Witch hammer recore begins

[Sonik]

Where in Illinois are ya?????

[Witchammer]

Minooka it's like 20 min south west of Joliet .

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[Witchammer]

Also I am looking for imput on my recore. There is a guy next town over that builds his own tunnels. Hand lays it all its called ARS marine. He said if I strip it and sand it and buy the balsa he would lay the new core just for the time he actually has into it. I want it done right and knows what he is doing. Or bite the bullet and attempt it myself

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[Sonik]

The choice of materials is a hot topic anywhere you ask. The boats were originally built with polyester and balsa. Some swear by composites/foams, some say balsa, some say epoxy etc etc. I went original with poly and balsa with the addition of transom knees, additional beef by laying 1708 in the entire boat before the core went in. I wanted a boat that could be 'used' so I also went with a 3/4" marine ply floor instead of the std 1/2 or 3/8 that was in it originally. As long as the hull is well supported and the guy doing the work is thorough and well versed in your choice of materials, I don't see how you can go wrong.

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[Witchammer]

He only uses balsa . He said if you do it right there is nothing to worry. He builds 100 plus mph boats. Also said he would two or three layers of glass down first then balsa then glass over. Also what you mean support the hull?

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[Sonik]

By well supported, I mean ensure the boat/bottom/running surface is true to form and not hooked/ rockered due to rotten core and poor trailer bunk or roller condition. If the core is removed, the skin is paper thin and if you stack weight in the hull to hold the core down while it kicks, and have no bunk/jig support in that area, the hull will distort....which is bad. Your glass guy will/should know this very well. If not, find a new guy.

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[alaskastreamin]

I made a crude jig to support each lift strake and the pad.





The transom and sides should be supported also.



These hulls get pretty flimsy when they are gutted out. There is no way I could have leaned over the side without the supports.

[VultureNo2]

I say do it yourself if you have the time. You can save the money for a bigger motor. If you go through the recore yourself, you will understand everything about your boat from the ground up and know there is no areas where the balsa can be compromised with wetness. JMO. I live just across the border in WI. Looking forward to running with you when it is completed. Take your time and get it right. Beef it up so you can put a V6 on it. Then roll it out and start showing it off. Everywhere you go, people will ask you about it. "Were can I buy one" etc... If you have the money to have someone else do it, and you know it will be done correctly, then that's an option, but I enjoyed the challenge and needed to spread the cost of the project over a two year period. I am still working on things 4 years later, but have had it on the water for the past 2 seasons. Keep asking questions. Everyone here is glad to assist. Can you post pictures yet? Bill

[Witchammer]

A guy by me has a 235 Johnson on the back of a switzercraft. he thinks it has carb issues . Cuz it's been sitting and long story short he said if I pull it and set a new one on he sell it for 800.00. I think I could get him down to 500 tho. Any ways it is a cross flow motor it's white with orange writing and appears to have a built in jack plate. He said I could do a compression test and when I took the hood off 2 of the 6 plug wires were hanging out of the boots on the plug. It's this a motor worth looking in to. Also I cleaned the garage and got the boat off the trailer. Tomorrow I'm going to work on a jig to support the hull. I was thinking about de bunking the trailer. Laying down 3/4 plywood and building it on the trailer.

[Witchammer]

The new one being a different motor he owns that runs*