1974 Proline Floor, Stingers and Transom, complete Overhaul!

Last season while black fishing I started taking on lots of water and my bilge stopped working, so we nearly sunk the boat!
Got back to the launch and the back of the boat sunk just as we got it on the trailer and winched up.
I found the the self bailing scuppers had ripped through the transom because of a weak and flexing transom. So I started this project three weeks ago.

I was able to take off the main engine and kicker, remove all the hardware,loosen the center console and unhook all the wiring in about 8 hours.
Then built the frame and lifted/separated the topside from the hull in about 6 hours the next day.
[/URL]

Look forward to see progress reports and pics

One heck of a overhaul Going tobe a fun one to watch as it gets redone

Your gonna be busy!!

Wow. I'll be watching. More pics as you go please.

What Jiggy said

I would of made a planter, good luck...

Looking forward to seeing all the reports on the project.

I started to remove the transom wood by hammering a long machete down between the fiberglass and wood and working it all loose. When it looked like it was all separated, tried lifting it out with an engine hoist. It wouldn't budge, then cut it in half diagonally and tried again, no luck!
I then backed the boat up while it was still hoisted in the air, twisting the transom and it popped loose. Did the same for the other side and after 6 hours of work I finally had it out!
Then Spent another two days removing all the deck wood and chipping out all the waterlogged foam,cleaning all the remaining wood from transom all debris from the hull.
The Stringers don't look too bad, I might just lay a new piece of marine ply along side them and glass them in.

Now empty Transom




Boat minus decking and most of the foam

fuggin boats......

Holy crap that looks very interesting. Good luck with it and can't wait to see the progress. At least this way you can customize it any way you want.

Heck of a project, wtg.

Some day you'll proudly look back on this and say "what the #*&! was I thinking". Seriously, good luck on a big project.

Yes I should know better... I have done some major work to 3 of my own boats, and some over whelming paying jobs too!


.

Isaac - bold move. I love it. Keep the photo's coming.

No different then fixing up a rusty old car.....You can justify it practically.....Good luck with the project. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

Awesome that you decided to overhaul the old girl. Nothing like getting your hands into it and making it your own. I love threads like this and will be watching as well.

More pics more pics!

I have been busy working and haven't spent as much time working on this as I want to but still managed to put in many more hours on the boat!

I used a slow hardening penetrating epoxy to treat all the dry rotting stringers. ( wow that stuff works great!) All the stringers where very brittle and after treatment they are more solid than new wood!

I cut out and made the transom out of two 3/4" marine plywood pieces laminated using Epoxy Resin and stainless screws. I sandwiched fiberglass in between and left it hanging out the sides so it will bond with the sides of the hull. Then used two coats of slow cure epoxy resin on all sides.
After that cured, and a few dry fittings and trimming, it fit nice and tight.
I made three quarts of epoxy mixed with milled fibers and fumed silica till it was like a peanut butter consistency. After washing the transom area down with acetone, applied it to the new transom and boat all around the sides before setting it in place.
After that cured (24hours later) I glassed the bottom in, using 20 oz fiberglass roving.
Also laminated a block of AZEK to the bottom of the hull and drilled through the hole for a water pickup for wash down and live well.

I am starting to add new marine plywood to both sides of all the stringers after treating them again with slow hardening epoxy resin.

LOOKING GOOD

Your a brave man taking on this project. I have no idea how to do this work. Like the others, I will enjoy watching your progress.
Best wish for a good sturdy craft.

Looks like you're doing a great job Isaac! Keep the pics coming!

looks good man. fiberglass is a real difficult thing to work with. messy, time consuming... not fun. if you can pull it off though, its great!

I bought my foam through USComposites http://www.uscomposites.com/foam.html but if you've got a vendor that's less expensive please share - I've got to order a few more gallons to finish my own headache.

Yup that's where I get mine... I need 60 cubic ft

Uhg - always works out to an odd-ball amount relative to the purchase options doesn't it?

Wow - looks great, pls keep the photos coming.

I have a full day cutting wood and coating with epoxy resin to lay along the stringers. I installed them that night.
I cut out and epoxy coated and installed all the blocking the next two evenings. Then coated all wood again today to seal all the screws/wood.
I had to really pull the sides of the boat back to where they should be. It looks like they spread out a lot since the original blocking rotted!

Looks great good to see you are making progress. Once you are done you will have a better then new boat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I cut out all the floor pieces first so I could use all of the left overs for cutting out the wood for the stringers.
I had coated one side with penetrating epoxy resin and tonight I laid them out in the boat and coated the other side.

I am taking the wood back out. I still need to hook up plumbing for wash down and install new bilge pumps before pouring foam then the floor can be glued and screwed down.

Looking real nice

WOW...Looks great!!

