New Drift Boat Project

[Mark Heskett]

Ok i finally got a day over 50 and got the power washer to the boat. Found a section on the bottom between the 3 and 4 rib that is missing a layer of ply. I am assuming rock damage because they glassed the bottom it looks like to repair the damage. My plan so far was to add another layer of epoxy with graphite to the existing bottom and glass the interior bottom with a layer of glass and epoxy between the ribs and maybe apply a coating of a bedliner type material over that. Overkill? Or should I just remove the old bottom and replace it? Also I found a section on the side that looks like it banged a rock a lifted a ply on the inside. Not bad and I plan on glassing the exterior sides after I get 40 years of paint removed. I was thinking of hitting this area with a sander to smooth it out and maybe hit it with a little filler in the void and oil , varnish or maybe paint between the ribs. Any thoughts? I have attached pics of the bottom hopefully.

[Rick Newman]

Mark, I once had a drift boat that need many more repairs than yours. When I inquirred on the site I found that AJ DeRosa had done a repair in place to replace some bad plywood. He used a half lap scarf. However instead of repeating what AJ said I suggest that you look at the serch function on the site and type in "Inplace plywood scarf. For Rick It should give you some good ideas. AJ, Dutch and Kevin C are decades ahead of me on repairing old drift boats and restoring them to life. A search for their posts from over the years can be very educational. Start there and see where it takes you. They also often check in or a message to them can bring great results.

Rick Newman

[AJ DeRosa]

Mark,

 

Here are a few thoughts on your project.

1.  Check all the wood in the boat to be sure it is sound.  Poke around with a knife or screw driver in search of soft spots that my be dry rot.  If you find these types of soft spots they should be attended to by scarfing in new wood.  The inside chine log and the adjacent plywood is most likely to be rotten due to it's location in the bottom where water will pool.  Having said that I have seen many old boats that look like they are a wreck but on further inspection are still very sound.  It the luck of the draw.

2.  Get to bare wood in any area that you intend to glass.  Good glass over bad is no good.  A heat gun and dull scraper make quick work of glass/epoxy.

3.Oil or paint work best on old interiors.  Varnish works well only when applied over a very good layer of Glass/epoxy which would be a nightmare to do on and old boat interior but could be done on the exterior.

4.  Glass on the inside floor is not a bad idea but the bottom panel needs to be in good shape.  Same goes for glass/epxy on the outside bottom.  If the old bottom has been compromised a new bottom panel is in order.  It is much easier to glass the inside of a new bottom panel before installing it.  You can glass between the frames on an old bottom but it a bit more work intensive.  Might consider glassing those  section that are in the impact area below the front seat and back to the rowwers seat.  I've done that a few times with good results.  Leave the bedliner trick for the S&G guys.  Not a nice thing to do to and old framed boat.

5.  Remove the chine caps before you do any bottom glassing and don't wrap the chine joint under glass.

6.  As Rick suggested, check the search funtion as most of this advice has been given in more detail on previous posts.

 

Enjoy the procedure.

 

AJ

[Mark Heskett]

AJ, Thanks for the reply. All the wood is in good shape. I took an awl to the chine and rib areas before I bought the boat. All the boat seems solid and it was stored in a barn for it's life. The area in question on the bottom is about 3" long and 1" wide that is lifted but appears solid around the area. It looks like a rock was hit but deformed the plywood in a small area. All your suggestions sound great. I'm planning on removing the chine caps and the outside and inside rails to strip and refinish before I glass the outside.

Mark

[Rick Newman]

AJ, thanks for the reply! Will you be back on the OP again in April? Do you know anybody that might want to float and fish then?

Rick