Project - Aquasport 246CCP, 1979, Captain Koz II

[RickK]

Hey welcome back Koz. I don't think any of the old timers here haven't wondered what happened to you. I totally get the part about life getting in the way.

[kaptainkoz]

Rick!!!!! Hello. Thanks for the warm re-welcome. I am in utter shock and amazement that it’s been 10 years. I want to laugh and cry. It’s been a good 10 years of total family man Dad life and we are all healthy and well. Very overwhelming. And finally I am seeing a little light at the end of the tunnel where I may be slinging some glass again. Everyone I know closely is sick of hearing about my boat for all this time. I have not lost my lust for it. I told my wife if I die before it’s done lay my body in it, set it on fire and push it into the bay!!! But man is family life expensive!!! I will look into the photo bucket hacks to get my watermarks off and get ready to continue posting. I see there are many pinned forums that should get me up to speed on how the site works now. I am extremely grateful I did post so much as it became a diary of ideas which some I have forgotten the details. I also have to circle back on your posts and see what you and those familiar are up to. More to come! Great to hear from you again! Thank you.

[kaptainkoz]

(Cue Aerosmith “Back in the saddle again”)
Getting the hang of the site and posting pictures. I think I got it. So where am I with this build? What’s the plan? Floor in by sept 7… partial transom repair just after. Motor rebuild over the winter and transom Seacast in the spring. Something that might float by Memorial Day.



I got her all cleaned out, power washed, illuminated and a working tarp. My wife joked that I can post it for “glamping” on Airbnb lol!


This phot shows a mix of original246CCP parts and 200CCP parts that I kept for reuse or inspiration for design.

I grinded the entire perimeter due channel in prep for the floor. I am hoping to slide the 1/2” prepped marine plywood into that channel forever held by a peanut butter of vinylester resin and some thickener (cabosil/west Systems 403?).














The plywood prep will include a full 360 degree priming of Vinylester Resin (VER for short) and a bottom layer of 1708. The edges of the ply where they meet will be router edged with a V shaped male/female tongue and grove shape to lock them together in a bead of “peanut butter”.

I will incorporate the original bow tub covered with one of my custom hatches, a shortened original gas tank tub (less 16”. I am shortening the gas tank by 17” to reduce it down to 100 gal to move the weight forward to compensate for all the transom additions) and the original bait well covered by a second custom hatch haven’t quite figured out the stern side end as I want to have a completely accessible and visible bilge/transom drain area.

The floor topside will get 3 layers of 1708, staggered seam which will be the terrifying part with 20 mins work time for a one piece lay of 1/2 width times bow to stern length. 6 pieces in total (3 layers times 1/2 width). Stagger will be full 50” width of 1708 starting from port, then edge to edge flat meet up on the starboard sheet, then full 50” width from starboard with edge to edge meet up on port, then right down the middle meetup for 3rd layer. I will add wax to last layer as I will be gel coating in the spring. On that note all VER and gelcoat will be unwaxed until final coat. I am strongly considering adding Duratec for final gel coat layer.

The channel prep featured sanding with a flap wheel and a grinding wheel to shape the channel even, clean all surfaces with a fresh grind to glass, and taper the top edge to a knife edge to best accommodate the top layers of 1708. The unknown is what kind of issue am I going to run into adding the next piece of flooring to the one prior. Luckily the taper of the boat shape may help sliding in one piece of flooring onto the last. I don’t know. Never did this before so I will adjust as I go as it is all theory right now.



I built this work table consisting of a 2x6 frame, 3/4” plywood and 3/4” melamine. Resin doesn’t stick too well to waxed melamine. She is HEAVVVY but flat and stout. The plan is to do all the floor piece prep on it then bolt it to the transom throug the drain hole to use as a form for the outer transom skin closure. (More on the transom plan later).

Just about where the bracket will sit. Transom to be fully closed off and capped with a bait prep station. Seacast to be poured about 6” higher than that bracket.

[kaptainkoz]

This is a rendering of what I have in mind to use as a form to close off the transom. The 3/4 melamine is not necessary but is being used right now as a glassing table… so I may remove the 3/4 melamine prior to using it as a form just to save weight. The table as is right now without the 1/4” sheet is around 100 lbs.

