Refurbish 1981 200 CCP

[jdupree]

Well, lets put it this way..we all know that alum. will go bad in some point in time..and poly will eventually but usually happens more with outboard type tanks that are subjected to the sun's rays and some major expansion if the valve isn't open all the time....will probably be cheaper to purchase and lighter to install a poly, thus meaning you burn less gas pushing less weight (of course not that much)...but alum. has its good sides too..

also, if thinking about putting in a smaller tank, just make sure it gives the proper ballast when full or it may be like putting more weight in one area on the boat vs. another (say if you put the tank in the rear area where the stock one is, that will make the front a bit lighter)....just food for thought but she is really starting to come together..glad someone can get out in this bad weather.. [/b]

Ryan,

I am leaning toward the poly tank at Boater's World.  It is 55 gallons and that should be plenty for the boat.  As far as the ballast goes and weight distibution, I plan on centering the tank in the tub and secure it from the front and rear with pressure treated 2x4's or 2x6's so it would not move around.  I think the one I am looking might work but I hope it is not too tall
http://www.boatersworld.com/product/357980135.htm

[jdupree]

Finally got the tank out today after draining about 25 gallons of gas It is the original 73 gallon tank made by Florida Marine Tanks, Inc.  The tank turned out to be in remarkable shape Most of what was seen on the pictures was mildew.  I pressure washed the outside of the tank and it looks great :!: My only concern is one place about as big as an eraser on a pencil where the corrosion has actually created a pit That location is on the stern side of the tank down close to the weld but not on it.  My plan is to keep this tank and install it back.  I don't know if the pit would be an issue, but need some advice on how might to fix it.  Was thinking something along the lines of JB Weld   I will post some pictures of the tank in the next day or so.

[rsh19904]

that's awesome if she's in good shape, take it to a person who builds 'em and see if they can fix..then have them pressure test it to make sure there's no small leaks..maybe look inside with a borescope if possible..was the rest of the "gunk" on the sides of the tank area in the boat mildew too  

[jdupree]

The tank has a "waterline" about 1/2 of the way up.  At one point in time, the tub which holds the tank was about half filled with water I am trying to figure this one out Anyway, the tub where the tank sits has no drain of anykind unlike the 80's model 170's.  

Plan to start removing the rotten wood from the center hatch in the next week or so.  In the meantime, will get the tank pressure tested and the one area repaired so I can get her back in soon.  While the console is off, will strip it down to nothing and send it to a friends house to have the holes filled, sanded and painted.

[rsh19904]

You 'da man!!   :P   Need pix..

[jdupree]

Here is a picture of the tank before I cleaned it.  You can see the waterline on the tank showing how much water was in the tub at one time.


Here are just a couple of pictures of the tub where the tank sits.  It is nasty I hope to clean it in the next couple of days.

[GoneFission]

JD: Your tank tub looks familiar!  When the caulk starts leaking through, the tub collects water (AS usually did not drill even a tiny hole to drain the tub on most CCPs).  I've seen the cover panel removed and the tub full of really nasty water!  Mine looked a little like yours, but did not have the water line.  The good news is that some Tilex will clean it all up very nicely.  When you recore the center panel, before you reinstall and caulk the panel down, remember to drill a small hole in the back center of the tub to allow water to drain.  Even condensation has to go somewhere.  

Keep up the good work!

[jdupree]

JD: Your tank tub looks familiar!  When the caulk starts leaking through, the tub collects water (AS usually did not drill even a tiny hole to drain the tub on most CCPs).  I've seen the cover panel removed and the tub full of really nasty water!  Mine looked a little like yours, but did not have the water line.  The good news is that some Tilex will clean it all up very nicely.  When you recore the center panel, before you reinstall and caulk the panel down, remember to drill a small hole in the back center of the tub to allow water to drain.  Even condensation has to go somewhere.  

Keep up the good work!

