Aluminum boat rebuilding project - The Vonda Lynn

Discussion in 'Metal Boat Building' started by cthippo, Jun 22, 2020.

  1. cthippo
    Joined: Sep 2010
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    Location: Bellingham WA

    cthippo Senior Member

    I have a large block of foam (Approximately 2 ft cubed) under the dash and the spaces along the gunwales will also be filled with foam. I would like to eventually build a bow flotation tank because that space really isn't good for much else, but it is on the "To do later" list.
     
  2. cthippo
    Joined: Sep 2010
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    Location: Bellingham WA

    cthippo Senior Member

    Big day today!

    We fired up the motor for the first time since it was rebuilt and damn is that thing loud! Like, needing hearing protection loud! Being in the water will quiet it down quite a lot, but it fired right up and aside from needing a fair bit of choke and high idle, ran fine. The prop engages in the correct directions and life is good!

    What's left before first launching:
    • Needs new tires and a spare, and probably get a deep cycle house battery while I'm at the used battery and tire place.
    • Register the boat and trailer
    • Build a support arm to hold the motor up during transit
    And that's about it! Once it gets splashed and stability is verified to be acceptable, I will add flotation foam and seal up the gunwale, add running lights, and install the door.

    Still, so close!
     
  3. bajansailor
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: Barbados

    bajansailor Marine Surveyor

    Do you currently have a transverse bulkhead forward of the helm console? If so, and it is water-tight, then that would be a useful compartment re buoyancy.

    Can you buy new batteries at the used battery place? I would have thought that it is false economy buying a second hand battery - why would anybody sell or get rid of one unless it was on the way out?

    What is the procedure for registering the boat - is it just a formality, or do you need to show that you have all of the required safety equipment such that the boat is 'seaworthy'?
     
  4. cthippo
    Joined: Sep 2010
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    Location: Bellingham WA

    cthippo Senior Member

    Sadly, no. The original boat had no transverse bulkheads and adding one forward would be extremely tricky given how the foredeck is built. The forward 4 feet of a 16 foot boat is this dark, inaccessible cave with no real use, which is annoying.


    I'm not sure where they get their batteries, but most of their tires come off of wrecked vehicles and everything I have bought there over the years has been entirely functional. I can get new or nearly new deep cycle batteries on Craigslist from time to time, usually from projects people started then abandoned, but so far I have had great success with used.

    It's a formality. I take in the title for the boat and trailer signed by the former owner, throw $205 at them, and they give me a new license plate for the trailer, a sticker for the boat, and new titles and registrations in my name. The process has been farmed out to independent businesses instead of being handled by Dept of Licensing and really only exists as a revenue stream and system for tracking abandoned and stolen boats. Oddly enough, all boats in Washington are registered from June to June, so every boat owner needs to renew their registration at the same time. No idea why this is.
     
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  5. bajansailor
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: Barbados

    bajansailor Marine Surveyor

    @cthippo We have not heard from you for quite some time now (more than 2 months) - have you splashed and sea trialed Vonda Lynn yet?
     
  6. cthippo
    Joined: Sep 2010
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    Location: Bellingham WA

    cthippo Senior Member

    It's sitting there in the driveway, basically ready to go, but this month has been downright crazy. We did try once, but the cabin, which was not bolted down due to concerns over future removability, became airborne at 40 mph going down the road and tried to fly off. Fortunatly, we caught it in time and got it home in one piece, but I haven't permanently attached it yet. The big problem is that i would like someone highly skilled in the boatly arts of old cranky engines and backing trailers to be on hand, and the two people I know who meet that description are just as busy as I am or worse.

    Really I just need a full day to work on it and will be ready to try again. One way or another, pictures and video coming soon.

    In the meantime I found the NOAA website with raw bathymetric and sidescan data and have been searching out targets to go look for when she does splash. Very exciting stuff!
     
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  7. cthippo
    Joined: Sep 2010
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    Location: Bellingham WA

    cthippo Senior Member



    Yeah, that could have gone better, but still, I'm happy :D
     

  8. fallguy
    Joined: Dec 2016
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    Location: usa

    fallguy Senior Member

    Worried more about going over on its side than right r left!

    Keep us posted.

    Turn testing needs to be done with one person outside and all vested. If you feel like it is gonna go over; it probably will...some day.
     
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