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A restoration tale (with pics)

dnme

I have been posting on here and getting amazing help from fergal and others. I thought I might make a thread outlining my attempt at a boat restoration. The boat is a 16' fibreglass day cabin. It is in horrendous condition but I think the fibreglass itself is pretty good.

Shopping for a while and looking at various boats. Big, small, cabin cruisers, fishing boats etc. What I really want is a boat that will fit me and my dog and that I can sleep on and maybe run up and down the Erne waterway. This caught my eye on donedeal

I made the call and arranged to go and view it. At the viewing, I bought it for €530 (asking price on dd was €1200). On Saturday 19th March 2011, myself and a friend towed it home (from Birr to Co. Sligo).

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dnme

Day 49 - A practical demonstration in Darwinism.

I was gonna take a break from posting because the work in this update is pretty much samo samo but I feel the need to communicate, to be part of a group again, that and the fact that the past two days were gloriously mild and calm. Yesterday, I tackled the starboard cabin seat. Yeah! I learned from my mistakes the previous day on the port seat and therefore yesterday’s job went very smoothly……..you’d think so wouldn’t ya!.

I spent yesterday over-engineering a seat support. I came up with cross battons, partial batons, joinery, clotted cream, clear epoxy, screws, bolts….jesus, you name it. The result was a mess. Every joint or screw I drove, called to me…..”undo me and use epoxy aswell, undo me! undo me”. Like an innocent naive puppy dog, I heeded those calls. I spent ages measuring timber, cutting, then over cutting and scrapping. Every time I added a new piece it affected the rest of the assembly. I offered up the assembly using a bed of clotted cream, but of course I forgot to use that same epoxy mix on the batons. This I discovered an hour into the cure up, everything had to come out, extra tacky, half way cured. Panicking, trying to mix up new batches of the mix. Then trying to wet out pieces of cloth, leave them to tack up and apply them at a later stage. At one stage I started crying, seriously! I lost it. I could not handle any more mistakes. I could not handle any more sticking to things. I looked down at my beloved tools, had them for years…now all covered in epoxy. Cordless drill, ‘the bitch’, hammer, screwdrivers etc etc. I picked up my toolbox and flung it out across the paddock. It bounced spinning violently launching 100 tools in 100 different directions. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted two walkers who had just passed by. Yes they did look back. I am gonna have to learn to calm down…people are starting to talk. As of today, I am still finding tools in the paddock.

The above paragraph is not designed to tell you what I did, it’s just there to give you an idea of how I usually get myself into a right kerfuffle. There aint nothing slick about me or the way I do stuff. I believe the trade term is ‘fcukwit’, often prefixed with the word ‘complete’. Yesterday was painful. I made so many mistakes, I had epoxy everywhere, on everything. All my hair got covered in it. It was bad, so much so that I actually threw some acetone on my hair last night……..yeah I know!! Of course like I said, a ‘complete f’wit’. Last night I spent an age trying to untangle my hair, trying to remove balls of tack. The result was a significant loss of hair!! Something I can ill afford these days. The bit I have left will now surely die after it’s wash in “Acetone”, by Loreal…..because I’m worth it.

This morning, I awoke with the sun. I decided to try a new approach to life. Slow down, take your time. Enjoy the day and plan sh1t!!! Yes try and plan…there’s a good lad. As I was throwing back the curtains, there up in the field was old John (next door) with their new pup Prince. Some of you may remember my referring to said pup some weeks back in a video. Anyheeew, John was moving cattle, and there was Prince beside him, for all the world looking like a fully fledged and fully trained cattle dog. He was turning cattle, nipping at their hoofs, barking, and more importantly knowing when to back off and sit low. It was an incredible sight, and what makes it more so is the fact that Prince has had no training whatsoever. Everything he knows and all his instincts are purely hardwired. There ya go you creationists…..living proof of evolution right there. Anyway…onto the boat.

