1988 Shoalwater 176 Rebuild

[redfishjim]

Here we go! I bought this boat a couple weeks ago and have been removing everything to the bare hull. It's been a grinding frenzy! Getting ready to start building it back up, I would more than appreciate any help or advise. A little about the boat, it's 17.5' L x 8' beam, tunnel hull, rated for a 115hp, and has a "key slot" transom.

I plan on using 100% epoxy resin and Meranti Ply for core material. For the transom, I've removed the rotten wood and ground down to bare glass. I plan on going to Houston Hardwoods to get 3/4" Meranti Hydrotech. Laminating two sheets of ply for the key transom, 1 sheet of ply for the rear knees, and 1 sheet of ply for outside transoms(sponsons) for extra beef for powerpole/trim tabs/etc. My laminating schedule I've worked up in my mind is: neat epoxy inside of skin, thicken some epoxy for any shallow spots and also add some fillets, add a layer of 1708 for extra stiffness( the existing skin as is is pretty thin), then glue my plywood with thickened epoxy. For the inside skin, I'm thinking 3 layers of tabbing - offseting 6" 12 oz biaxal tape, then 3 layers of 1708 (from biggest(8"out) to smallest(4"out)). Anyone have better recommendations for materials, layers, approach?

Thank you very much for reading along and any experience you might share with me. - Jim

[fallguy1000]

Read your plan, sounds good, not sure what you mean by inside skin tabbing 6" biax tape offset...

[redfishjim]

Read your plan, sounds good, not sure what you mean by inside skin tabbing 6" biax tape offset...

Thanks Fallguy. So I'm trying to build this with as few different types of materials as possible, within reason. If ordering some different thickness or types of fiberglass is worthwhile, I'll definitely do it. You have a lot more experience than me, below is what I meant. Just trying to tab in the transom with three layers of 6" 12 oz biaxal tape, before I start glassing in the entire transom with the 1708 layers. Would you suggest a different method?

[redfishjim]

Here's my plan for the transom, excuse my poor mspaint skills. Never have done a transom before, any help is appreciated.

[fallguy1000]

Tabbing would follow the glasswork.

Many ways to skin the cat. I sort of prefer 1708 tapes as they hold their shape well for transfer.

Or you can tab with the same as the skin, if u r really good.

Transom is placed, neat coated, fillet the edges and bottom and skin, but time can be an enemy and outside temps can cause trouble.

So, you can skin the transom with 1708 to the edges; then use 1708 scraps to fillet and tab; I like to go as far as possible, like 6-10" onto hull.

[redfishjim]

Thank you very much. I will do that, 1708 for all the tabbing after skinning the transom. Will cut my own tabbing tape, 12", 16" and 20".

[goingbogueoutdoors]

Looks like a great project. I did my well boat transom in the same layup with same materials. I am very happy with the structural integrity of it with a 115 four stroke also on the stern. Your hull design merits similar needs for structural ingenuity that mine did.

[redfishjim]

It's been slow going but got the transom laminated, just need to pretty it up when it's time. Main problem has been the heat, damn it's been hot in Houston. My slow cure hardner isn't very slow in this weather.

For the transom, I laminated 1 layer of 1708 on transom skin, then glued my transom wood in place, then three layers of 1708 for thickness, then three additional layers of 1708 for tabbing bottom, sides, and top. Feels like a shit brick house to me! Plan on hanging a 115 4 stroke on it. A bunch of you know how to make your laminations look beautiful, mine... not so much, but I trust it. Now I'm adding a layer of 1708 to skin the hull bottom for added insurance. To battle the heat, I cut the skin into sections just to give me stopping points before the epoxy sets up. After I finish this week with my bottom sections of 1708, I need to get started on the stringers. I haven't commited yet whether to go back with the three foam filled stringers as originally built, or to put in a wooden stringer system like a XF20. Any thoughts? Here's my progress photos.

[fallguy1000]

Looks good. Throw that red sharpie in the bin. That friggin red bleeds through primer and topcoat. Don't ask me why, but it shows thru everything. I don't make the rules, but I did cry a little after 3 coats of primer and I could still see red writing. It finally fades somewhere around 5 layers of paint.. yikes

[redfishjim]

Looks good. Throw that red sharpie in the bin. That friggin red bleeds through primer and topcoat. Don't ask me why, but it shows thru everything. I don't make the rules, but I did cry a little after 3 coats of primer and I could still see red writing. It finally fades somewhere around 5 layers of paint.. yikes

Oh, man! Thanks for the heads up! Sorry about your project, what's your favorite pen for marking up fiberglass cloth?