Project SH

[Nineball]

Hello everyone,
I've been lurking another site for a while and have frequently checked out this one as well.  This one being the kinder, gentler version not to mention I have owned my SH for like 10 years now.  She began life to me under a pine tree in somebody's yard across from a garage sale I was at.  She was covered in tree sap with a blown up evinrude 55 and a flat tire.  Just like a story my buddy had about picking up an 69 road runner I knocked on a strangers door and low and behold he had recently bought a new tin can so momma was happy to see me pull it away for $250.  I put a 50 Johnson on it and fished her quite a bit from Manchester to NB. 
It's an 81' and the floor has been weak the whole time I have owned it. I wanted to get on board here and share some of my build since I have not found a similar one anywhere.  I will be pulling the top and liner to get a good looksey under there and will post some pics when I'm not busy doing ripout and glasswork.  I have already removed my OB and just stopped out by the bremerton airport to get the knowledge Don has with this rework.  The top is joined to the lower hull at the transom so after I unscrew everything rubrail related I will be using a cutting wheel around the motor well across the top of the transom. 
I've seen some really nice work done on this site so forgive me if I don't have the most beautiful of projects.  Hopefully, I can get some pics on here to share with everyone who is curious just what does the original hull look like.  The one that started a legacy I guess. Or maybe I'm just flapping at the mouth now. 

[GregE]

81?  That may be the prototype.   

Glad you are on board-  more projects and PICTUREs to view is a good thing.   :biggrin:

[Hunter]

Wow.... looking forward to following this journey and this thread. 

[Markshoreline]

Welcome to the forum and thanks for the informative post!
I'm interested in how the deck is joined to the top of the transom... Is it glassed together?  Where exactly will the cut go to separate them, and how will you rejoin the deck piece to the transom?
Thanks and like GregE said, remember the pics!

[Salmon King]

Welcome Aboard!
I'm sure we are all looking forward to the "play-by-play" of your major undertaking.

[Nineball]

Trying to update with photos off of an iPad. Not working supposedly because the iPad pic is >512KB??  Can anyone steer me to an easy solution? Also, should this thread be in tips and tricks or is it ok here?

[Markshoreline]

Go to Arima Forum/forum use/resizing photos and try one of the methods there.

Your post would be ok in Arima life or tips and tricks.

[Nineball]

I finally got some work done over the week.  Removed the rubrail, controls, and the door to the bow access along with the side pieces. I made this incision across the top of the transom.  Not a very nice one either but it will have to do.

Then I found out that the transom area was still stuck together.  Appears that there was some glass and peanut butter sandwiched all along the inside top of the motorwell to the top of the transom plywood.  It took quite a bit of persuasion via kitty claw, hammer and prybar but it finally threw in the towel.  To answer the question about how it will go back together; Don said that there is some alum extrusion that is available to cover that or now they also have some plastic molding that can be shaped with a heat gun. Adhere with some 5200.  Caution: some of the areas where I had used 5200 over 10 years ago (at the outboard and parts of rubrail) pulled sections of gelcoat off with it. Are there anyways to mitigate that or is that just part of the game?

Lifted the top with a cherry picker on the back and 2 of us lifting at the bow. Prob around 230ish lbs.  I'm hoping that the liner wants to play nicely now. Find out next week. 

[Nineball]

Here are the other pics

[wedocq]

You are an animal! Keep the pics coming!
-Shawn

[Nineball]

Liner is out! The foam still had quite a grasp on the liner after all these years....impressive amounts of force were needed using wedges and the cherry picker until crack-pow (not a batman analogy) was heard.  There really isn't a lot going on under there.  The transom wood also needs replaced though.

[HemiGTX]

Way to get right to the heart of the matter.  Have you discussed having Defiance 're-foam' and reassemble or are you planning on re-using the existing foam?  If you cleaned/prepped the hull and liner it may be surprisingly affordable?  Either way, excellent message thread!

[Yachter Yat]

Wow!  Nineball, you're a brave lad.  If I ever attempted that it wouldn't be called Project SH.........It would be called "Project Autopsy".    


Yat

[Markshoreline]

I don't recall anyone completely dissecting an Arima before!  You are the man. 

By the way, now's a good time to replace those tie downs on the bow and stern if they need it... 

[BCChaser]

And I thought I was getting in deep with my project !!    It's always good to see more pics of what lies underneath.  I wonder if you have foam filled stringers ?  My 82 didn't.  Those seat pedestals are the exact ones that started my reno..."The Arima Hole Again" thread.

[StreamFixer]

By the way, now's a good time to replace those tie downs on the bow and stern if they need it... 

And put in your kicker mountings as well   :whistle:

Any thing else we Monday morning quarterbacks are forgetting to 'help' him   

StreamFixer

[Salmon King]

Maybe it's just me but from the website description I had expected the entire thing to be foamed...except along the keel for drainage.
To tell you the truth, I'm somewhat disappointed in the lack of foam.

You are a far braver soul than I. 
Thank you for including us in your trials and tribulations on your "remanufacturing" saga.

[Nineball]

Yah, my quals are current for tearing things up.

I was having the same thought about contacting somebody over there about helping out us "recyclers" who can't afford a new hull.  Anybody from Bree drive on this site?  If not I will stop by again and ask about possibly buying the 2 glass stringer sections and seeing what options I might have for a foam "fill up" :biggrin: check the tires and washer fluid too please.

The only place I expected more foam was under the bow area.  There were open voids under those 2 big areas.  Almost makes me think about usable space for batteries or fuel but I'm not sure I want either of those enclosed up there. Believe it or not I have a couple boys who chill out in there still.  They demand snacks tho

Here's more pics. Apologize for poor lighting.

[HemiGTX]

If this isn't the best project thread of all time, it's awful close.

[BCChaser]

When I spoke to Don before I started ripping mine up he offered for me to stop by and pick up the Fglass and resin that I might need, just bring containers he said!  Sure wish I lived closer, but maybe good news for those that do.
Only wish I had the time, money and shop to dive that deep into mine.  Good on ya Nineball!!  I'm also tempted to put a few storage nooks in the empty bow corners and some foam to stiffen and quiet things up.

[Nineball]

Stopped by and asked about supplies. They said they would sell me resin, cloth, and foam but they don't have epoxy and the roundabout $ figure for foam was 5-600. So I ordered a six gal kit of foam for just over 200 from gulfstream composites with free shipping. Also got some more epoxy resin and biaxial cloth.  The six gals of foam is supposed to = 24 cubic ft if poured at 70 degrees. I hope it's enough.  The budget (I never had) is gone so I will be getting creative.  I'm thinking fiberglass stringers and transom out of ply.

Haven't made a significant amount of progress since the last post but the foam is all out along with the transom. Foam was fairly saturated and the transom weighed about 80lbs from saturation.  A pic of the baby stringers is also attached. I know I can do better than that with glass.

[Nineball]

Better shot of the lower

[Salmon King]

I continue to be amazed!
Just what is your background?
Have you done extensive work with fiberglass before?

I've given thought to adding storage cubbies in the cabin on several occasions too.  Similar to the SR's.

[Markshoreline]

WOW!  Your boat is so....... disassembled! 

I really can't wait to see the finished product!

[Diablo]

I couldn't do that, take my boat completely apart.  :applause:

I am wondering if taking it apart was the hard part or putting it back together will be the hard part. WOW!