Today I started on the bow seat access panel. This one is tricky ‘cos I have no access underneath the way I did with both side seats. Also, the aperture is too big, again thanks to me! So the support assembly will have to be made in two parts, then placed in under the cutout. Then joined, epoxied and presented up to the underside for glue up. So in light of my new found profound outlook on life, I spent today taking my time, engineering a nice cut out that slots in nicely to the old existing batons in under there, and that is ready to screw together once in place. In other words….it took me an entire day to cut two pieces of plywood. But it was a glorious day, I spent it entirely out in the sun, doing a bit on the boat. Helping John move cattle. Mowing the grass. Me and Honey heading to Boyle for ‘supplies’. Yea – I had an epoxy free day.

1. One take, come on....gimmie some credit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMkGchNW6YE

2. Prince, evolution, neural networks already hardwired. Amazing to watch this.

3. Nothing is simple with this bow seat, even trying to get a template made out of cardboard was tricky. No underside access you see…

4. Careful now

5. Had a delivery of supplies today and wanted to show you this. This is a bucket of colloidal silica. The stuff is so light, it's almost not there. This entire bucket weighs 0.25kg or 250 grams.

6. Due to the shape of the bow seat aperture and Pythagoras, this final seat assembly will have to be done in two parts.

7. Doing some dry test fits for support batons.

8. A dry test fit.

9. After a few trims here and there, we have an assembly that fits beautifully. Tomorrow I will once again return to the living hell that is - working with epoxy in tight spaces and against gravity.

alexlyons

.25kg is 250 grams... :P

sorry, i hate people like me

dnme

alexlyons wrote: »

.25kg is 250 grams... :P

sorry, i hate people like me

tap...tap...tap...
So, did ya enjoy the post?? What did ya think? interesting? boring? could you have lived without it? did it add anything to your day?

alexlyons

dnme wrote: »

tap...tap...tap...
So, did ya enjoy the post?? What did ya think? interesting? boring? could you have lived without it? did it add anything to your day?

A post by you on this thread always adds something to my day!

Was interesting alright, certainly felt for you when you threw the toolbox across the paddock!

Trying to come up with a way for you to get the epoxy off some of the more important tools...

On a side not, I'll be joining you in the making stuff end of things, converting the shed to my woodwork "room". So I get to do manly things with wood and big power tools!!!!

dnme

alexlyons wrote: »

A post by you on this thread always adds something to my day!

Was interesting alright, certainly felt for you when you threw the toolbox across the paddock!

Trying to come up with a way for you to get the epoxy off some of the more important tools...

On a side not, I'll be joining you in the making stuff end of things, converting the shed to my woodwork "room". So I get to do manly things with wood and big power tools!!!!

I bathed my cordless drill in acetone last night. Today, it's a dodgy colour, all the numbers are gone from the torque gauge and for a while I could not get into reverse (switch glued up). But it'll do.

dnme

Folks, a quick note, please please please don't take this the wrong way. If you do happen to read my upjdates (and this applies to the full"day" updates only, would you mind hitting the thanks button.

I'll tell ya why, as far as I can tell, just two people read my Day 48 update cos that's all that hit the button. I'm sure more read it but the fact that people don't consider the post worthy of a thanks, makes me feel like I'm "talkling to no one there", or at worst - I worry that people didn't feel the post was worth a mouse click.

My day update posts, take, on average, 1.5 hours to do. I have to download and choose photos, resize them and often collage them. I then have tp upload them to photobucket. Then I have to edit video - this is a painful task. Then I have to upload video to youtube...very slow. Then I have to sit down and actually write the post. Then proof read it, then embed the photos and vids and finally post.

A thanks sure would be appreciated, but only if you genuinely liked the post.

ScabbyLeg

I thought ya hated the thanks button

But really, still reading the updates here with great enthusiasm. It must be class to feel things moving along - I know it probably seems slow, but each move you make you learn from your previous step and it really shows. I mean those plywood cutouts for Pythagoras' Bench look fcukin perfect! It's astonishing and each update makes me want to get hands on with some sort of project of my own.

My only selfish worry is what's gonna happen when Winter kicks in and we're going to have to wait for Season 2 Episode 1

dnme

ScabbyLeg wrote: »

I thought ya hated the thanks button

you believed that tripe?

I do hate the thanks button but only when it's abused on forums, by sycophants, bullies etc. and I HATE do-gooders...

