House boat construction question....

[stevetedder]

Just bought this 93 little hobo 30 ft'er and just behind the edges of the fiberglass top appear to be one by's that run all around it. Problem is they are deteriorated and need replaced. Any Ideas on how to go about this without removing the whole roof?

 

[stevetedder]

Re: House boat constuction question....

Re: House boat constuction question....

No One?

 

[jigngrub]

Re: House boat constuction question....

Re: House boat constuction question....

You need to post a bigger pic and a couple more pics may help too. Need one from the top of the roof looking down, need to see what kind of roof you have on there.

 

[oops!]

Re: House boat constuction question....

Re: House boat constuction question....

yeah...we need better pics......

i think the roof might have to come off tho.....ill look at other house boats in the yard

 

[stevetedder]

Re: House boat constuction question....

Re: House boat constuction question....

OK , Finally got back to this project. Lets hope not on the roof removal. Got some better pics.Pic number one is the side wall of the roof.A fiberglass retaining clip/plug was through the hole in the middle and it only went through the one by on the back of the overhang, not into the wall in any way.
View attachment 115015

Pic 2 and 3 are both looking at the top of the roof. The hole shown in pic 3 was filled with caulk around 2 inches deep. There are around 8 of these running the 8 ft beam. However these vertical screws or whatever run behind where the rotten wood (shown in pic 4 ) is located and appear as though they must run down and presumably into some sort of top-plate above the wall. So does anyone have any great ideas on how to replace this wood shown in #4?
View attachment 115016View attachment 115017

 

[bbodin]

Re: House boat constuction question....

Re: House boat constuction question....

Pics not showing up.
From the first set of pics you posted it doesn't appear that it can be done with the top on. If those are rotten I would inspect for other damage as well.

 

[stevetedder]

Re: House boat constuction question....

Re: House boat constuction question....

ok, finally got the pics up, had to shrink them down a bit.

 

[bbodin]

Re: House boat constuction question....

Re: House boat constuction question....

Still don't think it can be done without removing the top.

 

[stevetedder]

Re: House boat constuction question....

Re: House boat constuction question....

Im thinking since there are no screws going into it through the top or(so far as I can tell) through the side excepting a few plug/clips, that the only purpose of these one by's is to keep the fiberglass roof straight along the sides and has nothing to do with structural support for the cabin. Im considering removing the clips and really digging a section out to see. If Im right then I can just slide a new one by in there afterwards. Any thoughts on this?

 

[oops!]

Re: House boat constuction question....

Re: House boat constuction question....

hi steve....im doing the structural on a 50 footer right now. but i havent seen a roof like that.......so im going to wing it.....i may be wrong....but i dont understand why the builders dod it that way.

you said the 1 by's kept the roof straight..... nope......they are just there to have something to screw to. the glass will hold the shape of the sub straight.....you've seen the hiouse boats with wobbly wavy sides?....this is because the thin plywood has delaminated behind the fibreglass.....so it looks like the glass warped it.....but actually its because of the ply it self.

in your case.....if you try to slide a new piece in there.... it may be more difficult than you think, due to the screws holding the piece in.

i would cut away a section and see how its constructed.....then re glass over it after you have re built it..
it really dosnt take long........i have 20 hours in the 50 footer......the whole front was rotted and de laminated....its just about finished. most of the 20 hours was waiting for the batterys to re charge......as its floating in the lake.....no shore power....and no genset.

 

[stevetedder]

Re: House boat constuction question....

Re: House boat constuction question....

Thanks, oops!, I dug out enough of the rotten wood to see that the one by's are stapled at the top to the top plate. It seems the two options on replacing it are to either figure out how the roof is screwed and lift it (UHH) or to cut the fiberglass on the side close to the top, and then remove and replace the one by's. I think option 2 is definitely the better way to go. Only thing I haven't quite worked out in my mind how to hold the section of fiberglass I cut loose back in place until the new resin is dry. Since the cut would be horizontal on a vertical section, Maybe duct tape and run the resin right over the top of it? It would only be a few inch strip hanging by the tape. Only problem I can see is trying to lay resin on a vertical surface, But if anyone has a better idea I would be glad to hear it. It would look kind of like this......

 

[archbuilder]

Re: House boat constuction question....

Re: House boat constuction question....

Hmmm I'm not much help here, haven't tackled this but I'm really interested in what you are doing. How about a video? Right now not being familiar with house boat construction I'm a little lost. Thanks for sharing your project with us!

 

[oops!]

Re: House boat constuction question....

Re: House boat constuction question....

the fibreglass will stay put.....it wont spring up.

cut out that whole area....replace the 1x..and place a new chunk of plywood in that area..(even 3/8ths or 1/4 will do). slip the ply under the lip at the top....and screw the old glass on to the new ply.

you will need to grind off all that roof/rubber paint on there. you will need to bond glass to glass......if you just glass over the paint....you are bonding to the paint.....when the paint bond fails...your glass job will as well.

as far as glassing on a vertical.....that is no problem. the steps are the same.

1. mix unwaxed resin colder.....1.5%
2. wet out area throughly
3. wait till tack.....not cure....but tack.
4. glass as usual.