Crossing of two Streams (1974 Hydrostream Vector restore)

[Aaronhl]

Thanks for sharing your story keep us updated on the progress

[zstyle]

Thanks for reading. Progress has been slow but continues. Just need to take some pictures.

[zstyle]

There is gotta be core there. May need to drill a little hole to see it. My thoughts

You were right. It was just shaped to the the curve of the pad so it through me off. Once I got the rest of the floor up I could see the edge of it. It kicked my ass last night trying to get the stringers and last bit of core out. I feel defeated because I thought I was done cutting crap out of this thing and on to grinding.

My fiberglass guy suggests that I use an angle grinder with 36 grit disc to prep the haul, but I felt there is a lot of flat areas that I could use a belt sander on; thoughts and suggestions?

[rjdubiel]

Grinder or big sander/buffer with 36 will work better than a belt sander. It goes quick with a grinder and 4 inch flapper disk. But they dont last the longest. Don't push too hard and make sure to have a respirator. There really is not that much area to cover.it doesn't take too long and it really makes it easier on the concave were the pad meets the side of the hull. I sanded everything on the inside and then put glass down and then put core on top of that

[zstyle]

Seems like a lot with the whole boat having to be done.

[Ziemer]

Just a quick tip... Don't use 5200 unless you never, never, never plan to get it back off.

3M also makes quick set 4200. Will still seal up, but will come back apart.

[rjdubiel]

Seems like a lot with the whole boat having to be done.

in my vking the out side layer of glass was soo flimsy that i couldnt use any kind of belt sander(rpms were not there to really take off the dirty glass. and when i puhsed it would be too agressive). i had to just use the grinder and a light touch, it goes quick once you get everything out of the way and just go at it. i kept the shop vac hose right there so the direction the ginder was throwing the glass was going into the vac. at least some was!

[zstyle]

Thanks for the input, gents. I already have flapper discs and have one new one in 36 grit being I never use that for metal work. I hope to get to it if the rain holds out.

[zstyle]

Finally getting some more progress pictures up. I am actually further along than this and have started grinding away on the hull. I got the transom area done, it went slow because there was a layer of ply still attached and that doesn't grind as fast as the glass. Moved on from that. I feel kind of stupid because I ground through the hull in an area, but I guess it will be pretty easy to patch up. It was where the core met the back winged area and it must of done it when I was grinding vertical and tried to get in the corner. I feel I am going to want to lay some extra glass down before the core goes in these areas that I really spent some time on. Hopefully 12 yards of 1708 will be enough with what I want to add.

Here are some photos.

You can see how bad the core was. I could literally grab some top layer of glass and rip away a good section. Sawzall is definitely best to remove core and everything else. Just cut through the glass with the tip and in some areas it goes like butter. Used Milwaukee Torch blades.


Here you can see the area that I previously spoke of better that a past owner cut away to try to do a transom band-aid. You will also notice a layer of ply that didn't release that took a good while to grind off with the 36 grit flapper disc.


Got the core cut out and a good section of floor. The floor really kicked my ass because it was hard to determine where it met the hull. I kept trimming it back after these photos carefully so I didn't cut through the bottom of the boat. After a while you get pretty surgical with the sawzall.


Finally got everything cut out! What a milestone of achievement. The little factory stringers were a pain in the as as well. The core was pretty soaked and only needed to be chiseled out in some areas. I used a plastic chisel/ scraper that I got at Harbor Freight that come in a set so I didn't could up the haul and their big pry bar to pry stuff up. I also see that my Olde English Bulldogge Brutus made it into the photo. He likes to hang outside and watch me work. He doesn't know it yet but he is going to be going for many of rides. Damn dog swims like a rock, literally you through him in and he just sinks until he stands on the bottom, so he has to always wear his life jacket when going into the water. Maybe one day he will learn how to swim after some trips and swimming with his jacket on.


From the transom forward. Lighting sucked but you get the idea. Climbing up under the bow is not very fun and I can't imagine the mess that is going to be made when I go up there to grind.

Well I am slightly behind schedule, but the heat is just killing me. I have to wait until about 7pm when it drops down to low 80s and the sun isn't overhead to get some stuff done. I really wish I was a morning person but it just doesn't work for me. Probably do to my weird work schedule of retail and restaurant business. Hopefully I can get it ground down tomorrow so it is ready to go to the shop. Then I need to find time to make it there to put it all back together.

[aaron78viper]

don't worry about the schedule, you are doing good man. just keep on it any time you can and wear a mask!

[zstyle]

I want the boat done and shaked down for my vacation back home to Michigan in mid August. I got the mask covered!

[rjdubiel]

see if you can get an ezup or some king of pop up that goes over the boat, i put my ez up over the boat and that really helps. not with humidity but just keeping the sun off you. and yes, it suckes very much under the bow. get some overalls or something, keep the shop vac hose with you and truy to suck it up as you grind!

[zstyle]

I got a suit. Biggest thing is the heat. It is 90 now so I will just wait until 7 to let it cool off. I wanted to work on my coning my lower but the Vking won't trim up but only down. So I am just going to drop it off to my tech at work and have him deal with it. I will just have him bring me the lower so I can fit the nose cone then get it to the guy to weld it on. For the time being I am going to sit around in the AC. Haha.

[zstyle]

Been grinding away on this hull. With an angle grinder I have been knocking everything down but it is kind of wavy, should I be concerned when I go to bond core or not even worry once I mix in microspheres? Also how many layers of 1708 should I put down on top of my ground hull before I lay core and stringers, 1 or 2? I ground through in an area and see another area that is thin so I will be cutting a patch area for that. How many yards has everyone used in there restores, I was told to order 12 yards by Capt.insano (spelling)?

[FlowMaxx]

GREAT story!! it will all be worth it in the end. Don't rush and do it all right and you will have no regrets for years to come