Bell Boy 404 Express Restoration

[BellBoyBob]

Yes, you guys should post youtube videos of your boats. It would be great to see them in action!
Bob

[BellBoyBob]

Like this one...

[media=youtube]HBxzh8xV-ps[/media]

Enjoy, Bob

[Skagitguy]

Bob, That is one great video pointing out all of the great features you have incorporated into your BellBoy. I was wondering how you got it into the garage with the windshield on. I have been thinking about trying to see if my boat would fit in the garage as well. It is about 24 feet deep.Chuck

[Lyle]

That is a beautiful boat. Although I have to say I have not seen an ugly one here yet.

[Steve_Kiesel]

Thanks for the tour Bob. Excellent video as always. Your 404 is the best, wish I could see it in person. I remember when you restored the Merc 110 years ago. That project inspired me to restore the kicker I had at that time. Thanks again for the tips and pointers.

Have a good one Bob.

[wetcoaster]

Bob, Great job on the boat and the video. Gives us all something to strive for! It is fantastic that it has been in your family all this time.

[TheBronze]

Has it really been since August that I posted on this thread? Shame on me!

Pretty Girl saw lots of water action last summer. Yay! I hauled her out in September and she is under cover next to the house.
Currently, I am working on building a cabinet for the nav station. It will follow the same lines as the helm. This will give me plenty of space up top for the electronics and two spaces below for storage and the AM/FM radio. Prior to installing it, however, I will be building the arm rest to go along the inside gn’l, as this will be easier to install first. Not much to look at right now except a bunch of sticks of wood. I’ll snap some shots when it is getting assembled.

Other than that, it has been pretty slow going with new job and holidays and cold weather. I did manage to get chocks installed though.

I’ve also been playing with batteries. I have two installed in the stern. With the engine, batteries and people in the aft seats, she tends to wallow at slower speeds (half plane, etc). It’s easy enough to get her on plane with the 140 back there, but sometimes I like to go slower… The idea is to get some weight forward and remove weight from the stern. I may ballast the front for a few summers though. I don’t have the cabin built and I know that will add a few hundred pounds of wood and gear. It seems like the best plan would be to get things “done” before finalizing the layout of the batteries. I will build it to accommodate what I have though. Just in case…

[Kelly]

Glad to hear you got some real use of the 404 this past summer. I'm sure it was pretty satisfying especially after all the labor you put into her. Looking forward to more pics

[TheBronze]

I've been quiet on this thread for a while. But, as usual, I've been working diligently in my evil lair. Muwahahaha… Laugh with me, laugh with me!

I've spent most of the winter either being busy with holidays and family or working to get the nav cabinet finished as well as other minutia.

Work on the navigation cabinet actually started around this time last year in the form of conceptual drawings and work ups. My friend has a nice cabinet in his Sea Fair and I wanted to replicate that look and functionality. We drew up plans and matched the lines to the helm and came up with some "features" along the way.

One of my pet peeves on boats are "good idea's". You know, the ones that involve putting a hole in something, usually vintage fiberglass or a nice piece of wood… With that in mind I designed a removable top piece for the cabinet to hold electronics and such. If I change out a piece of equipment down the road, I need only build a new top part and re-finish. Not without work, but better than random holes. That being said, I'm pretty happy with my current electronics package, so barring any malfunction, it should be good to go for the foreseeable future.

Shown in the pics are some pre-finish shots of various pieces as well as finished product for the nav station, mounted up and ready for service. All in all, a good result I think!

The top door to the cabinet is retained with a chain that I installed yesterday. The reference cabinet has two chains, one on each side, but I think one will suffice as long as no one leans on it. The bottom door is stopped by the edge of the trim for the fuel tank cover. I placed a small foam button on the edge to prevent damage. We'll see how well the adhesive holds up. If it fails, I can always attach a chain to it as well. Cabinet hardware is Home Depot fare, about $10 worth. If they rust it won't be a big deal to replace every season.

