dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

I want to build the center stringer section all together, then attach it to the hull and glass it in. Are there any reasons I shouldn't do it this way and should put it in piece by piece?

 

[jigngrub]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

A solid one piece stringer will be the strongest, build it by laminating plywood together and staggering the joints 2-4'.

Building all of your stringers this way will make for a stronger build.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

When bedding the stringers, the idea is to have a layer of pl or pub between the wood and hull, not to squish it all the way down, which is why y'all suggest putting popsicle sticks underneath, correct?

I won't be able to bevel my cut more than 45?, as long as I bed it well will this be okay?

 

[jigngrub]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

1/4" clearance between the inside of the hull and the bottom of the stringer.

The 1/4" gap is used because it's easier to fill completely than anything less, fill from one side only until the material comes out the other side for a voidless fill and good bonding.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

... just thought I'd add that you can cut your plywood on a greater than 45* angle, but it has to be stood on it's edge to do this and is easiest cut this way on a table saw. It can be done with a Skill saw, but can be difficult to get a good cut if you've never done it before and aren't used to running a Skill saw all the time.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

I will most likely be using a skil saw. I don't think I'm talented enough to cut it at a sharper angle haha. Might have to enlist in some help for that. I was hoping since there is a ? gap the angle not being perfect would be OK.

The dimensions for the foam are as follows:

The two outer sections are 3.5" at the deepest point, faded laterally to nothing and 8" wide. That section is 108" long.

The two "boxes just inside those sections, between the outer stringer and sides of the tank, are 8" on the deepest side, 3.5" on the shallower side, and is the same for 108". Then the depth fades to nothing over the next 55".

The center section starting in front of the tank between the consoles is 19" wide, an average of 10.5" deep, and also fades to nothing over 55" as the bow curves up.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

The shelf above the floor which the speaker is mounted inside of and the throttle lever is mounted in appears to be created out of foam, with a thick fiberglass skin encasing it. I can slide my finder under this skin between it and the hull and feel the foam. It appears the original floor was tabbed to this outer skin, as did my first Dixie (which was exactly the same except outboard). Should I build it back the same way? This means I'll have to rake great care not to cut through the glass around that foam.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

You don't even have to cut your stringers on an angle, they can be installed with a "square" cut on the bottom... it just takes more adhesive to fill the gap that way, a 45* angle will be fine if you want to do it that way.

I'll figure your foam for you in a few minutes.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

The two "boxes just inside those sections, between the outer stringer and sides of the tank, are 8" on the deepest side, 3.5" on the shallower side, and is the same for 108". Then the depth fades to nothing over the next 55".

I need the width for these 2 boxes.

The center section starting in front of the tank between the consoles is 19" wide, an average of 10.5" deep, and also fades to nothing over 55" as the bow curves up.

Is this section also 108" long and then slopes to nothing for 55"?

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Sorry the width for the bays beside the tank is 10.5" . The front middle two bays (combined) are 19 wide, 10.5 deep, and 55" long. Over the course of which it fades up to nothing.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Your foam:

To cubic feet easily you need to convert your dimensions to decimals of a foot instead of feet and inches... and it goes something like this...

3.5" sloping to nothing averages 1-3/4" deep which converts to (.14')x8" wide is (.67')x108" long is (9')x 2 boxes = 1.68 cubic feet.

8" sloping up to 3.5" averages 5-3/4" deep and converts to (.48')x10.5" wide is (.86')x108" long is (9')x 2 boxes = 7.43 cubic feet.

19" is (1.58')x 10.5" sloping to 0" averages (.44') deep x 55" is (4.58) long = 3.18 cubic feet.

1.68+7.43+3.18= 12.29 cubic feet which is considerably less than 40 cubic feet.

I suggest you buy more than 13 cubic feet though, you will have some waste and if you don't pour the foam in 80*F temperatures it won't fully expand to the amount in the kits. I suggest buying 16 cubic feet so you'll have enough.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Haha wow. Thanks! I took the depth in the middle of the boat, the width, the length, and divided by two when I figured it. I'm glad I have not ordered foam yet. I may still be somewhat on budget then, the material I need to order for stringers can come out of the foam money I'm saving.

I have been planning all along to pour my foam before the deck goes down, and trim it if I have to to keep it flush with the stringer. I can do it this way can't I?

 

[jigngrub]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

I have been planning all along to pour my foam before the deck goes down, and trim it if I have to to keep it flush with the stringer. I can do it this way can't I?

Sure you can, pour one stringer width at a time and cut it off with a hand saw after it sets... then take waht you cut off and put it in the next stringer width before you pour it.

On the stringer widths that have one side against the hull use a piece of painters tape to mark where the bottom of the decking is, make the bottom of the tape the bottom of the decking. Cut carefully and slowly.

Member Sleeper6 used this method (sorta) on his Runabout to Fishing machine restoration:

I suggest you paint the foam after getting it all installed and cut to waterproof it even more.

... or you can use the false deck method.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

False deck method?

I am not sure what I should do in the corners where stringers meet the bulkheads. Should I cut the glass to stop at the bulkhead, glass the bulkhead, then put a piece at a 90? angle to tab them together? What do you suggest painting the foam with? I had been thinking if I could do such a thing.