Thanks for the tips I started on the hatch last night.  Got most of the glass off in about 1 hour and I am down to the wood.  The wood is completly saturated with water :!:  The hatch was so heavy and water logged I had to have a neighbor help me lift it.  I hope to have the rest of the glass off tonight and start removing the wood.  One thing that I did notice is that the hatch is not a single piece of wood but 3 seperate pieces with a slight gap between them  It looks like to me that would make it weaker to start with.  Must have been another shortcut using scraps of wood.  I plan to post some pictures of the hatch in the next day or so.

What thickness of plywood should I use to re-core I was told not to use pressure treated but regular plywood Thanks

[JimCt]

Exactly the wood core problem I had with AS's scrap ply being shipped as billable product (boat deck) rather than going into the dumpster.

[jdupree]

Exactly the wood core problem I had with AS's scrap ply being shipped as billable product (boat deck) rather than going into the dumpster.

That really surprises me.  I remember when I was a teenager back in the early to mid 80's that Aquasport was the boat to have and seemed to be the premier line.  I don't understand why they had to shortcut.  Makes you wonder what else they cut corners on

[JimCt]

If the AS factory management from the old days were still around I'm sure they'd be astonished their boats are being re-habbed and brought back to better than new condition some thirty or forty years later.  Being a mass-produced consumer product, it was built at a cost which would be competitive with what was out there in the market at the time.

I/we complain about quality and so on as we dig into out boats but the plain fact is... they have survived.  Did they cut other corners?  Sure did.  Just take a browse through my 240 rebuild thread.

Aquasports were and still are the boat to have, warts and all.

[GoneFission]

JD:  I don't think your center panel was in three pieces - it just looks that way because it was scored with a saw when installed.  You will want to do the same thing for your core.  

So here we go for the recore (this is a bit of a long message, but..):  
You will need a piece of 1/2" marine or exterior solid ply plywood for the core.  Do not use treated wood or pine, as resin will not soak into and bond well with either.  Check Diamond Hill Plywood in Greenville if you are having problems finding the right plywood.

You will also need enough fiberglass mat or cloth for 4-5 layers in the skin and 1-2 gallons of resin (depending on how you wet it out - more for mat and less for cloth).  

Carefully sand the sides and bottom of the skin to remove the ridges from the original core installation.  Cut a piece of plywood so it fits easily inside the original skin - you don't want a tight fit - leave about 1/8" around the sides.  Then drill 1/8" holes through the plywood on a 2" grid over the surface of the plywood.  Use a table or other saw to cut a grid of 1/8" deep score cuts on a 6" grid over the side of the plywood that is going to be toward the skin.  The holes and the score lines help the wood absorb resin and also prevent air pockets between the skin and the plywood.  

Cut the mat/cloth to overlap the sides of the skin about 1" all around.  

Mask the center hole on the finish side with some good masking tape and do the same with all the screw holes.  This will keep some of the resin from ooozing out.  

Turn the skin finish side down on a flat surface - you may want to put some wax paper or saran wrap down if you want to protect the surface - don't use newspaper or something absorbent.  Then place 2 layers of cloth/mat in the skin shell and try to fold the ends over the edges a bit.  Mix up a quart of resin, but go a little light on hardener if it is warm where you are working - you don't want the resin going solid too early!  

Coat the scored skin side of the plywood with resin using a roller (I like a 4").  Then wet out the glass inside the skin shell with the roller and resin, wetting up over the edges.  Mix more resin if you need it, and pour any leftover resin into the skin and smooth it out with the roller.  Then put the plywood wet side down in the skin shell and put weight (bricks, blocks, railroad rails, the heavier the better) on the plywood to get the resin to ooze out of the drilled holes.  I actually like to walk around on the plywood a bit to make sure...   Resin should ooze out of all the holes.  Use a putty knife or cloth to remove the resin that squirts out of the holes - it will make like easier later.  As the resin sets, the holes will quit oozing.  When that happens, you are done for the day - leave the skin overnight with the weight on it.  

