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View Full Version : 17' Boston Whaler "Blown bottom" project



AlaskaStreamin
06-13-2003, 12:58 PM
I was given this 17' Whaler last week. 15' & 17' Whalers are very popular up here. I have two people that want it when it's done and will pay $4,000.00 for just the hull. I decided to take pictures and post to show how easy this "junk pile boat" will be to repair and make a nice profit to boot!!.

I REALLY want this one done and sold in two weeks.I'll be spending 2-3 hours per evening on this project.
A few bad repairs by the owner came off and the water pressure tore out what you can see here and delaminated the other side about the same area that's missing plus the whole keel area. I drilled 25 holes and syringed in 10 pints of foaming polyurethane glue (Gorilla glue type). After that I bought some
empty caulking tubes and pumped in 1 1/2 gallons of West Systems epoxy through
the holes to fill the voids the glue didn't fill. I had to make some saw cuts in a couple
areas to get the fiberglass to "relax" as it was bulged slightly. These pictures were
taken after two evenings work. You can see the glue and epoxy where it oozed out
of the delaminated areas. Tonight I'll spray foam the voids and over the weekend
shape the foam and bevel back the edges of the repair area and start laying it back
up. I think I'll add a pad to the last 4' to see if it helps lift and stabilize the hull. More to come.

AlaskaStreamin
06-13-2003, 01:00 PM
#2

AlaskaStreamin
06-13-2003, 01:01 PM
#3

AlaskaStreamin
06-13-2003, 01:03 PM
#4 This is where the delamination started.

AlaskaStreamin
06-13-2003, 01:07 PM
#5 This is the front corner where the rubrail attaches. Like the snazzy paint job?? Thank goodness 90% of it is flaked off. A putty knife scrapes it off easily. See the old repairs?? Nasty!!! The surface wasn't ground so the old patches just peel off with a putty knife. Saves on grinding!!

Reese
06-13-2003, 01:17 PM
maybe you'll be alot better at estimating time to complete projects than I am...if I think 2-3 hrs per day for two weeks is enough I just multiply by 2 and I start getting close...:D

AlaskaStreamin
06-13-2003, 01:37 PM
Well Reese, you're a fellow "glass man" and I DO know how prodjects run "over". I do several Whaler jobs per year and am pretty good (and fast) at putting these back together. I'll get photo's on Monday to show what was done over the weekend.

BTW, I will be foaming over the epoxy "drizzles" so the resin won't be on top (which we all know is a "no-no")

I layed these decks up in 4 hours. (The first one took 6 hours) The more you do ,... the faster you get. :D

175checkmate
06-14-2003, 07:58 AM
Very nice, more project than I would have taken on, lots of damage. The funny part is that the whaler's are tough boats. Thats alot of damage. Carless drive I would guess.

AlaskaStreamin
06-14-2003, 10:30 PM
Put in 4 hours today. Got it layed up!! I used a combination of resin, chopped glass, milled fibers, cabosil, and microballoons to make a putty. I spread this over the exposed foam to bring it up to the level of the underside of the boats origional fiberglass. I then laid two layers of mat, a cloth and two more layers of mat. I got the front corner foamed and puttied and will lay it up Monday. Tomorrow is family day (Sunday) so I HAVE to take the day off. More to come..................

AlaskaStreamin
06-14-2003, 10:38 PM
On the picture above you can see a piece of stainless I screwed to each end of the damaged outer sponson right at the ridge. By squishing the putty up to the edge then removing it, you create a straight edge to work off of. I did this to the lifting strake corner as well. This saved time on "eyeballing" and having to spend more time sanding.

AlaskaStreamin
06-14-2003, 10:44 PM
Another angle

AlaskaStreamin
06-14-2003, 10:48 PM
Here's the front corner foamed and puttied.

AlaskaStreamin
06-16-2003, 10:48 AM
Here's the tools I used on this lay-up.

AlaskaStreamin
06-16-2003, 10:50 AM
Corner glassed

AlaskaStreamin
06-16-2003, 11:00 AM
I took a few minutes and laid up a wear strip down the keel and out to the edges of the lifting strakes. (great place to cut a clean edge) I used two layers of mat, a woven roving, and a double bias. These Whalers take 4 wheelers to logging roads on nearby islands. The beaches are sharp rocks and a wear strip is a must.

Karl817
06-16-2003, 05:32 PM
Thanks for putting this up - it's real interesting to me.

jamoore
06-17-2003, 03:46 PM
Would have never thought of taking on such a project and you make it all look so easy. Great job and great pictures. Thanks for taking the time to share.

Joey

AlaskaStreamin
06-19-2003, 01:27 PM
I've spent the last three days spreading putty and sanding. Got the whole bottom straight then sprayed gelcoat. I then did my last skim coat of putty to fill in some minor pinholes and sanding scratches. Tonight I'll do my final sanding and if time allows, spray the final color.

AlaskaStreamin
06-19-2003, 01:28 PM
front corner

Reese
06-19-2003, 01:57 PM
the fiberglass forum has never seen a boat bottom that couldn't use a pad...now get back there and design something damn-it!!!

I'm thinking an 8" pad with a 10" notch should be just about right...:D

Nice work...

AlaskaStreamin
06-19-2003, 02:23 PM
Damn you Reese!:D You would be the only one that would notice it not there. The outer sponsons weren't deep enough to stabilize the hull and the new owner is going to use it as a utility boat with uneven loads. I thought a pad could have ill handling effects. PLUS I'm REALLY getting burnt out. Geez!!! Go figure!!! Decided to play it safe and keep it stock. I'll still have it done by next Tues.

Scream And Fly
06-20-2003, 01:34 AM
Really interesting thread Ron, keep the posts (and pics) coming!

Greg

AlaskaStreamin
06-21-2003, 07:32 PM
Here it is all done!! Got it sprayed Friday evening. This morning I put in the bow eye and decals. Monday I'll flip it back over and put the new rubrail on. The new owner (and good friend) will have a 115 Yamaha on it. I'll post pictures when it's fully rigged. (about 10 days away)

AlaskaStreamin
06-21-2003, 07:35 PM
I'm glad this thread hepled some people understand the (mystery) of fiberglassing.

AlaskaStreamin
06-21-2003, 07:37 PM
The corner.

ShipBear
06-22-2003, 03:54 PM
If that hull was rebuildable, ANY hull can be saved..!!!!!!
What a job..!! Makes the work I need to do to my hulls, look like a piece of cake..

Thanks for the Info.. Later Larry

AlaskaStreamin
07-25-2003, 10:35 AM
Well, like I promised, FINALLY here's the rigged boat. I sprayed the inside after repairing some "blow through" area's. The boat has been used heavily and there is dried seaweed and fish blood all over it (It's not chipped paint).

AlaskaStreamin
07-25-2003, 10:36 AM
Last one.

baja200merk
03-19-2004, 09:01 PM
:eek:

cvx20
03-25-2004, 12:19 AM
AlaskaStreamin'

I am a novice with the "glass" so I was wondering why so many different types of fillers and what ratio you add them.

"I used a combination of resin, chopped glass, milled fibers, cabosil, and microballoons to make a putty."

Anyways You Kicked ass on that Whaler! Thanks for sharing your experience!
Later JJB

AlaskaStreamin
03-25-2004, 12:44 AM
CVX20,
I used that combo because it's what I had on hand. Microballoons roll too much and chopped glass isn't much better on verticle surfaces. The cabosil is harder to sand but is strong and the fibers (like cotton balls) add stiffness yet sand easily.