RickK's 170 rebuild

[Tx49]

substructure is looking great. Can't wait to start seeing that floor go in.

[RickK]

Me too  

[Callyb]

Hey Rick, would you mind posting so more info on your experience with the plascore? I have zero experience with polypropylene honeycomb. Heck, I didn't even know that plascore existed, I only knew about nidacore (which is pretty expensive).

Anyhow, I got looking into this stuff and found out they are here in Michigan. I called yesterday (great c.s. btw) spoke to there enineering dept. and sales and got a price from the factory. What I'm saying is I am really leaning towards using this for the frames, deck, transom enclosure, and maybe even a console from scratch since I won't have a fear of using polyester resin with it and I can save some serious coin also.

What I was wondering is if you used epoxy or poly for laminating the skin on the core, and any other info you could pass along about this stuff.

I appreciate it a bunch.

Thanks!

[RickK]

Hi Carl,
I am new to plascore too but followed the instructions that I received from my supplier (which I'm sure they got from the mfr) and they recommend 2 layers of cloth on one side and 1 on the other.  Their instructions used Poly but I'm using epoxy.
I used 1808 on the board and it remained light and was a breeze to cut, taking me maybe 5 minutes to cut out the patterns above.
Like any other honeycomb it will not hold a screw without prefilling the spot with thickened resin.  The instructions did allude to warping as the glass hardened so don't mix your resin too hot.

I plan on using the product for my floor.  I'll have epoxy on the underside and poly on the top.

Tonight I drilled limber holes in the corners of the bulkheads (above) to let water get to the back of the boat - drilled very easy.
The board has a light scrim on each side and I was thinking that if I knew where I was going to be using screws I could grind that scrim off in the areas of the underside of the board (think tracing your console base on the board in the place it will be located) and then filling all the exposed honeycomb with thickened resin, and then maybe while it's still wet, lamming the cloth over the board.

I plan on using the remainder of the board I have to bridge the space between the stringers in the aft to support the floor.

[RickK]

Bilge pump - I am thinking of going with a Johnson 1000 gph pump and need to route the hose over to the side of the hull and want to know if there is anything undesirable with using a 90 degree thru hull for the discharge. I don't have a lot of room at the discharge point.

[gran398]

Bilge pump - I am thinking of going with a Johnson 1000 gph pump and need to route the hose over to the side of the hull and want to know if there is anything undesirable with using a 90 degree thru hull for the discharge. I don't have a lot of room at the discharge point.

Nothing undesirable whatsoever. Beats a kinked hose that cracks from stress three years out.

[Callyb]

Thanks Rick.

I sent you a PM also.

[RickK]

Back at it.
Before I left for England I put the liner back in the boat and piled everything around the boat in the boat and covered it up for the 5+ week trip in case the weather got rough while I was gone.
I cleaned up the 230 and covered it and uncovered/unpacked the 170.  I also went down and bought a new tarp - this time green is the only one they had in the size I needed so my "hue" will be a little different in the pics.
The liner, as you can see is now laying on the outside bulkheads due to the height I raised the stringers and I figured if I cut it right above the built up area (ground area on the bottom) I would start getting close, which happens to be almost 3".  I want to make sure I keep the gunnel tops level and also put in the rod inserts to make sure the liner is off the hull enough. I will have a 1" sole going in so I may have to trim some more off, we'll see.
Before

[RickK]

You can see how the rigging tube will fit up under the liner.  I think I will have to heat up the pipe and bend it just a little more so it lays up there real nice with a piece of neoprene behind it.  I also, after looking at the access I'll have under the liner to the port side, will have to run the fuel fill and vent up front also. I ordered a combo fill/vent 45 degree perko fill so I can loop the hose back toward the stern after I get under the liner up there.  I want to install a trolling motor up on the front of the cap with a Dog-bone mount so I hope I have the room for all this stuff. I also ordered a flip up LED nav light (livorsi) so it'll be hidden 95% of it's life on this boat. Soooo many things to think about on these old rebuilds.


In this pic you can see the thickness of what I'm calling the "built up area" to the left.  Also you can see I put my bilge pump in the back about where the deepest part of the back area is (I built it up at least a 1/2" lamming in the transom). 1st bilge pump this boat has ever had below deck.

[RickK]

After the trim - still need to level the gunnels/put in the rod inserts and see how much I need to adjust.

[RickK]

Before I go much father on the sole I need to figure out the actual size of the console. I want to add a seat in the front of the console so I started the demo and rebuild on that today.
Cut the front off and gutted all the old wood out.


I added some new mat

[Capt Matt]

5 weeks of no itch, time to get back at it
Looking good
Capt Matt

[RickK]

I added cloth to the sides and a stuck a block of Plascore for windshield reinforcement.

[RickK]

I cut and glued some wood back into the console.

[RickK]

5 weeks of no itch, time to get back at it
Looking good
Capt Matt

You're right about that itch    I made up for it with the grinding of the console  :cry:
Getting back at it felt kinda good if you don't factor in the heat

Thanks bud.