RickK's 170 rebuild

[Capt. Bob]

I don't think you are the type of redhead CB was talking about, Rick.

I hope not 

I was leaning more toward Ann-Margret but you do resemble a poor man's Vincent van Gogh.
That should make your re-build paint job rather interesting, as I move this thread back on topic. 

[larsli68]

Yes, Ann Margret is Swedish. Greta Garbo was Swedish. Her name was actually Gustafsson, not Garbo.
Ingrid Bergman Swedish... There has been a few.
My wife is a red head, but she is from Kentucky... 

Have a great weekend guys! It is supposed to be a super nice weekend here. Heatwave on Sunday with 56 degrees and sunny!
I plan to open my tent and do a lot of wet sanding this weekend.
A cat show in Stockholm tomorrow will remove 6 hours from my schedule, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do...

//Lars

[RickK]

Was that "cat" or "Car" 

Either way have a good time.

[RickK]

Did you

Plenty of boatbuilders here in Florida, Lars!  You would fit right in!

Looking good Rick.  Did you find someone to flip the boat yet?

Did you have to build a cradle of sorts to support the boat between the bunks and front of the boat?  I was going to use landscape timbers and lay one or 2 across the bunks and I realize the sheerline is nicely curved so I'm thinking I might have to add quite a few stacked timbers in several stacks to support the hull as I am moving forward.  Did you post pix of the support system?  I'll have to go look again.

[CLM65]

Hold on...gonna go get a picture or two right now....

[CLM65]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  Mine are probably worth 500, as they're not that good.  But I'll do my best to describe what I did.

First, I laid a 4x4 across the gunnels about 6 feet from the bow.  Where it contacted the gunnels, I screwed on some 3/4" plywood to help distribute the load.  On the outside of the hull, I screwed a 2x4 cleat on each side so that the hull would not be able to spread open.  I then placed a piece of 3/4" plywood with a 4x4 screwed to it on the stringers, and cut some studs to fit between the 4x4 on the stringers and the 4x4 on the gunnels.  I screwed some 3/4" plywood to the studs and 4x4s for additional support and to help stabilize it.  I made the exact some thing for the other support, and placed it about 5' from the stern.

Here is the front support before it was flipped:



Here is a picture of the cleat and load-distributing plywood on one of the supports (I'll have to remove the cleats to finish sanding off the old paint).  Note that there is an eye screwed into the end of each 4x4.  This allowed me to easily strap the support to the boat and keep it in place when it was being flipped.



Here is the front support from under the boat.  Note that I had to shim the support where it rests on the trailer to keep the bow from hitting the trailer tongue.



I'm sure there are a million ways to do this, but this is working out pretty good for me.  It is very stable, and I sleep better knowing the hull is supported adequately at 8 points (4 gunnel contact points and 4 stringer contact points.

Hope this helps give you some ideas

[RickK]

It does give me some ideas and things to do tomorrow.  Thanks Craig

I like the sole/gunnel support idea too.  I still think I will need some more support in the middle of the boat - my bunks sit on top of the aluminum frame, so there is probably an 8" vertical gap that I must fill for the support.

This should be fun though

Thanks again buddy.

[RickK]

Hey Craig, been meaning to ask you - is the plant still up and running?

[CLM65]

It does give me some ideas and things to do tomorrow.  Thanks Craig

I like the sole/gunnel support idea too.  I still think I will need some more support in the middle of the boat - my bunks sit on top of the aluminum frame, so there is probably an 8" vertical gap that I must fill for the support.

This should be fun though

Thanks again buddy.

My rear support sits on top of the trailer bunks.  My bunks are aluminum, and it works just fine.

[CLM65]

Hey Craig, been meaning to ask you - is the plant still up and running?

Nope, actually it hasn't been operating since late 2009.  Less than a week after I bought my project boat in Feb. 2012, management made the decision not to restart the plant.  I have a job here until 2018-2019.  After that, I'm not sure what I'll be doing.  I just hope my rebuild is done by then!

