Classic AquaSport
Aquasport Model Rebuilds, Mods, Updates and Refreshes => Osprey Style Hull Rebuilds => Flatback 22-2 Rebuilds => Topic started by: merkin222 on August 28, 2015, 01:11:05 AM
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Admin Mod: I merged the two threads so we didn't lose the "before" on this rebuild
Hi guys,
I'm excited to report that I just bought a 1969 222 glass bottom. :danceSm:
Had to go to New Jersey to pick it up, trailer issues (smoked a hub) on return to St. Petersburg, but I'm still excited to start the process. Been waiting for the right time and hull for almost three years now...
I wanted to ask for a little direction on where to find past threads that have anything to do with glass bottoms, and particularly glass bottom rebuilds. I see that some rebuilders have opted to glass them over, but I just don't think I could bring myself to go that route without a solid effort at preservation. I really like the idea of that feature anyhow.
I also recall seeing some mention about some difference between the boats guys buy from the northeast region and southeast boats. Not sure if this was related to the condition theyre usually found in, or price; but I'd be appreciative for any information.
Personally, I expected to find soft spots all over this thing, but the deck has littler to no flex and the transom doesn't seem bad either, so I'm interested to get further in the assessment process.
These photos are from the trip back to FL. It's just dirt on the boat, which should look pretty nice after a wash. Guy said she's been sitting up for 12 years since last in the water.
Thanks for the inspiration, Gents, and for any information you're able to share.
Merkin
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Congrats on the find and the purchase merkin :clap01:
Start in this forum, as this is the one you should start your refurb or rebuild topic in, http://classicaquasport.com/smf/index.php?board=39.0
Scan through them and it won't be hard to find the ones with the "windows".
LilRichard was one who filled his in, if I remember correctly.
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I've always thought the see through panels and diver door option were such a cool Florida boat option that's never been replicated. If you're going to keep the panels I would try to understand what they were made of assuming some sort of plexiglass and after almost 50 years are they still any good? If not, what can they be replaced with and can the replacements be safely glassed back in place (chemically compatible). These boats were notorious for wet foam regardless of deck and transom core condition. You may want to consider getting the boat weighed to get an idea of the level of saturation. Understanding the trailer weight, the original hull weight should be 1700-1800# but you can check that in the archives. I've always been in the camp to keep these boats original as possible and just make some functionality improvements. Anxious to see what she looks like after a gallon of bleach and a simple green scrub down!
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Congrats on the great find! And I also vote on keeping the glass windows. That is too cool of a feature to eliminate without making a decent effort to restore.
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Hi, I didn't know they made anything like this. If you don't mind please post some pics of the glass area and (dive door?) Restored that would be one cool boat. I have an 87 Osprey not restored but used every week to fish. 2008 Yama 150 on it. Runs good. Only problem I have is with the scuppers. A very bad design.
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I didn't know they made anything like this.
Here is some light reading on the original.
http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=559
Here's a classic with both original dive platform and viewing "windows".
http://classicaquasport.com/smf/index.php?topic=9559.msg82131#msg82131
Same hull with door/platform.
http://classicaquasport.com/smf/index.php?topic=1474.0
Scroll down about half way and you will see the same hull (and a few more of other members boats from the first gathering.
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Hi Uglystick, Hi Gents,
Good post there Capt. Bob. These pages are helpful.
As for mine, she's got a good wash and I've started some light work on the cap (filling old hardware holes and crazing) while I wait for a builder friend to assist with transom rebuild.
By the way, I'm using Americas Cup so far but have now been recommended AwlFair, for fairing. It seems like everyone has a different opinion but I'm curious to know what CA posters have had the best experience with.
Ok, now some pics to follow...how about that (original?) Float On trailer.... :old01:
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Will get window images when I'm back in town after weekend...
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Anxious to see what she looks like after a gallon of bleach and a simple green scrub down!
Not too shabby, 'ey Fitz? :08:
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Looks good :thumleft:
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Anxious to see what she looks like after a gallon of bleach and a simple green scrub down!
Not too shabby, 'ey Fitz? :08:
Yep, cleaned up nice, she appears to be an unmolested original.... I hope your plan is to make the neccessary upgrades and repairs and keep her that way.
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Hard to see but she might have the green rubrail on her?
Looks like another "time capsule" found. :bravo_2:
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Hey guys thanks for the positive reviews. I'm excited about it.
Fitz, I'm planning to stay as original as possible but want to go with the closed, wide transom we're all familiar with. Put a little crown in it and maybe a baitwell.
As I think I mentioned before, I took my whole rig to the CatScales somewhere near Jacksonville and after subtracting truck and trailer, I end up somewhere around 1900lbs. - including the 115 tower of power.
