1972' Aquasport Seahunter 240 Rebuild

[Ulysses485]

Hello AS Friends,

I am excited to announce that i acquired a 1972 Aquasport 240 Seahunter for a rebuild. The previous owner removed the floor deck, blown motor, most of the inner liner, cabin entrance bulkheads and doors, and console/seating storage boxes, etc. The transom (likely a rebuild in past years) and the foam filled stringers are still in tack (with delamination midship on the outside of the stringers) and it is currently sitting on a dual axle trailer. I am looking to acquire some boat stands to get it set up. Pics to follow.

I believe this is a much needed rebuild for the site and welcome all feedback.

I am currently "refreshing" an 81' 222 and that will no longer go to full rebuild (Phase 2) and will be up for sale at some point.

Thank You

[Tampa Bay Mike]

Sweet, glad you ended up getting it! Good luck

[RickK]

Cool, congrats on the new hull. Look forward to watching the rebuild.

[Ulysses485]

Thank You. Here are a few shots from the listing and my visit to see it....

[GoneFission]

That will be a project!  You've got my respect for taking it on.   

[Ulysses485]

That will be a project!  You've got my respect for taking it on.   

It sure will be no easy task but slowly it will come together. I wouldn’t have been able to build the confidence had it not been for this website. This will be my contribution to hopefully keep these older classic hulls alive and give others the same confidence I gained through reading 222 rebuild threads. Ok enough of my chatter , here are some progress photos  of cleanup I did over the weekend. Pressure washer always impresses me.

These photos don’t show it but it was interesting to see the tabs snapped midship on the outsides of the stringers only. Everywhere else it was in pretty decent shape.







Next is removing the rest of the liner and cap from cabin/console and getting the hull set up on stands.

To begin the actual rebuild I plan to start with the transom. Once completed, I will cut rectangles out of tops of stringer to leave some structural support. I’ll remove foam and get to grinding. Once a few layers of glass are added to hull bottom, tabbed at outside and inside of stringers, I will foam fill and likely lay coosa “caps” to lay glass over.

Any thoughts for tower/t-top attachments? I’ve seen a few builds instal aluminum angle below deck. What is typical fastening procedure? I would think through to be preferred but how do you access below deck with access panels??

So much to think about but it’s a blessing to be able to think about it and then see it all come to fruition.

Thoughts?

[RickK]

What is your goal when finished?  Center console? Outboard on a bracket/porta? Twins? Tower like the original Sea Hunter? So many possibilities.

[Tampa Bay Mike]

What size console are you going with? If it's wider you'll end up screwing the top to the stringers. If you go with a narrower one you can install a hatch inside which will give you access to through bolt it with backing plates.

[Ulysses485]

My goal is center console,T-Top (possibly a tower...but leaning towards a T-Top because i like the simplicity), Single 300HP Outboard on a porta bracket (maybe an added swim platform style). I personally like a bigger console in general because I will probably do 50/50 inshore/offshore so the bigger console will give me an additional sense of security (at least that's the way it feels on my dads 74' 23 Potter Seacraft). I am taking pieces that i like from different builds/manufacturers that i like and creating my dream. The S240V from Sheaffer Marine has it pretty much dialed in how i would buy a boat. If money was no matter, i would have wrote a check to Ben Sheaffer and been done but where is the fun in that, right? I find Joy in the process but maybe I am just one of the weird ones that enjoys a good project as a hobby that eventually yields the fruit of labor. However, at the end of the day, I grew up in Miami vacationing in the keys and spent a lot of time spear fishing, lobstering, and bottom fishing so at the end of the day it will be very satisfying to make those same memories with my growing family in a boat i am really proud to say i built with my own hands. However, living in North Florida doesn't give me the same proximity so i want something that can make the 10-50 mile runs offshore during the fall and still be able to bring the family to the keys and still be comfortable.

What size console are you going with? If it's wider you'll end up screwing the top to the stringers. If you go with a narrower one you can install a hatch inside which will give you access to through bolt it with backing plates.

Mike,

I am pretty sure you are right and i will be going into the stringers. Do you know what is typical for fastening to stringer tops?

Thanks for the input guys!

This is the idea....

[mshugg]

Some people glass aluminum plates to the underside of the deck and thread T top fasteners into the plate.  Following Dirtwheel’s lead, I chose to glass solid fiberglass pads into my deck for a corrosion free version.

[Ulysses485]

Some people glass aluminum plates to the underside of the deck and thread T top fasteners into the plate.  Following Dirtwheel’s lead, I chose to glass solid fiberglass pads into my deck for a corrosion free version.

I actually really like dirtwheels idea of the fiberglass “blocks” below deck. The top inside measurement is 31-3/4” between my stringers with the outside measuring at 44” so I will likely be in that 6” space at the top of the stringers. I will have to look into the t-top fasteners that you reference.

Thank You

[mshugg]

I will have to look into the t-top fasteners that you reference.

Nothing special about the fasteners.  You can either use #14 Screws or 1/4-20 bolts.  I used bolts and tapped my fiberglass pads to receive them.  There’s a table somewhere that shows impressive strength useing either fastener.

[Ulysses485]

Progress is progress, right? Chipped a little this weekend and removed the inner transom liner. Terrible work by a previous owner. Made for an easier removal. Hoping to get stands soon before I get at the transom.....





Baby steps right? I did find an owner of one that redid just the transom and sold it shortly after. Looks great from what I can tell and was able to pick his brain and shared some photos so here is the plan.....

These are NOT photos of my hull:







this is NOT my boat but only of how I anticipate to redo the transom. A taper was done at the hull sides and bottom towards the returns and when the coosa was wrapped, it was tapered back into the hull sides and bottom to keep it flush.

Coosa was installed first and glass wrapped the outsides.

Here was his result...



I really like the way it was done and welcome thoughts. Aside from a fairing nightmare, I find it to be pretty solid.

[Tampa Bay Mike]

You'll hear some strong opinions (from both sides) if you plan to cut the transom off completely. It looks like it's not completely flat across the back so you may not have many options if you want to raise it up. I personally would not do it but that's not to say that it can't be done. I would just do lots of homework on each option before you commit.

[Ulysses485]

You'll hear some strong opinions (from both sides) if you plan to cut the transom off completely. It looks like it's not completely flat across the back so you may not have many options if you want to raise it up. I personally would not do it but that's not to say that it can't be done. I would just do lots of homework on each option before you commit.

Mike,

I would agree with both parties depending on the situation (condition of the transom skin). Unfortunately, i am not starting off with a flat transom so just trying to weigh options. I would be ok with redoing it as it is but it looks better flat and will likely be easier to make the cap and extend the rub rail for it.

Thanks for your input! :)