Hi guys

          As i work through this rebuild i will post pics and give you info on what i am doing and why. Some things i wil not share though as it has taken me 15 years to get this  knowledge and the laminate materials i use in certain areas though i will write down other fibreglass mat to go in their place.

          So cut the floor out this weekend which is 12 mm ply with a layer of chopstrand mat over the top and extra layers over the edges rein coated on the bottom you need a 4 inch grinder with thin metal cutting disc,pinch bar ,hammer and chisel cut down the chine where the the floor meets the hull just pierce the fibreglass press to hard you will cut through the hull it is easy done.Cut across the trany and front then down along the inside stinger where it meets the floor once complete leaver up from one of the inside corners and pull up the floor once this is done you are ready for prep work.Cut out the side pockets same principle place the blade against the hull side and apply light preassure there will be avoid where the timber meets the slice all the way then bash out with a hammer. 

          This hull has a monocoque box beam stringer system the stringer system performs the duty of preventing the bottom running surface from deforming and creating stress that would destroy the structual integrity of the hull if this was to be rotten some boats use ply encapsulated strigers and are usually rotten after 10 years depending how well built and looked after.This can usually be found by deformed running surface stress cracks in the hull and by tapping stringers for soft spots.Glass stringers can be prone to splitting and delaminating from the hull this is where proper use of materials comes in to play . 

         To grind the boat out i use 24 grit sanding discs  you can use a 8 inch machine for open spaces 4 inch for tight areas this is messy make sure you have appropriate safety gear dust mask,earplugs,safety glasses ,disposable overalls and most people will find this quite itchy work at the end of the day so hot shower opens the poures in the skin not cold then talcom powder your self.

         This whole procedure took me 5 hours cut floors out 1 bulkhead,sidepockets and full sand down of stringers side walls and trany now this is a 18 foot runabout  i would normally allow 7 for this and obvisouly if we had to do front cabin another hour for v berth top if stringers were to be cut out that would be around 6 hours and a trany another 8 so that is a labour estimate i am pretty fussy on my grinding i like to have a clean preped surface for the rebuild next stage will be changing the drainage system as this boat had around 15l under the floors then mark out floors bog and glass them here are the pics for stage 1.

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