Westfield Custom Rebuild

[miketrix]

Hello all,

So the first thing I would ask this communiity for help on is popping the deck off the hull. Has anyone done it? Are there already threads established that I don't need to waste people's time? I did a search but it seems to me I couldn't group the words "Remove deck from Hull". I got a search result based on each word. I don't know.

The reason I ask is two fold. First off I need to pour a new transom. Not sure what material I will use yet and will review all the pros and cons you already posted in other threads. Either way, I will want access to the very top of the transom. I know others have cut the deck at the stern and repaired but the deck is already loose on the starboard side from the stern halfway to the bow. So if you look at it one way im a 1/4 the way done!
Also - the filler material used under the deck that cover snaps were screwed into is all cracked and in one place missing. I need to fix that stuff but as bad as it looks it's still really hard.

Lastly for today, who has turned their boat over? How did you do it? A dozen friends and a case of beer? I quess that could work if you got a dozen friends! Not too sure 'bout that (lol). How much do these suckers weigh anyway? And when you got it over, how and where did you support it?

Thanks for the help folks. I think its a run of the mill Westfield Custom. I have no way of knowing. If there was a HIN# it was covered by the hack transom fiberglass fix and the MFG plate was sanded and resined over in the proccess. Under my microscope the serial# looks like it says "7878".

peace

mike

 

[pduquette]

Re: Westfield Custom Rebuild

Ok Miketrix , I'll try this for the third time....(problems w/my cpu).. I'd guessitmate your westfield @ 550# - my Oxford is 475#@15' . I was able to flip mine with 2 come-alongs between two trees . I hooked to the bow eye and the rear tow hooks pulling up and at an angle . when I got a good hight , i had an assistant help roll and then steady the inverted hull as i lowered the hull down on big foam blocks . I dont see why sawhorses wouldn't work either . If you dont have any fill in the transom I would saw this may not be a good idea for you- too much stress . I did this to strip/fill +paint the hull last spring . peter

 

[pduquette]

Re: Westfield Custom Rebuild

Turtled.

 

[miketrix]

Re: Westfield Custom Rebuild

Thank You Peter,

I didn't have the email notifyier on this thread so I thought folks were too busy getting their boats in. Thanks for the estimate on the weight. I think you are right about fliping it over without the transom. Especially since she now has no deck. I popped it off this evening before dinner.

Most of it came off without a fuss . . . . but the port side bow was on there. Everybody survived my insanity. Most of the week was dragging waterlogged foam out of the middle stringer channels. I cut out the deck where the rear seats should go. That needed to be beefed up anyway.

I was also able to pry from the hull with miniscule damage the side panels. I really like the boat without them. Might leave them out or abreviate them in some way. Thinking of using my electricians 48" pvc heater and install some conduits just below the deck and hidden by the apron. I could run wire, steering, and controls.

Of course I will need to glue my deck back on! Will post pix tomorrow.

Mike

 

[miketrix]

Re: Westfield Custom Rebuild

Updated Photos I hope.

By the way Peter, what did you use on the bottom of your boat? was that a new gel coat or a great Paint?

Pix of tools inspired by EdC & Landscapper guy. My favorite and most useful - the 2" vacuum hose to 1-1/4" pvc wand.



Pix of removed side panels and start of floor work




Will continue if this works. Otherwise it'll be photobucketed

Mike

 

[miketrix]

Re: Westfield Custom Rebuild

Hey it worked!

Pix of Foam removal completed



Pix of Deck popped off the hull




Ill post some pix tomorrow of the hull without the deck. My boat looks really sad

Mike

 

[pduquette]

Re: Westfield Custom Rebuild

Miketrix for both top + bottom I used Rustolium Marine topside paint . Had to special order it at the local hardware store but was alot cheaper than the fancy brands ! peter

 

[*EdC*]

Re: Westfield Custom Rebuild

Hey Mike,
I see your making good progress. Oh, BTW welcome aboard!

 

[kevinswoodworks]

Re: Westfield Custom Rebuild

hey mike welcome. I have a ? i have a Westfield also and plan on making a new transom now on removing deck how in the hell did you manage that I'm having a hell of a time with mine and what do you plan on using to reattach it is there something I'm not seeing on the removal process thanks for your time

 

[miketrix]

Re: Westfield Custom Rebuild

Hi Kevin and Welcome to you too.

I guess we are Cadets together this spring with our mutual first projects and very similar boats. Mine is now completely apart.

As soon as I get past the Communions, Graduations, Mothers Day, Field Days and Field Trips, Helping fellow boaters dashing around to "get it wet" and all the rest of the nonesense - I might actually start to stick this thing back together.

So Kevin - I guess you are a carpenter? As am I. I'll tell you what I did. I had a loose starboard rear corner so that's where i started. But a rear corner would be the starting point anyway. I did the bow last. It was just pressure. I put wedges and blocks under what was loose tight enough to exert a good pull on the next section of the seam still bonded. About a foot past the point of joint loose/joint tight i pushed up on the deck with a small jack and a 2x4 post. I pushed hard enough to lift the boat off the trailer about an inch or two. Then I took a hand sledge and block of wood and gave it a bop. Rear and sides were a piece of cake. Bow a little bit tougher. Got a bigger sledge.
Please be careful and go slow. I have no way of knowing if any other MFG deck can come of like mine did. I'd hate to see you mess up your first project because of my crazy *** ideas.

To put it back together - I plan on building a "table", a flat surface with most of the middle open, that I can lay the upside down deck on. My plan is to solidly block up the deck then place the upside down hull on top. I saved some of the original wood spacers that were bedded into the "Hull & Deck" product. Its Bondo. When I get the spacing even and where I want it and the hull lying flat and in contact with the deck all around, I plan to use strips of fiberglass on both the inside and outside of the joint. The inside under the hull ought to be a cheap high. After that, my plan was to build up where the bondo was with fiberglass mat and resin.

Please note dude. I have never ever done anything like this before. Im pretty sure it will work but it was a free boat and trailer. This could all become a nautical theme flower box.

I am going to finish the repairs to the transom before I start flipping the hull around. I found previous work that i will share with you guys for a laugh. Gonna use the seacast thing I guess. Unless someone knows of something cheaper? Im still not sure I got all that underfloor foam out especially at the stern. I need to figure that out cause I don't want to pour the transom and then have drainage problems.

Good luck dude

 

[kevinswoodworks]

Re: Westfield Custom Rebuild

thanks