[RickK]

Good to see the progress.  You've enough time off now to over-think everything that the boat will need and how to do it, so there is no excuse for slacking now

[kaptainkoz]

RickK lol… very perceptive and correct. I’ve had 13 years to think. All that time I thought the transom was flat and it wasn’t until I looked at the profile I saw it wasn’t. It curves from the keel. The bracket needs a 13 degree flat spot to bolt to. It wasn’t until I got a board across the back did I realize it’s a multi angle build to maintain the 13 degree flat spot, correct for warping of a failing transom, and to astetically meet the top cap. The drawing may be a bit fuzzy but I will have photos of the real thing as it happens. But the drawing does show the dilemma if I went perfectly flat at 13 degrees… I would be well off the top cap by 6-8 inches.

[kaptainkoz]

How do I modify an existing post? I found a typo

[RickK]

Do you see a row of buttons in the upper right of your post? If so, one is "Modify".

[kaptainkoz]

I don’t see the modify icon or option. Maybe it’s the iPhone? I will try on a desktop. Thank you.

[kaptainkoz]

It’s been a very productive last few weeks although I do not have much to show for it. One thing is clear is that I have grossly underestimated the amount of time this project is going to take but baby steps forward nonetheless.



Went and got 5 sheets of marine 1/2”plywood from Yukon Lumber out of Norfolk. Nice old school lumber yard. The ply is pretty nice. Not the highest grade I have seen but it will do.
On the same trip I headed over to Eastern Burlap in Norfolk for the sticky and itchy stuff. Great shop. I did a recon run a few weeks ago to scope the place out and get some information. Richard was very patient and knowledgeable. Joe helped me out the day of the big buy and he was great as well. They post their price list online and I found them to be very competitive with what I could find even against the big internet sites. I am very pleased with them.



I used plastic sheeting to create a template. On that template I made a few markings indicating where the outer most fiberglass will go, the shape of the plywood and the shape of the bottom skin of fiberglass that will go on the plywood. The plan is to prime the plywood with thinned vinylester resin, skin the bottom with 1708 and peanut butter it into the existing C channel with West Systems 404





I tapered the edges of the plywood as the Channel is really tight.



I cut the opening for the in floor hatch.





I set up a two router table to accommodate the perfect set ups for the V shaped tongue and groove I am using to lock the floor sheets together.





I then transferred the pattern onto 1708 and applied it to the plywood with vinylester resin. I am leaving a 1 inch ledge of glass along the mating edge of the plywood to better hold the peanut butter of the next piece of flooring.



Next was glassing mounting tabs onto the original in floor bow storage bin. I tabbed from the outside then turned it over and tabbed from the inner edge for really good strength




I then installed the tub using 404 peanut butter. Once set up I filled the gaps with PL construction adhesive for water proofing and extra strength.



I installed the first floor section in a bed of 404 peanut butter and sealed any gaps with PL construction adhesive for added strength.  Once all the section are in I will coat with 3 layers of 1708 and gelcoat



Grinding grinding grinding…. As close to hell without the heat. Just misery. I ground the gas tank tub and the existing live well tub to repair, patch and modify for install. I took 16 inches of length off the tub as I plan on shortening the new tank by 17 inches to
reduce fuel capacity to 100 gallons and move weight forward. The combination of the added weight on the transom of the bracket and bait station has me conscious of weight distribution. The original setup had the center console over the tank cover. I have moved the center console forward about 30 inches which will leave the tank tub just about where it originally was without being covered by the center console.









The gas tank tub is coming along nicely. I added the original piece back in to save time. I’m not so concerned about the look of the repair as it just has to be strong and not pretty.

[kaptainkoz]

Added the final reinforcement strip on the tank tub modification. Kinda looks like hell in the photos but it will look half decent once gelcoated a solid color. Also as stated before i am not so interested in perfection in areas that will not be seen. Function is good enough. Last step for the tank tub is to make sure I have adequate plywood backing on the outside of the tub for where the gas tank mounting tabs will screw to.



Glassed the underside floor section number two. I added three mahogany reinforcement strips to reduce springy bounce over that long of a span. Kind of wasted space below this section as there is nothing in the hull under this piece.

[RickK]

All that planning from the left side of your brain while waiting, is paying off now.

[kaptainkoz]

Rick, the obsession is more consuming than ever! I am glad to see the pieces falling into place finally.

[kaptainkoz]

Second floor piece ready for install. What I’ve learned is that this plywood is very thirsty and it may be a good idea to second primer coat before glass. Despite soaking the 1708 fairly heavily I still have some air bubbles in the final piece. Not so worried about it for this piece as it is the underside skin of the floor but topside floor I do not want any imperfections at all.

[kaptainkoz]

Laid the second floor section. Came out great. I am very pleased with how it came out. Bedded it all in West Systems 404. I will follow up with PL 3X Premium where ever I can squeeze it in.