16ft Bell Boy Restore

[Helmar]

Ok, this part didn't go well.. I was able to bring the cabin top down and put in a half dozen or more screws to hold her together and the plan was, raise her up, pull the trailer and set her on the floor.

Then leave the front strap on and wrap a strap and clamp it to the transom so no slipping, raise the bow up about 30 plus degrees to get her ready for the foaming under the floor.
After I got the top bolted on and was just starting to sling her up to raise it, I fell off the ladder onto the transom. I shook it off, kept going and was able to get her raised up off the floor into the rafters before I had to quit.
So, called the doctors office and I am going in first thing in the morning as I think I might have cracked some ribs...Didn't need this, the project is going too slow to start with.

I took a picture of my straps as something I had learned from one of the old Salts, (and logging days) if your going to have to shorten the strap by tying a knot in it, better put a limb or stick in the knot so you can get the damn knot to come loose. My straps were for larger projects and I wanted the boat as high as I could get her. I can almost walk under it without having stoop down.

Looking the bottom over and down the keel, I am More than pleased that I was able to bring her back to how it is supposed to be and Solid again. Remember, I beefed up the inside of the hull with heavy matt and fiberglass stringers to create a Skagit Hull. This sucker will bounce over rock croppings that are common in the Columbia River.

The picture showing the bottom of the hull, don't look at the keel, look at the black line that goes forward. That is the bottom of the boat and its as straight as a arrow.

So, we shall see what goes on tomorrow but the next step is to get the shop cleaned up and the trailer out from under it.

Update.
Crap !!!. Xrays show I cracked two ribs, So, this might slow me down a tad more.

[John Nelson]

How about putting one six gallon tank on that blue shelf ?

[Helmar]

How about putting one six gallon tank on that blue shelf ?

Now that the cabin top is back on it. I will look as that is kind of a, put your glasses and phone up there after bedding down for the night. Nothing stopping me from lowering it just a tad to fit a 6 gallon tank on that. That Bearcat will go a Long ways on 6 gallons, I mean like sip sip sip sip on fuel.

[Helmar]

Had a friend come over today to help me get things ready for foaming.
First thing we did was to remove the cradle trailer that held her in the proper place for the stringers and floor to do down. Then a couple of pictures of her setting on the floor.
A couple of pictures show the baby blue and dark blue original paint colors (which blue happens to be my favorite color) with the red circles around the clearest view of the paint.

Before I got too far ahead of myself, we brought in the Ez loader trailer and put under here for adjustment. I might have to pull the axle forward for tongue weight after the motor is on the back.
Just some minor adjustments were needed but I can see I can put some side guides on the trailer to help me hit the mark so to speak each time loading it. I was hoping she would set lower but, it is what it is. The Lower they are, the less water needed to float her off the trailer. Shallow launches just mean you have to back deeper into the water is all.

Next we tied the front strap to the back of the boat as so the front strap would not slip up and off dropping her on the floor.
In trying to fill all the voids so no air pockets, its best to get her as high as possible. Looking at the angle, this would be optium for angle.
I also added a couple of pictures for how I drill the holes. Both pictures show the two different sizes that I have used in the past. The larger one is for hulls that have a Lot of space between the floor and hull. The smaller one is for less space as I can pour in each with no issues.
What happens here is I drill the hole, put the drilled out hole and put it into the pail or bucket. The other bit is what I use to go down into the hole cutting out the foam required to fit the drilled plug back into the hole, then fiberfiller is used to glass them back in.

I don't see the picture of the foam so I might have bumped up against the limit of photos shown.

[Helmar]

Nope, the foam picture did not show so here that is.

With the foam, it becomes difficult to know how much to mix and pour in. If you do too much and without a blow hole for ot to blow out of, then you have a chance of it blowing the floor up and creating a Major mess. Means you have to cut, grind, chip to be able to replace the section that blew up.

