New Toy, 1970 22-2

[wpollitt16]

Well guys, tomorrow I go to pick up my new toy, a 1970 22-2 flatback with a 120 Evinrude looper.

Fortunatly for me, the floor and transom are still in good shape. so for the time being, the plan is (for the time being, as I'm sure it will change as I go along):

-Remove console. I;m going to keep the same general shape of the console, but going to redesign a bit. The one on there now is original. So theres 45 years worth of holes from various owners drilling holes to mount electronics and switches. The plan is, to re-skin the face, add some sort of step on the top to flush mount various electronics. Going to keep the fuel tank under the console for now. If i have to remove the floor in a few years, I'll move it then. I am going to move the fills from under the helm.

-Hydraulic steering.

-Grind gel coat. The 45 year old gel coat is full of spider cracks and holes from previously installed hardware. going to grind out the cracks, bevel the holes, and fill and fair

-Install new gunwale knees. The old owner removed them as he said he got tired of kicking them. Now, the gunwales flex which is where a lot of the spider cracks came from.

-Build transom corner boxes. I like the idea of the removeable chase in the floor for rigging, but I don't like looking at the wires coming from the floor to the motor. I wanna build a box in each corner. Starboard side will hide the chase end and transform the wires into the black flexible conduit to the engine. Thinking maybe a small live well on the port side. 

-Fair and Paint.

-Install all new hardware. Cleats, hawse pipes, lights, teleflex s-type controls, destroyer wheel, vents, hinges, latches, switches, and all wires will be new.

-New bottom paint.


So thats the plan. For now. lol. I'm sure that will change.

A few questions:

1- Whats the best way to fix the spider cracks in the gelcoat? I'm going to paint the topsides so I'm not really worried about what it will take, I just want to make sure whatever I use to fill them, will stay there and not crack and chip in a few months under new paint.

2- Is there a fuel tank anyone knows of that will fit in the same place the factory twin tanks are under the console?

3- Would anyone NOT recommend the keel extension? Seems like everyone is doing this. While I'm at it, I might as well extend the keel. Also, how far back would you go on the keel? It seems like such a small keel, it doesn't seem like it would affect the prop if taken all the way to the stern. Correct me if I'm wrong there guys.


Thanks for all the insight guys. I've spent the last two days glued to my computer. Getting ideas is fun. Spending the time and money is fun and rewarding in the end. I'll see if i cant get some pictures up.

[gran398]

Glad you've joined!

Some of what is to come may not be pleasant to hear, but from our experience, you'll face it.

Any original seventies Aquasport offers issues.  After nearly fifty years, neither deck or transom is solid. Nor are the stringers. They are filled with waterlogged open-cell encapsulated  foam. Some members have documented removing nearly a thousand pounds of extraneous funk from the hull skin prior to rebuild.

If you want to run her as is, good deal. Rather than spending time or money on cosmetics, fixing cracks, pimples etc at present....just run and enjoy her. Then when the time comes...and heck, it may be a few years...tear her down and do as many here have done. Rebuild her with diligent guidance and experience from fellow members.

[Jack Hart]

I'm in the finishing stages of a 1971 Flatback refurb, and I had a lot of the same questions.  The first thing I would suggest is to find a way to flip the boat so you can work on the hull.  I worked on blocks and it was miserable. As far as repairing old gel coat, I think the best and easiest way is to sand down to a good surface, then use a good epoxy primer like Awlgrip 545.  Coat twice, sand, coat two more times and sand again down to a 220 grit finish.  Good paint and primer are NOT cheap, and I'd plan on using at least two gallons of primer (four gallons total, two of primer and two of catalyst). 

