What would you have done differently?

[CLM65]

OK, there alot of rebuilds on this site.  Many different models, many different years, many different uses.  So my question is, now that you are done and have spent some time on the boat, what would you have done differently?  

In hindsight, would you use a different material?

Would you use a different technique?

Would you lay out anything differently?

Would you raise the deck more?  Or less?

Please be open and honest, no matter how big or how small the difference is.  Hopefully this thread can help current rebuilders like myself, as well as future rebuilders of these great boats.

Thanks!

[kaptainkoz]

For one, there is a trial and error with bolt-on additions. The boat sitting on a trailer in your driveway is alot different in a 3 foot swell. I had these two rod holders that were at a kneecap-extracting height. After painfully bumping into them in the ruff they had to go.

Another is that there is rarely quick fixes. The tried and true ways are tried and true for a reason. For example, I tried using "gitrot" to buy some time for my soft floor. The thread is on here somewhere. I drilled a gridwork of holes, let them dry out for two weeks in the summer sun, filled them with Git Rot, filled the holes with cabosil, and painted the deck. I dont know if I bought any time but I definitely didnt have a solid deck or even a better deck.

Also, i would use 5200 more sparingly and switch to 4200 or UV 4000 or a lesser sealer in any top deck applications. Sure, use it where you need a bulletproof seal, but for general sealing its too strong. I set the center console in a bead of 5200 and it literally pulled up fiberglass from the deck when I went to take it off. Now in my case I was junking the boat and keeping the center console, but if I werent I would have been aggrivated at the additional damage. All I need was a water seal and not to bond it to the floor. Same with rodholders and inspection hatches.. what a pain to break 5200 in some cases.

Lastly, (for now) i think gel coat is underrated. The general push seems to be to paint floors with Imron or Perfection. I did my last floor with perfection and it was awesome, but one advantage that gelcoat has over those great products is you can easily touch up and fill new damages very easily, which is not the case with the paints. I plan on painting my next floor with gelcoat. I may be jumping the gun with this suggestion and im sure some will chime in on this and create a consensus, but most boats are coated in glecoat and I dont see much of an issue with it. Sure, if you want a gleaming showpiece then use whats best. I am a fisherman and I am more concerned with function than flash. To each their own.

More to come...

[Blue Agave]

I would have painted my boat white.

[CLM65]

Thanks Koz - good stuff.  I am a fan of gelcoat and I'm current;y planning to use gelcoat on my rebuild.

Blue - that is very interesting.  I have only owned white boats, and thought it would be nice to go with some color on the hull sides - something light like fighting lady yellow or seafoam.  Can you elaborate on why you regret using a color?

[gman 82 aquasport]

If $$$ wasn't a concern I would have used composite materials for the floor and bulkheads I put in mine , but like others I had a budget that didn't leave that as an option I also did some modifying of the front area of my 19-6 that some would look at as the wrong thing to do, but it works better for the Mrs. and I when we are out..Make it yours...you know what your uses will be and build that into it if at all possible..
I would not put anything down until I knew what size console I was using and if i was using a T-Top or not so you can put proper support for anchoring them down
I agree with kaptainkoz, if you think you will ever have to remove it use 4200..
Go with the largest fuel tank you can..(just my opinion)
And buy stock in companies that make latex gloves, they will be your buddy come resin time

[Blue Agave]

White will hide the imperfections and scratches and oxidizes less.

If you go yellow, go ahead a sign up for those dance classes and turn in your man card.  

[CLM65]

White will hide the imperfections and scratches and oxidizes less.

If you go yellow, go ahead a sign up for those dance classes and turn in your man card.  

Ouch!

[seabob4]

Totally agree with Nando regarding hull colors.  Colors are just a beetch to take care, and, like he said, they show EVERY little imperfection in the hull surface.  There IS a reason that 95% of the boats out there are white...

FL Yellow?  Can't stand that color...

[CLM65]

Wow, yellow sure isn't getting any love here!

[wingtime]

I think fighting lady yellow is a popular color choice because of what already has been said.  Dark colors show every imperfection so a light color is the next best choice over white.  I love the look of the dark green tournament master Explorers.  I looked at one to buy here in Tampa but when you got up and close to it you could see every scuff mark and it was oxidized.  So that fact coupled with the small hole in the deck I passed on it.

[kaptainkoz]

Lol... too funny. However, I do have one logical defense for color other than white. White is the most reflective color. As you darken a color it reflects less light which means theoretically less glare off of your deck on a glaring, hot, high noon sunny day. Im not a big fan of pale yellow either at all, but I went with it on my last floor for the above reason, as well as it was the closest color to what was already there. I figured in case I got a chip it may not be as obvious.  I will probably go with a pale color again for the floor to reduce glare, although, yes, I would prefer to use one color of white for everything just for simplicity sake. Ill probably go with a pale blue the next go around.

[wingtime]

Decks vs hull sides is another thing.  I have a buddy that has grey decks on his 1970 Cary Craft.  Man do those suckers get hot in the summer sun!  I'm talking burn your feet hot!  I like the light grey decks of my 170 so far.  Come summer time that may change!

[CLM65]

OK, I'm gonna try to move this discussion away from colors.  I've got a very very long time before I have to make that decision.

Some other thoughts....

If you didn't put foam in the cavities under the deck, do you wish you did?

If you added a livewell/seat behind the console, do you wish you put the livewell in the transom instead?

If you put a livewell in the transom, do you wish you added a livewell/seat behind the console instead?

If you have a 22-2 flatback, do you wish you added spray rails?

Thanks!

Craig

[Blue Agave]

1) No foam in the empty cavities of my rebuild, been running the boat for twelve years and not once have I said, "Boy I wish I had put foam in there."  She does have foam in the stringers and the boat is cored with nidacore which does provide floatation.  If she took on water, would she float?  I don't know and I hope I never find out, but she is insured.

2) IMO putting a livewell in the transom of these boats is a mistake.  The boats are very sensitive to weight.  If you are closing in the transom and placing the motor on a bracket you are changing the C.O.B. of the boat and the livewell on the transom will only magnify this problem.

3) Can't provide any imput on the spray rails.

[kaptainkoz]

Livewells seem to be regional. Seems like you guys in FLorida need them. I dont really have a need for one in NY as most of what I fish with live will live for hours in a bucket or die even in a live well. I have no need for one, but a prior poster brought up a valid concern about center of gravity and weight distribution. water is heavy!