But it's a great feedback tool, and that's why I update this thread. If there's no feedback, then there's no point.

big zeb

always enjoy your posts dnme, especially when you,ve just had a wobbly seeing somebody having a worse day then me cheers me up no end, it brings the sadist in me:D I'll keep an eye out on lidl for a cheap metal detector for ya to help you find the rest of those tools;)

thehippychippy

Hi dnme, haven't been logged on here for a while but I check your post everyday to see how your getting on and your doing great Skipper, church work as my old man would say!!! Starting back at my own boat this weekend after a great day on a friends barge on the canal, nothing like a bit of jealousy to get ya going!!! On a side note, where's the thanks button? Im reading this and typing it on my phone and only use the lap top bout once a week so haven't seen the button yet. But Thank You for your posts dnme, it's great to see you bring that old girl back to life.

fergal.b

You are doing a cracking job and your right to slow things down to a pace where you can enjoy the work and the boat, if you let it get on top of you the boat will win as it doesn't give a **** how you feel and will be willing to hurt you again tomorrow.This country is full of unfinished projects boats where the boat has won and the buyer is broke and broken, here you have the support of many that are behind you all the way, this can also put a bit of pressure on you knowing that we are all watching every step that you make but I think it's good that you are sharing your good days and bad so that the next person who buys a boat thinking "This looks like an easy fix" will have some idea of what it can be like.
You started as a student and have now become a teacher with a very large class room every time you learn we learn and thats a powerful thing.
In future keep a ball in your toolbox and if things get tough throw it for Honey

dnme

fergal.b wrote: »

In future keep a ball in your toolbox and if things get tough throw it for Honey

Well jesus I was gonna start a missing persons campaign, I was all set to have your picture put on milk cartons all over the country.

Honey knows me too well, as soon as she hears the first f sounding syllable, she high tails it...plus, she spends most of her days in next door pulling lumps out of Prince.

I only see her if it's grub time, or if I start the car, she has to go everywhere wit me - I wouldn't have it any other way. I'll have to get her on vid for all the animal lovers.

dnme

thehippychippy wrote: »

Hi dnme, haven't been logged on here for a while but I check your post everyday to see how your getting on and your doing great Skipper, church work as my old man would say!!! Starting back at my own boat this weekend after a great day on a friends barge on the canal, nothing like a bit of jealousy to get ya going!!! On a side note, where's the thanks button? Im reading this and typing it on my phone and only use the lap top bout once a week so haven't seen the button yet. But Thank You for your posts dnme, it's great to see you bring that old girl back to life.

Chippy, a lot of my posts look crap on mobile phones and I don't know how the browser (Safari I think on most) renders formatting, bolding, colour etc. My sister informed me the other night that she could not see half my post and as there was no formatting. spaces etc, she missed th entire point / flow of it. She was using an.....an........ahhh....an (I can't even say it)......an ifff.....an i...Pho..... no. sorry I just cannot type it. (spit).
Me thinks, If you wanna enjoy any vBulletin site properly, use a pc/laptop whenever you can.

Thanks button here on a proper computer :rolleyes:

Jack_regan

Thanks from me dnme.

Just looked up the faq's for those not familiar with the thanks button. Unfortunately it is not available to people who have not got at least ten posts to their name.

Quote from frequently asked questions.

"Thanking a post

To thank a post, to show your support/approval/gratitude etc, you can press the thanks button on the lower right of the post

You need a minimum of 10 posts before you can thank a post, and can only thank 10 items in a 24 hour period."
(This place is over run with rules)(I'm probably breaking a rule writing the last statement in the brackets!)

Your such a perfectionist, I don't know where you get your patience from.
Fair play to ya!It's all looking very good.

Just a quick tip for the epoxy in the hair, I used to wear a baseball cap when I was painting the ceilings in my house (saves a lot of hair washing), I think a sailors cap might be more appropriate in this case!

You have 35,723 views when I last checked which is saying something for the number of people following the thread. I'd say there are at least a hundred people checking in on your progress on a regular basis.

p.s. Your a funny guy, put me down on the list for a signed copy of the book when it comes out.

Keep it going and definitely keep posting.

dnme

Jack_regan wrote: »

Thanks from me dnme.