Wiring for the electronics comes in on the side, below the gnl support wood. Mostly out of sight, then up through holes in the removable top piece. I'll bundle the wires up this week and hang them high and in the back to keep them out of the way. On the left is the mount for my tablet which I use to pilot with Navionics. On the right is the mount for my Lowrance sounder. Both units are in the house as we've had car prowlers in the neighborhood and I'd rather not have to replace them. Not seen is a USB power module. Two ports to power the tablet and one other device.

Stain is Minwax Gunstock with Helmsman Spar urethane in gloss finish. I bought the wrong stuff when working on the seat boxes last year (originally went with satin finish) and really like the look of gloss over satin. I'll be re-finishing the other furniture in gloss next year when my varnish cycle comes up.

Interiors of the cabinet are painted white with Rustoleum oil based enamel. Great stuff. Wears well and has a nice shine to it.

The radio continues to flummox me though. I originally wanted to put it in the sink in the cabin when it gets build. Then I thought it might fit in the cabinet, but it is too long. So for the short term I was going to mount it under the window in the cabin to get it out of the way. Also too long. I ended up placing it next to the nav cabinet as you can see. Not a permanent spot and not that great to look at, but it will do until I get either a short chassis stereo in there (not appealing since that radio is brand new) or when I get the sink cabinet built. Yes, I realize that I put holes in my boat! But they can be filled and painted over, so no big deal. Plus, it's just plywood holding the fuel tank in with paint on it. Nothing original.

Other work this winter has been trim pieces along the gnl support wood and re-configuring the downriger mounting bases. Thought I had some shots of these but I don't, so I'll snap some and post.

Also, I've done some repairs to chipped paint along the gn'ls. Sanded and ready for paint, but waiting for dry weather. Once the paint is done, I'm going to cover that section of the boat with a clear plastic film like what they put on cars. Should keep the color looking good and save it from more fishing damage. Along the hull, I decided to fill the splash rail holes and paint. Getting the new rails built and installed would have required a complete removal of the fuel tanks, so I went the easy way. Again, waiting for dry weather to paint.

Other than these last minor details, she is ready for the season. Work will always continue, but probably not in earnest until the fall. Next up for that time period - pocket door and cabin interior!

Not sure why those pics are on their side. They show upright on my desktop...

[TheBronze]

As promised, pics of the rails.

You can see in the photos that there are side panels that stop at the edge of the gn'l support wood (or whatever that horizontal wood is called that re-enforces the deck to hull joint). I had originally left that wood unfinished with the plan of adding a full sized piece of wood along the top, overlapping the panels. Best laid plans of mice and men.... The boat actually has a subtle curve in it along that distance. Far to difficult for my skills to cut a full sized piece of hardwood from. So I decided to use smaller trim pieces and create a channel. This will be a great spot to drop a pair of glasses, lures, or whatever small item. The wood itself overlaps the plywood panels, hiding the end grain. Both top sides are radius'd for smooth corners. I placed stoppers just past the downward curve to prevent items from vanishing into the bilge area. Around the throttle, I plan on placing one more piece to complete the look. As it sits right now, there is some exposed end grain on the small piece of plywood past the cut out. Should be a quick job to do and will polish the look nicely. Forward of that, I'm working on similar wood stoppers to utilize the space next to the helm and cabinet. it is a great spot to throw a handheld UHF/VHF radio, glasses, etc.

[TheBronze]

Hello me, it's me again…

Unfortunately, we missed opening day. Again. It was twofold this time. The calendar was booked with kid stuff through the weekend, so there was no going out.

Oh, and there was a hole in the boat, so there was no going out!

I pulled her out about a week prior to run the engine and sort things out ahead of the season. While in the driveway, I noticed a crack in the hull, above the waterline, about 8 inches long! Location was forward of the main bulkhead about mid-way. I'm not sure if it occurred when we hit a piling last year in strong winds, or if I somehow pushed on the hull with my trailer dolly when I ran it over… Either way, it was quite a shock.

The crack did not go through the hull, but the glass was pretty thin there due to cleaning out of old berth material, etc, back when I first did demo (many years ago!). Chip chip and poke poke and the next thing you know, I'm through the glass. Not being afraid to find all the damage at this point, I continued to poke and chip until it stopped coming off easily. Then it was out with the grinder to dish the damaged area for repair.

