Hendo's Randall 35 Cray Boat complete rebuild, Perth, Western Australia

Peter B said:

Comin' along nicely Hendo...I can almost visualise it now..I think..?

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Hey Pete! how are ya mate?
I'm glad you can cause I can't hahaha. Ah just kidding. I have a picture in my head and just gotta transfer it into a boat lol

iPad Forum Runner

Yo, Matt

It's her currently naked bow stem that has me concerned... wrap that baby up fore she catches cold! lol Keep doen the good work!

Hey - There are plenty of fine-design classic wood boats in the U.S. (maybe in Australia too??) being inches from chain-saw-demo that would love to meet you. Some of em could become quite $$$$ valuable once brought back to life at reasonable cost. And, I sure don't mean they all need to be torn down nearly as fully as you are currently undertaking. If you haven’t already, I recommend seeing/reading the whole thread (picts tell a thousand words) of "Scary" (i.e. Steve) refurbishing/repairing a grand old Chris Craft at Ladds’ yard in SF Delta. Steve’s just about entering the last leg of repairs. http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s32/im-about-start-project-older-chriscraft-6833.html

There are Huckins, Stephens, Matthews, Elco, Richardson, Trumpy... and many other brand classic boats yearning for repair. Some wealthy people love to purchase a real classic “yacht” that is in good condition, and some are willing to pay a tall price to have a piece of boat-art they can show off to family, friends, and business associates. The Chris Craft that Scary/Steve is refinishing had/has restoration problems that probably exceed her true-market $$$ value, but the owner loves her and appears ready to complete the project... With that said: There are classic woodies I’ve seen that have been neglected yet I believe are not soooo much in need of full-on structural repairs as the Chris. Would be an interesting market to tap into if the buyers could be pre arranged – anywhere in the world. Similar to the buyers who spend hundred$ of thousand$ (up to million$) on rare classic autos!

Just sayen!

Hey Art. How's things mate? Thanks for the info as the link! She has a big old naked nose atm. The thing is its been raining here a bit over the last week and a half So i need it to stop raining and dry out as the epoxy I am using is 100% solids with no evaporative thinners so the timber won't be able to breathe once I coat it so she has to stay naked at this stage.

How's your girl going?

Thanks again for your reply and links etc

Very much appreciated mate!

Cheers
Hendo

Hendo78 said:

Hey Art. How's things mate? Thanks for the info as the link! She has a big old naked nose atm. The thing is its been raining here a bit over the last week and a half So i need it to stop raining and dry out as the epoxy I am using is 100% solids with no evaporative thinners so the timber won't be able to breathe once I coat it so she has to stay naked at this stage.

How's your girl going?

Thanks again for your reply and links etc

Very much appreciated mate!

Cheers
Hendo

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Hendo - Which girl o' mine you talken bout? I've got a wife, daughter, daughter in law, three grand daughters, a cool-chick 89 yr mom in law who's a kick... and currently three classic FG boats as well as a 1967 Buick Wildcat muscle car that I call "her" or "she" too... LOL And, I always got my eyes open for another... boat or car that is! :lol:

Can hardly wait to see your next progress picts

So what is a Cray boat? IIRC there is a lobstery sort of creature down there called a cray, so is that what these boats were designed to fish for?

Art said:

Hendo - Which girl o' mine you talken bout? I've got a wife, daughter, daughter in law, three grand daughters, a cool-chick 89 yr mom in law who's a kick... and currently three classic FG boats as well as a 1967 Buick Wildcat muscle car that I call "her" or "she" too... LOL And, I always got my eyes open for another... boat or car that is! :lol:

Can hardly wait to see your next progress picts

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Lol I was referring to the aqua variety of girl namely your boat

iPad Forum Runner

Marin said:

So what is a Cray boat? IIRC there is a lobstery sort of creature down there called a cray, so is that what these boats were designed to fish for?

