Pain in the Fiberglass

So I finally got things underway, after doing some research, talking to Pete the boat guy down the street, putting together a project plan (yes, I'm a nerd, at least according to my sister), and doing some "testing", I was ready to start the dirty work... but as you'll find as this blog progresses (hopefully) I can be pretty random when it comes to logical progression.  

The first thing I needed to do on the project plan was start pulling out the fiberglass on the interior of the boat, but I was dying to see what the planking looked like, so I decided to deviate a bit and start with topsides.   There was a section that had clearly come loose up on the bow near the chine, so I started there.

I cut a small slit and worked a putty knife in, added a little heat with the gun, and it started coming away from the hull like melted butter.  After getting a section separated from the chine to the rail, I started moving towards the stern, pulling it away in a single sheet as I went. 

OK, I went a little below the chine, but I wanted to see what the planks underwater looked like.  Who knows how this boat was stored in the 30s, might have been kept in the water.  And from the water stains, that might actually be true.  The good news is that any rot seems to be isolated around a few of the screw bungs.

some discoloration under the waterline, but very little rot at this point

As usual, I got a little impatient.  I started to pull the Fiberglass away using less and less heat gun, because it was coming off pretty easily.   Sure enough, one section pulled off the face of the plank (see below)  I'm hoping I can reglue or epoxy the wood that is stuck on the glass back into place to repair the damage. Moral of the story,  always use the heat gun, no matter how bad the adhesion

Just pulling the fiberglass off doesn't work, no matter how bad the adhesion.  This section tore away where the grain turned.

Luckily, I have the wood attached to the sheet of glass that came away, hoping I can epoxy, or glue, it back in place.

Here is the first good look at the mahogany planking.

further down the port side,  Looking good on the topside "Feeling good Lewis!"

My next random thought was to start taking off the fiberglass from the transom. Not sure why, just seemed like the fun thing to do.

The transom looks pretty good, there were some screw holes where the name used to be.

Here is the fiberglass off the transom, came off all in one piece

here i've made the turn around the port quarter,   things looking good down here too.

My final bit of randomness.  Here is the little outboard motor hatch from the sterm, I'm using it as a tester for caulk removal and finishing. Right now it has the caulk removed on the left side, and the whole thing has been stripped and wiped down with a 50/50 mix of linseed oil and tung oil.  I think I'm going to caulk the deck with window putty, which look like what they originally used.  the contrast of the mahogany and the white seams should be nice

Outboard motor "sample panel"

Until next time.  Remember, heat guns are your friends.