13' Bullet FULL Rebuild

[TwzteD]

100% COMPLETE


This thread is to document the full rebuild on my 12'7" Bullet 130.

My previous thread in fiberglass discussion got all screwed up since Photobucket decided to watermark and blur every one of my pictures to the point you could not see anything. I have a lot of pictures that I uploaded during this process and its extremely hard to re upload them to this site simultaneously editing every post on the 20+ pages. So im making a new thread and will link the old one here. Original thread with comments can bee seen here:

https://www.screamandfly.com/showthread.php?335363-13-Bullet-130-Rebuild-amp-Repower

[TwzteD]

Tear down

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[TwzteD]

Cleaning up and removing all the old paint on the bottom and sides.

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[TwzteD]

Fresh new layer of 1708 inside the whole boat, Extended the transom to 21" from 15".

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[TwzteD]

2x 3/4 coosa 26 layers for the transom


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[TwzteD]

Transom, glued in with bedding compound and screws in from back to squish out excess. First layer glassed over and repeated. Followed up with two layers of 1708 to lock it all in.


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[TwzteD]

3/4 coosa knees glassed with 1708 then tabbed in with 1708.


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[TwzteD]

Box stringer built outside of the boat, tabbed in.


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[TwzteD]

Floor cut out, and glassed on top and bottom, 3/4 D CELL H80


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[TwzteD]

Added extensions to the knees for some extra support in the back, cut out and glassed in all the bulkheads, sanded to make floor fit perfect. Filled stringer with 2 part foam, then filled and glassed over every hole to prevent water intrusion.


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[TwzteD]

Floor glued down, filled under the floor with 2 part foam, for strength, sound deadening and the fact this small boat will be running in the ocean. The floor and every thing sealed up to prevent water intrusion. Gussets cut out glassed in.



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[TwzteD]

Cap cleaned sanded up, Dash glued and glassed in. Jig built to support the cap while core installed.3/4 d cell h 80 scrimmed core glued in, core glassed in with 1208.

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[TwzteD]

Rounded all corners before glassing in.


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[TwzteD]

Made a new splash well from 3/4 H80, old one was way to cracked to be worth repairing. Glassed in. Built a seat, from 3/4 H80, and glassed coosa plugs in where it will be through bolted for better compression. Seat upholstered.

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[TwzteD]

First float test


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[TwzteD]

Coosa plugs cut out, plug holes cut out in floor, Coosa plugs have t nuts glassed to the bottom, squished into bedding compound and glassed over for a secure strong mounting point for the seat, tank etc.
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[TwzteD]

Rigging holes and wire channels made for the top cap.

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[TwzteD]

Battery mount glassed in, foot board, foot throttle base and shifter mount all glassed as well as the rigging holes on the cap.


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[TwzteD]

Engine test fit, height measurements for pad to bullet relationship.

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[TwzteD]

Second float test, with engine and simulated weight.

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[TwzteD]

Boat stripped back down, flipped and working on blueprinting the bottom, fairing the transom is next.

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[TwzteD]

Made a good amount of progress this week, blueprinting is done, just needs one last sand job to level the last bit of filler on the bottom and finish a few corners. All the strakes are sharp and level. Transom just needs one quick swipe of filler for a few low spots and to be sanded after. Then to work on the top and primer her then glass the top to bottom!


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[89LASER]

You're doing a great job. Keep the pictures coming.

[tnelsmn]

Off site photo hosting is such a pain. Thank you for taking the time to make a new build thread here! I'm hoping Greg will move my thread to this sub once it's finished. The build up sub wasn't around when I started mine.

You're making great progress!

What did you use for filler blueprinting the bottom?

[TwzteD]

Off site photo hosting is such a pain. Thank you for taking the time to make a new build thread here! I'm hoping Greg will move my thread to this sub once it's finished. The build up sub wasn't around when I started mine.

You're making great progress!

What did you use for filler blueprinting the bottom?


