1978 Viking resto-mod

[tnelson77]

Looks clean. Did you just brush or roll the gelcoat on?

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Thanks, I got the best results by doing small batches and dumping the gel into the hull then spreading it around with a brush. Spreading it with a roller would probably work well too, that's actually what was suggested to me. I just figured with the smaller work space a brush would be just as good.

I did it with a roller like paint the first go round on the center area and starboard side, it didn't cover very well. I couldn't work fast enough and get enough down before it kicked. If I were to do it agin I would've done the center with one pint/pour, then either side of the core with a pint each, then the front with another pint. Thats a bit more gel than is really needed but was an easy mix ratio and its cheap enough to toss the rest. Don't forget the wax surfacing agent. Heres a time lapse video of the entire gel coat process over two days.

[tnelson77]

Floors are down and working on tabbing them in currently. Set them into a paste of resin, cabosil, and milled fibers. Paste was used to fill any voids and set a radius for tabbing in. Tabbing in with 2" 1.5oz CSM, 4" 1708, and 8" 1708. I'll then cover the entire floor with 50" 1.5oz CSM.

[Hippie459MN]

Looking great!

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[AdamDK]

Awesome work man!

[tnelson77]

Glass work on the floors is complete! I ended up doing an extra layer of csm over all of the exposed wood, and then covered everything with a layer of csm. I brought it up both outer stringers and across everything so all other seams are covered. I took the time to tear all the edges of the csm for the finial layer. That gives a great transition to the existing glass and nearly un noticeable seams between pieces, especially if laid up at the same time. The multiple pieces laid over the transom, knees, and floor look like one.

Up next is the mounts for seats, fuel tank, battery, and throttle. Then I can gel coat the interior.

[AdamDK]

Looks good.
Those transom knees come out pretty far.
Where ya gonna put the gas tank?

[tnelson77]

Looks good.
Those transom knees come out pretty far.
Where ya gonna put the gas tank?

It will be pretty much everywhere under the splash well. Just going to have a big triangle channel out of the middle of it and stop short of the left side for a battery. The original design will hold just short of 19gal. But I'm thinking I might extend the tank forward a few inches past the edge of the deck since the original back panel sits forward just a touch. That would get me a few extra gallons. I think I'll have time to set the deck on it this weekend and finalize measurements and maybe build a cardboard mock up tank. Welding/fabrication is my actual trade so I'll build it myself.

Edit: some pictures with the cardboard mock up tank. The tank will sit 3/4" off the floor on its mounts. This mock up fits behind the factory size rear panel and should hold about 23 gallons if my math is correct.

[tnelson77]

Work is still getting done. It's been slow between waiting for parts and fall yard clean up duties. But progress none the less.

Building the mounts for the seats, fuel tank, battery, and throttle. I drilled holes through the mounts and used a router to make a recess for the flange of a T nut(5/16"-18) to sit into once pressed into the mount. This way it will be flush on the bottom and a nice machine thread from the top. I used 5200 to seal/glue in the stainless steel T nuts to hopefully prevent any spinning should the need arise to back out any mounting bolts. Waiting the seven days for the 5200 to cure then I will glass everything to the floor.

[Hippie459MN]

Looking great! I wish I would have put t-nuts in for all of my stuff but oh well.

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[tnelson77]

The one year mark of the project has passed. Now all the interior work on the hull has been completed and everything gel coated.

The deck has been brought in and work began on that. All wood was removed from the deck at this point.