1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

[jc55]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

Well, as an update here's a pick of some of these imperfections in the hull. In this photo, they are filled..


I looked at my fiberglass book again and wouldn't you know, word for word in the caption. Good! I'm on the right track...


Dialing in my Iwata. It's been sooo long since I've done any of this stuff, and I never got particularly good at it. I'm so thankful for the internet.


Got a few coats of the epoxy primer on without a single run, phew! If this were a street rod, never mind...it isn't. This boat is so poorly built from a perfectionists standpoint that I'm hoping to just shoot right over this. There are some light sanding scratches still visible but I think she'll be a nice "5 footer". There are waves, low spots, wavy chine lines, lots of voids(I filled all I could find) in the boat. I'm getting burnt out...



Giving it about 6 hours at 80 degrees and hoping to shoot some color tonight.

 

[zool]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

That came out great jc....theres no reason to get a boat perfect, especially the bottom and sides of a utility boat...its not like its going to barret jackson or something

Save your energy for the cap, which is what you'll be seeing most anyway.

Spraying is like riding a bike, comes right back to you!

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

Looks like you didn't beat it hard enough with the chain to me... looks too pretty.

 

[jc55]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

Thanks fellas! Well, I'm just on cloud nine right now. The color is a little darker than the internet can portray but my wife absolutely nailed(choirs singing) the color choice. I'll put a couple drops in the cap's white paint of this seafoam-ish green when I spray it.

There are waves to the structure of the boat as you can see, but not a single run! A pro painter would have gone a little wetter, but I wanted to play it safe...

This one's a little blurry...





I only went so far up the keel due to the bottom paint...



I am just so excited!!! So I have a couple of questions.

1) I have an iboats drain sleeve, and an installation tool but I am NOT putting in a drain. This boat will have a bilge pump in the rear bilge area that is isolated from the forward area below decks and won't sit outside when not in the water...any opinions? Kind of weird, huh?

2) How does Interlux VC17 bottom paint go on? Is it safe over a 2k urethane, really runny, sets up super fast, etc.? What am I looking at to apply it? I have an Cambell Hausfield siphon gun...

3) I have this generic laser set up to hopefully mark off some lines with 3M fine line tape...is that pretty straight forward? how long to tape Nason fulthane? Nothing useful on the tech sheet. Anyone knowledgeable in taping for boot stripes or boat numbering background in white? Scuff and shoot anytime?

4) When can I cut the heat for paint cure? say, down to 50 degrees?



This all so exciting! I love it when a plan comes together after lots of anxiety, sleepless nights, and prayer!!!

 

[zool]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

Came out great jc, congrats!! Just fogging it to the bottomlike you did is the way to go, scuff the overspray after taping.

Heres some tips on the VC application

Applying VC-17 Bottom Paint | Service and Maintenance Tips | Service

 

[maryhannaj]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

Nice man. Very nice!

 

[jc55]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

Thanks a million Zool, on the article! (What is up with these boat guys always using water in between each step?! lol) Very informative article. I bought some cloth mini rollers today. Hope to paint a boot stripe and number background tomorrow, then bottom paint by Wednesday hopefully.

Thanks MHj, got your stuff ordered yet?

 

[maryhannaj]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

No prob man. No I haven't ordered anything yet. Some other stuff came up that had to be paid for and now Christmas in a few weeks. Probably gonna have to wait. I know I won't be ordering everything at once as I had planned now, so I guess I will just have to peice order it and try to prioritize the best I can.
Your blasting on that boat. You'll be splashed before you know it. Very nice. Time for some pay-off.

 

[jc55]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

Well don't get discouraged my brother. It's just that time of life sometimes. It took me 8 years to build this car, and mostly on credit cards at that and with babies in the house. I started out when I was flat broke in the Navy and moved it 3 times in pieces before driving her in an unfinished state in Washington state below. (since sold) This boat project is probably the first project I've ever had in my life that I may get to finish, Lord willing. Boats are a heck of a lot cheaper than cars!



Wish you lived closer MHj, all people do around here is hunt and watch football and get drunk. Usually at the same time!

 

[maryhannaj]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

Love the car man. I guess I wouldn't fit in at all around there. Not much for watching football and gave up the hunyinb and drinking. Thanks for the words though.

 

[jc55]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

Well, didn't get any sleep last night. Which is normal prior to paint day. The green has been curing at 70 for 36 hours, so I broke out the cheapo laser and laid out the 3M 218 fine line tape to the predetermined/pre-paint measurements. The old lines on the boat were 3/4" off from side to side. I just can't believe that the factory could've been that "non detail oriented" (lazy).

I chose an off or grayish white. Sometimes the white on a freshly painted tu-tone boat looks too plain and a little too white(IMO) and this should bridge the color gap with the gray, Interlux Interdeck non skid that's going on the flat areas of the cap.

After the final coat, I waited 20 minutes and pulled the 3M tape downward and back on itself at a 45 degree angle...Perfect! I couldn't believe it kept such a crisp line. I'll wait until Wednesday to apply the bottom paint which will make this a 1 1/2" wide boot stripe when finished.