Yeah I know it was a total waste of time I try to edit all my posts on the other thread but it was starting to become a real hassle and was much easier to just start a new one less pages and just go from there. as far as the filler is concerned I used adtech 17 with milled fibers for the really deep stuff that needed to be filled, then just straight 17 for medium sized areas. For the real small stuff that didn't need a whole lot of filler I used adtech p77. I will continue updating this thread as I near the completion of the boat, the bottom half of the boat is almost complete - primer and paint I will start working on the top cap shortly hoping to finish up and have it in the water by Christmas that is the goal at least I have a lot more time to work on it now than I did in the previous months due to selli g my old house, moving, having a new house built new, moving again and a newborn baby etc.

[TwzteD]

I did do a little work on the cap today, flipped it over put it on saw horses, I cut out the glass over the rigging holes sanded them up nice on the inside. Getting ready to sand the whole cap and sharpen up some of the rounded corners a little nothing crazy dont want it chipping but I was a fresh look for the cap.

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[TwzteD]

Off site photo hosting is such a pain. Thank you for taking the time to make a new build thread here! I'm hoping Greg will move my thread to this sub once it's finished. The build up sub wasn't around when I started mine.

You're making great progress!

What did you use for filler blueprinting the bottom?

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[XstreamVking]

Every time I see that damn adtech 77 I get a little angry. I have blisters in the finish on my V-King every place I used it. Now i'm facing an adtech 77 removal/repaint job of an otherwise perfect paint job on my deck. Never used it before that, never since. I really hope yours is not a problem. Grrrrrrr....

[TwzteD]

Every time I see that damn adtech 77 I get a little angry. I have blisters in the finish on my V-King every place I used it. Now i'm facing an adtech 77 removal/repaint job of an otherwise perfect paint job on my deck. Never used it before that, never since. I really hope yours is not a problem. Grrrrrrr....

Oh man wish I would have known that beforehand. I haven't used much of it someone recommended it and its easier to sand that's the only reason I got it. Makes me not want to use it, maybee you got a bad batch?

[TwzteD]

Every time I see that damn adtech 77 I get a little angry. I have blisters in the finish on my V-King every place I used it. Now i'm facing an adtech 77 removal/repaint job of an otherwise perfect paint job on my deck. Never used it before that, never since. I really hope yours is not a problem. Grrrrrrr....

Oh man wish I would have known that beforehand. I haven't used much of it someone recommended it and its easier to sand that's the only reason I got it. Makes me not want to use it, maybee you got a bad batch? Is there anything I could possibly do before I paint the boat to maybe prevent that? Maybe wash the boat with soapy water before and acetone bath?

[XstreamVking]

This problem I have happened 5+ yrs years ago? It was new on the market. Lot of guys have used lots of it with no problems. I have to guess I got a bad batch. I know I mixed it properly and it seemed to get hard properly as it was easy to sand. Covered it with 545 epoxy. I have done hundreds of boats over the years and never had a problem. Contacted adtech and got told to pound sand. Just frustrating to do a 3 thousand dollar paint job and have it ruined by a supposed superior product. I can tell you, the sales guy who talked into using it got an ear full.

[TwzteD]

This problem I have happened 5+ yrs years ago? It was new on the market. Lot of guys have used lots of it with no problems. I have to guess I got a bad batch. I know I mixed it properly and it seemed to get hard properly as it was easy to sand. Covered it with 545 epoxy. I have done hundreds of boats over the years and never had a problem. Contacted adtech and got told to pound sand. Just frustrating to do a 3 thousand dollar paint job and have it ruined by a supposed superior product. I can tell you, the sales guy who talked into using it got an ear full.


Yeah that does really suck how long did it take for the blisters to appear? I tried to do a search regarding blisters and p 77 and turned up with nothing so that kind of gives me a little better feeling about using it at least it's not a widespread issue that I can tell at least. The batch that I get is only a month old so it's really brand new hopefully I don't have that issue.

