mating hull and deck

[WetRaider]

Hey guys ... looking for a tip here.

I've mated the hull and deck a couple times, since I had to re-build the splash well.  It will have to come up once more so I can get my mold-release out and trim off the transom lip where the splash well comes up and over.

I have the deck suspended from the ceiling with ratchet tie downs at the cleats.  So far, when I've dropped it down, I've pushed the hull on the trailer about a foot or so further back - then dropped the front tie downs until the nose of the deck is just lower than the nose of the hull.  Then I grab the trailer and pull forward until the nose of the deck seats itself on the nose of the hull & stick a block under the wheel jack so it won't roll away with the tension pulling against it.  The ratchet tie downs can sway forward, backward & side to side and the angle of the bow makes it self-centering.  I used two of the screw holes for the rub rail and set a pair of screws at the front.  When I pull the block from the wheel jack, the deck moves to hang straight down and pulls the trailer with it.  Then I let the rear tie downs loose and give the deck a little nudge from the side to set it in place. 

The process worked like a charm until this last one ... seems I can't get the sides of the hull to push up under the deck.  Not where they'll stay, anyway - they'll push up under, but flex right back out.  Also, it seems that the deck grew about a half inch - because there's about a half inch or so of overlap at the stern.  I'm wondering if I use some set screws along the way ... work myself from front to back, if things will fall into place.  The plan was to lift once in the morning, drop back down and set the rub rail, then go get my motor hung. 

Any ideas?

[MarkS]

Been there, wrestled with that!  Dan, I believe the fit (no overlap) is more important at the stern, I'd try to make that as tight as possible first.  For the sides, I had the same problem.  (You could push them up into place, but they would spring back before you could proceed.)  I used a ratcheting tie down strap wrapped around the boat in the middle to pull it all together, and hold it.  (The process was a little tricky since I used poly foam sealing tape on the seam, stuck it to the hull side of the joint.  Also ran a bead of sealant down before the final install.)  Installing the rub rail screws secured it, then ran another bead of sealant from the inside.  Overkill?  Maybe, but I bet it won't leak!   

[WetRaider]

Mark ... how often do you plan to have your rub rail under water? 

I know that I'd get swamped from the rear if I pulled back on throttle too quickly and didn't turn out of my own wake.  For that reason, I'd agree with you completely that it's probably more important to have the stern tight.  Maybe I'll reseat the thing here in a bit if the rain dies down.  I still haven't done the roving on my floor - but it's been tabbed well and rolled twice with resin, so a few sprinkles shouldn't hurt anything.

[scott r bishop]

We did a similar thing with our GT150 when refitting the hull and deck, but I just tied string around the hull in 3 or 4 places to cinch the hull, then lowered the deck on, screwed it in, cut the string and pulled it through and we were good.  I don't know if your hull is thicker than the 150's, any thicker and I don't know if string would be strong enough.  It's nice to be able to just cut and pull instead of having to get a tie down out from in between the two halves.

[MarkS]

Mark ... how often do you plan to have your rub rail under water? 

Hopefully NEVER, but I do get your point.  I have no experience with the GT, just the Starflite which has a higher freeboard (?), obviously.  Could be I'm a little nervous after seeing the pics of others with the bigger (than recommended) motors on them?  300+ Pounds makes me think the chances are good it might happen sooner or later, maybe I'm just crazy.  Hope you guys have a great weekend.

[WetRaider]

Looks like I've done it.  Less than a month.  I discovered the "naked" plywood floor on May 5.  Complete re-build ... she's done except for the interior.  I got the rub rail on & the hull and deck pulled tight.  In the morning I'll have to cut my brass tubes and see if I can't flare the flat end after I push through at the bilge drain & splash well drain before I go get my motor put on.  There's some paint work that needs to happen - especially at the splash well, but I'm happy with what I've done.  Everybody cross your fingers that motor will fire and that I got all my wiring correct the first time!

[dorelse]

Nice Job!

[Burnin Daylight]

Congratulations!  Lots of work done in a short amount of time.

[WetRaider]

Just for fun, since it's finally set up, mold release gone, and sunshine outside ... here's the re-built splash well lip.
It was laid up right against the transom ... two layers of 1708 (mat & biaxial), then the top was set down & I patched in two layers of chopped mat.  Added another layer of 1708 so that it overlaps all the chopped mat at the corners.  Then two more layers of chopped mat.  Lifted the deck off with the new splash well lip and got my mold release (gorilla tape) peeled out of the way, then set it right back down.  Nice, snug fit.  Just for fun, I'll do the underside with chopped mat and strips of 1708 after this weekend.