First time boat restore, does one need form under hull?

[Truefire]

This is my first boat restoration project, restoring a Glasstream bass boat. I was wondering if i should build a form for the hull to sit on to maintain it's original shape when the top portion of the hull is removed. I have got to replace stringers and do a lot of interior hull work in this boat.

I was wondering if I would be needing a base to sit this bass boat hull onto to maintain it's shape, I don't think i will have to remove the transom so there should remain some rigidity in that area. However, 17 foot towards the bow of the boat, there could be some issues there when building stringers and walking in the boat in regards to original hull shape.

?????????? Hmmmm....

I guess i could build me some type of form out of a couple sheets of cheaper plywood just to maintain this hull shape.

Any suggesttions, i was wanting to use my monies to put into the boat, not necessarily into building a $200.00 form, I could buy resin and such with these allocated funds.

Thanks for info.

Chris

 

[kybasser]

Re: First time boat restore, does one need form under hull?

I,m about 300lbs and i've been all in my 74 glastron hull with no cap on and no form underneath. I did use 3/4 ply as knee boards, but i've also been directly on hull. I did use rolled up carpet between hull and trailer. My trailer is supported on keel and rollers in rear. I used ratchet straps over hull to trailer to help give some rigidity. I notice very little flexing or movement in the hull the side walls are very flexible though. I step from a ladder onto my cross hull knee boards. hth.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: First time boat restore, does one need form under hull?

The biggest concern is the bottom of the hull. Just make sure when you are installing the stringers that they are straight. You do not want to create a "hook" in the bottom of the hull.

You should be fine for most of the work. The cap will help get alot of the shape back on the sides but the bottom requires just a bit more attention.

 

[Truefire]

Re: First time boat restore, does one need form under hull?

I,m about 300lbs and i've been all in my 74 glastron hull with no cap on and no form underneath. I did use 3/4 ply as knee boards, but i've also been directly on hull. I did use rolled up carpet between hull and trailer. My trailer is supported on keel and rollers in rear. I used ratchet straps over hull to trailer to help give some rigidity. I notice very little flexing or movement in the hull the side walls are very flexible though. I step from a ladder onto my cross hull knee boards. hth.

Thanks so much my man for your advise and such. Maybe i should have told you earlier that my boat didn't come with any type of trailer, a project boat, very much so. I was planning on taking the hull off of the utility trailer and sitting it on the ground where it would be more stable but was going to build a base to sit it in. I could certainly see that with the boat's hull sitting on a drive-on trailer, that giving it a whole lot of rigidity. I am sorry that i didn't specify the pertinent details, but none-the-less your advice is very much appreciated.

Just a picture or two to show you what i am working with, if the trailer were a little longer i could block everything up and work inside the hull while left on the utility trailer.

Half of the fun of projects is just simply having to engineer and come up with other means whereby to acheive the former.

Take care guys Chris

 

[drewpster]

Re: First time boat restore, does one need form under hull?

Here is a pic of the one I built. I remember it costing about $40-$50 bucks in materials.

(2) sheets ply 4 x 8
(3) 2 x 6
(1) 2 x 4
Screws

May have been closer to $40.

It took me a long time to make all the patterns to cut the ply because they are all different. I used a big piece of cardboard (free) to make the patterns.
I already had tools.

Cordless drill
jigsaw
ect.

It was not terribly expensive, just time consuming.