'82 Bomber backyard rebuild

[Sea Stomper]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

I certainly would keep it. I fish a 15 foot 70's Orrion tri hull in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, and I'm keeping it for sure. Next season will by my 6th year fishing it in the Pacific. I did the transom and stringer and deck thing to it last winter. This winter it will be a little hard top and windshield replacment. Nice little boat you have there.

Don't let it scare you. Thinking about it is much much worse than actually doing it. Fix one thing at a time after you rip up the deck. Cheap tools can be had at Harbor Freight. Deal with the transom, and then the stringers and whatever. One thing at a time, work one problem at a time and if you keep it up, you will soon be in a new boat that feels like a new boat and it will be totally on the opposite side of bumming you out. It will be a very warm fuzzy feeling. You can't easily buy a different boat of this vintage without all the same problems being there, so you might as well fix this one up and end up with something much better than you can buy.

I actually got away without bracing mine but it didn't make getting the cap back on any easier. Seems like the demolition was the worst part of it. I used an air compressor and a 90 degree die grinder with small Scotch Roloc 36 grit disks to grind and shape things. It worked way better than the Harbor Freight 90 degree hand grinder setup. The 36 grit roloc disks on the 90 degree die grinder last forever relatively. I'll post that restore job soon after I have the hard top mod done or in progress. Have fun!

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

I certainly would keep it. I fish a 15 foot 70's Orrion tri hull in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, and I'm keeping it for sure. Next season will by my 6th year fishing it in the Pacific. I did the transom and stringer and deck thing to it last winter. This winter it will be a little hard top and windshield replacment. Nice little boat you have there.

Don't let it scare you. Thinking about it is much much worse than actually doing it. Fix one thing at a time after you rip up the deck. Cheap tools can be had at Harbor Freight. Deal with the transom, and then the stringers and whatever. One thing at a time, work one problem at a time and if you keep it up, you will soon be in a new boat that feels like a new boat and it will be totally on the opposite side of bumming you out. It will be a very warm fuzzy feeling. You can't easily buy a different boat of this vintage without all the same problems being there, so you might as well fix this one up and end up with something much better than you can buy.

I actually got away without bracing mine but it didn't make getting the cap back on any easier. Seems like the demolition was the worst part of it. I used an air compressor and a 90 degree die grinder with small Scotch Roloc 36 grit disks to grind and shape things. It worked way better than the Harbor Freight 90 degree hand grinder setup. The 36 grit roloc disks on the 90 degree die grinder last forever relatively. I'll post that restore job soon after I have the hard top mod done or in progress. Have fun!

Thanks man. I'm gonna gut it out (pun intended) and start demo pretty soon. I really appreciate the encouragement. Mine's a 15' as well and is surprisingly seaworthy. Like I said in my first post, I really like the design and can't possibly afford a later vintage boat.

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Got a bit more done today.

Here's a shot of the bilge area...you can see some heavy roving here on the hull interior and bulkhead (at the top of the photo). So maybe there's a decent glass foundation to work with after all....We'll see.

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

My wife took the tow vehicle to work today, so moving this hunk around in mulch was no fun at all. Wedge a tire, pull right, wedge the other, pull left, etc....and getting the cap off was no easy feat on one's own.

I'm certainly going to sleep well tonight.

Oh, yeah, and if anyone has input on the foam situation, I'm all about it. Basically, will the hull be strong enough without it? Many thanks.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Never done a foam core, so... I went surfin and found this. It has some good info and might help you. http://boatbuildercentral.com/howto/foam6.php#.UH9IvG_A-3A
From what I read and understand It's not to bad a job and I presume you can buy the foam core material somewher to patch in any bad or water soaked areas. I'm sure one of the pro's will come along that have had experience with these types hulls and give you the info you need.

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Never done a foam core, so... I went surfin and found this. It has some good info and might help you. http://boatbuildercentral.com/howto/foam6.php#.UH9IvG_A-3A
From what I read and understand It's not to bad a job and I presume you can buy the foam core material somewher to patch in any bad or water soaked areas. I'm sure one of the pro's will come along that have had experience with these types hulls and give you the info you need.

Thanks for the link. I'm just going to see what I find as I progress with the demo. Most of the stuff above the deck is dry, so it may in fact be salvageable. I'll keep the updates coming and do some more research. Continuouswave probably has some relevant info I'd guess.

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Got home from work just before dark, so I decided to take a peek under the rotted deck...after pulling up nasty carpet and the other fine work of one of the PO's....disintegrating particle board.

Ready for a ride...

This thing seems to be a good foam remover (the edger, not the PBR):

The flat 2x4 is the keel, the 2x6 to the right is the starboard stringer. It's actually solid here (hahaha...I know, a total pipe dream).

Actually a pretty nice glass job (port stringer from starboard side):

From the bow...I can't believe how much water I was pulling around. The boat is at a 30? + angle, and it's just sitting:

I'm pretty relieved. I knew there were stringers, as I could feel them through the bilge cutout, but this confirms that this is a pretty traditional glass hull. The foam core stuff stops at the deck, and I'll just leave most of it, removing what I need to for tabbing the deck and transom in.