Since I'm widening the transom, losing a foot or so of space inside the back, I figured I'd use the same opportunity to cut the last foot of flooring so I can drill stringer bottoms and look for any seeping water.
That said, have you guys seen examples of boats that, for whatever reason (not including rebuilds), managed to keep dry stringers for this long? My floor is in great shape, and the weight seems right on so far, which has me wondering if the above deck fuels tanks may have been her saving grace... The '69 doesn't have another tank under the floor does it?
Thanks all,
Merkin
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Prior to '72 the tanks seemed to be above floor, inside the console. Maybe in some version of '71 they started but mine was above floor.
If the boat was kept under cover and not abused, plus not left in the water, it's very likely the stringers, deck and transom are still perfect.
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You guys may remember, the Coast Guard regulations changed in '72 that allowed manufacturers to install the fuel tanks below the deck. Prior to that, fuel tanks were either under the console or mounted saddle style in the gunwales. I think a lot of it had to do with the introduction of aluminum materials as opposed to the traditional painted carbon steel tanks of the 50's and 60's which simply would not survive in a below deck environment. The early regulation also required that the below deck tank had to have a ventilation method to allow accumulated fumes to escape, hence the air scoops and duct hoses in the bow cap that forced fresh air under the deck and out through the port grid vent on the 70's models. Later, the forced air vent system was eliminated, I think mainly do to improvements in fuel and vent hose material and aluminum proved to be a superior material against corrosion.
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Thank you for the explanation! Good to know.
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Good transom work getting done this week...
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...
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Getting the console filled and ready for paint.
:dancing:
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Looks like it coming along good. Im just over a year into mine. A couple hours after work and weekends, make's for a slow project.
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Heck yeah, FL, I get what you mean.
I knew I'd be hard pressed to do it all alone, so I've been doing what I can, and farming out some too. I knew I wanted the transom and console pro-done, but I filled and faired the cap and I'll be getting into the flip/bottom paint removal/general paint prep soon; which I've heard is a job - specifically bottom paint - I shouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
I've had mine since September, so I guess that's not too bad. Hoping she'll be done in time to go chase the black drum in circles. My girlfriend is looking forward to the day when I don't spend every waking minute talking about/chasing down portabrackets, livewells, hardware, etc. etc... haha... but just wait 'til she gets a look through those windows!
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Lookin good Merkin!
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Thanks Hawg! Much appreciated.
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Picked up an aluminum trailer last night. Not a perfect fit out of the box, since the hull is near 8'ft wide, but I got a pretty good deal so pulled the trigger. Nicest trailer I've ever had and I liked the idea of skipping wooden bunks in favor of the rubber skids. - Anybody have experience using these rubber skids on a painted boat? I'm wondering if I might want to try and carpet the skids (or another soft solution), since I'm not gelcoating.
Hope everybody is having a good weekend.
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Looks good. Unique winch on it. :thumleft:
The angle on the bunks are different than the deadrise of a FB though. Let us know how the rubber bunks work out.
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Hey Rick, thanks for the reply. - Yeah, the bunks are going to need attention to accommodate the Flatback. She's still sitting on the old Float-On for now. --- Coincidentally, that trailer I bought with the boat (same one that appears in my pics) has a Hialeah stamp on it, and yet I bought the rig in New Jersey, so I wondered if I bought the whole 'time capsule'...had half a mind to resto that trailer too... In any case, the old trailer is aluminum but needs most every one of the components replaced, (it runs four golf cart tires, to boot) so I wanted to pick up something more modern for about the same investment. Hoping this will be a nice and worry-free addition to the rig.
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I have the 10x20 tires on my 170 and it really keeps the trailer low, which means you can launch in skinny water - at least here in central FL.
BTW, add your location to your profile so everyone knows what part of the country you're in. It'll show up under your Avatar - city and state are fine.
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Ok, Rick, will do. Aaron was good enough to see my post and set up a call to talk through his trailer specs. Sounds like I may want to sell this one on and go see Owens about a better fit.
Girlfriend has me on a plane this minute to Vegas for work/valentines trip.
Wish us luck at the blackjack tables!
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Hope you win enough for a new trailer! I'm going to need a trailer soon too. Aaron's sure does look sweet. Maybe we can get a "group buy" on trailers!
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Thanks, Craig. Great idea buddy!
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I can't take all the credit, since I've been a sort of paying-apprentice on this first go 'round, but I can take some of it. - She's come a long way from when I picked her up!
Little more to do on the transom box, then working on flush-mounting the 'window' hatch (or buying a drop in from Joel), prepping for paint, etc...
