Got some work done on the boat over the past several days since we have completed bean harvest. Got the cap pulled off. That was a job because of all the fiberglass mat that was used to connect the cap to the hull and floor. It was on the consoles at the seams and under all the front deck compartments. Once all the strips were found and cut, the front popped and we lifted it up with a come-along. the transom was glued together with bondo. We thought that was going to be the worst but I stood on my head and grinded the excess bondo away from the seams, put a bottle jack under the splashwell with a board running under the bottom of the splashwell to spread the pressure out and then did a little prying with a crowbar and the transom end popped loose. It took a couple of days with off and on messing to get it done but now I can get to the floor.
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Most of the wires had already been cut or removed but I had a few to deal with before finally being able to pull the hull out from underneath the cap. The stern end was lifted with a fork lift.
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Now the hull is out and You can see where I had already cut the floor out some before the cap was removed. I spent a big part of yesterday vacuuming the hull out and getting it cleaned up some so I could see where I needed to start grinding the floor out where the floor meets the hull. That is the cutting that I hate the most.
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Today I started removing the floor and foam on the driver side. It is taking a while as I am being very careful not to cut the inside of the hull. I am almost to the transom from the middle of the floor back. The other side will go much quicker as I will know exactly where to cut. This is from yesterday and I was having a time trying to find an easier way to get the foam out, It was chipping out in small pieces.
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Today I found that if I take a reciprocating saw and cut down into the foam in 3 or 4 steaks just above the hull and then use a gasket scraper to get underneath the foam and pry up, that it breaks out in bricks up to a foot long. I was told the foam would take the longest time on the project getting out but actually the wood floor will be the hardest. I can clear out a 4 foot section of foam clean in about 10 minutes after removing the wood and glass over top of it.
I also moved the boat into a building today to it will be out of the weather and can be heated for laying the glass and curing later on. I found out yesterday that the transom had a rotten spot up on top where the drain holes for the splashwell goes through. There was a piece of pipe running through it that had to be removed so the cap/hull could be separated. Apparently one side was not sealed good and so now I am looking at replacing the transom as well. since the cap is already off, this is the time to do it. Will probably replace with composite material so I won't have to worry about that again. Check YOUR transom and make sure all the holes in the transom are sealed appropriately! Believe me this is not a job You want to have to do. It takes weeks of time doing it yourself or piles of money getting someone else to do it.
Once the floor is removed and everything is cleaned up, the stringers will get a good inspection.CF
