ZETA 24' Flybridge rebuild

[Aquaholic]

Are you keeping the flying bridge? That boat would look sweet as just a hardtop.

 

[YachtMech]

Have a close look to see how the fasteners from the Top section to the boat hull look. They may be rusting out and if you can replace most with stainless now is a great time to do it.

ALL of the fasteners are being pulled and replaced, some of the ones visible in the deck head are from the outboard trim, those will all be replaced as well, but there were also a few perforations from the top side, again they will all be pulled and replaced, anything that was under the headliner were removed (PITA) as some were not stainless and broken off nearly flush with the surface. I litterally ordered 20 boxes of screws last week to make sure I have enough on hand

 

[YachtMech]

Are you keeping the flying bridge? That boat would look sweet as just a hardtop.

yes, we are, while they do look quite good as a hard top we like the flybridge proportions on this and its actually great for piloting through shallow waters as it gives you a better downview. Futhermore the flybridge was less common so its a nice rarity.

 

[Gong Show]

Don't let them bait you!

If the peanut gallery does not stand down, tell them you are going to notch the stern for your off centerline kicker.
That will cause a few jammers.

Just wait until you tell us where you are going to place the downriggers!!

 

[Rayvon]

Gong Show;Just wait until you tell us where you are going to place the downriggers!!
On the bridge of course.

 

[sly_karma]

Will those downriggers be spooled with wire or braid?

Enjoying the thread though. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Sotally Tober]

Will those downriggers be spooled with wire or braid?

Lol, stirring the pot. I’m getting the popcorn ready.

 

[ChilliSpoons]

Are you keeping the flying bridge? That boat would look sweet as just a hardtop.

Oh here we go, I was wondering how long it would take for the anti-fly bridge gang mentioned this, lol

 

[YachtMech]

Gong Show;Just wait until you tell us where you are going to place the downriggers!!
On the bridge of course.

Funny you mention that, someone at some point installed rod holders mounts on the flybridge, strange but I can see it may work if you set things right.

 

[YachtMech]

Quick tip, if you ever want to have a way to "punch" or mark drill holes, I've found this to be by far the most accurate way, buy a cheap pointed carbide burr, works beter than any punch and has repeatable accuracy

 

[YachtMech]

todays refinements, some spare mahogany plywood replaced the strange and rattly composite bulkhead panels, kept the natural red on one side, coated 3 times with gloss, fine sanded with 320, then last coat of semigloss/satin. Also some more sapele inside and put another coat of oil on the walnut side panels.

also you can see in the pictures the FRP panels that have replaced the brown astroturf, and the ABS facing boards at the base of where the wells will be, there is a section missing because there will be a base for a custom boarding step going in there, and it will all be hidden by sapele sideboards.

 

[YachtMech]

Just a teaser, the beginings of an idea I've had for a while and now I can finally put it into use

 

[YachtMech]

Oh here we go, I was wondering how long it would take for the anti-fly bridge gang mentioned this, lol

Man have forums gotten that savage that they have now started forming gangs?? if so I can I join the Pro-flybridge gang? what do I have to do??

on a personal note, I see you paint spoons, I dabble in a bit of the lure making and carving myself, even a bit of large caving as well. maybe if we run into eachother one day we can swap some lures. pictures attached since I dont have an instagram for this lol

 

[sly_karma]

Quick tip, if you ever want to have a way to "punch" or mark drill holes, I've found this to be by far the most accurate way, buy a cheap pointed carbide burr, works beter than any punch and has repeatable accuracy

Old school finishing carpenter here. You can eliminate a step by using a brad point drill bit.

 

[Fisher_dude]

here are the plans for the swim grid and the air box for the engine and blower intake, with the zeta text cut out from the stainless face plate. It will all be tig welded together, 304L stainless steel

How come not 316? Way better corrosion resistance.

 

[YachtMech]

Old school finishing carpenter here. You can eliminate a step by using a brad point drill bit.

View attachment 62040

Yes I do have a set, but since they are quite an expensive set they live in my shop and dont travel with me often, so unless Im doing extremely fine woodwork they dont get out much. This was a general tip for most people that just have general purpose bits, I always carry my norseman cobalt set with me since I never know if I will be driling through metal, fiberglass, or wood, and therefore I rarely break out the HSS brad points.

 

[YachtMech]

How come not 316? Way better corrosion resistance.

because the cost and corrosion resistance of 316 will be rather moot since it will be polished and the boat will be kept on a trailer most of the time, and besides all 300 series are susceptible to crevice corrosion in the same degree, which is what causes failure in stainless parts (thats why you dont find stainless seacocks). Its also VERY difficult to get a hold of 316 tubing, it may surprise you to know but pretty much all hand railings and polished fixtures on modern yachts are 304L, because onces its polished the oxide coating has almost no ability to retain moisture, thats why water beads on ploshed stainless vs rough stainless, 316 really only shines when it comes unpolished surfaces that will be constantly subjected to salt water. if it was leaving it in salt water I may go for 316, but stll probably not neccassary, ive seen whole swim grid structures mounted on 304L with no ill effects, quite often they are geting a coating of antifounling and there will never be enough corrosion to cause structural issues in that case.

 

[KMay]

I love this thread. Im just starting a rebuild/pod project on a 24 zeta wide cabin. Whats your opinion on the stringers? Some say the fiberglass is so thick that the wood in the middle doesn't matter. Any thoughts?

 

[YachtMech]

I love this thread. Im just starting a rebuild/pod project on a 24 zeta wide cabin. Whats your opinion on the stringers? Some say the fiberglass is so thick that the wood in the middle doesn't matter. Any thoughts?

it honestly is that thick, the wood in the stringers is redudnant, they are wrapped with about 1/4" of fiberglass, that combinded with what is basically a 3/8' minimum hull thickness makes it so the wood never really takes any load. even the transom double laminated with three sheets of marine ply, and from what I can tell they epoxied the cut ends of the plywood since the wood on mine is still rock hard. That being said I would bore holes through the stringers and epoxy a fiberglass tube through the ends of the stringers to let water drain out if it gets trapped on the outboard side of the stingers, since everything on the outboard side is foam filled. I will be posting that process soon. Ive already drilled the holes and there was a bit of moisture on one side, so I've had my vacuum pump running on it with a filter to draw out any remaining moisture.

The overall structure of these boats is why I consider them to be one of the better boats for the west coast, im pretty confident you could run aground on rocks and it would still be none the worse for wear.

 

[Dorman Point]

Funny you mention that, someone at some point installed rod holders mounts on the flybridge, strange but I can see it may work if you set things right.

Perhaps a hangover set-up from the early ‘80s? I remember boats mooching at Gower Point with their rods up on the bridge, when it was all the rage to mooch very long leaders, almost 10’ in some cases. You had to be up on the bridge to land the fish!