The longest boat repair in history

[Squirtcha?]

Here are the last couple pictures.
This idea from Old Rigger. He suggested using quarter round
but I liked the fit of this stuff and it should be a little stronger.
I ended up using 5/8" X 2" redwood. I probably could've found
better suited wood, but it's gonna be so buried in fiberglass and
resin I don't think it will matter too much.
Reinforcing strips down the strakes. Used the belt sander and
sorta shaped the wood to fit the strakes/boat bottom.
Laid a bed of glass then set the wood pieces down along the
strake. Laid some heavy stuff on top of them til the resin kicked.
Sanded them just a bit after everything had set.
http://www.jetheaven.us/photopost/da...enghten_it.jpg
http://www.jetheaven.us/photopost/da...Glassed_in.jpg
I actually skipped a photo here. After the pieces were in place
I used duraglass (the green stuff showing under the fiberglass)
to smooth the transition. This way the fiberglass mat wouldn't
have to take an abrupt corner where it comes off the wood.
In this photo the duraglass has been applied and sanded smooth.
I then applied two layers of fiberglass mat over that. Although
the duraglass probably adds some strength, the main purpose was
to use it more like a body filler.
http://www.jetheaven.us/photopost/da...nforcement.jpg
I was amazed at how much strength this added. Even after
laying all those layers of glass on the bottom, it was still flexing
quite a bit. I can put all my weight on it now and it doesn't move
at all. Solid as all getout.
Now I'll just re gelcoat it and put it all back together..............finally
Thanks for the tip O R.

[cave]

Did all the weight from the motor and all over the supports weaken that area of you Kachina???

[DelawareDave]

I have saved several of Old Rigger's "long winded" posts to my computer for future reference. I can see the benefit of this modification, after having a previous boat darn near sink from a crack in the same area, at the strake.

[El Prosecutor]

IMHO when Old Rigger is "long winded" it is a bonus.
But I digress. . . .carry on.

[DelawareDave]

IMHO when Old Rigger is "long winded" it is a bonus.
But I digress. . . .carry on.
I agree 100%. My post was not meant to be negative at all. He has provided very usefull and detailed info. Thus the "long-winded" comment. I hope to see more informative posts in the future by anyone, rather than negative, slamming, and useless drivel.

[DelawareDave]

Squirtcha?- didn't mean to sidetrack your thread. Keep us updated with pics, of course.
Did you cut the strips into a triangle shape, rather than square, to match the inside profile of the hull? It appears like that in the pics.

[Squirtcha?]

Did all the weight from the motor and all over the supports weaken that area of you Kachina???
Jimmy (cave) from what I've seen the Kachinas and Southwinds are inherently weak in this area from the factory. I hate to say it, but I believe pretty much all of them will let go eventually. Keep a close eye on this area of your boat and tell Michael too. At least two Southwinds cracked in this same place last year.
DD the shape of the wood pretty much stayed rectangular. I shaved a little off the bottom corner where it goes up against the inside radius of the strake just because it aint exactly a square corner there.
The other corners etc. were just shaping the best I could eyeball it, so there weren't any serious gaps anywhere and it would blend in a little easier. The 5/8" was actually a little taller than what was needed to fill the void. This gave me some room to play with the shaping without whittling away so much wood to take all the strength away.
Definitely Old Rigger is an invaluable source of information. He's helped me many times over the years (sometimes without him even knowing it).

[cave]

Thanks Dan, I'll Keep my eyes on that spot. And all the other spots too. lol.
Mike will chime in soon. He's doing his bottom too.
Your leasons were very helpful.
SO you think there are going to be some beaches at Bartlett? Got to get Mike and the rest of the Sugauro crew up there.
Dan, thanks for the Heads up.

[Squirtcha?]

Thanks Dan, I'll Keep my eyes on that spot. And all the other spots too. lol.
Mike will chime in soon. He's doing his bottom too.
Your leasons were very helpful.
SO you think there are going to be some beaches at Bartlett? Got to get Mike and the rest of the Sugauro crew up there.
Dan, thanks for the Heads up.
All kinds of beach at Bartlett. A buddy of mine was up there a couple weeks ago and the water level is down to 70% which is about perfect. Lots of places to camp and park now.

[396_WAYS_TO_SPIT]

Lookin good dan Actually I am fiberglassing my seats right now. I am reinforcing them and adding new wood. They are getting restitched this week. I have alot new thing thats going in my boat. We will definately doing bartlett this year.