't! Should I try to match the factory lines of the boat with the cabin?? (which would give it a look like the Stabi-craft cabins, as the sides of the walk-around pitch inward...) Got me thinking that maybe the forward facing window isn't the best option in the end, and may be more work and a headache than it is worth...the mock up is going to take a bit o time and will likely build a couple cabin mock-ups to see which one will work best.

I want to have a BIG dancefloor but once I mocked where the rear support would be and rear door...it made the dancefloor look quite abit smaller, and may prove difficult to get around the walk around with the extended cabin....considering a mock up where just the captain and co-pilot chairs are enclosed, and not adding a 3rd and 4th seat inside the cabin....a lot to consider when I only want to do the final build once... I liked the seating setup in the boat rebuild Kelly posted, with the forward chairs higher, with the rear facing seats lower. Since it is a walk-around the cabin will be REAL TIGHT with 3 or 4 guys inside, which is why I may just enclose the two seats, and let the others on board don the survival suit and deal with the elements on the transom seats HAHA.

Would really like some input on the cabin design...things to consider, musts, must-nots...ect...I'm not sure how far I can take the mock up with just my imagination!

Cheers guys!

NICK