[XstreamVking]

They didn't start appearing for about a year. They have continued to appear since and are now bad. I have opened up a few that are hidden and the adtech seems crumbly and has failed. The primer and paint is still stuck to the top surface of the adtech but the adtech has let go of the gell and glass under it. Primer is adhered well to the whole deck. Really nice Imron paint job with clear over it with a defect everywhere I used the 77. I have pics of the spots I used the 77 and they match up to where the blisters are. Hopefully can just grind out the bad areas, repair and repaint with no more spots appearing. I don't anticipate you having any problems and would not say stop and don't use it. Harden accurately and mix well....

[Gorilla0178]

Every time I see that damn adtech 77 I get a little angry. I have blisters in the finish on my V-King every place I used it. Now i'm facing an adtech 77 removal/repaint job of an otherwise perfect paint job on my deck. Never used it before that, never since. I really hope yours is not a problem. Grrrrrrr....
What happened when you used it? We use it all the time with no prob.

[XstreamVking]

It deteriorated and lost adhesion with the substrate to describe it best.

[Gorilla0178]

It deteriorated and lost adhesion with the substrate to describe it best.
Weird, I don't think ive run into that issue yet. Hope it was a isolated issue

[home made tunnel]

Love this build. You're almost done !!! Exciting! THink you'll run her at least once before the end of boating season? Oh wait - you're a florida man. Nevermind haha.

[TwzteD]

Love this build. You're almost done !!! Exciting! THink you'll run her at least once before the end of boating season? Oh wait - you're a florida man. Nevermind haha.

My goal is in water running by Christmas, working on sanding the cap right now, btw you messaged me about the battery cables on Facebook a while back, never responded back to me haha.

[TwzteD]

So I have a question, I was working on the cap today for a little, the splashwell we redid , the d cell h80 seems to have darkened from a fresh sheet, is this a bad sign or nothing to worry about? It may have gotten wet or been exposed to the sun for a short. Of time it does not feel brittle or crumbly. I'm just wondering that if it got wet will it change colors? Or is it just from being glassed over? Will this hurt adhesion of fresh glass and or fairing compound? I have attached a picture of a fresh cut piece compared to the splash well that was done about four months ago. It's hard to tell if under the glass is the same color or not but the raw edge is definitely darker.


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[XstreamVking]

It is no biggie....Sun and stuff in the air contaminate it. Use it.....

[TwzteD]

It is no biggie....Sun and stuff in the air contaminate it. Use it.....

I dug a piece of it out and it's just surface discoloration, it's normal under the top layer.

[home made tunnel]

My goal is in water running by Christmas, working on sanding the cap right now, btw you messaged me about the battery cables on Facebook a while back, never responded back to me haha.

Oh crap - Did i not get back to you? Must have slipped down the list in my inbox. Sorry bud. I dont think i'm in the market for battery cables anymore, but don't think I did that on purpose lol.

A Xmas dunk would be great! Tell the wife n kid to leave you alone for a couple weeks!

[TwzteD]

Oh crap - Did i not get back to you? Must have slipped down the list in my inbox. Sorry bud. I dont think i'm in the market for battery cables anymore, but don't think I did that on purpose lol.

A Xmas dunk would be great! Tell the wife n kid to leave you alone for a couple weeks!


No worries! Anyway ill be working on the boat today a good amount, been doing two body parts at the gym every day to free up two days for an extra few hours. I got 90% of the cap sanded, looks like there is going to be a lot of work with filling and sanding. if you look into the sun you can see about a million and a half dimples in the front, my guess due to the glass being so thin, Glad we cored it! Ill probably have to drag filler over the whole front and sand and repeat until its close then hope primer fills the rest. On a side note, i got the engine running again, after i took it apart to mod the lower unit it wasn't pumping water. I dropped the LU and reinstalled it, guess i didn't have the key way on the water pump lined up right, ran on the hose last nite for 10 mins, runs like a champ hooked up the water pressure guage to test it 2 psi at idle at trolling speed about 4, and the higher rpm the higher it goes had it to about 12 psi so works well.