Did you think about changing your fuel tank pickup tube and float while you have such great access to it? Your going to get another 20 yrs out of that hull once your finished. Keep the pics coming

It looks like the tank and fill tube and vent where all replaced not too many years ago. It is a newer Tempo fuel tank, the original was aluminum. When removing the floatation foam.. I could smell old fuel that had soaked into it.
I will be replacing the sending unit.

.

I was able to get some work done the last couple of days.
I put high-R foam between the stringers to block off for pour in foam... then poured the front section and didn't get as much expansion as I should have!
At around $100 worth of foam for that section, I had to wait till we had a 85deg day yesterday and I was able to pour out all the 60 cubic feet of foam into the hull. It is a real messy job, I used up a lot of buckets, stir sticks and vinyl gloves.
I need another 10 cubic feet of foam to even out the voids and fill around fuel tank.

WOW you are tenatious, Nice job you will have 1 solid craft after this, Great work Isaac

I haven't worked on the boat as much as I could have, but I was able to get all the pour in foam done.
I made a front live well out of a new PVC tub sink from Home Depot. I put 1 1/2" drain on the bottom and a 1 1/2" drain on the side, that tee's into each other and all the way out the bottom of the transom. Then put it in place and poured expanding foam under and around it, then completely sealed the front live well to be cut out later after the top is laminated.
I used a through hull fitting with scupper for the drain with a tee fitting and shut off for live well above deck in the back.
Added a new brass 1" drain fitting by drilling the 1" hole then cutting the brass thru hull to size used sealer on fitting and flared with a flaring tool.
Also plumbed and wired in a bait well pump on top of the high speed water pickup at the back with a valve so that it can be used for either front or back live-well.
I also used a tee fitting off of the same high speed pickup to feed to my wash-down pump.
Added a new bilge pump and float switch also.

If we have some warmer dry weather I should be able to set the top fiberglass back together soon!

looks great, you do very good work. I am worry about just wiring lights and your doing the whole boat. Keep it up and a better then brand new boat will be yours

Nice job Isaac , that is going to be an awesome boat.

Great job! Wow! I would have just sold that sinking boat to Conrad and given him a map to The Canyons.

It's definitely a project based on passion and not finances. There are soooooo many great boats for sale at great prices....and even if the asking price isn't a great price the seller usually eventually snaps back into the reality of the market and gives the buyer a great deal.

Do you keep track of your costs based on materials and man hours? I would be curious on the final tally of both materials and man hours.

Good luck with the project and future use!

Very impressive work !!

Yes I was thinking that before the project but the boat was acquired for a trade and I don't want to get someones headache. most older boats foam is already waterlogged.
I will have $3000 in materials and I have 80 hours or so in the boat.

Wow, very impressive! I did a new transom and floor in my 14 foot bass boat about 20 years ago and that was a job, so I can appreciate how much hassle this is and what a great job you're doing! Thanks for sharing!

The cold weather and hunting season stopped me from finishing this project last year.

So I started working on it again a few weeks ago and was able to pull wires for a wash down pump. I also glued down all the epoxied marine plywood with thickened epoxy from Total Boat called THIXO. I then screwed it down and Filled in and glassed the edges, also added another coat of epoxy resin.

I added wood around the sides for added strength when screwing the top back together.

Also installed new rod holders and fuel filler while I still have easy access.

I am ready now to add the SUPERFIL poly-fiber epoxy and set the top down into it soon!

looking good!

Wow! That's a lot of work. Kudos!

Isaac.

Absolutely awesome - that boat will be stiffer than new (or very close to it)

Any guess about change in weight ?

I know I took out more than 1000 lbs of water soaked foam.also the wood was water logged so it should be much lighter.

The boat is going to handle like a dream. That is an first class re-build - very nice

Think of the fuel savings not having to plow around an unnecessary 1/2 ton of worthless weight! Beautiful job sir - can't wait to see the final product.

I had an offer from my Father-in-law and Brother-in-laws to help me set the top of the boat back in place this morning.

We mixed up the 3 gallons of the Poly-Fiber Super-Fil, and troweled it out from 3/4" on the sides to 1/4" in the middle to fill-in and bond the top deck to the epoxied wood.
Then carefully lowered the top down in place. It came together nice with a few extra hands.
We then laid down some plywood on the deck and 40+ 50lb sand bags to help keep the deck in place and level till it cures.
Now it has to cure for at least 12 hours.

The epoxy Poly-Fil worked great and the deck is firm and glued down!

I have been sanding the inside of the boat, and filling hundreds of holes, Screw holes, snap holes, drilled holes, and access holes.
Also had to fill in a groove that is worn into the floor by the center console over the years

I cut out the live well access and a access to pumps and plumbing in the rear, also cut out 2" self bailing scuppers (the original where only 3/4")

Sanded and skim coated the transom, lots of holes there too.











Old scupper holes




New Scupper holes

Wow! When's she getting wet?! Any material $$ and man hour updates, or are you too disgusted to calculate them? Great job bringing her back from the grave!

