1983 Vking rebuild

[OnPad]

Good job, you'll be up and ripping in no time!

I agree, doing the layup is alot more enjoyable vs grinding/sanding.

My boat, where the control box mounted, looked like your dash. Makes a guy wonder, how many engines some of these old boats have had on them?

[tnelsmn]

I was initially planning to seal everything under my floors planning on no water ever getting in, it never needs a way out. But what I was missing at the time was thinking of condensation. Water or at the least condensation is going to be under there, give it a way out and air a way in.

[VkingMike]

A little more work done last night. Like most things on this build, it was the first time I've used gelcoat. But I am happy with the results after just brushing it on in a thick coat and going back over it with light strokes. Next I'll be drilling a few holes for drainage and venting and the floor will go in.

I've made my small floor piece for up front, but I have a question. It's about 18"x 20" With something small like this, is it necessary to tab it in and then go over it with a full piece or can a full piece just be laid over it and call it good? Probably just me over thinking it, but I am always curious.

[LakeFever]

It’s probably fine with one piece but I did at least two ties to everything because I don’t have any prior experience to reference over time of use and I tend to overdo things. I’m sure I could have stripped a few gallons worth of resin out of my build and ended up with a perfectly fine job but my goals are more long term durability over lightweight top speed. I’ll gladly give up a few mph to have a hull that’s going to take a pounding and not complain

[VkingMike]

Well guys, I learned a valuable lesson last night. I walked away from a fresh lay with heat lamps on. Less than 10 minutes away and one must have tipped over. I have already cut the section out and repaired it with new core and glass this morning, but this could have been so much worse.

[LakeFever]

Wow! That’s a scary incident

[rjdubiel]

You are in FL and need heat lamps? Damn. I leave tomorrow for the Tampa side, I was thinking it was going to be warmer down there! Haha. Very lucky. But that glass work looks good!

[VkingMike]

I was trying to combat humidity lol...However, we are looking at mid 30's over night.

[VkingMike]

Dash holes plugged, fiber glassed over and new panel cut. Then did the new gauge layup using some existing holes. Moved the steering to the center like I wanted as well. Then started cutting the floor piece and glassing the underside. Should be able to get the floor tabbed in this week. Using one sheet of glass is almost too much to lay at one time, but it worked out.

[VkingMike]

More spam for your viewing pleasure.

I took the pieces I trimmed off the sides of the floor material and glassed them down on both sides. I purposely made the stringers about 1/2 higher, so these will level the floor out. I wanted the floor to be up higher than it previously was for a few reasons, mostly for looks and the way it flows into the sides. Glassed over those strips and while everything was still wet mixed up some resin/cabosil/chopped glass and layed the floor piece in. Luckily my buddy is a painting contractor and there is plenty of "weight" laying around.

I did make a bit of a mess on my nice gelcoat, but its hard not to drip resin when you're doing layups. But its under the floor, so oh well.

[XstreamVking]

Did you figure out the fuel tank placement yet? Just remembered you had mentioned dual tanks.

[VkingMike]

Did you figure out the fuel tank placement yet? Just remembered you had mentioned dual tanks.

I'm going to revisit that once I have my seats mounted. See how much room I have, just trying to center the weight as best I can.

[VkingMike]

Used some parchment paper and laid this piece out of 1708 for the first section of the splashwell. Added some Coosa cross pieces on for a bit of support as well. Ideally I'll want this strong enough to walk on. I'll be trimming this to fit, then doing some molding and a few more layer of 1708 over it and down the transom to tie everything together.

[VkingMike]

Floor glassed in. I ran out of vinyl ester and just picked up some poly for the floor lay. But damn, poly sets up WAY faster. I was used to the long pot and cure times of the vinyl and almost got myself into some trouble. Next are some seat boxes, pedal mounting and shifter placement. I am going with a floor mounted shifter next to the drivers seat.

[VkingMike]

it's not perfect, but I'm happy with how the gelcoat turned out. This was poured out and brushed.

I chose to build more of a tunnel for my seat mounts, so I can get my hand under and nut and bolt my seats