[XstreamVking]

You will get a shoulder, traps, bicep, and forearm workout with the fairing process. I look like fn popeye after 30yrs of doing boat work....haha.

[TwzteD]

You will get a shoulder, traps, bicep, and forearm workout with the fairing process. I look like fn popeye after 30yrs of doing boat work....haha.

You're not kidding, sanding the transom started to hurt my back with all the weird angles I was bending for a longer duration of time.

[TwzteD]

More cap work. Added filler today.

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[TwzteD]

I'd say the cap is pretty strong..:D




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[TwzteD]

Almost that time..

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[Gorilla0178]

Oh boy, oh boy........

[TwzteD]

Got the primer down, still work to do filling pinholes and low spots. Gorilla did all the painting so thanks to him the hull don't look like a random assortment of colors. Final paint color will be similar to the primer color.



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[TwzteD]

Few more.



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[Gorilla0178]

Other than pinholes to fix, it looks so good. He's done a ton to make it so nice.

[Baja170]

I love it.... take it out by the road to shoot it. LOL Looking GREAT fellas!!

[Gorilla0178]

Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Luckily he has a couple empty lots around him, so it didn't bother anyone.

[TwzteD]

Faster than taping and bagging my garage. Got a few bugs but it's only primer I wouldn't actually paint it like that I have to figure something else at that point.

[TwzteD]

More pin hole filling..



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[tnelsmn]

More pin hole filling..


Like a teen with zit cream.:p

All joking aside, this has been an amazing build so far! Can't wait to see it completed.

[TwzteD]

Thank you, a 13' Critchfield followed me home today too...

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[Gorilla0178]

Oh boy, more projects..

[Gorilla0178]

Oh boy, more projects..

[TwzteD]

Little glossy wet sanding action .

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[TwzteD]

Got some primer on the cap.



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[Gorilla0178]

Very nice. Now you can see what your working with.

[TwzteD]

Little work on the cap tonight, gets sanded next chance I get.




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[home made tunnel]

Always remember... it's a boat... it bounces off docks, trailers, and fellow raft-up boaters. Paint jobs look great when they roll out of the garage... then it's all downhill haha.
Looks great though.

[TwzteD]

Sanded first coat of primer, filled pinholes and low spots, painted second coat filled a few more pinhole spots and then wet sanded it, came out great, time to finish bottom.

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[home made tunnel]

455487

Is your primer glossy, or did you just get it wet for the picture?
Looking great.

[TwzteD]

Is your primer glossy, or did you just get it wet for the picture?
Looking great.

I wet sanded everything so naturally it's wet lol but I prefer to wet sand so I don't have to always wear a respirator and worry about dust.

[TwzteD]

After the last coat of primer, got all the small stuff filled, wet sanded and got the final coat of primer on this morning. Wet sand once again this week and the plan is to paint the bottom next week. Im tired of looking and sanding primer, time for the real color. Boat will go back on trailer so I can start sanding the inside. and finish the glass work on transom and splash well before it gets primed and painted.

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[Gorilla0178]

Good pics coming.....

[TwzteD]

We got her painted, The bottom atleast, the sides and transom will get a few more coats when top is done.


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[TwzteD]

Flipped and back on trailer, should have it all sanded inside ready for gel coat.

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[Baja170]

NICE!!!!!!!!!! That looks better than new!

[Gorilla0178]

NICE!!!!!!!!!! That looks better than new!

Its way better than new......

[TwzteD]

Getin it done.

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[Gorilla0178]

Lookin good....

[home made tunnel]

Can we call her Cap'n GreyBeard?

[TwzteD]

Can we call her Cap'n GreyBeard?

:nonod: Its name is RipsaW

[TwzteD]

Cap has been tabbed in, transom has been glassed. Glass work is finally done!


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[Gorilla0178]

Yay

[TwzteD]

Got the splashwell and transom all faired out, rolled some primer on thick, got to knock it down flat. Of course got to have S&F backing plates.


