Author: Tim Taylor

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Hull-Deck Joint Repair

An 8 foot section of the hull-deck joint had failed underneath the rub rail.

The 1999 Key West 1900 Sportsman center console boat that we’ve been hired to re-power needs some other TLC.  If you’ve been following along, you know we checked the hull for water penetration and de-watered it in a previous post.

Hull-deck joint separation
This view from underneath shows how the joint has separated. I used shims to hold the joint apart so I could inject adhesive into it.

In my evaluation, I noticed that the hull-deck joint had separated for about 8 feet on the port side.  This is a key structural element of any boat, and an issue that needs to be fixed.  Key West uses a “shoe box” type of joint where the deck piece has a 1-1/2 inch flange that fits down over the top edge of the hull topsides.  The joint is hidden by the rub rail, and is screwed and glued with 3M 5200, a very tenacious adhesive.  Just imagine how much stronger a shoe box is if you glue the lid on.  If you try to push in the side of the box, under the flange, it caves in pretty easily until you glue it to the top.  Then it becomes a rigid, monocoque structure. Continue reading “Hull-Deck Joint Repair”

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De-Watering the Key West 1900 CC

A vacuum pump comes in handy to see if there is any water intrusion in this 20 year old hull.

Last time I talked about weighing the boat to determine if it had gotten water in the foam core.  I was pretty sure it wasn’t an issue, but then an opportunity presented itself to make sure.  So this is how I did it.

In the process of cleaning and de-greasing the bilge, I took out the auxiliary oil tank for the 2 stroke outboard, and I took out a broken battery tray to replace it.  Both of these had been screwed down to the sole of the bilge, and it looked like the sealant around the screws had failed.  I suspected after 20 years, some water had gotten in these holes. Continue reading “De-Watering the Key West 1900 CC”

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Key West 1900 Sportsman Restore and Repower

1999 Key West 1900 cc Sportsman
1999 Key West 1900 Sportsman ready to roll into the shop to begin refurbishment.

I’m really excited about our newest project in the shop.  I’ve been asked to restore and repower a 1999 Key West 1900 center console Sportsman.  It’s currently powered by a 1999 Mercury Mariner 135hp Optimax 2 stroke engine.  We’ll be changing out the engine, replacing the push-pull cable steering with hydraulic, adding an automatic shallow water anchor, and updating the trolling motor.  Also adding a bimini top, refurbishing the dashboard, and checking all electrical and plumbing systems.

We’ll add a bimini top and update the trolling motor.

The first task after picking the boat up was to check it’s weight.  As you may know, Key West uses closed-cell foam to provide positive flotation for boating safety, filling almost every chamber in the hull.  After 20 years, the foam can become saturated if there has been water intrusion.  Happily, this boat weighed what it was supposed to–eliminating concern about water saturation.

1999 Mercury Mariner 135hp 2 stroke Optimax
1999 Mercury Mariner 135hp Optimax 2 stroke will be replaced with a new 4 stroke outboard.

So now we can turn to making her young again.  Stay tuned as we step through the process during the coming weeks.

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Anchor Locker Update for Swan Point 19

A mahogany anchor bracket.
Anchor locker update
Anchor hatch opening installed with anchor bracket inside.

The Swan Point 19 is a great boat, but a small update makes accessing the anchor much easier.  We added a hatch opening to the foredeck and added a mahogany bracket to hold the anchor. Continue reading “Anchor Locker Update for Swan Point 19”

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Swan Point 19 Sole Repair

Screw holes were sealed to prevent the problem from recurring.
3/4 plywood and glass patch for a soft spot in the sole
New patch of 3/4 marine plywood and glass is the right fix for a soft spot in the sole of a Swan Point 19 center console.

It’s not uncommon for a boat to develop soft spots in the sole  around the console.  Any unsealed penetration, like a console hold-down screw hole, will allow water intrusion.  This boat has a fiberglass-over-plywood sole.  So once the water gets to the plywood, it will eventually rot. Continue reading “Swan Point 19 Sole Repair”

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Laminating the Stem

Laminating the stem of the Palm Beach 22 to a very tight curve requires many layers.
You can never have too many clamps!  Laminating the stem of the Palm Beach 22.  Notice the plastic sheet over the lofting board to keep glue from dropping on it.

In my last post I said I would tell you more about making the hatch in the waterproof bulkhead, and finishing it.  Well, I’m still waiting for some of the hardware, so it’s time to move on and we’ll come back to the hatch later.

Time to build the Stem of the boat!  I decided to laminate this stem because it’s easier and stronger than the traditional method of sawing it out of solid lumber pieces and bolting them together.  Laminating is just gluing together multiple layers to produce a larger piece.  It’s also used as an alternative to steam bending wood.  We’re going to do a lot of laminating on this boat.  So let’s get started.

Continue reading “Laminating the Stem”

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Building a Hatch Opening

Framed hatch and opening, almost ready to be installed.

The water-tight bulkhead forward of the engine compartment needs a hatch opening so you can access the area forward of frame 3.  We have to cut an opening and frame it and the hatch.  We’ll have to design the frame for both pieces, determine proper placement of the hinges and opening hardware, and make it waterproof. Continue reading “Building a Hatch Opening”

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Xantrex Freedom 20 Repair

Charred input connection for Xantrex Freedom 20 inverter-charger

I recently got a call to diagnose and repair a Xantrex Freedom 20 inverter-charger.  An inverter-charger is a dual purpose machine that can either charge your batteries using shore power, or create AC power from your batteries while you’re away from shore power.  What’s more, it can share your shore power feed between whatever you want to use it for on the boat and the battery charger, giving some power to each.  So you can charge your batteries and enjoy using your air conditioner while making margaritas with your blender! Continue reading “Xantrex Freedom 20 Repair”

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Assembling the Transom Frame

Aft view
Assembled transom frame viewed from aft.

We’ve been talking about making all the pieces for the transom of our Palm Beach 22.  If you missed that part of the discussion, you can check it out at making the Transom Cheeks and Making the Transom Bows.  Now it’s time to put these parts together into a unified whole.  We need some guideposts, something to tell us how this piece should look when we’ve put it together successfully. Continue reading “Assembling the Transom Frame”

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Making the Transom Bows

Shaving to the line
Shaving the upper transom bow to the line of the deck camber.

The transom bows are the curved top and bottom pieces that give you the shape of that beautiful transom you see on classic runabouts.  Nelson Zimmer’s plan calls for a 5 foot radius curve.  He also calls for a deck crown or “camber” of 2-1/2 inches at the transom.

So we’ve got two pieces to make, bent to a 5 foot radius.  And the top one has to have a curve cut on top of it to support the crown of the deck as well. Continue reading “Making the Transom Bows”