Converting a Race Boat into a pleasure Boat

[VICIOUS]

Don't want to hijack Rick's thread (very cool thread BTW Rick) but we ended up selling the Cougar to a guy who had "dreams" it just wasn't in the cards for us to get it done. So about 6 months ago a buddy of mine says "Hey I saw the Cougar" . Turns out it is about a mile from my house in a marina stall. Guy has hacked the top off and is trying to fabricate a canopy. He has told people he wants to hang like 4 outboards on the back and go 150 I am trying to get a chance to see it, might have to get some pics Good luck in SC, hope to see ya at the races!

Ted, when you get pics I want to see it !

[VICIOUS]

Rick, Like I told you are doing a great job !

[2TR]

I Photoshoped up a blue print and it seemed to work out better than expected.

[2TR]

Spent the last week/weekend at a trade show for work so I did not do chit to the boat.. But I'm back at it now.


Today I did some more sanding/grinding.. yup, thats about it. I spent 10 hrs with a grinding wheel in hand.

I did start laying the 1708 cloth over the bulkheads, I was hoping to get them set into place today but with the cooler temps (50) They took there sweet time drying so I'll try for that next weekend.

[VICIOUS]

Where we on the project Rick, and it's not a Dux it is a Ceaser far better SLT.

[2TR]

This weekend I plan to attach and glass in the bulkheads than start attaching the sides. Cutting was easy, the glass work is allot more time consuming..

[bulletbob]

I would like to see the photos of you glassing in the bulkheads. Great thread. Keep us posted. Bob

[2TR]

Well I gunked in the parts yesterday and started "tacking" them into place with smaller pieces of 1708 cloth.

The gunk is the gray stuff in the corners. This gives the edges a small radius so the cloth does not do a sharp 90' degree angle and possibly have air voids.

Today I over lay larger pieces of cloth to really give the bulkhead a good bond to the boat.

Yes I'm a slob with the glass... I was hanging in a strange position and my chest and armpits now have funny looking bruises.

[Ratickle]

I was hanging in a strange position and my chest and armpits now have funny looking bruises.

How about her??????

[Hauling Trash]

Looks great

[Offshore Ginger]

Rick , just a few questions ,do you think that a wind screen like a Skater 28 would look better then old school and what is the grey gunk ( putty ) in the corners D B F - BY CHANCE ?

[Offshore Ginger]

This weekend I plan to attach and glass in the bulkheads than start attaching the sides. Cutting was easy, the glass work is allot more time consuming..

Rick , just remember if you want it to look nice take your time .

[2TR]

Gunk is a marine style bondo i guess, Sparky from Vicious Marine can explain it better than I can I'm sure. so Hopefully he chime in and posts.

I don't mind that the bulkheads are not perfect, I just want them strong. Today I put the corner sheets on, than over lapped them, than over lapped those! When it was all said and done the last pieces of 1708 cloth were a little over 2ft long spanning out to the original hull and stringers.

Next weekend I'll grind them smooth and apply a couple more "larger sheets"

I would post picture but the camera is sitting back at the warehouse on my mid-section.

[Ratickle]

I would post picture but the camera is sitting on my mid-section.

Now that's a picture I don't want to see......

[rchevelle71]

Looks good Rick, I hope to start layin glass next week.

[2TR]

Back at it today and May thanks to Bill for all his help. If anyone care Bill is one of the designers of the first 26 Redline BITD and is one hell of a layout man.

First we build the "side walls" outside the boat so all they needed to do was slid them into place.

[2TR]

Once the parts were built Bill busted out the router to roll the edges. This keeps air voids to a minimum.

[2TR]

Than we rolled the inside corners with the gunk. The reason we use gunk instead of bondo is gun is kicked with resin and in water proof were bondo is not.

[2TR]

Next we pre-cut (well Bill did) each piece of cloth to make installation a breeze.

We than did the "Inside" first. This will keep my time smashed inside the sponson with resin and cloth to a minimum.

[2TR]

After all the corners were done we laid one large sheet the full length of the part.