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Ya ha. Indeed you recall correct ;-)

This boat was built circa 1958 as a commercial crayfish/lobster boat. At this stage I am not sure of how long she ran the waters here in WA until retiring but I have an application in under the FOI act and that being a Govt. dept. should take as long to get the info as it will take me to rebuild the boat lol.

At this stage all we know is she was part of a fleet and up until 7 years ago was in the water. My mate bought her from some old salt 7 years ago and put her in a hard stand with the intention to do what i am doing now but got scared off and that's where she stood till I saved her.

Her name is ACE HIGH but I will be renaming her BACK IN BLACK. couple of reasons. 1st is she will have a black bow and sides, 2nd is she will be "back" in the water, 3rd it's a fookin awesome song from an Australian band with the lead singer from WA. (ACDC) so yeah seems to tie in nicely IMHO.

iPad Forum Runner

Hendo,
A lot of the old cray boat builders are still kicking around down in thet South West corner and some good boat builders who would be most willing to give you some verbal advice and probably sketches of what you should be achieving.
What fasteners are you using on the frames , stainless (316) or copper.
I know with my own boat most of my major frame bolts are copper that I made using 1/2" solid rod and just threaded the amount I required on one end, on the otherenough thread for the nut then peaned over the rod end to form a bolt.
Some of my bolts were 16 to 20 inches in length.
Cheers
Benn

Tidahapah said:

Hendo,
A lot of the old cray boat builders are still kicking around down in thet South West corner and some good boat builders who would be most willing to give you some verbal advice and probably sketches of what you should be achieving.
What fasteners are you using on the frames , stainless (316) or copper.
I know with my own boat most of my major frame bolts are copper that I made using 1/2" solid rod and just threaded the amount I required on one end, on the otherenough thread for the nut then peaned over the rod end to form a bolt.
Some of my bolts were 16 to 20 inches in length.
Cheers
Benn

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Hey Beno.
Cheers for the comments and advice mate! I've been looking around a fair bit for help and advice but can't find anyone so im flying solo. i know im doing it all wrong but its the only way I know how to do it so if you know of anyone or somewhere I can look please do let me know.

In relation to frame bolts. I'm using epoxy coated M12 Galv cupheads. I am also using M12 epoxy coated Galv coach bolts and for through keel bolting I am using epoxy coated M12 Galv threaded rod. At the moment I have used single nuts to fasten the bolts but after I rack the frame and once I'm happy with it all, I will be putting a second nut on as a locking nut and tack weld it with my MIG welder so any movement and vibration won't back the nuts off. I could use lock tight liquid but I'm not keen on that stuff.

When I sheet her over Christmas, ill be using structural epoxy glue and mechanically fixing with 8 gauge counter sunk stainless steel screws that will be buried in the ply and epoxy sealed.

Busy times ahead

Cheers mate

Hendo

iPad Forum Runner

Today's update. Getting the motor pulled out tomorrow and having it rebuilt. Pretty excited :-D

Started putting the first coats of my 100% solids Bote-Cote on the ply sheets.

Taking the ski boat out today and will spend the day cruising up the river, stopping into wineries and will have a picnic lunch

Here's a couple of pics of my ply ready for coating, my other boat (that floats) and one we took when your local lads paid us a visit on ANZAC day

iPad Forum Runner

Ok well it was day 11 today and it saw me removing the engine so it can be stripped down and rebuilt. I also finished the last of the bottom ribs and did some keel through bolting. All in all was a pretty good day.

The keel and chines have nice lines...hang in there...starting to take shape now...

Peter B said:

The keel and chines have nice lines...hang in there...starting to take shape now...

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Cheers Pete ;-)

Not a boat builder nor building it with "proper" traditional ways but f*ck it, she'll be right mate. I'm doing it my way and having fun in the process. She'll turn out ok

iPad Forum Runner

Hendo78 said:

Cheers Pete ;-)

Not a boat builder nor building it with "proper" traditional ways but f*ck it, she'll be right mate. I'm doing it my way and having fun in the process. She'll turn out ok

iPad Forum Runner

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Geezzzz Hendo, I know you gots some muscale and are strong and all dat... but the pict with you holden da putt-putt over your head wirh your left hand would get even Arnie Schwartz taken second looks! - LOL :lol:

Kidding aside... one hell of a project you're accomplishing! Get It On!

