71 22-2 Flatback Re-build Watch and Comment Please

[Tampa Bay Mike]

Thanks! That's very cool of you to offer it but I think I am wanting to go with a new one.

[Marcel4t]

Quick update, I picked up my center console, it's in back of my van so no pics.  I am prepping the stringers to refoam, but before I do, I want to tab in fresh glass on the insides of the stringers.  I will fill in the inside corners of the stringers with thickened epoxy, then lay up 1708 on the hull and up about 3-4" of the stringer walls.  The stringers are not held on that strongly to the hull, mostly held on with globs of resin.  This should stiffen them up really good.
I also cut out the center front stringer, to give me more storage space and make it easier to drain water from one compartment as opposed to 2.  I will lay up a few layers of glass and put a couple bulkheads to stiffen the area back up. 

[Marcel4t]

Got my leaning post and CC in!!  Super excited!   My old T-Top ALMOST fits the CC too, its about 2" to big on the bottom legs (Top attached to console at all its points)  Not sure if I can get someone to bend them to fit??

[RickK]

Nice - I'm sure someone could bend that in for you.

[Tampa Bay Mike]

Looks like a nice combo. Where did you end up getting them from?

[Marcel4t]

Found a place 1 mile away from me that sells them, for cheaper than the factory too. Since it was right there I saved on shipping by picking it up.  Cody is the guy I dealt with, nice guy.
https://www.marinefiberglassdirect.com

[Tampa Bay Mike]

Cool. All that running around and it was right under your nose. Glad you got a deal

[theFunsmith]

Those look killer. I am excited for you.

[Marcel4t]

So I have been in analysis paralysis for weeks now.  I am so torn on whether I should stick with the stringers I have, or start fresh.  The more I look into it, the more I am leaning towards ripping everything out and starting fresh.  I found a stringer in the front port side that was totally not attached to the hull, it was just floating.  There are cracked stringers in the area to.  I could glob some thickened epoxy under and glass it down.  But as I walk around the hull, i can feel it has some flex.  Id like to be able to lay some new glass over the whole hull.  But doing this means I am committing myself to a whole lot work, with grinding out the old stringers.  But, in the end I will feel confident it was done right.  Can anyone suggest why I should try and just use my old stringers?? 

[Tampa Bay Mike]

I am lucky in that my stringers were in really good shape and I didn't need to make that decision, but if I did they would've had to have been really really bad before I would have considered ripping them all out. There has to be some good glass still in them, right? Plus you already have the perfect template already there. Can you weigh that front stringer back down flat or is the hull twisted or flexed at all? If you can, then I would think it would be easiest to glue it back down with some thickened epoxy and then run a couple of tabs down the full length of them. Then cover it all with another layer or two. Even then you would still end up using a lot less material, not to mention the time you would save in grinding and remeasuring everything. Are you still planning to foam them? That will add a lot of rigidity back to the hull as well.

[Marcel4t]

Newest Vid in the build!
https://youtu.be/H4FxVps2A_E

[Tampa Bay Mike]

Good to see you back at it.

[RickK]

For your T-top I would look for some round aluminum stock the same diameter as the flange that is short of the console (so maybe it is 2" or 2.5"?) and cut it to length so it fills the gap.  Then drill it to match the holes in what you have and use longer bolts.

[Marcel4t]

What are your thoughts on having the T Top only attached to the console and not the floor?  It was like that on the last boat, so Im guessing it works?  But someone commented on my vid saying that it was a bad idea.   I plan on using both screws (on outside) and tabbing (on inside) the console down to sole. 

[mshugg]

The console needs to be stout and well attached, but rolling the legs into the console saves a lot of space on deck. 

I had Birdsall roll  my rear legs into the console and tuck my front legs into the floor in front of my console.  My coffin box will fit between the front legs.