Just looked up the faq's for those not familiar with the thanks button. Unfortunately it is not available to people who have not got at least ten posts to their name.

Quote from frequently asked questions.

"Thanking a post

To thank a post, to show your support/approval/gratitude etc, you can press the thanks button on the lower right of the post

You need a minimum of 10 posts before you can thank a post, and can only thank 10 items in a 24 hour period."
(This place is over run with rules)(I'm probably breaking a rule writing the last statement in the brackets!)

Your such a perfectionist, I don't know where you get your patience from.
Fair play to ya!It's all looking very good.

Just a quick tip for the epoxy in the hair, I used to wear a baseball cap when I was painting the ceilings in my house (saves a lot of hair washing), I think a sailors cap might be more appropriate in this case!

You have 35,723 views when I last checked which is saying something for the number of people following the thread. I'd say there are at least a hundred people checking in on your progress on a regular basis.

p.s. Your a funny guy, put me down on the list for a signed copy of the book when it comes out.

Keep it going and definitely keep posting.

Jack
Thats a lovely post mate, thanks so much.
I hope people don't think I'm fishing for praise or ego stroking, I just like to see if people are reading an update and the thanks button is so easy to just click. Just a bit of feedback, positive or negative.

I am open to any criticism, please feel free to tell me I am a complete fcukwit. And (I really mean this), if you can offer me any help or advice, please please do. I need it. e.g. That whole seat saga can't be right, it's so complicated, so difficult, so so so damn hard, I musta done something seriuously wrong.

......(thinks for a minute)......Of course, sane people would have just left the seats the way they were.........(ding + light bulb)........so that's where I went wrong!!

Also,. re-cap, you should see the space I was trying to work in. I tried a baseball cap and destroyed it. But also the sweat, I can barely even use goggles when grinding or whatever, they just keep sweating and fogging up. I need to get my hands on a few of those food safety cap thingys.

Gerard93

dnme wrote: »

Also,. re-cap, you should see the space I was trying to work in. I tried a baseball cap and destroyed it. But also the sweat, I can barely even use goggles when grinding or whatever, they just keep sweating and fogging up. I need to get my hands on a few of those food safety cap thingys.

dnme, Alternatively you could shave the head and grow back a fresh crop when you finshed working in tight spaces, would save the ol hair from the Acetone

Keep with it your doing a great job and have a great following here. Seriously though when things get rough, just walk away from it, give it an hour give it till next day, its great to come back and approch a thing in a fresh calm light, your under no major time constraints at this stage and it'll be done when its done and I am sure you'll get a pile of work done over the winter.
Any more thoughts on how your going to work on it for the winter, some time back your were talking of building a canopy or similar over it.

Keep with it!

dnme

Gerard93 wrote: »

Any more thoughts on how your going to work on it for the winter, some time back your were talking of building a canopy or similar over it. Keep with it!

I just dunno Gerard, I might try and get it into a shed for winter, maybe park it from November til March or something. I'd be worried about severe cold, water getting into joints/repairs, freezing and expanding.

Gerard93

dnme wrote: »

I'd be worried about severe cold, water getting into joints/repairs, freezing and expanding.

Thats something I never thought about, that would be serious especially if we have anything like the last two winters weather.

Shed would be the ideal solution alright.

Keep at it!!

ado100

Hi dnme,

I've been following this thread since you started and it has been fascinating to watch the progress you've made in that time. It's not just the technical stuff, but also the emotional love/hate relationship you have with the boat.

Over the years, I've spent many, many cold winter days working on my own boat and regularly thought "what on earth am I doing this for?"

But let me tell you, next summer when you are sitting on your boat with a glass of wine in your hand, listening to the ripples lapping against the hull, it's absolutely extraordinary how all those hours of frustration and anger just become a distant memory. You look around your boat, and the floorboards that had been lovingly stripped right back to the bare wood and restored with 10 coats of varnish, look fantastic. The hull that had been meticulously polished for hours and hours, sparkles in the evening sunshine - and the answer comes to you very easy "this is exactly what I'm doing it for".

Keep up the great work my friend - it really will all be worth it in the end.