I laid a good section of 1708 from the main bulkhead to the mini bulkhead at the forward deep v. I did the same treatment on the port side, even though there was no damage. It had the same problem of thin glass. Not anymore!

With the backing in place I glassed in the damaged area on the outside of the hull and then filled with glass beads and resin. Some sanding and a fresh coat of paint and you can't tell the difference.

Now, on to further mitigation… Part of the issue was the lack of any cabin build out. This let the hull flex and move all over the place in rough seas or on impact (forward of the bulkhead). Not a safety issue per se, but also not desirable. So, I accelerated the build schedule and constructed the berths. I wasn't planning on building these until the fall, but must needs.

Materials:
Vertical supports: 1.5x1.5
Box framing: 1.5 x 2 for main framing.
Pull out and berth top support: 3/4 x 1.5
Side panels and bulkhead extension: 1/2 birch ply.
Berth tops: 3/4 common cabinet grade.
Fasteners: Stainless, of course, with the exception of coated desk screws for the sole attachment.

In order to insure level build out, I leveled the trailer/boat with the tongue jack and a floor jack. With the use of a laser level, I was able to line everything up exactly as I wanted for the vertical supports as well as mark the angle for the tops to keep everything level. They sit at 13.5 inches high to clear the head lid, providing a uniform bench height all the way around.
Vertical supports were affixed with thickened vinyl ester and then glassed into the hull.
It's amazing how crooked everything looks in a boat when it is level….

With the supports in place, I started with the forward V section. I needed to build a sole plate in that area as I had never done it, not knowing how I was going to configure the space. Foam filled and glassed with 1708, I now have a roomy anchor locker!

From there each berth was fairly simple to construct, just time consuming to get everything set up and braced. The end result are super stiff monocoque structures on both sides of the cabin. The hull, berth top, side panels and sole all came together nicely and have solidified the bow between the bulkheads. Edges were glassed in with 2 layers of 8 oz to close the gaps. There is very little movement on the hull when pushing into it from the outside, in fact, you can' t push the hull hard enough to move it without first moving the boat on the trailer. A far cry from the floppy nature of it prior to the build out.

I'm on to paint and varnish this week and expect to be on the water by Saturday for another year of fun in the sun.

Cushions for the season will be throws and cooler tops. The wife has been tasked with sewing up cushions this winter. I'm sure she'll do a great job.

With the completion of this work, the only major items left are an enclosure for the head, construction of the pocket door and the cabinet for the sink. These are all non-structural in nature. They will get tackled this Winter. Beyond that, its little things to customize the left over spaces. At this point, I'd call her about 90% complete. What an amazing transformation from when I drug her home 5 years ago!

Thanks everyone for the advice, support, inspiration, and everything else over the years! I'll continue to post construction updates here as they happen, but for the most part, this restoration is done!

Also, pics of the assembled cabin to come once everything goes in.

Pics are of the damaged hull inside and outside and berth construction up to the first coat of paint on the wood. Enjoy!

[Helmar]

Hello me, it's me again…

Unfortunately, we missed opening day. Again. It was twofold this time. The calendar was booked with kid stuff through the weekend, so there was no going out.

Oh, and there was a hole in the boat, so there was no going out!

I pulled her out about a week prior to run the engine and sort things out ahead of the season. While in the driveway, I noticed a crack in the hull, above the waterline, about 8 inches long! Location was forward of the main bulkhead about mid-way. I'm not sure if it occurred when we hit a piling last year in strong winds, or if I somehow pushed on the hull with my trailer dolly when I ran it over… Either way, it was quite a shock.

The crack did not go through the hull, but the glass was pretty thin there due to cleaning out of old berth material, etc, back when I first did demo (many years ago!). Chip chip and poke poke and the next thing you know, I'm through the glass. Not being afraid to find all the damage at this point, I continued to poke and chip until it stopped coming off easily. Then it was out with the grinder to dish the damaged area for repair.

I laid a good section of 1708 from the main bulkhead to the mini bulkhead at the forward deep v. I did the same treatment on the port side, even though there was no damage. It had the same problem of thin glass. Not anymore!

With the backing in place I glassed in the damaged area on the outside of the hull and then filled with glass beads and resin. Some sanding and a fresh coat of paint and you can't tell the difference.

