Avenger Bass Boat Restoration

[88evinrude]

I'd recommend foam if it were my boat. It adds some structural strength and it can save the day if you knock a hole in the hull.

 

[Pusher]

I went no foam and really glad I did. I didn't finish sealing a seam in the floors and had to pump 26 gallons out after winter thaw. I now have six fuel caps in the floor over each of the stringer bays directly behind the captain seats. They're conveniently larger than the shop vacuum hose.

I really do believe if your boat is going down you will absolutely want the foam. Being on the green side of the pasture, I don't want to put a substance in my boat that will retain moisture. As the volunteer coast guard rep put it at the sportsman's show the other weekend, aluminum boats don't have foam, and the larger boats don't have it.

This site kind of opened my eyes to the value of foam though.

I think if I chose to go with foam I'd put an 8" access panel in the aft deck and have clear access to the floor so I could suck water up or let it breath in the summer. You could also upsize to a 10" access panel if the edges of your deck became rotten and compromised.

I don't know if that helps any, but at least you know that you're not the only one torn about the whole foam thing.

 

[gm280]

To foam or not to foam, that is the question. And that question has been hashed over on these forums again and again. Seems everybody wants the structural support and of course the flotation capability, but we all try to think of clever ways to do it without the foam soaking up any water. And so many interesting ideas emerge only to be shot down with trying to see if it would work as thought. I know I did for a long time.

But with that stated. close cell foam does work nicely. And even if the foam were to "soak up water", it would take many many many years for that to happen, if at all. I chose to go with the mix and pour foam because it does offer a lot of structural support to the hull and also deadens sound as well. But like others, I made a lot of water-tight compartments. Even if one of them did breach and leak the others would be okay. So that was my decision and I am sticking to it...well...because it is already covered over and sealed now.

If the foam saved even one life, it is certainly worth it in my opinion. JMHO

 

[reekhavuk]

Gm280, you mean like a bunch of mini bulkheads every so often in the stringer channels? I guess thats not a bad idea, would isolate any problems instead of letting the water run about.... worth thinking about.

 

[gm280]

Gm280, you mean like a bunch of mini bulkheads every so often in the stringer channels? I guess thats not a bad idea, would isolate any problems instead of letting the water run about.... worth thinking about.

reek, there are so many ideas as to how you can combat water intrusion and honestly, I don't know if any of them actually work. I did use the mix and port foam myself, but in compartments only on the sides of the main channel in the boat. The center is wide open to allow water to get out to the bilge pump area and then the bilge pump does its thing. Is that the best way? Who knows, but that is the way I did mine. I have even seen a few use Lowe's closed cell sheet foam cut to fit into areas. And that looks like a good idea as well. Because it does allow those areas to drain if water get in there. But so many conflicting ideas, I just picked one and went with it. There are pluses and minuses about every idea. JMHO

 

[Pusher]

I liked the one where they used the mcdonalds ball pit balls. .. but that would make heck a noise!!!

 

[reekhavuk]

Check this out. I went to my local hardware store and was looking at the paints talking to the owner and he said he had a pile of 2 part polyurethane paint in his back warehouse that he needed to have someone dispose of. We went look at the cans they were a bit rusty we popped the lids and checked them out and they still good =) =). Put down a quart before dark in the bottom of the boat. I like how the paint fills in the fiberglass grids / voids, it might be overkill it might not, i dont know but its making making everything nice and smooth and feels like its super water tight now. Will post pics soon. What do ya think?

Here is the paint that was free =)

http://www.devoesuperstore.com/inde...roducts_id=3&zenid=fm15easso7vlf0m54qfv7o0be2

 

[Pusher]

If it's the same polyurethane as the stuff we used on airplanes make sure you let it dry a couple days before handling or at least testing. It can also peel/tear off easily the first couple days so be careful pulling tapes.

I really like the stuff. It gives a nice glassy look doesn't it

 

[reekhavuk]

It rains almost every day here when im off, really irritating. Running a thick slope of PB around the floor perimeter and I ran out of resin. Again. 15 Gallons in so far. I overkill everything with PB but I dont want water getting into the end grains and it makes me feel better knowing they are covered with PB and then glassed over.

 

[sphelps]

Did you seal the underside of the plywood before it went down ?

 

[reekhavuk]

ya it has CSM on the bottom side and i soaked it heavy and let it kick before putting the CSM

 

[sphelps]

Good deal !

 

[reekhavuk]

Im thinking about ripping some 1" material and glass it in here, then sit the new deck ply on top of that new "ledge". Im going all the way around the perimeter with it from the bow to the console.

Still out of resin, havent been able to make the trip yet.

 

[gm280]

I guess I am not following your idea. Why are you wanting to raise the deck a mere couple inches? Seems a lot of extra work, not considering the extra weight and materials needed, for basically a smidget higher deck. :noidea:

 

[reekhavuk]

O I thought I mentioned that earlier in the thread, maybe i didnt =)

I am going to be "remodeling" the deck. The existing deck drops off right behind the seat pedastel and im going to extend the deck all the way back to the console. In doing so I am also going to be raising the deck height a little These older bass boats had low short front decks. So a whole new deck will be installed from bow to console with lids etc.

 

[reekhavuk]

OK ! Tops ON!!




Now,
I need some input.

Like I said, I am creating a custom casting deck that extends all the way back to the console. Also, I am repairing the area that the trolling motor is mounted. Let me show you a picture first.









Look at the black lines with the arrows. Thats my proposed cut line. Notice how it just envelopes the old mounting holes. When I install the new deck I will glass in a built up area that brings the trolling motor back to level with the gunnels. This will allow me to have my deck closer to the bow which is what i wanted. The input part is bascially from an aesthetic point of view how do u think it will look in the end and any thoughts on layout or anything else?

 

[88evinrude]

Just curious Why didn't you put the floor in first?

 

[reekhavuk]

Not sure what you mean.

 

[88evinrude]

Not sure what you mean.

My bad :facepalm: I missed the floor in the above post man I need some sleep

 

[gm280]

I am wondering, how are you going to finish off the top with the newly added deck? It kind of looks like the hull is metal flake, are you going back with that metal flake finish? Just wondering.