BTW - Something bout that haircut that pleases me!

Art said:

Geezzzz Hendo, I know you gots some muscale and are strong and all dat... but the pict with you holden da putt-putt over your head wirh your left hand would get even Arnie Schwartz taken second looks! - LOL :lol:

Kidding aside... one hell of a project you're accomplishing! Get It On!

BTW - Something bout that haircut that pleases me!

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Hey mate! Good to put a face to the name! I've pre-coated 8 sheets of ply so far so will be looking at starting to wrap her. Pretty excited :-D

Yeah ya know just movin engines around with brute force is just the normal part of my day lol. We're tough us Aussies hahahahahahahaha

But what's with those sunnies??!!! Gotta flick them mate! Hahaha

iPad Forum Runner

Hendo78 said:

Hey mate! Good to put a face to the name! I've pre-coated 8 sheets of ply so far so will be looking at starting to wrap her. Pretty excited :-D

Yeah ya know just movin engines around with brute force is just the normal part of my day lol. We're tough us Aussies hahahahahahahaha

But what's with those sunnies??!!! Gotta flick them mate! Hahaha

iPad Forum Runner

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Never let em see where ya looken!

Hendo78,
Your Cray boat epic resurrection project would make a great thread on

BoatDesign.net

Lots of picture stories quite similar to yours. Look up a member called Troy2000. Look in wood boats under construction (or someth'in like that).

Have fun ..... More fun I mean.

I'm Easy Rider there on BD.

manyboats said:

Hendo78,
Your Cray boat epic resurrection project would make a great thread on

BoatDesign.net

Lots of picture stories quite similar to yours. Look up a member called Troy2000. Look in wood boats under construction (or someth'in like that).

Have fun ..... More fun I mean.

I'm Easy Rider there on BD.

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Cheers Eric. Ill pop on and have a look. Currently sanding so I'm trying to make it fun but.... Yeahhh .... It's sanding after all :-/ lol

Art said:

Never let em see where ya looken!

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:-D hehehehe fair call. I better start wearing my welding mask so i dont get a slappin from the admiral with summer coming on hard and strong and some of the ladies getting around the beaches and boats lol.

Ok so today I'm at home sanding :-/

I started using my orbital but that was painfully slow so I've upgraded to the belt sander. Went from 2hrs per side to about 15 mins :-D

Hayang in there Hendo - I'm already getting a sore back for you, just thinking about it...but hey..it'll feel good when you stop. Then, when you start afixing those ply sheets, and the sexy shape really starts to emerge...we can start our oohing and aahing all over again...

Peter B said:

Hayang in there Hendo - I'm already getting a sore back for you, just thinking about it...but hey..it'll feel good when you stop. Then, when you start afixing those ply sheets, and the sexy shape really starts to emerge...we can start our oohing and aahing all over again...

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Hahaha yeah the epoxy is sanding up nice. It's taken me a day to do 3 sheets :-o.

37 to go :-/

Time for a Bundy me thinks!

Bought some supplies today so I can keep epoxy coating. Quick way to spend $3,500

Ok so today was day 12 working on the old girl. I left my bloody drill at home and couldn't be bothered going home and getting it so I did the little things that I've been putting off for a while. So I jacked up the keel so the floor joists are running level, i racked the frames so they are even Stevens. Also the motor has started to be stripped and getting ready to be sent to the machine shop to be acid bathed, get the decks machined, X-ray and grind the crank if needed. Redo the head etc. Here's a couple of pics from today.

Cheers.

