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View Full Version : Another Bravo conversion w/pics



crapr6
11-11-2009, 08:51 PM
Just started on pulling everything out of my 1984 Wellcraft Excalibur to get it ready for some transome work and a bravo.
Here are a few pics, this will be a winter project so bare with me with the updates.
Erik




http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/crapr6/Boat007.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/crapr6/Boat012.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/crapr6/Boat019.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/crapr6/Boat013.jpg

crapr6
11-11-2009, 08:52 PM
Got all the wood out and sanded the fiberglass down flat. Now its time for some plywood and fiberglass.



http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/crapr6/Boat022.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/crapr6/Boat026.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/crapr6/Boat027.jpg




This is just the start and the boat is a mess already!

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/crapr6/Boat028.jpg

Davidmnc
11-11-2009, 09:01 PM
Great project. Keep posting pics.

crapr6
11-11-2009, 09:04 PM
Great project. Keep posting pics.

Will do! It may be a bit slow on updates but i'll keep them coming as soon as I make way.
Oh and if iam doing anything wrong and if anybody has a better way of doing this please let me know since iam new at doing this!!

jeffswav
11-11-2009, 09:50 PM
Looks good. I will be tearing into mine in a few weeks. I am still working on my hoist system in my shop to pull the engine. Keep the posting the pics.

insanity
11-11-2009, 09:56 PM
Holy smokes how thick is the outer skin of glass?! It looks like its over a half inch thick!!!

old377guy
11-12-2009, 02:25 AM
good job, love seeing this stuff

Offshore Ginger
11-12-2009, 09:47 AM
Erik your doing fine i see that you scored the transom which is a very good idea because sometimes it can be a real pain trying to get all that plywood out and by your pics it looks like the wood was pretty well shot . Erik how are your stringers ? :)

crapr6
11-12-2009, 02:27 PM
Erik your doing fine i see that you scored the transom which is a very good idea because sometimes it can be a real pain trying to get all that plywood out and by your pics it looks like the wood was pretty well shot . Erik how are your stringers ? :)

The wood almost fell out! It was wet on the bottom, but the top wasnt that bad. As you can see how I notched out the stringers that help me to inspect the wood in the stringers. The stringers look ok and iam happy they are because that is one less thing to worry about on this old boat.
As for the thickness of the hull it is about 1/2in thick! Iam guessing that is a good thing its thick, what is the average thickness on a boat hull?
All the materal is on order and hopefully will be hacking away at this in a few weeks! Will update with pics! :sifone:
Erik

insanity
11-12-2009, 08:23 PM
Well for comparison the outer glass on my Baja transom was 1/8 inch thick in the center and about 1/4 inch thick around the edges from overlap from the bottom/sides.

crapr6
11-12-2009, 11:11 PM
Well for comparison the outer glass on my Baja transom was 1/8 inch thick in the center and about 1/4 inch thick around the edges from overlap from the bottom/sides.

So dont take this the wrong way since iam deff not on here to bash people or there boats...but i guess my old junk wellcraft hull is a nice peice? :sifone:
I mean iam sure its heavier then other same size boat's since its a thicker hull but I guess its stronger at the same time? :)
Erik

Scarab KV
11-12-2009, 11:27 PM
Nice job so far

Trim'd Up
11-13-2009, 09:32 AM
So dont take this the wrong way since iam deff not on here to bash people or there boats...but i guess my old junk wellcraft hull is a nice peice? :sifone:
I mean iam sure its heavier then other same size boat's since its a thicker hull but I guess its stronger at the same time? :)
Erik

Not that I am defending Baja's, or any other boat for that matter, but there is a lot more to the ultimate strength of a boat than the thickness of the outer skin. I do think the older Wellcrafts were better built than the older Baja's though.

crapr6
11-13-2009, 09:13 PM
I got all the material today but i dont think this weekend is looking to good. Rain all weekend.... :cuss:

crapr6
11-14-2009, 09:27 PM
Well little update..
Was able to cut both sheets of 3/4 plywood to fit in the boat nice and tight today. Then expoxy both sheets togeather outside the boat. They are drying tonight and maybe tomm will get it set in the boat and drill some holes to hold it tight to the back of the transom.
Oh big thanks to my buddy John "johnlx302" for helping me out today!
Erik


http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/crapr6/img1258247958924.jpg


It maybe hard to read but John wrote a little note for the new transom..(perpare for an asskickin)
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/crapr6/img1258247981937.jpg

Offshore Ginger
11-15-2009, 12:26 PM
Just curious and not trying to be rude but i hoped you used a good marine grade plywood ?

crapr6
11-15-2009, 04:00 PM
Just curious and not trying to be rude but i hoped you used a good marine grade plywood ?

I just picked up a $40 sheet from home depot. I was told that I could us marine grade but can also us a good qualty exterior sheet. Also I was told that if its marine or just exterior grade if it gets wet they will both rot in time. Is there a strength deffrance between the two?
Erik

Buoy
11-15-2009, 04:09 PM
Is there a strength deffrance between the two?
Erik

Yes, there is.
A regular sheet of construction grade B/C will have voids in it from knot holes.
(B is one finished side, C is the other). You will notice more knot holes, imperfections on the C side.
Marine does not have the voids in the sandwiched material - the layers in between the finish layers.
There may be other differences as well.

