Laser 380 comp. rebuild

**hawk232** · 05-22-2016, 04:22 PM

Ok, time for me to finally get this rebuild going! I bought this boat about 2 years ago and started the project twice, only to be interrupted by other projects. Third time is the charm, right!!

Here is the boat the day I bought it

**hawk232** · 05-22-2016, 04:27 PM

the first order of business was to cut out the splashwell and glass in a piece of coosa in its place. The entire rebuild will be done with vinyester resin and coosa for stringers, transom and possibly floors (still reseaching what to use for the floors if not coosa)

and now that the splashwell has been deleted I am ready to put the deck back on to mock up the stringers. The plan is for the stringers to have knees that go all the way up to the deck (will be bonded to the deck when the deck goes on for good).

**Coupe427** · 05-25-2016, 01:21 AM

Bout time! Subscribed

**wing nut** · 05-25-2016, 04:42 AM

nice!

**Great East Predictor** · 05-25-2016, 08:32 AM

Sweet, any idea what you're doing for power?

**Velocity72** · 05-25-2016, 12:12 PM

The 380 is what I'd like to get a hold of someday. Keep the pics coming. Nice job, and yes, what power?

**Big Jack** · 05-25-2016, 04:51 PM

well, it's about time!!! I've been tired of waiting for my ride in it. good luck. jack

**hawk232** · 05-25-2016, 05:26 PM

Yea Jack, I have been slacking... Don't know too many around here with fast boats like I did in BR so its an out of sight out of mind kind of thing...

Power... well that's a funny topic. I scored a deal on a freshly rebuild, 0 hour 235 crossflow (came with a blow up looper, and an entire spare looper in parts waiting to be rebuilt) so I bought it all. the plan was to stick the crossflow on until I had a chance to build the looper. Lately I have considered going back to merc, then at times I think of going green and either doing an XS or e-tec. so the summary is I HAVE NO IDEA!! If I have the funds I will have a decision, if I don't then I will use the crossflow that I have.

**Tom Foley** · 05-25-2016, 05:32 PM

Good man David !!!

**hawk232** · 05-25-2016, 05:46 PM

wingnut: did you ever weigh yours? I have NO IDEA where this one will fall. I have been told, since its a river race boat, that it will be heavier than other comps, but that didn't help me narrow it down any lol.

I took advantage of a friend being over the other day and put the cap back on so that I an make some stringer/knee templates. The next step will be to glass the transom in place then mock up the knees (I want them to go all the way up and connect to the deck)

I also put the seat in place to mock up seat positioning. ah who am I kidding!?!?! I just wanted to pretend I was driving!!!

seriously though, is there such a thing as too low in the boat? assuming I can see over the dash lol

**hawk232** · 05-25-2016, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by Tom Foley

Good man David !!!

next time you pass through, stop in, I'm sure I can find something for you to do!!

**wing nut** · 05-26-2016, 08:44 PM

I was told my boat was pretty light from the factory but during the rebuild I added a fair apoint of weight. I haven't had a chance to weigh the boat yet, If I do I'll let you know! The 380 is a great boat, very mild mannered and easy to drive.

**89LASER** · 05-27-2016, 08:15 AM

I had a kevlar hull one, center steer with a warmed over 200XP on it. Light hull. The guy I sold it to is selling it with a Merc on it.

**hawk232** · 05-27-2016, 08:31 PM

UGGGHHHHH had a VERY frustrating day. woke up with the intention of putting the transom in. the plan was to laminate it in the boat so that each piece could sit on the bottom of the hull and allow the pieces to "step" their way down (kind of hard to describe if you haven't seen how its set up). Then I was going to drill through the existing holes in the transom and use 2x4s and bolts to clamp the new transom in place. all went well and relatively quickly (hull/mat/mat/coosa/mat/coosa/mat/coosa) THEN it was time to drill the holes. the first attempt to go from the back to the front quickly wrapped the mat around the drill bit... not going to work... so I tried from the inside out and it worked well until it got to the dang double layer of mat again. this time it must have wrapped for a while without me knowing, all of the sudden the coosa pulled off of the skin. then I could see what had happened and started FREAKING out on what to do now. in a panic I grabbed the whole transom assembly and ran to the driveway, layed some 2x6s across it and filled a 45 gal garbage can with water to weight it down. I WAS PISSED!!!! WORDS CAN NOT DESCRIBE IT!!! I have never had anything like this happen before!!

afterwards I went back to the boat and started pulling out all of the putty (that was sealing around the transom) and any random bits of mat remaining.

all other transoms I have done were laminated outside the boat and installed as one piece... should have done that here as well. oh well, looks like I get to grind down the skin AGAIN and go for round 2!!

any ideas on how to clamp the transom in the boat? drilling/bolting obviously wont work!!

**Tom Foley** · 05-28-2016, 03:34 AM

Originally Posted by hawk232

UGGGHHHHH had a VERY frustrating day. woke up with the intention of putting the transom in. the plan was to laminate it in the boat so that each piece could sit on the bottom of the hull and allow the pieces to "step" their way down (kind of hard to describe if you haven't seen how its set up). Then I was going to drill through the existing holes in the transom and use 2x4s and bolts to clamp the new transom in place. all went well and relatively quickly (hull/mat/mat/coosa/mat/coosa/mat/coosa) THEN it was time to drill the holes. the first attempt to go from the back to the front quickly wrapped the mat around the drill bit... not going to work... so I tried from the inside out and it worked well until it got to the dang double layer of mat again. this time it must have wrapped for a while without me knowing, all of the sudden the coosa pulled off of the skin. then I could see what had happened and started FREAKING out on what to do now. in a panic I grabbed the whole transom assembly and ran to the driveway, layed some 2x6s across it and filled a 45 gal garbage can with water to weight it down. I WAS PISSED!!!! WORDS CAN NOT DESCRIBE IT!!! I have never had anything like this happen before!!

afterwards I went back to the boat and started pulling out all of the putty (that was sealing around the transom) and any random bits of mat remaining.

all other transoms I have done were laminated outside the boat and installed as one piece... should have done that here as well. oh well, looks like I get to grind down the skin AGAIN and go for round 2!!

any ideas on how to clamp the transom in the boat? drilling/bolting obviously wont work!!

Have some large C clamps fabricated from 2 X 2 steel angle with welded nuts and all - thread rod used as the tensioning screws . Make the clamps deep enough to reach the center or lower on the transom . I have seen these clamps before and made some for myself for a smaller transom job years ago . I can only imagine how pissed you were !!!!

Heading to the river for some pontoon time with the family , see ya !