Wood replacement questions

[Kelly]

Here's an older pic of Rick's '57 Skagit convertible and where he put the discharge ports.

[Kelly]

3 potential options:

1) Out the back through the transom (not ideal but it's where modern boats discharge).
2) Discharge out the side near the back of the stripe, below the rub rail and above the trim.
3) Run a hose long enough and keep it loose under the splashwell and manually switch it on while hanging the hose over the edge.

I'm not yet sure what I'll do. I may go option two and paint the discharge fitting the same color as the stripe.

[Helmar]

Slowly working on misc tasks. Wiring is going well.
Where do most people put the bilge pump exit on the Skagit 20’s? I made the bilge area size almost exactly as it was originally. I’m thinking if I exit out the sides of the boat under the splash well it will be to close to the waterline. I don’t really want to cut up through the splash well if I don’t have to, but I don’t see another option. Any suggestions?

Well, I have seen them both out the stearn and port or starboard side. Me, for the most part, I box that back area in and use it for storage so the splashwell is much smaller. I make that space useful for fenders and line. I think the last one I did, they came out high on the sides both port and starboard though thruhull fittings.

I suppose you could put them down lower but you would have to trust a scupper valve. Not sure i would be willing to do that.

[sclapsaddle]

Slowly working on misc tasks. Wiring is going well.
Where do most people put the bilge pump exit on the Skagit 20’s? I made the bilge area size almost exactly as it was originally. I’m thinking if I exit out the sides of the boat under the splash well it will be to close to the waterline. I don’t really want to cut up through the splash well if I don’t have to, but I don’t see another option. Any suggestions?

[Kelly]

Comfort is a big deal. My Uniflite had original style seats and after hours on the water my back would hurt. You will appreciate your choice for years.

[sclapsaddle]

The seats are depending on where measured 30” from the floor and 15” from the top of the boxes. The pedastals I think are about 9” and the drivers has a slider so the seat slides back and forward and adds 1-2”. There not height adjustable, I couldn’t find any that short and adjustable.

The seats I do like, I was originally wanting a bit more period correct look but comfort won out.

[Kelly]

I had a 1500 in my Uniflite and never had an issue. I'm going with either the 1500 or 2000, nothing smaller. I keep a manual pump as a backup, just for a battery failure scenario. Knock on wood, I've haven't had to use it yet.
Those seats look comfortable and look like they belong. Curious on the height? It's hard to judge by these pictures... are the pedestals adjustable?

[sclapsaddle]

Finally made the decision about seats. We had gone to many boat stores, Cabela’s, bass pro, ect over the last year trying to find seats that are comfortable to us. They either sit up to straight, to big for our smaller frames or just plain cheap and uncomfortable. I wanted to try these Tempress Probax seats but of coarse no one I could find in western Washington had these seats to try, all this water and boats... Made it over to Idaho earlier this fall and found them at a boat store outside of Post Falls, they said they are very popular over there and they sell a lot of them, instantly comfortable, so that is what we got. We have smaller jump seat type for the rear seats. These came in red and white, but I’m glad we went with the darker grey with a little red. It took awhile trying to find the right height pedestals with swivel and a slider for the drivers side, but found em and they seem to be the right height.

Working on wiring now, have the majority of it ran but not much hooked up yet.

I’ve been researching bilge pumps and am leaning toward a smaller maybe 500-800gph for the mainland a large back up maybe 2000, I had a 1500 in my fiberglass jet boat and never had a problem with it pumping enough water, but I was always within site of land in that boat. Any suggestions or opinions on multiples or size of bilge pumps?

[Kelly]

That's what I was looking for, thanks! I'm still a ways from getting the floor painted but the info helps with my planning process.

[sclapsaddle]

When I layed up the Mat and polyester resin, I did not use finishing resin, so there was no wax/surface cure. About a year after doing that is now when I painted it, so I scrubbed it with a scotchbrite pad and wiped clean with acetone. The acetone softened the surface and I just put two coats directly over the fiberglass. I've tested a small area and it adhered well. The paint I used has quite a bit of solvents so it bit in well. If the glass has been surface cured,it would need a thorough sanding for adhesion. I don't think primer would be necessary unless there is some filler or your wanting to fill imperfections with it. Usually thinner film build equals more durable for chipping but less material to wear off.

[Kelly]

when you painted your floor did you sand the glass first and did you use primer?

[sclapsaddle]

In the auto paint world each paint manufacturer has there own additives, this is for modern urethane clearcoats and single stage paints. I'm not sure if it would work in marine paints. Depending on how much you use the drying time is dramatically slowed down, and Sanding and buffing gets very difficult.

[Helmar]

Thanks! The water tank I polished the gel coat, couldn't believe how well and easy it polished up, I still have to do the helm box. The steering wheel I did restore, it was incredibly corroded, I almost didn't fix it. I thoroughly sand blasted it, then bead blaster to get as far into the small pits as I could, then soaked it in metal prep(phosphoric acid) to eat the remaining corrosion, couple coats of automotive epoxy to seal the aluminum and a lot of high build polyester primer to fill the deep pits, sanded that smooth and painted with some left over auto paint with a flexing agent from work, the flexing agent keeps it fairly soft so it feels bit more rubbery, I was happy with how it turned out. Yes hopefully we can get together next summer for a little cruising on the water.

I too am interested in the Flexing Agent. Got a specific brand use ? Sounds like its almost too good to be true.

[sclapsaddle]

It's used to make paint flexible for painting flexible things like modern bumper on cars, the more you use the more flexible the paint stays.

[Kelly]

Flexing agent... That's a new one to me. I'll look it up, thanks. Mine isn't bad as long as I don't f it up pressing the shaft out.