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[89LASER]

Looks great. I like the gel on the floor.

[1954bmw]

You did say "rolled some primer on" correct??

[TwzteD]

You did say "rolled some primer on" correct??



Yes I rolled it on in the splashwell/transom saved alot of time from masking everything off.. looks like crap and orange peely, and purposley left runs on the corners to build it up as its easy to burn through on them. A plus is it goes on thicker to fill any imperfections, its easy to block down and most of it comes off anyways, spent 20 mins on it today and its coming along nice.. i started with 120, will hit with 220 then prob 400.


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[Gorilla0178]

Looks sweet.

[TwzteD]

Well she's finally finished, it would have been done last week but I made a big mistake and soaked the boat with the hose when the paint was wet and the whole top needed to be sanded and resprayed... Anyways here's the pics shes finally done, just waiting for paint to cure then start rigging it.



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[nitro_rat]

Looking good, a little small for a smuggler tho...

[TwzteD]

Finished wetsanding buffing and polishing, got some vinyl wrap on the cap, graphics next and rub rail.

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[TwzteD]

Few teaser pics, got a few small things to do and she will be ready for the water, should be 100% complete tomorrow.


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[TwzteD]

Heres a few more added some another decal and the Fl numbers.

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[texasvector]

DUDE!

what a badass build!

[Gorilla0178]

It's done, wait till you see pics, prob the nicest ever. Every detail was thought about.

[TwzteD]

Yep she's done, call it completed, will get some water pics and some videos too. Here she is in all it's glory.
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[TwzteD]

Here's a few shots, boat needs to be setup, but happy for first splash, got 52 at 5300 rpm, got 1000 to gain and plenty of water pressure, needs to come up and the tunnel boat prop has no cupping and its big so that dont help.. ill take it for the first run, need to get used to the boat also find what it likes.


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[TwzteD]

Few more


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[motexas]

Awesome- Thank You for keeping us posted along the build, you should be Very Very proud!!!!!!!

[TwzteD]

Awesome- Thank You for keeping us posted along the build, you should be Very Very proud!!!!!!!

Thanks for checking out the thread, I'm very happy with the way it all came together, better than I expected.

[TwzteD]

Not the best video but it's something from the first run, working on setup now. The fun part.


https://youtu.be/-rulQWTRvcw

[oldschoolltv]

Nice build love the Flag on the transom.

[vnemous]

You've done a great job. Ever see your boats big brother Bullet Boat made by Sharkey. Made them in sport deck and center console like this one. This one is in Stuart.



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[TwzteD]

You've done a great job. Ever see your boats big brother Bullet Boat made by Sharkey. Made them in sport deck and center console like this one. This one is in Stuart.



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Thank you. Yea I seen thoes, nice boats too. They are all pretty cool boats and look good. Seems a few migrated south, probably from transplants like me haha.

[home made tunnel]

Uhhhhh-mayzzzzz-ing results. Did a kick ass job. Can’t wait to see it in some rough water!

[TwzteD]

Uhhhhh-mayzzzzz-ing results. Did a kick ass job. Can’t wait to see it in some rough water!

Thanks man, Mee too!

[89LASER]

Looks great. You built it the way you wanted and it came out awesome. Nice work.

[TwzteD]

Still working on figuring setup out, got a few videos up of it in case you wanted to take a look, still not 100% where i want it but gaining little by little every time i go out.



https://youtu.be/1Wcp1XuYHbw



https://youtu.be/8A4UlGSf-ao

[neoflex5]

Very nice build. ballpark on how much the total project cost you?

Also, maybe a jackplate would help with getting the engine perfectly trimmed?

[TwzteD]

Very nice build. ballpark on how much the total project cost you?

Also, maybe a jackplate would help with getting the engine perfectly trimmed?


Without labor around 10k with engine rigging boat trailer etc, New things to come the formula race was sold, SST60 power to be implemented

[neoflex5]

Let me know if you consider putting it up for sale sometime, I'm in Tampa.