Sub Floor foaming

[TheBronze]

John, was that in yours? I know you foamed it up but didn't know there was any in there from the factory forward of the mini bulkhead.

Bob, nice! What glass are you going to use on the floor? I used the 1708, tough to work with but it sure is solid!

To the rest of you forum goers, watch out! us Bell Boy owners are in force this week! All we need is Mark Dennis and we will take over the forum! Skagit owners beware! Muwah ahaha. MUWA haha ha! MUWA HA HA HA HA HA - *cough* *cough* *choke* *Gasp* well, you get the idea.

[BellBoyBob]

Here are some shots of todays work in the sweltering garage! I first sawed and then sanded flush the foam mushrooms protruding from the vent holes. Then I pounded dents in the foamed holes. Then I hammered in the saved plugs as flush as I could make them. Next, I mixed up some fiberglass resin with micro balloons into a thin paste and squeegeed the paste in to seal the plugs. Thats where we are now. Tomorrow I will glass over the entire floor, essentially completing the job...

[Helmar]

If you have never been foamed before, you will sure notice a difference.
Good Job

[TheBronze]

You are making fast progress. nice!

I didn't plug mine when I was done. The loading capabilities of the foam are such that I decided to just leave it flush and glass over. I've been walking, dropping tools, and all manner of abuse and have not seen any issue. That being said, your method will surely work as well!

After the glass sets up is it re-assembly time? Or do you have other tasks in that space to finish first?

[BellBoyBob]

I followed one of the foaming instruction posts that had the plugs re-installed. It was no big deal to pound them back in. The micro balloon paste held them very securely and after I sanded them flush with the floor it was like the floor never had any holes. I put down 7oz. glass cloth in two halves front to back. Went well. The floor is very solid, it won't be replaced again during my lifetime, thats for sure!
Next,
i am redesigning the cockpit structures with stained wood all around, front to back bench / pedestals and a removable table. Here are the latest photos of the finished floor.
Bob

[TheBronze]

Cool.

I noticed something in one of your pictures. Not only does your splashwell look higher than on the '59, it also looks like it is further back, giving you a little more deck space.

[BellBoyBob]

Onward!

The glass resin coat on the floor is cured and sanded, the new spashwell bulkhead has been cut and fitted and the new 1/4 inch ply walls are finished as well. Now I will reinstall the original tanks with new senders, remove the wood, stain and varnish a golden mustard color as is the ceiling inside the cabin, reinstall the bilge pump, blower and batteries, permanently attach the splashwell bulkhead to the hull with FG tape on the edges, screw on the cockpit walls and then begin building the benches / pedestals. Somewhere in this sequence, I plan to paint the inside of the cockpit deck area a medium beige latex, including the main bulkhead... Lots of work, but its coming along!

Best,
Bob

[BellBoyBob]

Bilge, blower and all electrical and plumbing(fuel lines) are reattached. I will start the engine tomorrow and be sure the tanks and lines and fuel selector are sound. Then on to the bench construction...

[BellBoyBob]

floor / cockpit update

Hello all:

A long and laborious weekend but moving along quite well now. The benches have been built and are almost completely assembled as the pictures show. By the middle of August, the Bellboy will be in the water.
Best,
Bob

[TheBronze]

Bob,

Looking really good. You work fast!

[BellBoyBob]

The REVEAL !!

Hello all:

Here is the finished BellBoy 404 Express cockpit. I towed the BB out for fuel and while out in the sunshine, I took some shots of the finished job... This is the wonderful thing about being a senior professor at a university - I have almost 4 months off to do this kind of project, virtually uninterrupted! I could never have completed the 115 hour job (yup, I kept a running log of the time I put into it...) during the school year. I am very happy with the results. The floor is solid, the bench structures are screwed into the stringers, making it very sturdy. This set up gives me much more room in the cockpit. I have 75" from the cabin bulkhead to the splashwell bulkhead. We will be in the water in the next couple of days and I cant wait to see how QUIET it is...

Best,
Bob

[Steve_Kiesel]

Looks great Bob. Done in time for some fun on the water. Let us know how she rides after the changes.

[TheBronze]

Wow. Looks great! I don't want to add up all the hours I have spent on my 404...

I am hoping to be in your position this time next year.

[Helmar]

Looking pretty nice for sure.!!
People some times do now realize how long some of this kind of work takes.
You can get lost in time when you doing something that you like.
Job well done :GoodJob:

[Kelly]

Old but inspirational thread! How did the 404 turn out on the water? As expected?