1976 24 Proline Rebuild

[puttz07]

Hello all!!

I have been following this forum for years now and have been looking for a Aquasport Flatback for going on 5years. Last week I had an oppurtunity to purchase a 1976 24 proline and i jumped on it. I know that its not an aquasport but I was wondering if it would be ok for me to post some pictures and get some advice??

[akbridge]

You should only post those pictures if you have Hooters Umbrella girls assisting you on the rebuild!  
But being serious, I don't see any issue with people posting up on a similar hull.  Good luck with the rebuild.  Let us know how it goes.

[puttz07]

[fitz73222]

Prolines are as much a florida boat as AS`s. When we used to stay at Port Paradise in Crystal river in the late 60`s and 70`s every Proline known to man was fishing out of there. (Of course thats were they were built). Why not embrace our flat bottom cousins from time to time!

[puttz07]

Holy Oversized pictures!! LOL anyways I ripped out most of the floor last night to find that the foam that was pooerd between the stringers was dry but the 1/4 in plywood in the stringers looks completely gone or rotten. Im not sure if I want to cut the tops of the stringers replace the core material and reglass over then or if I should start from scratch? A few of the stringers looked Delaminated but upon inspection it looked like poor craftsmanship from the factory. Also it looks like the entire boat was laid up with nothing but wooven???? Any advise would really help me out....I am planning on posting pics on every step of the process. Maybe ill be as popular as LilRichard!!  

[puttz07]

[puttz07]

Sorry for the black and white...I cant get my camera off the mode

[orb]

Keep the pics coming. I had a friend that had one of those when I was a kid. I remember riding along on those seats on the bow. That is a real classy boat. I would look into building a stringer system like the ones in aquasports, all glass and foam.

[fitz73222]

I`m a little surprised at the lamination job and materials used. Looks like a new stringer system is in order. You came to the right place for stringer design advice!!

[puttz07]

Thats kinda what I thought.....  I wonder if I should stick with the 4 stringer system or change to a 2 Stringer system

[fitz73222]

There will be plenty of advice on the subject by this time tomorrow. My belief is stick with the original stringer design and improve the materials; unless the original design had some fundamental flaw..

[dirtwheelsfl]

man those stringers look horrible. the glass isnt even in one continuous span. i wonder if thats factory? scrap em and start over with biax. id probably just go with 2 stringers, boat isnt that wide. or you could keep the 4 and use the old ones as patterns, but then youd probably need to reengineer for fuel tanks and such. just as much work either way, 2 with bulkheads vs. 4 i mean.

[puttz07]

Now when you say Biax im guessing 1708 or something of that sort?? Is that stuff really that much better than 1.5oz mat and roven.....both of which I have and its a fraction of the price.

[RRoyer]

congrats on the find, its a great looking boat. keep us posted with pics.

[dirtwheelsfl]

Now when you say Biax im guessing 1708 or something of that sort?? Is that stuff really that much better than 1.5oz mat and roven.....both of which I have and its a fraction of the price.

yes, that stuff has almost no strength compared to 1708. i might cover a deck or build parts with that stuff, but thats about it. all i really use is 1708, 1.5oz mat for voids or waterproofing, and a light cloth for things that dont need the strength, say like fixing cracks on those front benches in your boat. you really want the strength of biax bonding those stringers in...