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Hey CWH........

cwh

Administrator
Nov 18, 2007
4,574
99
Anchorage
Lol... I wanted to build a few.

~16' drift boat
~20' skiff to play crash up derby on the Kenai and for general use.
~30' cruiser/floater home

The "problem" is that I bought a project boat (pretty much gutted ~34' Aluminum hull). Having a really hard time deciding if I should move forward with fixing that up, or if my time is better spent making money to buy a working boat.

Long term, I'd love to have a long range diesel boat to run across the sound, hunt Kodiak, and maybe make a trip down the inside passage in. That's where the current "project" fits, but I'm not so good at long term projects. It would be logical to do that project last, not first, and it would be really nice to weld on new aluminum, not 30 year old corroded stuff. So, I'm weighing options and riding the fence at the moment.
 

cwh

Administrator
Nov 18, 2007
4,574
99
Anchorage
Is that what the kids are calling it?

My old man was concerned that he'd be dead before I got her in the water. He turns 80 this year, so he does have a point. The hull needs the entire bottom cut out and a new one welded in (IMO). Then the "build out" could start.

Seems like it would be nice to crank out a few AL projects before jumping into something like that. So the logical thing is to let it sit and work on other stuff. Problem is, I have the opportunity to acquire some running gear now, which means big money, so I'm at a bit of a decision point.
 

Chesapeake

Well-known member
Aug 24, 2010
1,287
14
SW Washington
Did they put copper anti-fouling paint on an aluminum boat?

Looks good in the pics, but mixing wrong metals and stray electricity can tear an aluminum bull up.
 

cwh

Administrator
Nov 18, 2007
4,574
99
Anchorage
No, but they did foam the hull and park 'er in the harbour. I suspect the hull was acting as a ground as well.
 

raghornjp

Well-known member
May 4, 2010
4,649
97
A whole nuther country
Foam can be a nightmare in aluminum hulls if it ever gets wet (been there)
There is no way to get it dry and can't weld anything close to it as moisture will pull to the weld
I've still got a boat back in Ms that has a wet foamed hull that the only way to fixi it would be cut the whole bottom out and the decks and scrape that wet foam out and then redeck and reskin the bottom
I decided that it's not worth it and that's why I'm having my new skiff built now
 

cwh

Administrator
Nov 18, 2007
4,574
99
Anchorage
Fact:
raghornjp said:
Foam can be a nightmare in aluminum hulls if it ever gets wet
Corollary: It always gets wet.

Foam is great in theory. Hell, it worked for 20 years in this hull. When we pulled the deck on the old hewescraft, the foam underneath was completely waterlogged. Had to dig it out with a clam shovel and then scrape things as best we could. Probably lost 300-400lbs of dead weight in the process.
 

cwh

Administrator
Nov 18, 2007
4,574
99
Anchorage
Chesapeake said:
Foamed Hull, ouch!
Yeah... 90% of the foam has been pulled, so I don't necessarily have to deal with that. But there's enough corrosion that patching doesn't seem reasonable.

I would cut that thing to 28 and stick twins on it.
Interesting idea.... :) Given the choice, I'd stick with burning oil. So if this thing stays, I'm looking at a single Cummins and the Konrad to swing a big prop. Won't ever be fast, but I think it could be pretty efficient.

How much access do you have to the inside of the hull for welding ?
She's more or less wide open. Guessing could drop the bottom out in a day once the whole thing is supported and ready to go (which is of course the trick). The other trick is going to be flipping that bitch, but I have idears there. Dammit, I'm talking myself back into it.
 

cwh

Administrator
Nov 18, 2007
4,574
99
Anchorage
I'm kind of more interested in doing it myself just because of the challenge. My concern is mainly around how much time (and money) it is going to suck away from the rest of my life. I have ideas on how to make it work.
 

dznnf7

Well-known member
Apr 30, 2016
600
27
It's not a bad side to be on if you love the work and want to spend your time that way, but it's not profitable! For me it's motorcycles and rifles, and I haven't made a dime on one yet.
 

Rod Builder

Well-known member
May 15, 2012
298
0
Happiest Place on Earth
cwh said:
Lol... I wanted to build a few.

~16' drift boat
~20' skiff to play crash up derby on the Kenai and for general use.
~30' cruiser/floater home

The "problem" is that I bought a project boat (pretty much gutted ~34' Aluminum hull). Having a really hard time deciding if I should move forward with fixing that up, or if my time is better spent making money to buy a working boat.

Long term, I'd love to have a long range diesel boat to run across the sound, hunt Kodiak, and maybe make a trip down the inside passage in. That's where the current "project" fits, but I'm not so good at long term projects. It would be logical to do that project last, not first, and it would be really nice to weld on new aluminum, not 30 year old corroded stuff. So, I'm weighing options and riding the fence at the moment.
I might need a driftboat. Luckily I know guys with willie's we can steal all the measurements from as well.