When in doubt, make small batches and pour them first to see how much she is expanding for the space your putting it into.
The more area, the more foam of course but with this floor just being glassed down to the stringers, there are no screws holding it down.
Several things you can do is make your holes between the stringers no more than 12" apart as your working towards the bow box.
Being this is the first time for this type of floor, I will make sure to keep them fairly close and even have a car battery to set down just below the hole to help just in case I get too much in.

Next is to start some of the lower holes to decide how far apart they need to be and mixing smaller batches.

We got more done today than I thought I would but my ribs being as sore as they were, I was surprised with the progress.

[Kelly]

Get rid of the rollers on the trailer, add bunks and the boat will sit lower. Rollers suck.

[Helmar]

Just an update on my Bell Boy restoration.

I have lost my shop in a nasty divorce and looking for a place to finish this Bell Boy. This will be my last build and last restore if I can pull it off. All the boats that I have restored, I never got to do my own from start to finish.
I think I will show you how I can finish this in a Costco tent. Wish me luck.

[Helmar]

Just an update on my Bell Boy restoration.

I have lost my shop in a nasty divorce and looking for a place to finish this Bell Boy. This will be my last build and last restore if I can pull it off. All the boats that I have restored, I never got to do my own from start to finish.
I think I will show you how I can finish this in a Costco tent. Wish me luck.

Its almost been a year now trying to get access to my shop and boats. I still have plans on selling off all the boats but finishing the Bell Boy.

[Helmar]

Ok, found a shop to use and back on my little Bell Boy. Thanks to one of my best friends, John Nelson, its looking like I will be able to finish her. I found a shop to use down here in Veneta Oregon so the next thing in order is to finish the floor that is covering my Skagit Hull whereas I had replaced the wooden stringers with fiberglass stringers. I covered her with the foam core board panels so once the first layer is down, I will drill and put in the floatation foam from Fiberlay..
Let’s see if I still remember how to add a photo..

[Helmar]

Boy, what a mess to clean up. Got to clean this up to get the glass Matt down.

I also did some sanding on her and she was two tone Blue. Never seen one that color so going back to the blue.

[Helmar]

Made more progress on the Bell Boy. I was able to clean the foam core board that I put in for a floor and cut the heavy fiberglass mat to go down. I went up the sides above the chine edge just to give her a little more thickness on the bow.
I also got the first heavy layer of mat glassed in. That thick mat is using a Lot of resin due to its thickness. I might move have to put another layer down other than the cloth. I will know more after I walk around on it. I need to build it up to protect the floor as who knows, I might drop the anchor on the floor ;-)

I wanted to lay the mat down so when I go to foam under the floor, I will have that extra protection for the foam to expand out the weep holes.
Anyway, here is were its at today.
Let’s see if I can add the pictures using this IPad Pro now. Its all kind of new to me.
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[Helmar]

Still working on the Bell Boy. Slow but sure. Got the foam core board covered with glass mat.

[Helmar]

Here is another update on my Bell Boy Project.
I had pulled the cabin off the hull and replaced all the gunnel wood, replaced the cabin wood with poly foam core board. Top is back on and lined up (fasteners ordered) and now onto the cabin bulkhead.
I did some testing with the poly foam board by butting two pieces of scraps together (like I will do in the cabin entry) I used a bisket cutter or can be done on the table saw, but sliced the ends to put the bisket in on both pieces, added fiberglass resin and in testing, it broke way back from the seam were the two went together. Same process that you would do if you were to make a table top from a bunch of slats.
Here is the progress so far. Next step is to put the fiberglass Matt on and cloth.

[Helmar]

Next I am working on the transom bulkhead. I need to close that area up as no fuel or battery will be located in the back. All that stuff will be forward for better balance.
I plan on putting a flip down door to drop down when the engine is all the way tilted up.
I am doing this with the Bearcat engine as most of the newer 4 strokes are smaller and wanting to make sure All engines will fit back there.

[Helmar]

Moving right alone. Made up the seating framework from the polyfoam.