:cheering2:
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Pic
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Looking good - progress is progress, any is good.
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Thanks Rick, I agree. - Heck of a lot of work, and I even decided not to take the floor up yet since no soft spots and scale weight is as advertised. That grinding and stringer work...one day I'll end up tackling it, I'm sure, but I would've lost my mind trying to do it all in the same go. :57:
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I understand - I'm sure I've lost a bit of it (mind) over the years my rebuild has taken.
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looks good Neil.
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Coming along nicely :thumleft:
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So here's the latest on my '69 window boat restoration. Sprayed with awl grip Matterhorn white. Going for that 'Rudder Magazine' look, haha. :woohoo:
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Wow that's looking great!
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Hey thanks, buddy. Been a lot of work, as everyone here knows.
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looks great, when do you think you'll have it back on this side of the bay?
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Hey Aaron, thanks man. I think it'll be two-three weeks before its back, just on account of the glass work we're finishing up in Tampa - in that time I'm also planning to mount up my portabracket so that when the motor is ready for pickup (in Sarasota, before April 21) I can have them install it direct to the bracket and bring it back local for rigging. --- I'm hoping to be ready to fish by May 1.
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Neil sent me this pic today, he's getting closer!
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a148/recklesabandon727/IMG_0509_1.jpg)
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well Niel's boat is in the water, he stopped by my dock this afternoon
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a148/recklesabandon727/KIMG1298.jpg)
and here's a tarpon we got on my boat last tuesday night
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a148/recklesabandon727/KIMG1279.jpg)
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Very nice. Is he planning on poling that thing?
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Hey there 196,
I wouldn't have thought that a push pole could have a place on this boat either, but an old guide I know (fishes a Dorado+tower) said I ought to see how it poles, since he uses a pushpole, when the trolling motor is overkill, to get up on spooky redfish. I tried it and thought it was a capability that I'd like to have too. - Given, you're not going to go into a headwind much, but it's sure nice for directing downwind direction - and it's silent.
The boat has been fishing great. It's comfortable in a light chop, and a wide open platform for fishing multiple anglers. With five of us out fishing for a full day, last week, there was plenty of space and a comfortable ride. Pictures to follow.
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Last shot is Aaron's boat on our run down to the Skyway.
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Awesome. I would have never even have attempted to pole boat of this size. But the way I described it makes perfect sense. Keep the photos coming we need more fish pictures on here. :thumleft:
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Will do, buddy. Thanks for the kind words.
Tight lines,
Neill
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if you look close at the pic of my boat you can see me taking this pic of Neil's boat
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a148/recklesabandon727/KIMG1299.jpg)
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Haha, that's great. Nice shot, Aaron :)
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Neill hasn't been on here since finishing his boat, he was fishing the crap out of it until one afternoon this past spring, the boat began running sluggish. opened the bilge hatch and water was rushing in. he beached the boat, closed the thru-hulls, and got most of the water pumped out but it was still coming in. we floated the boat off the beach and dove under, found a 3 ft long crack under the port stringer. shined a light under the deck and found a section of the stringer broke loose. i grabbed my trailer and we retrieved the boat right off the beach... the boat is now nearing completion on a full keel up rebuild with new composite stingers, fuel tanks, deck with storage hatches in deck, new console and tower....
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Yep, it's true. That was a rough day guys...But, I knew the day would come, and so it wasn't a total shock. I had just figured the de-lam would kind of 'reveal itself' over time, and that I'd be able to casually make my plans to do the tear out and rebuild. I didn't know it would show up smack dab in the middle of a trip, in the form of a quickly sinking vessel.
So take heed, you guys surfing these CA boards who want to do a rebuild but decide you'll 'fish her a while until it's absolutely necessary to do the floor and stringers'...In my case, we did a full transom rebuild at the start, and while we were in there we decided that the guts looked good enough to wait on floor and stringers. We were mostly wrong, and it was only luck that this happened while I was a half mile from shore, instead of a couple miles off. I was able to beach the boat and get my people off safely, before water neared the electronics or motor.
Like Aaron said, she's been in rehab here for the last few months with a top-notch shop, taken down to the skin, thickened up in the chines and hullsides, new windows (it's a window boat), composite stringers and bulkheads, new aluminum tank (60gal), and composite deck with new hatch configuration. I have a 6' tower in the works for her, too, so I'm pretty excited to see it come together.
I'll be sure to post up the pics as she comes back online.
Cheers,
Merkin
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Glad you were close to shore and you were able to get everyone off. Could have been real ugly.
I had a crack show up in the keel of my 170 at one of our gatherings. Barely got back to the ramp and on the trailer. It drained water all the way home...
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Neill, where's the pics??? Lol