Offshore Ginger
11-15-2009, 06:38 PM
Along with what BOUY has just stated marine grade plywood in 3/4 inch will have seven layers of laminated ply wood with a different type of glue for marine use so X that by 2 you now have 14 layers of laminated wood with no knots opposed to eight on cheap stuff that you purchased at home depot with all those knot's and voids and besides your transom will only be as strong as your weakest link which in your case will be the wood you have chosen to use with all those knots . I would like to mention that Home Depot does not know anything that should be used for marine applacations except HOMES and to tell you the truth 3/4 inch marine grade plywood will run around $ 90 a sheet and worth every penny .

crapr6
11-15-2009, 09:15 PM
So Iam not going to BS you guys but iam going to use what I have. I understand it may not be the best choice but I think it will be ok..:leaving:
Erik

Buoy
11-15-2009, 10:06 PM
So Iam not going to BS you guys but iam going to use what I have. I understand it may not be the best choice but I think it will be ok..:leaving:
Erik

Understandable. But, you asked the question on the difference between marine and standard ply B/C, or CDX.

I'm using CDX for some seating in my boat, and I'm not worried about it - but, I'm not using it as structural, or to handle the torque of 800 hp either - different applications, different materials will suffice.

FastDonzi
11-15-2009, 10:33 PM
As thick as your outer layer of glass is, what ever kind of wood you use will be fine! That thing is thick, Wow. How did this boat ride? When jumping wakes did the nose always stick way up in the air? When you get to the re-rigging part you may want to move some stuff forward, it seems everything is mounted to your transom or just in front of it.(if it's a lake boat that fine) on bay boats or offshore boats I like to see some stuff mounted more forward if you'll be jumping out of the water. Is there another bulkhead under the rear seat?

crapr6
11-16-2009, 10:42 AM
Understandable. But, you asked the question on the difference between marine and standard ply B/C, or CDX.

I'm using CDX for some seating in my boat, and I'm not worried about it - but, I'm not using it as structural, or to handle the torque of 800 hp either - different applications, different materials will suffice.

I understand and do thank you for telling me the diffrerence between the two. :)
Erik

crapr6
11-16-2009, 10:46 AM
As thick as your outer layer of glass is, what ever kind of wood you use will be fine! That thing is thick, Wow. How did this boat ride? When jumping wakes did the nose always stick way up in the air? When you get to the re-rigging part you may want to move some stuff forward, it seems everything is mounted to your transom or just in front of it.(if it's a lake boat that fine) on bay boats or offshore boats I like to see some stuff mounted more forward if you'll be jumping out of the water. Is there another bulkhead under the rear seat?

This is a bay and sometimes head out to the ocean boat. I have hit some decent size rollers and the boat always launched, flew, and landed neutral. Never once has it went nose high. You must remember this was a TRS boat and it had a trans which had the motor right up against the rear seat wall, so now that there is a bravo going in the boat and moving the motor back since there isnt a trans anymore there maybe a issue with weight transfer now. There is a rear bulkhead just under the rear seat and its thick also. I have heard some of these boats like weight up in the bow but iam going to wait and see how it handles next year before I start to mess around with weight transfer,etc. Also my buddy has the same boat as mine and just did a bravo on his and it handles the water great. So based off of what he has told me about our boats iam hoping there wont be to much weight in the rear of it now.
Erik

Offshore Ginger
11-16-2009, 03:52 PM
As thick as your outer layer of glass is, what ever kind of wood you use will be fine! That thing is thick, Wow. How did this boat ride? When jumping wakes did the nose always stick way up in the air? When you get to the re-rigging part you may want to move some stuff forward, it seems everything is mounted to your transom or just in front of it.(if it's a lake boat that fine) on bay boats or offshore boats I like to see some stuff mounted more forward if you'll be jumping out of the water. Is there another bulkhead under the rear seat? BlownCrewCab is this you :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: and Erik you will be just fine and remeber you did ask the difference between the two grades of plywood and to tell you the truth this subject on what grade of plwood to use sometimes turns into a very heated discussion .

crapr6
11-16-2009, 05:38 PM
BlownCrewCab is this you :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: and Erik you will be just fine and remeber you did ask the difference between the two grades of plywood and to tell you the truth this subject on what grade of plwood to use sometimes turns into a very heated discussion .

I understand and thanks guys for helping me out with this. I have googled the grade difference and others have said the same thing.
I have also searched on here and other boat website and just like you stated it starts into a heated discussion.

crapr6
11-18-2009, 05:42 PM
Update

Plywood is fitted and made up some wedges for the new stringers. Ran out of daylight and temp to glue the wood to the fiberglass.

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/crapr6/Boat029.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/crapr6/Boat030.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/crapr6/Boat031.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/crapr6/Boat032.jpg

jeffswav
12-07-2009, 09:09 PM
Any more progress? I am tearing mine out now also.