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bbezok
01-24-2022, 07:59 AM
Had some time this weekend so I did a little poking into what's ahead and wasn't at all surprised, what's left was so wet it was actually frozen. Been looking at lots of pictures of restorations and it seems like everyone cuts out the well to get to the transom or to remove the top half. Is it impossible to split the boat in half and leave the topside completely intact?




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VkingMike
01-24-2022, 08:04 AM
Very similar scheme as my Vking, great looking boat!

I cut my splashwell out since someone had already done it that way before me. I know it's is absolutely possible to split the boat and keep in all original, but I'll let the guys that have done it that way get into more detail. I do know it is a lot more work and requires a hull jig to keep everything in line.

bbezok
01-24-2022, 08:12 AM
I've been following your build, you're doing a great job. I've also watched Tony's build several times, he made it look easy but I know it wasn't. I do plan on building a jig for it but after I lighten it up a bit with all the wet soggy floor removed.

LakeFever
01-24-2022, 08:27 AM
Wet is bad, wet and frozen is really bad. I’ve seen transoms swell out over and inch when frozen which is going to delaminate much worse than simply wet does. This is also an issue with foam core if water gets in and under then freezes? It’s not going to be any safer than rotted balsa. The jig isn’t that hard to make I used a nice compass and a bent tip to follow the hull to the wood after rough shaping it in by eye. Did that twice for each rib and it got close. When I set the hull in to work on it I laid pre mix fiberglass ( Bondo type stuff ) on each rib that had slight clearance, placed parchment paper over it and set the hull down and then it was very well supported. I used a cross line laser and measure down the strakes every 12” and compared side/side to true it up first using tapered shims underneath.

It’s a lot of work to restore one but it is a lot of fun. The grinding part not so much lol

VkingMike
01-24-2022, 08:31 AM
The grinding part not so much lol

This for sure lol

bbezok
01-24-2022, 08:39 AM
That's why I plan on splitting it in half, want to leave nothing to chance. Restored a car years back, took every single piece, nut and bolt off then had the entire body soda blasted back to bare steel. Been over 15 years now and still looks like the day it was finished. Figure to do the same with this build, when I can't go backward any more, I'll start moving forward.

VkingMike
01-24-2022, 08:47 AM
That really is the best way. Do it right, do it once.

I joking said to my buddy who has been watching me rip this boat apart. "I'd have almost rather this been all original and rotted, rather than someone else half way rebuild this thing"

bbezok
01-24-2022, 08:52 AM
Absolutely, when you're done, you'll know exactly what you have and it will be well documented for the next owner should you decide to sell it one day.

tnelsmn
01-24-2022, 02:46 PM
That really is the best way. Do it right, do it once.

I joking said to my buddy who has been watching me rip this boat apart. "I'd have almost rather this been all original and rotted, rather than someone else half way rebuild this thing"

Thats by far the best way to start a build of one of these.

It can be done to save the deck when splitting but it's a lot of work. Since mine had been apart once I had to do some cutting in the splah well. That also saves any hassle with transom thickness when it goes back together too.

Zammit_Racing
01-24-2022, 05:40 PM
Yea 100% spilt the deck off! right way to do it, I don’t regret splitting mine at all takes a bit of time but it’s all worth it and makes things was easier to get at.

Hydrostream Voodoo Rebuild/Restoration
Instagram: http://instagram.com/zammit_racing/
Rebuild: https://www.screamandfly.com/showthread.php?361065-Hydrostream-voodoo-rebuild-restoration
Videos: https://youtube.com/channel/UCGy7j7CoScBfMiWNNYzgruA

bbezok
01-25-2022, 07:11 AM
I see you got the deck off in one piece, how difficult was the front portion of the motor well that the upper motor mount bolts go through? Were you able to get up inside there from under the well to free it from the rotted transom wood? That's the part of mine that appears to be the most challenging part without cutting the well out from above.

tnelsmn
01-25-2022, 01:17 PM
I cut that section out on mine, but I knew ahead of time I was re spraying all the gel.

bbezok
01-25-2022, 01:22 PM
The Gel is in such good shape, I'm going to try and preserve it....may turn out to regret it, but nothing ventured.......

Zammit_Racing
01-25-2022, 04:58 PM
I didn’t even try to cut back there. After I was done cutting around the boat I picked it up from the front and rocked it side to side as it slowed pealed off the back of the transom, my splash well is a bit different then yours the voodoo’s splash well is part of the top deck the fiberglass is thick on it, it’s meant to support the transom since it’s so small.
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Hydrostream Voodoo Rebuild/Restoration
Instagram: http://instagram.com/zammit_racing/
Rebuild: https://www.screamandfly.com/showthread.php?361065-Hydrostream-voodoo-rebuild-restoration
Videos: https://youtube.com/channel/UCGy7j7CoScBfMiWNNYzgruA

bbezok
03-14-2022, 06:28 AM
Got back into the Viper this weekend, I'll bet I have taken over 150lbs of wet plywood and core out of this thing and I'm not close to done yet. By the way it seems, I'll bet this thing was water logged by year 3 or 4 of it's life. 502272502273502274502275502276502277

bbezok
03-14-2022, 06:32 AM
502278502279In these pictures, the core went under the hump in the transom that holds the drain plug. Can someone tell me it this is just plywood built out for the drain? Or what's under it before i cut it out?

VkingMike
03-14-2022, 08:12 AM
That should be a chunk of marine plywood

tnelsmn
03-15-2022, 06:52 PM
Yeah its just a chunk of wood. Cut it out and replace.

bbezok
03-21-2022, 09:04 AM
Have another question, my windshield is cracked in two places. The frame is perfect, no bends or bangs in it. I removed the entire unit from the hull and tugged on it a few times but can't seem to figure out how to get the Plexiglas out of the aluminum frame? I don't see any screws or rivets anywhere but it appears to be in there pretty solidly and last thing I want to do is damage something trying to get it out. Anyone know of a procedure or trick to remove it?

tnelsmn
03-23-2022, 03:19 PM
There's holes along the top of the windshield. There are little clips inside the frame that snap into those holes. If you look close from the underside you should be able to see them, you should be able to get in-between the frame and Plexiglas with a thin putty knife or something and release the clips. You'll have to do the front and back side at the same time. They're spring loaded and kinda a pain. Good luck.

bbezok
02-26-2024, 07:21 AM
530212So I got around to building a jig this weekend to support the hull before I dig deeper into it. My question is the Hook, should I shim it where it doesn't contact the flat support I have under it?

LakeFever
02-26-2024, 07:55 AM
If you want to keep the hook i would support it before layup begins. A fast easy way to do this is smear bondo over the cradle and place parchment paper over it then set the hull down onto it. Make sure the hull contacts all the places it currently sits by making marks etc

bbezok
02-26-2024, 07:59 AM
now that makes sense, thanks for the input!

bbezok
03-13-2024, 06:30 AM
530792530793 Did a little probing in the transom from under the splash well, cut the small square out first and there was quite the void so went bigger and can't believe it's just missing.

bbezok
03-13-2024, 06:58 AM
530794 Reading other builds, everyone mentions how bad the grinding is, don't see much about what a pain it is removing the float boxes.....

BrononC
03-15-2024, 06:13 PM
Yeah float boxes were a pain! But you will forget about them once you start grinding!