Got the call between coats that my shop has been leased for 3 years. I have to be out by January 1st. That's a huge blessing actually, but means that I have to finish the cap...QUICK! and move back to cold storage and build a "bubble".


The bottom of the hull is still just Epoxy primer...

I sure hope I don't screw this up. Any compatibility issues with the Bottom paint going over Lacquer sensitive(for a couple of days anyway) 2K urethane that is still curing?

Was thinking about building an offshore style Bimini T-TOP out of aluminum or stainless for this boat. I have a JD squared tubing bender(that I'm decent with) and a Synchrowave 200 TIG welder(that I don't know how to use very well). I think that a T-top would get a lot of attention, and look BAD as heck. Any opinions?

 

[zool]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

"I sure hope I don't screw this up. Any compatibility issues with the Bottom paint going over Lacquer sensitive(for a couple of days anyway) 2K urethane that is still curing?"

As long as it gassed off, you should be ok with a one part product over a 2k...the other way around (2k over 1 part) can cause more issues as the weakest link would be the tie coat...basically what you have it the epoxy primer as the barrier coat to prevent blistering and for maximum adhesion....the small amount of fogged AU shouldnt cause a problem after 36 hours. Make sure you scuff all the surfaces of primer before putting on the vc17...as you wont get a chemical bond so you need a mechanical one.

Looking good!

 

[maryhannaj]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

Sorry you're gettin moved from your shop man. Even though the bottom line is still just primer, is that the general color scheme? If so, I think it looks good. Especially with the little bit of chrome trim I can see in the pic. As far as the top goes, I just cant picture what you mean. Sorry. Although I will say that with how the polished bilge spout looks against the seafoam color, it looks very good polished and would stick with that as a style for finish anyway. And the color really suits the style and what seems the era of the boat. But that's all just in my opinion. Nice choice!

 

[jc55]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

That makes total sense Zool. You know, I really appreciate your inputs, man. Hey if you don't mind what's your background in paint and projects if I may ask?

MHj, No, the bottom line is a Nason single stage paint. It's just a little "off white, but it's real paint just like the green The whole cap will be this same white, but the gun whales and the rear deck on either side of the outboard will have a gray Interlux non skid like sailboats get. Thanks for the compliments! I was hoping that all the stainless and aluminum on this boat would pop against the green. Kind of going for a mini offshore boat look capable of doing some of my river work. The top should look like those center console offshore boats with the small hard top over the console(if that makes sense?)

 

[zool]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

That makes total sense Zool. You know, I really appreciate your inputs, man. Hey if you don't mind what's your background in paint and projects if I may ask?

Hey JC, I gew up in a Restoration/Collision shop environment....I like the restoration end of the biz as i was always intrigued by tearing things down to the last bolt/screw/clip and refinishing back to new..ive had access to endless tools, supplies, and advice.

Now im a commercial/industrial appraiser, so I frequent Collision shops, Marinas and other repair facilities, to assist in finance, litigation, and ad valorem taxation. With that, I have to keep up on the products and methods used, including the underlying properties of the resins, pigments, and carriers, as well as accessory chemicals involved, as to how they affect the brownfield status of the underlying real estate. Most of these products are not for consumer use but "for professional use only"...yes, my day job is boring, but i get to play around with this stuff on the weekends in my shop

My favorite project back in the day was a complete redo of a 1974 Dodge Rallye Challenger, done in deep burgundy laquer with black interior, AR wheels, and those cool Goodyear Wingfoots of the day....that was the Beauty...and My buds 71 440 Dodge Charger in gun metal grey.....that was the beast!

Looking forward to your finished project.....

 

[jc55]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

Thanks for sharing your background Zool. Pretty cool to not only have the restoration experience but to also see, hear, and I'm sure sometimes get all the latest products and techniques. That must be a tricky job to place values on things that fall into those "gray areas." I know that watching the pros at work gets the mind reverse engineering better ways, and incorporating those things into our own projects. Cool cars too. My dad made the tape stripes for those cars, supplying Year One for a good many years.

So, sanded everything with 400 grit. Since VC is solvent based, not hardener based, They say you can shake her up and pour out what you need. Keeping the unused for up to a year. I bought 3 quarts from iboats...ooops! but only used one. FYI, green 3M tape WILL NOT hold this stuff back. (Not with the boat upside down anyways ) Must use a fineline first then green up to it...


Shot my number background today while potsing around the shop. I didn't really plan. Did a 3" tall strip for 2" tall letters using a template.


Everything came out pretty good. I think I doubled the salvage value of the boat with all that copper. Maybe they'll leave the wiring alone and just take this hull. This should turn blue when it hits the water.



Getting some help to flip the hull tomorrow. Hoping we can get her flipped back around without any damage.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

Boat looks sharp as a tack jc!

 

[jc55]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

Thanks Jigngrub...still lots more to go. Gotta get all my paint and glass work done by the end of the month, then go find another boat that I'll actually put in the water, LOL! Where's that chain?

 

[maryhannaj]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

Looks great man. Be careful flipping her. But I guess I didn't even need to mention that.

 

[jc55]

Re: 1968 Sportcraft C-Gull work boat project

Thanks man, got her flipped safely today.