Randy Nielsen

I finally got a few days of good weather to get started. I have been collecting parts for this boat all winter. This was my first go fast boat originally powered by a side mount whipplecharged 502. I blew the drive & replaced it with a Teague platinum xr -2 inch shorty with a labbed 30p bravo 1. My kind heart cost me the engine by allowing someone else to winterize it & cracked the block. After losing interest in it for a few yrs, running a repair shop that drove me insane I just about gave up. Last fall I found some issues with my Kachina that required pulling the engines, with that I decided to repower by almost double the horse power. That project gave me back what I got into boat repair in the first place. A sense of accomplishing something without anyone complaining about costing too much. I knew what I was getting into and did what I wanted. Now back to the Eliminator, I plan to keep the original gel coat colors cause I like the design. I would like to brighten up the stripes, accentuate what is there already. With the boat partially gutted already I pulled up the green carpet & started cleaning the floor. I found the fuel tank moving around in it's cubbyhole. OK how to remove the tank with minimal destruction. Got lucky that I can cut a straight line. I thought things were going well but not so, even though the floor is a honeycomb fiberglass panel I found a soft spot under the spot where the batteries were, SHIZBIT. Now it looks like I will be pulling the whole floor. Enough with the yakking & on with the pictures. As always please chime in I can use all of the help I can get. Randy

Randy Nielsen

Work done yesterday

Randy Nielsen

Work done today

Randy Nielsen

Side panels & rear seat

Randy Nielsen

Some of the stereo, the windscreen & high back bucket seats

Randy Nielsen

Trim tabs, not shown yet is full hydraulic steering, heads up indicator, battery boxes, sea strainer & other bling parts. Randy

IROCDave

Man thats a big project! Did you find any delamination of the glass over the floor panel? The floor in my boat is soft at the front of the gas tank / entrance to the cuddy. When you push down on it you can hear what sounds like adhesive pulling away from the floor structure. It doesnt deflect much but is irittating. What material do you plan to infill the floor with? Plywood or fiberglass panel?

Thanks for posting progress photo's and keep up the good work.

Randy Nielsen

Hi Dave, no I didn't find any delamination but the spot where the batteries were mounted some water oozed up through the holes when stepped on. The seats were screwed into the fiberglass sandwiched floor material & not into the stringers. There doesn't seem to be any cross bracing on the out side of the stringers & with the panel cut out you can see the floor flexing slightly when you walk on it. The floor is not damaged from water or anything so far as I can tell & you wouldn't feel anything with seats in there cause there isn't much room to walk around anyway. I just want to make sure everything is solid for the power I am putting in it. I could use some feedback on what to use for the floor, if I can get the rest up without cutting into small pieces I could re use the honeycomb stuff but plywood will probably be easier to work with. Randy

IROCDave

I'm assuming theres glass / resin over the top of the honeycomb floor panel? The spot thats soft in my floor is between the front seats. It's not a large area but it bugs me. I know this stuff cant rot but it seems fragile at best. I see how this could happen on my boat. Some one crawled over the dash from the open bow side and jumped on to the floor. It deflected and broke the bond of the panel to glass. Probably broke the panel also, i'm assuming the top of the gas tank is really close to the underside of the floor panel?

Are the panels made of fiberglass or polycarbonate? See link for poly panels - http://www.polygal-northamerica.com/...files-1110.pdf

If I replace the floor on mine I was leaning towards plywood. Atleast it can be screwed to the top of the stringers ( mechanical bond) and will provide a much better attachment point for the seats. Hell, you could glass the plywood and shoot it with gel then snap the carpet over it. The only attachment the floor panels have to structure currently is the lamination at the sides of the hull.

Randy Nielsen

The floor panel is glassed in around the edges & a few screws (10 I think) holding it down to the stringers. The screws were glassed over. I will take some better pics of the panel I cut out not sure what the difference between the two materials by looking at it. the fuel tank has 1/4 inch rubber on sides, front, back, & bottom. No straps to hold it or anything, just set in the hole & covered by the floor panel. There is approx. an inch to inch & half clearance between tank & floor. As far as glassing plywood & gelling over it that is what I am thinking so I can hose it out if needed. I have some textured floor paint I was thinking of using because I have no idea how to shoot gelcoat, but I am now a little further away from that point. LOL If you need pics of anything while I'm in here let me know. Randy