Great job you are going to have one hell of a solid boat when you are done!

Pour-in foam was around-$1000
Total boat epoxy resin, pumps,mixing containers aprox.-$1000
fiberglass/roving-$200
through hull fittings,scuppers,rod holders,washdown pump,bait pump,bait well/hoses-$600
5 sheets marine plywood-$430
stainless screws/bolts/accessories-$350
T-Top/parts-$540

so just off the top of my head _$4120



Maybe 120 man hours

Pride & peace of mind knowing you've done everything bottom to top by yourself -> priceless

Same name going on the back ?

Great job

Still doing some small repairs and sanding.
The center access/fuel tank cover had rotten wood, so I removed all the wood and re-laminated a new piece of marine ply, using thickened epoxy resin.
Then two more coats of resin over the wood.

Also had two days rewiring the whole boat. A lot of non marine connectors and a large bird nest of extra wire was in the console. Had to order a new 6 panel switch plate with fuses to replace the 4 panel switch plate after adding a washdown and baitwell pumps






The big tangle of extra wire that was in the center console

AWSOME job

Fantastic job Isaac!!!

I have been trying to think of a way to use a larger live-well I got from CTF member Fishstu. I wanted to make it removable, but have it look permanent. (No Hoses visible) I have been looking for thru-hull fittings that I could use in the floor and I wanted the fittings for the live-well to slide into them and be water tight.
I went to West Marine today and found a large brass thru hull for the drain and plastic one for pump that I could turn with my lathe to make them fit. Then added a groove for o-rings and they sealed perfectly. I have rubber stoppers to seal the fittings when not in use.
I found that 1"Charlotte PVC Pipe fit perfect in the drain fitting.
I used 3/4" Charlotte pvc on the pump fitting but had to turn it down a bit on the lathe to get it to fit.

Here is the live-well and thru hull setup.

SLICK !!!......very nice job!

I only had a little time today so was only able to finish the rear live well today.
I made a one inch base out of AZEK to shim it for a perfect
fit, which I was able to router out to fit over an access hatch.

Finally after all these weeks of prep, I am finally painting!
First and second coat on the top and inside of gunnel, center console and the back and outside!
hopefully will get a coat on the floor this weekend

Looks great Isaac !!!

Looking SHARP!

AWSOME JOB MAN JUST AWSOME

wow!

I was able to get the floor finished with none skid, installed scuppers and couple hatch covers.
Also was able to refinish the Outboard and install it.

Very nice!

I put in over 90 hours the last few weeks rigging.
Got last coat of finish on the floor.Installed hatches,center console and T-top by pre-drilling and using 5200 on all screws.
Also installed vinyl snap cover's that my wife made, over all accesses. Added rod holders, LED lighting and anchor light to T-top. Installed my older Lowrance HDS with sidescan and downscan and LSS.
Installed kicker 9.9 and hooked up both motors through a new filter water separator. refinished and Installed the aluminum bumper rail again using 5200 sealer on all screws.
Today we finally got the boat wet! Went to Branford and had to sit inside the harbor fishing till waves calmed a little. everything ran well,live-wells and washdown worked great. Only one monster blue and a couple of porgy but great to get her back on the water!
Only a few things left to do!

LED's Are real nice at night!

Awesome job! Looks new.

Only thing left is to go FISHING!

You really did a outstanding job on that boat. Not many people would have the guts to start it let alone finish the project. Well done.

First class job! Congrats on the new boat.... LOL

Great job!

I have a Wellcraft V20 CC in my backyard, that I want to do a total overhaul on.

I will be using this project as a guide, to help me through the rebuild. I can only hope that my project will be as nice as yours.

Thank you for the inspiration.

Fantastic final product! I really like the vinyl access covers - makes all future maintenance much easier.

Looks incredible, well done!!!!
Enjoy your future fishing trips, will look forward to the reports.

Really nice, outstanding job.Good luck.

GREAT job d.c. ! WOW!!!

Wow!

You need any insight/advice I might be able to give you don't hesitate to give me a shout!
I drive by your house all the time, a good friend lives just up the street on Copley rd.

Looks great

Isaac.

Magnificent job - really first class ! ! !

Congratulations

Those Wellcraft V-20's are good boats . . that would make for a great restoration.

The real impressive feat hidden in the background of the before and after pictures isn't the transformation of the boat...it's that he kept a Chevy in running order over all that time!!!

Awesome work…..

That is a really slick flip!

Looks sweet Isacc. Can't wait to get out on her soon.

OK so I'm in awe of your work... but this one blew me away. You even got the lady of the house involved... and with the loving touch! Fantastic Project! Thank you for sharing it with us.


Good Luck to you, your family, and your boat (redundant I know... boat is family)

Looks great in the water.

Thanks for taking and posting that pic, Allison


.