The next day you can take the weight off the plywood.  Use a belt sander or grinder to remove any glass "tags" that would keep the next layers of glass from bonding with the edges or the plywood.  Mix up another quart to half gallon (depending again on what kind of glass you are using) of resin.  Place 2-3 layers of glass on the plywood and up over the edges of yesterday's glass.  Wet the glass out with the roller and get rid of all air pockets.  Note that this is the underside of the center panel.  Once you are happy with the wet-out, leave it to set till the next day.  

The next day, use a grinder or a sander to remove the excess glass/resin from around the edges of the skin.  You want to get it as flush as you can, but try not to grind away the skin shell.  You may see some voids or little air pockets around the edges - we will fix that later.  

Turn the panel over and remove the masking tape.  Any excess resin should come off pretty easily with a putty knife.  Using the old hole in the skin as a template, cut the deck plate hole with a saber saw or cutoff saw.  Fit a new deck plate in, caulk the skin with 5200, and put the deck plate screws in.  Try not to get caulk down into the hole - just caulk the top where the deck plate meets the skin.  Drill 1/4" holes for the screws in the same places as the old ones on the skin, and put masking tape over the screw holes on the skin side.

Turn the panel over again with the skin side down.  Mix up a pint or so of resin and brush it around the edges to fill any voids or air holes.  Also get some resin in the screw holes to waterproof and seal them.

Then carefully fill the space between the underside of the deck plate and the plywood with resin.  This was Aquasport's problem when they made the boat - the wood around the deck plates was never sealed - and that's where the rot started and would eventially rot the whole panel.  Get a nice resin soak on the plywood and area around the deck plate.  If you want, you can put a final finish coat of resin over the bottom of the panel - but ain't nobody gonna see it once it's down.  If you were really anal, you could even gelcoat or paint it...

Once everything is dry and set, you can put a big 'ol bead of 5200 around the inside of the tank tub and screw the panel down.  Use a cloth with denatured alcohol to wipe off caulk that squirts up in the crack.  Let the 5200 sit a day or so before caulking the top of the seam - 5200 shrinks a bit and you want to get the seam filled.  Then caulk the seam and you're done!  

Hope this helps and good luck!!

[jdupree]

Thanks for the long detailed instructions.  I really appreciate it I started removing the wood from the hatch today.  It is in three pieces.  I have got most of the center piece of wood out.  Of course I was being real careful not to damage the skin - guess what happens I did it :cry: I was using the wood chisel to get under the wood and it went right thru the skin :cry: Not too bad, it is up near where the center console is bolted to the deck right in front of the seats.  Will just have to patch it.

I am finding it very difficult to remove the other 2 pieces of wood that are on each side.  As I said, most of the center piece of wood is detached from the skin and is off.  Do you have any suggestions?  I have been using a hammer and a wood chisel so far.  I can't seem to get the other 2 pieces started and detached from the skin.

I did get the tub cleaned out today also and will post some pictures.  The tank after cleaning is not as good as I had hoped for.  It does have some deep pitting in one or 2 areas near the bottom that really concern me I guess I will have to make a decision on that.

[jdupree]

Here are some pictures of the tank tub which I cleaned out.  On this particular model that I have, Aquasport did have a small drain hole on the back of the tub.  Looks original to me.  The piece of wood that was drilled to the back of the tub to hold the tank in place was rotten and came apart thus stopping up the hole at some point.




Here is a picture of the access hatch.  As you can see, Aquasport cored this panel with 3 pieces of wood.  This picture doesn't show, but I have managed to remove most of the center piece of wood but with a price :cry: My wood chisel went right thru the skin by accident near the access panel right behind where the console will mount.  Won't be real noticible but I hate that :cry: The main problem I am having is removing the other 2 pieces of wood on the sides.  Seems like the resin is holding them pretty tight and you can't put much pressure trying to pry because of how thick the skin is.  Any suggestions would be great at this point.

[JimCt]

You've got a big contract on your hands getting that core off the skin.   Problem is the core is bad enough to need replacement but good enough to still have a strong bond to the skin.  Maybe use a sanding grinder with 30 grit  for the tough areas?

GF,  You sure he should use 5200 to seal the panel?  If he does, it'll be impossible to get the panel off if he has to get in there again.