Extending the keel is easy, but probably not necessary unless you're planning to up the hp significantly.  In my brief experience, 150 hp is more than adequate, and the boat handles just fine in it's original configuration with this power (although it gets a little squirrely at speeds near top end, which is about 38-40 mph).  At 120 hp, you're probably good to go, but if you plan on more hp or adding significant weight, then the keel extension is probably a good idea.  Here's something to consider:  I thought about hydraulic steering, but in the end decided to go with the Teleflex cable because hydraulic insulates the captain from feeling loads on the helm. With cable, you feel what's going on and can trim out for a balanced helm.  You'll have to deal with forces on the helm in hard turns, but these forces are telling you what the boat is doing.  With hydraulic, there's no warning before the boat switches ends. 

[wpollitt16]

Ok gran, after reading your post I decided to do some more inspection.

Floor=toast.

Transom=good! (Thank god)


I have a friend who's a surveyor come and have a look at the boat. He brought a moisture meter and did some tests. We found the transom was in good shape. He took a bunch of tests from different places in the transom and never found any wet wood. We did however figure out that the transom has been replaced. It seems to have been done correctly and my surveyor said it looks good to him so I'm going to clean up some of the cosmetic work that was pretty screwed up from previous owners and leave it as is.

The floor on the other hand, is toast. We ran the meter across the floor and couldn't find a dry spot around the console. There was some dry wood around the edges and against the transom but other then that, it's done for.

Well, I guess it's time to break out the saw and start the floor removal process.
Question, when you guys do your floors, what's your glass schedule? I can't figure out if I need to mat or cloth both sides of the ply before laying it down on the stringers or just epoxy one side and mat the other. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.

[gran398]

Good deal, glad you checked her out. Once you get the deck out, you can address the stringers. There are many flatback rebuilds here to use as a guide, many options too.

Nice the transom was replaced, that will save some $$$.

On the deck...your options are marine ply, AC fir ply, or synthetic. Either way, you'll go with two layers of glass on the topside, one to two layers beneath, wrapping the edges.

Good luck sir!

Pic from today, new grid stringer system in flatback

[wpollitt16]

Awesome gran. That's what I was figuring. One layer on the bottom and two layers on top. Are you using 1708 for everything?

Another question, I know there are a few options for the stringers. Assuming the grid has not delaminatesd from the hull, could I just cut the tops off the stringers, pull all the old foam out, fig any spots of delamination, pour new foam, and glass over with some kind of cloth? Is it that simple or am I way overlooking something?

[gran398]

Yes, 1708.

Three ways the boys have redone the stringers. New grids as shown. Complete new girder-style stringers (many are glass over structural foam) and last but not least cut off the tops, re-foam and re-glass per your thinking. Take a look at Craig's Flatback Fireboat rebuild as an excellent example of this method.

All of the flatback rebuilds in the last few years have been top drawer. Well worth the time to review them all

[CLM65]

Thanks for the kind words, Scotty!

As far as the stringers go, you need to decide if you are going to raise the deck height.  I raised mine about 2-1/2".  Others have gone up to 5", and others have left the original height.  I think it depends a lot on what you plan to do as far as motor weight (2 vs 4 stroke), bracket, tower, etc.  if you cut the tops of the stringers off to remove foam, you should glass the inside of the stringers to the hull before pouring new foam back in.

As far as the deck, I made mine out of 3/4" nida core using the following method/schedule: applied gelcoat to a melamine form, 2 layers of 1708, 1 layer of 1-1/2 oz mat, nidacore, 2 layers of 1708.  This is what was recommended to me by Eugene Sun, who has rebuilt many of these boats and is an excellent source of information and guidance.  It is very heavy, but is super stiff.

As far as the keel, Jack has provided good information, especially since he has actually used his boat.  I have not run mine at all yet.  But I figure I would rather extend it and not need it, instead of maybe needing it but not extending it while I have the opportunity.  And stopping the extension about a foot before the transom is what was recommended to me, and seems to be pretty consistent with what I have seen in pictures.  Btw, my boat is upside down right now, so this job should not be too hard to do.  I am sure it would be a bit trickier if the boat was sitting upright.

Good luck, and as Scotty recommended, review some of the rebuild threads if you haven't already.  There is a lot of great info on this site.