I'll be getting a lot deeper into this over the next week. Cheers gentlemen.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

GREAT NEWS. She should be a pretty standard rebuild. Keep on Keepin on!!!!

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

I'd like to solicit some advice on hull reinforcement. Now that I know that the lower portion of the hull is a traditional stringer support system, I'd like to remove all the old foam. I think it might make the project a bit tidier to just get back to fresh ground glass everywhere instead of working around all this old junk.

What I know: I'll have to brace the hull prior to any work involving removal of structural elements, which, in this boat's case, includes some sandwich core foam. I'm thinking of clamping three cross-members across the beam...one set of braces at the transom once it's out and then two more sets spanning the gunwales, clamped well to hopefully eliminate flexing.

My question is one of materials. I'll be using poly resin, and I'm wondering what the most cost effective way to build up the hull interior would be...biaxial cloth? Roving? Weight is obviously a concern as well, but I know I can't have it all (cost, strength, weight).

The hull is pretty thin where this core stuff is, maybe 1/8". What's a good standard thickness that I should shoot for? Any input is welcome...I'm obviously still in the planning phase regarding materials, but I'd like to get a dollar amount in my head soon. Thanks a lot.

EDIT: I was just reading some posts in the "layup schedule" thread, and it sounds like alternating layers of csm and 1708 is the way to go...is this correct? Would two layers of each be about right? Just to clarify, I think I'll be doing this prior to replacing the stringers and transom, then flipping to repair exterior gouges and paint the exterior while it's still relatively light. Thanks again.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Unless the glass is really bad 1/8" is ok. If you want to beef it up a bit more then a layer of 1.5oz CSM and a layer of 1708 should be more than adequate. Extra 3-4 gallons of resin will be required. The first link in my signature has drawings and details on glassing decks, transoms and stringers.

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Unless the glass is really bad 1/8" is ok. If you want to beef it up a bit more then a layer of 1.5oz CSM and a layer of 1708 should be more than adequate. Extra 3-4 gallons of resin will be required. The first link in my signature has drawings and details on glassing decks, transoms and stringers.

That's great to hear. I guess fiberglass is a lot stronger than I'd assumed, and the stuff I was worried about is in good shape. Many thanks. Those drawings are great and will be a tremendous help when I get to that stage. My hope is to get all the grinding done, repair the two breaches from the interior, flip the hull and finish the repairs from the outside...I'll be lucky to get this done before the temps are too low for glassing. Paint will have to wait for springtime, I believe, but the braced, inverted hull should be fine through the winter...where I can gaze longingly at it.

 

[sphelps]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Thats good news on the hull foam .. Now the fun itchy stuff starts ! Make sure you got some good ppe before you start grinding ..
Have fun ! SP..

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Thats good news on the hull foam .. Now the fun itchy stuff starts ! Make sure you got some good ppe before you start grinding ..
Have fun ! SP..

Thanks! Tyvek is ordered and I just got new respirator cartridges.

My work schedule is kind of abnormal, but I should be able to get a lot of boat-work in early next week. Pics will follow. Thanks for the help and kind words of encouragement, guys!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Remember to Baby powder the heck out of yourself prior to suiting up, really helps keep the itch off. Rubber band the cuffs and Ankles of the tyvek. If you can SMELL anything, time to change the filters on the respirator. SAFETY #1!!!!

 

[saginawbayboater]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

That is a cool boat!! Well worth the effort. Permission to come aboard and watch your build.

Your doing a great job chemicalwire!!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Is it just me, or does it look like you "HUNG" your dog from that tree??? His eyes seem like he's not to happy about it!!!

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Is it just me, or does it look like you "HUNG" your dog from that tree??? His eyes seem like he's not to happy about it!!!

Yeah, I hadn't noticed that...kind of creepy. Rest assured she's alive and well, and loving the new obstacle course in the yard.

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

That is a cool boat!! Well worth the effort. Permission to come aboard and watch your build.

Your doing a great job chemicalwire!!

Thanks brother. I've been checking out your thread as well...we have a few things in common, boat-wise.

I'll post some pics of my stringer core samples tomorrow and the deck removal. Hoping for but not expecting a miracle with the stringers...they are in a lot of glass and feel solid, though, so we'll see.

Hope we get to see each other launch as early as possible in '13. Cheers.

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

BTW, could you guys recommend a tool for deck removal? I was going to use a standard circular saw, but that will obviously leave a pretty big lip. Should I do that and then use a cutting wheel to get the rest out?

 

[mark1961]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

A circular saw will work as good as just about anything else.....set the cutting depth to just cut through the deck and no more......taking particular care cutting around the foredeck sections. You shouldnt leave too much of a lip (maybe 2 to 3inches) if you work with the blade side of the saw facing the sides of the hull....the lip should remain for awhile as a reference for finished stringer/deck height when you reach the rebuild stage.