[RickK]

Hey Craig, been meaning to ask you - is the plant still up and running?

Nope, actually it hasn't been operating since late 2009.  Less than a week after I bought my project boat in Feb. 2012, management made the decision not to restart the plant.  I have a job here until 2018-2019.  After that, I'm not sure what I'll be doing.  I just hope my rebuild is done by then!

When we talked at the Crystal River gathering you mentioned this - looks like they stretched it a little farther than you initially thought. You'll be long done with your rebuild for sure.

[larsli68]

I'm afraid that was cat show. My wive loves cats. I did however stop at two boat stores (like West Marine) on the way back. Bought some stuff for my boat at 20% off.
Pictures will come.
//Lars

[RickK]

Yesterday I built a framework, somewhat like Craig's (thanks again for the ideas Craig) to support the gunnels off the bunks / trailer frame and also support the sole/stringers.  I set the framework in the boat for the time being and called it a day.

Today was flip day.
While we were waiting for Dave to show up Ed and I started getting the chain hoists set up on the gantries.  You can see the support framework in the boat in this pic


I stretched a string from bow to stern to try to build the forward frame high enough to keep the bow off the trailer when upside down.  Ended up having to lay a small piece of landscape timber (re-purposed two of the old clamps from the ones I built to clamp the transom liner) on the frame, each side up front, to raise it up the necessary height.


Dave finally arrived and inspected what we had finished (CB he said he's still waiting on an email)


We started the process - an antique cable hoist on the bow eye (gantry centered above the eye and the cable over the side of the cap) and two HF 1-ton chain hoists at the transom eyes with chains crossed.  We lifted everything up so we could pull the trailer out from underneath it.  Too bad the guy that built the gantries didn't make them wide enough to allow the guides to get by    So we pulled it out as far as it would go and worked around it.


We started the turn


When we got near vertical I attached a come-along to the starboard side of the gantry and to the port transom eye (the one at the top now) as a safety control for when the boat started to turn.  Was a pain to keep loosening it but better safe than sorry.  It all went pretty smoothly.  Here it is flipped and ready for us to lift the support framework on top of the trailer as Dave rolled the trailer back under her.


Dave raised the bow up a bit and we were ready to go.


Eased her back down






I guess we did ok


Pulled the tarp back over the gantries and called it a day - it went as smoothly as we hoped.


Sanding time 

[CLM65]

Good job Rick!  Nothing broke and nobody got hurt, I'd call that a success!

[RickK]

We heard some "creaking" as the hooks changed position but no bangs, no slips, no sudden drops, no bandaids needed.  We were definitely always looking out for each other.  The boat is put together, for the most part, with epoxy so I don't think anything is going to come apart.
It was scary and a first for me though and only cost me three breakfasts    (besides the hardware) but I was really happy the connection points (lifting eyes) were rock solid (I guess they are supposed to be - meaning no slop)
.
  Just what I've learned through my rebuild.  Here's a tip - go no more than 1/32" bigger than the diameter of the eye shank, if that is the right term, as you drill the holes - 1/16" is too big - I have one that I drilled that big, I stepped down a 32nd and it was perfect.  Also measure the eye shank separation for uniformity at start of threads to end of threads - if there is any significant difference the eyes will not go in easily if the holes are drilled the way they should be - perpendicular to the transom or prow (the hardest to keep perpendicular - I made a jig and I think it was still a degree or 3 off).  I used this on the transom holes http://www.rockler.com/portable-drill-guide  be prepared to make your own handle with some hardwood and some of your spare epoxy - I broke off the plastic one shortly after using it on the boat. I replaced it with an oak one and it is fine now.
I don't want to fill any slop with 5200.  I overdrilled everything and filled with thickened epoxy, so there is no rot possibility so I can get away with latex to seal everything up against water intrusion.