Now, on to further mitigation… Part of the issue was the lack of any cabin build out. This let the hull flex and move all over the place in rough seas or on impact (forward of the bulkhead). Not a safety issue per se, but also not desirable. So, I accelerated the build schedule and constructed the berths. I wasn't planning on building these until the fall, but must needs.

Materials:
Vertical supports: 1.5x1.5
Box framing: 1.5 x 2 for main framing.
Pull out and berth top support: 3/4 x 1.5
Side panels and bulkhead extension: 1/2 birch ply.
Berth tops: 3/4 common cabinet grade.
Fasteners: Stainless, of course, with the exception of coated desk screws for the sole attachment.

In order to insure level build out, I leveled the trailer/boat with the tongue jack and a floor jack. With the use of a laser level, I was able to line everything up exactly as I wanted for the vertical supports as well as mark the angle for the tops to keep everything level. They sit at 13.5 inches high to clear the head lid, providing a uniform bench height all the way around.
Vertical supports were affixed with thickened vinyl ester and then glassed into the hull.
It's amazing how crooked everything looks in a boat when it is level….

With the supports in place, I started with the forward V section. I needed to build a sole plate in that area as I had never done it, not knowing how I was going to configure the space. Foam filled and glassed with 1708, I now have a roomy anchor locker!

From there each berth was fairly simple to construct, just time consuming to get everything set up and braced. The end result are super stiff monocoque structures on both sides of the cabin. The hull, berth top, side panels and sole all came together nicely and have solidified the bow between the bulkheads. Edges were glassed in with 2 layers of 8 oz to close the gaps. There is very little movement on the hull when pushing into it from the outside, in fact, you can' t push the hull hard enough to move it without first moving the boat on the trailer. A far cry from the floppy nature of it prior to the build out.

I'm on to paint and varnish this week and expect to be on the water by Saturday for another year of fun in the sun.

Cushions for the season will be throws and cooler tops. The wife has been tasked with sewing up cushions this winter. I'm sure she'll do a great job.

With the completion of this work, the only major items left are an enclosure for the head, construction of the pocket door and the cabinet for the sink. These are all non-structural in nature. They will get tackled this Winter. Beyond that, its little things to customize the left over spaces. At this point, I'd call her about 90% complete. What an amazing transformation from when I drug her home 5 years ago!

Thanks everyone for the advice, support, inspiration, and everything else over the years! I'll continue to post construction updates here as they happen, but for the most part, this restoration is done!

Also, pics of the assembled cabin to come once everything goes in.

Pics are of the damaged hull inside and outside and berth construction up to the first coat of paint on the wood. Enjoy!

Nice work

Looks as your getting darn close to the water.

I see you are in Poulsbo and I know we have several others in that area.
How about a little exploring event in that area. ??
Even Ingvar lives in your area John..

[TheBronze]

John, not sure I'll be going to that event, but I may just pop over to Kingston to check out your boat!

Helmar, there are some waters to explore in the Poulsbo/Silverdale/Bremerton area. Seems like it would be similar waters to the 'Round Bainbridge event though? Might be a good add on? Although, really, if you haven't paid Poulsbo a visit, it is it's own destination. The bay is usually very calm and there is plenty of guest moorage. Old town Poulsbo, is also a nice place to hang out. Depending interest, I would have to coordinate with the port for guest moorage. I'll post something up in Events (apparently when I pay my dues again!) and see if there is any interest.

In other news, here is a shot of the cabin space completed for now.

Tonight and likely tomorrow morning I'll be doing some final prep work to get her ready. Depending on weather, we'll launch tomorrow or Sunday and have some fun this weekend. Come on sun!

[bruceb]

John-
Looks really sharp ! Like your use of natural stained wood and paint, classy combo. Hope the weekend boating was successful !
bruceb

[Helmar]

John-
Looks really sharp ! Like your use of natural stained wood and paint, classy combo. Hope the weekend boating was successful !
bruceb

I agree, great job


Hope you can put something together for Poulsbo too. Nice easy cruise with some good history. Maybe Poulsbo to Silverdale and back ?