It BeeMee

The day this boat floats you'll get Post of The Day.
Day? Feckin' YEAR if there's any justice...:D

ScabbyLeg wrote: »

My only selfish worry is what's gonna happen when Winter kicks in and we're going to have to wait for Season 2 Episode 1

The Season 1 finale better be a real cliffhanger....

gardoyle27

It BeeMee wrote: »

The Season 1 finale better be a real cliffhanger....

i hope not literally lol

dnme

Well folks, just in from an afternoon of it. The rain is definately on the way. Here's the thing.....I was all set to start on the front bow seat support. I looked into the hole that is currently there and said to myself..."Now this is the last time you have this kind of unprecedented access in here, are you damn sure you want to close up most of this access yet? Is there anything left to do here?"

And then I realised.....bolleaux!! I still have to glass the damn bow floor in there. So out with the bithch for another cleanup of then entire floor under the entire seating area. Then sweep, vacuum, acetone, wetout and finally a layer of glass (csm leftovers and some woven). So I spent the afternoon at that game.

If I was ever doing this again, I would spend a whole lot of time makling a plan. Plan plan plan. It would already have saved me a load of time and money.

I'm making this crap up as I go along, it's a crazy way to do any restoration. Let this be a lesson to us all :cool::eek:

:P:o:p;):pac::D

vicwatson

dnme - you da man !

Been reading this thread from the start (it took me about 3 hours!). Absolutely brilliant.

Fair balls to your patience, we are all egging you on and are 100% behind you. Can't wait till it's done (like you I'm sure!).

Ever think of a share option scheme? Say people donate the likes of a tenner to get the boat finished and in turn get a spin from you in that beautiful lake in your pics. This will help you with costs to finish it to the best spec possible and people I'm sure will get a buzz out of getting a spin in it !!

Keep up the great work ! Nice one !

dnme

vicwatson wrote: »

dnme - you da man !

Been reading this thread from the start (it took me about 3 hours!). Absolutely brilliant.

Fair balls to your patience, we are all egging you on and are 100% behind you. Can't wait till it's done (like you I'm sure!).

Ever think of a share option scheme? Say people donate the likes of a tenner to get the boat finished and in turn get a spin from you in that beautiful lake in your pics. This will help you with costs to finish it to the best spec possible and people I'm sure will get a buzz out of getting a spin in it !!

Keep up the great work ! Nice one !

vic

Many thanks for a great post. A share scheme or any scheme that involves money is a no go to be honest. I have already had a very kind offer of some cash and turned it down. It's just an old boat, no need, and I like to retain independence etc. Anyone and I mean anyone is more than welcome to a spin in this old tub whenever they want. I'd be happy to meet people and take them out on the water.

I was lying awake thinging about it many's a night and I wondered, would she be sea worthy? at least close to shore? Would it be an idea to run it around the entire coast of Ireland for charity or something? It would give a lot of people an opportunity to see/visit it, and it would make a great season "three" to this tale.

What do people think?

fergal.b

dnme wrote: »

vic

I was lying awake thinging about it many's a night and I wondered, would she be sea worthy? at least close to shore? Would it be an idea to run it around the entire coast of Ireland for charity or something? It would give a lot of people an opportunity to see/visit it, and it would make a great season "three" to this tale.

What do people think?

Anything is possible if you put your mind to, I can arrange support boats around most of Ireland if you want to give it a go and can also help with a charity if you don't have one in mind, it's a bit down the road but will also take a lot of planning so if your serious and will have the time you could be on to a great adventure that will help others.

vicwatson

vic

Many thanks for a great post. A share scheme or any scheme that involves money is a no go to be honest. I have already had a very kind offer of some cash and turned it down. It's just an old boat, no need, and I like to retain independence etc. Anyone and I mean anyone is more than welcome to a spin in this old tub whenever they want. I'd be happy to meet people and take them out on the water.

I was lying awake thinging about it many's a night and I wondered, would she be sea worthy? at least close to shore? Would it be an idea to run it around the entire coast of Ireland for charity or something? It would give a lot of people an opportunity to see/visit it, and it would make a great season "three" to this tale.

What do people think?

