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View Full Version : My Baja floor repair



curtis73
03-18-2007, 05:00 PM
Thought I'd chronicle my first-time attempt at repairing a boat. I thought it might help other first-timers. Feel free to criticize, laugh, help, praise, whatever. I'm learning so much so fast so this is partly for my benefit so I don't forget :)
Here's how I got the boat. A 1983 Baja 19' SunSport. This picture shows the wasted 305. It was just an automotive engine dropped in. The previous owner just took off the engine cover and ran the non-marine ignition parts... but he left the EGR intact :confused: Take special note of the GRASS growing out of the starboard motor stringer. Not a good sign.
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t264/curtis73/Boat%20Repair/Baja2FW.jpg
I was going to build the engine myself, but I found Raul at RapidO marine who shipped me a reman Vortec 350 longblock for a very reasonable price. www.rapidomarine.com. So, I pulled the engine and the entire transom/outdrive assembly and started gathering parts for the vortec swap, including the proper flywheel, bellhousing, coupler, etc. I also need to figure out the finer points... I'm going with a GLM center-riser exhaust, so I need the proper brackets to mount the alternator and powersteering pump. The fuel filter bracket will be easy since its not critical (i.e. pulley alignment). I also need to find an electric fuel pump since the vortec block has no provision for a mechanical pump. Here's the naked transom.
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t264/curtis73/Boat%20Repair/boatrepair.jpg
After pulling everything out I started cutting. I hacked the tops of the rotted motor stringers and separated the epoxy from the wood. The wood simply lifted out with some convincing.
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t264/curtis73/Boat%20Repair/boatrepair11.jpg
I was both right and wrong about the floor. I was rewarded to find that the engine stringers do NOT run the length of the boat. They ended at the floor.... but that didn't stop the rot from getting to the floor. So, I cut out about 5 feet of the floor up to about the helm. What I discovered was VERY odd. The floor was sealed to the hull (I expected that). What I didn't expect was that the floor had holes in it which were used to squirt expanding foam in the cavity and then not sealed. Water had six 2-inch holes to get INTO the floor, but no way OUT of the cavity. The foam under the floor was soaking wet and the floor support stringers weren't encased in epoxy. I sincerely hope that this was not Baja's original design. Needless to say, I will be eventually removing it ALL and thouroughly encasing the floor and stringers with a drain plug near the bilge. That way I can make sure its dry under the floor every season and if water makes it under there it won't soak into the wood.
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t264/curtis73/Boat%20Repair/boatrepair10.jpg
I was also disappointed to find that the transom had some open sources where water could soak in. The spot where the motor stringer met the transom was just wood-to-wood. After I took out the stringer I found exposed wood. The transom cut-out for the outdrive pass-through is also not sealed in any way. I think that will have to remain that way, too, since the wood is now soaked with oils and grease from 24 years of use. But I have it all ground flat ready for some epoxy and cloth to lay in there behind the new stringers.
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t264/curtis73/Boat%20Repair/boatrepair12.jpg
Then I ordered epoxy and fiberglass from West Systems Epoxy (www.westsystems.com). Very helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. I ordered a gallon of 105 resin, a quart of 205 hardener, a few pounds of the 304 microfiber additive, 20 yards of their 4" biaxial tape, and some other goodies. I also picked up some Bondo brand cloth and mat from Home Depot for a pretty top coat. I set to work sanding and grinding the surfaces to prep for the epoxy.
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t264/curtis73/Boat%20Repair/boatrepair13.jpg
I designed my own stringers to replace the old ones. The old ones didn't have enough space under the back to drain into the bilge and the top notch for the exhaust Y-pipe was generous to say the least. I left an extra 1" of meat at the top notch and cut out 1/2" more at the bottom to ensure good drainage even if leaves and junk get in the way. I used a dry 2x8" instead of plywood. I found recommendations for both, but I settled on the pine lumber for several reasons, not the least of which was the fact that that's what Baja used originally. I'm going to sand it rough for better adhesion.
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t264/curtis73/Boat%20Repair/boatrepair14.jpg
Once its in, set, glued, and pretty, I'm going to add something for additional peace of mind. Since my vortec 350 makes somewhere north of 400 lb-ft, I'm going to cross-drill the stringers and through-bolt and epoxy a plate of aluminum to each side. If its going to rip the 2x8" out it will have to take all of Baja's original glass, my glass, six 3/8" bolts, and four aluminum plates out with it :)
More to follow as it progresses.

Decided Advantage
03-28-2007, 03:34 AM
Looks like your not taking any short cuts. That is the way to go. :D

Decided Advantage
03-28-2007, 03:46 AM
What are you doing for cloth?
A couple of years ago I had to do a similar job on a little baja. At the time, a guy was out on ebay selling odd chunks of mat left over from boat hull construction. I bought a small bail(40-50lbs) for a little more than the cost of shipping. It basically reduced the cost of materials to a few gallons of epoxy, making the cost of the project pretty reasonable. Judging from the ship location (Bucxxx,OH) I'll bet the source of the mat was Baja. You might check with some of the local builders. A little dumpster diving may yield the materials you'll need.
Just a thought.

curtis73
03-29-2007, 06:19 AM
Sorry I didn't keep up with the thread here, I got caught up in keeping this thread alive: http://www.teambajamarine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9895
I kept a pretty good journal of it over there if you want to check it out.