Also, I've seen it done two ways: apply first coat of poly, then start glassing while it is still tacky. Downside, you have to be careful moving around on tacky poly (I'm assuming)

Or apply first coat of poly to the wood and come back to glass later when its good and dry. This way would allow me to poly individual pieces outside of the boat. Are there any major drawbacks to this method?

I am planning two layers of 1.5 csm over the deck. Can I get away with one layer or 1708 on the stringers? Or should I do 2 layers of csm just like the deck?I know that I've seen two layers of csm and two layers of 1708 recommended, but I think I've read a few restos where less was used (I've mainly read friscoboaters rebuilds)

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

The shelf above the floor which the speaker is mounted inside of and the throttle lever is mounted in appears to be created out of foam, with a thick fiberglass skin encasing it. I can slide my finder under this skin between it and the hull and feel the foam. It appears the original floor was tabbed to this outer skin, as did my first Dixie (which was exactly the same except outboard). Should I build it back the same way? This means I'll have to rake great care not to cut through the glass around that foam.

I'll take pictures of this next week, to show more what I mean, but what do y'all make of this? This means I'll be tabbing to that fiberglass encasement around the foam below that shelf. I figure if that edge is bedded well to the hull that would be fine? It seems that's how the original construction was done.

You can see where I mean above. If you look where the white trim piece is and the trangular shaped piece the speaker is mounted in, that's a maybe 3-4" shelf running along the inside wall of the boat for wallets and such. From the shelf down to the floor is about 6" of fiberglass. It seems this shelf is created by a foam core along the side of the boat 2" thick or so at the bottom. It is encased in fiberglass, which is where you see the original floor (what's left) meeting it. It was tabbed to the fiberglass skin around this foam core. Is that acceptable? Or do I need to remove the shelf and try to get it back to the outer hull ( Which I really don't want to do) I can stick my finger back a couple inches past where you see what's left of my old floor stop and feel the foam and the outer hull fiberglass.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

I am considering pulling the motor and doing it all now, you called it! Haha. I don't reckon in the scheme of things it will wind up costing a great deal, and maybe add an extra week of work at a leisurely pace? I've ordered 5 gal of poly for the top of the deck. Would 5 gal more do it all? I wanna figure up the rest of materials this next week and have y'all review it to see if it sounds like enough.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

This is the layup schedule for a deck and stringers ala Woodonglass:

Stringers

As you can see the decks require 3 layers of CSM or 2 layers CSM and a final layer of 6 oz. cloth

Stringers are alternating layers of CSM and 1708 biax, starting with the CSM first.

This is a list of materials need for a 16' restore (you'll need a little more since your boat is bigger) also ala Woodonglass:

25 yds of 1.5 oz CSM
15 yds of 1708
15 gals of Poly Resin
10 qts of Cabosil
1 lb of 1/4" Chopped Strand
Bubble Roller
Lots of Latex gloves or Nitrile gloves
Mixing buckets
metric measuring cups
Large Scissors
Masking Tape

The layup schedules are a minimum and you can use more layers if you want.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

I'll take pictures of this next week, to show more what I mean, but what do y'all make of this? This means I'll be tabbing to that fiberglass encasement around the foam below that shelf. I figure if that edge is bedded well to the hull that would be fine? It seems that's how the original construction was done.

You can see where I mean above. If you look where the white trim piece is and the trangular shaped piece the speaker is mounted in, that's a maybe 3-4" shelf running along the inside wall of the boat for wallets and such. From the shelf down to the floor is about 6" of fiberglass. It seems this shelf is created by a foam core along the side of the boat 2" thick or so at the bottom. It is encased in fiberglass, which is where you see the original floor (what's left) meeting it. It was tabbed to the fiberglass skin around this foam core. Is that acceptable? Or do I need to remove the shelf and try to get it back to the outer hull ( Which I really don't want to do) I can stick my finger back a couple inches past where you see what's left of my old floor stop and feel the foam and the outer hull fiberglass.

If that plywood isn't rotten at the edges you should be fine just glassing back over it when you glass your deck in. Just pull up that carpet and sand all of the crud off of the strip of decking to get back to good glass.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

This is the layup schedule for a deck and stringers ala Woodonglass:

Stringers

As you can see the decks require 3 layers of CSM or 2 layers CSM and a final layer of 6 oz. cloth

Stringers are alternating layers of CSM and 1708 biax, starting with the CSM first.

This is a list of materials need for a 16' restore (you'll need a little more since your boat is bigger) also ala Woodonglass:

25 yds of 1.5 oz CSM
15 yds of 1708
15 gals of Poly Resin
10 qts of Cabosil
1 lb of 1/4" Chopped Strand
Bubble Roller
Lots of Latex gloves or Nitrile gloves
Mixing buckets
metric measuring cups
Large Scissors
Masking Tape

The layup schedules are a minimum and you can use more layers if you want.

Thanks. I've read this many times. Didn't know if it was minimun or overkill. I thought I saw Frisco use only two layers of csm in one of his builds which led me to believe maybe it could be done with less. I'll be doing some figuring soon!

 

[jigngrub]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Thanks. I've read this many times. Didn't know if it was minimun or overkill. I thought I saw Frisco use only two layers of csm in one of his builds which led me to believe maybe it could be done with less. I'll be doing some figuring soon!

Are you following along with his latest build?

http://forums.iboats.com/boat-resto...vx-18-complete-restoration-thread-585518.html

He's fixin' to start doing some glassing and will probably do some vids on it.