Sorry didn't mean it to sound offensive in any way dnme. I really meant it as a gesture of goodwill not that people would actually have right of part ownership etc. you are making a lot of people happy by seeing what you are doing, what can be acheived with patience and persistance etc, I'm sure people would be more that happy to throw a fiver or tenner into the project. We all can't wait for it to be finished - no pressure now

It would be absolutely great to bring her around the Island. I'm sure people could put you up etc for the journey at your port of call, It be great craic and if a worthy charity benefits from it then even better !! It would give us all on here something to look forward to in these times of doom and gloom

Keep up the great work !

PS - May I be so bold as to suggest Fergal B, Slig (and wife) and a couple others, who names elude me now - sorry, are on the maiden voyage (and your goodself of course !!), having read the full thread their advice and help seems to have been invaluable

dnme

vicwatson wrote: »

Sorry didn't mean it to sound offensive in any way dnme. I really meant it as a gesture of goodwill not that people would actually have right of part ownership etc. you are making a lot of people happy by seeing what you are doing, what can be acheived with patience and persistance etc, I'm sure people would be more that happy to throw a fiver or tenner into the project. We all can't wait for it to be finished - no pressure now

It would be absolutely great to bring her around the Island. I'm sure people could put you up etc for the journey at your port of call, It be great craic and if a worthy charity benefits from it then even better !! It would give us all on here something to look forward to in these times of doom and gloom

Keep up the great work !

PS - May I be so bold as to suggest Fergal B, Slig (and wife) and a couple others, who names elude me now - sorry, are on the maiden voyage (and your goodself of course !!), having read the full thread their advice and help seems to have been invaluable

No offense taken at all

dnme

Hey Fergal, I'll bear that in mind, long way off and just a thought. If I got a good summer, I'd do it alone with good safety kit and a vhf radio. I'd try and sleep in it also, moored up at night in shelter etc. Be nice to head to a new port each evening and meet folk, get people on board, perhaps do a bit of filming etc.

The charity is almost irrelevant, it's not about charity really, it's a totally selfish act, it's about myself and my own head, and heart. The charity just makes it look good and "so worthwhile". I've done the mizen malin cycle before for chairty (SVP). I did that totally alone, just me and the bike, I loved that feeling, spent 7 days on a bike up along the west coast looking at scenery, meeting folk and just being away from the world and able to think. It was beautiful!

as with everything I do these days, it was documented in full

- http://url.ie/d00y

Slig

fergal.b wrote: »

Anything is possible if you put your mind to, I can arrange support boats around most of Ireland if you want to give it a go and can also help with a charity if you don't have one in mind, it's a bit down the road but will also take a lot of planning so if your serious and will have the time you could be on to a great adventure that will help others.

After taking a 12 ft speedboat out at mullaghmore anything more floaty than a plank of wood is sea worthy!!

I'd love to bring our boat along if you were doing a round trip of Ireland, even if its only for the Donegal/Sligo and Westport stretch of the route. Our little Shetland is rated as inland and costal on her UK safety cert which (I think) means anything up to 3 miles off shore.
We have always wanted to bring her out to sea and have often made plans to but on the day have used various excuses to hide our nervousness about it. If there were a few others around in a group that we knew aswell as support boats I know I would be alot more confident especially if there was a charity element to it.

dnme

Slig wrote: »

After taking a 12 ft speedboat out at mullaghmore anything more floaty than a plank of wood is sea worthy!!

I'd love to bring our boat along if you were doing a round trip of Ireland, even if its only for the Donegal/Sligo and Westport stretch of the route. Our little Shetland is rated as inland and costal on her UK safety cert which (I think) means anything up to 3 miles off shore.
We have always wanted to bring her out to sea and have often made plans to but on the day have used various excuses to hide our nervousness about it. If there were a few others around in a group that we knew aswell as support boats I know I would be alot more confident especially if there was a charity element to it.

Yeah Slig & Fergal, that sounds interesting.
Slig, tell me, do you think we could put the boat in th water for a quick test as discussed before? iWhile I have total access to the hull floor and before I paint over any cracks, I'd love to see how she behaves / sits. See if she feels straight after the keel repair, balance both bow stern and port starboard and of course any leaks etc.

Would you be game for this? What do I need to do? I presume I will have to get the trailer fully fitted?