Matt

Most times I have seen boats built they start with the boat turned upside down Then roll it over after the hull is built.
Makes it a lot easier to apply the glass and resin to the bottom. Have you considered this?
If you do a search on Portuguese's boat he did a little slide show on rolling the hull over.
As you are just about starting from scratch it would seem to me the way to go.
If you are going to glass the hull from my experience once the resin is applied to the glass it gets kind of heavy and difficult to apply in an overhead configuration.
If the boat is inverted gravity will be your friend.

Sorry not trying to tell you how to do things. It is just the way I have always seen this sort of thing done.

SD

skipperdude said:

Most times I have seen boats built they start with the boat turned upside down Then roll it over after the hull is built.
Makes it a lot easier to apply the glass and resin to the bottom. Have you considered this?
If you do a search on Portuguese's boat he did a little slide show on rolling the hull over.
As you are just about starting from scratch it would seem to me the way to go.
If you are going to glass the hull from my experience once the resin is applied to the glass it gets kind of heavy and difficult to apply in an overhead configuration.
If the boat is inverted gravity will be your friend.

Sorry not trying to tell you how to do things. It is just the way I have always seen this sort of thing done.

SD

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Hi Skipperdude
Thanks for your comment.
Don't apologise old mate. I appreciate the tips. It's the only way I learn as I'm no boat builder so any "constructive" criticism or tips and suggestions is always welcome. Just don't hang **** on my work or how i am doing something. Be nice about it is all I ask.

In relation to applying glass and resin ... I won't be.

I can hear it now - "Gasp ... :-O ... WTF ... Why ... Thats Ludicrous", but basically the 100% solids epoxy I am using doesn't require the hull to be sheathed in matting. The only reason i "could" or "would" do it is for abrasion resistance but there no real structural advantages due to the amount of ribs i have and the epoxy process I am doing on it so the cost outweighs the advantages. I'll be doing around the chines with 3 overlapping layers or 150mm wide matting but as for the hull itself, I won't be, so as such, I won't need to flip it

I am encapsulating the ply sheets with 1 x 500 ml soak coat and 1 x 1000ml top coat per side so I'm applying 3ltrs of epoxy per sheet which equates to about 5mm thickness across all of the faces. These two coats are being done on flat panels laid out on my garage floor with a 230mm wide 5mm nap mohair roller.

Once they have all been sanded I will take them to site and use the high strength filler powder mixed with the epoxy to glue them to the ribs. Once the hull has been wrapped, I will then apply a further 2 coats of epoxy (wet on tacky). I will roll these coats on also.

Once they are dry I will add the fairing filler powder mixed with the epoxy and apply that approx 15mm thick across the faces and sand smooth.

So as you can see, there really isn't any need or requirement to fit any matting on the hull as there will be approx 20mm of 100% solids epoxy going on the external faces.

The epoxy I am using is called Bote-cote. Not sure if you can get it in the states or not but its worth looking in to incase. Just google search it and have a read of it. It's an Australian made product that uses no thinners. Basically that's a good thing. The thinner evaporates and leaves little worm type holes allowing water entry. Also a lot of other makes of epoxy have a very high thinner content so you're paying for thinners at epoxy rate and when it evaporates you're only getting about 30% or what you paid for ( or something like that anyway)

Cheers again for your comment

Regards
Matt

iPad Forum Runner

I helped a friend build a wood and epoxy boat.
He didn't use any metal at all in the whole construction. Not one nail screw or staple.
The boat could go thru a metal detector and not set it off.
He even fabricated hinges and clamps and cleats from wood and epoxy. The hinges and door handles are kind of big but work beautifully.
The only metal was in the propulsion, shaft and prop.

He called it welding with epoxy.
The number one tool he used aside from a saw was a plastic spoon.
It allowed him to apply the paste made of epoxy and a filler. Using the back of the spoon to shape and fill the inside curves.

sd

Wow, what you are doing is amazing. I am enjoying the updates, keep-em' coming mate. Happy new year! And by now you've survived the apocalypse.

Matt,
I found the web site. Sounds like remarkable stuff..
I wonder if it would bond to polyester resin. The stuff most of our boats are made of.

SD