Thread: 1996 Blazer VL100 Restoration to Crappie Chaser

Cold temps and other obstructions slowing down progress but not stopping it. After fitting a sheet of 1/2in Coosa Bluewater 26 where you walk, 1/4in Coosa was used as core for the forward compartment floor. I realized 2 wings would need to be added for proper hull attachment. Due to the cost of the core material, fitting longways allowed using 2 pieces of drop to complete core. After adding wings and final fitting core it was laminated on the shop floor using HDPE sheeting to keep from sticking to concrete. A peanut butter consistency Epoxy was mixed and troweled onto the previously prepped stringers before laying down deck. I have found the easiest way to install a deck is to stand it up in the boat so after the epoxy is placed you just lay the deck down on top. It keeps the deck from sliding, moving the epoxy, making a poor lamination. Now since the deck will have a floor hatch the stringer were pre-prepped so I can also tab in the deck from the underside. After the deck was in I glassed the topside in with 1708, a layer of finish glass, and gelcoated with some left over from another job.

The transom core was only 1in thick, and my final lamination is 1-1/4in thick so care had to be taken to not build up too much where the splash well will be epoxied back in place. The 1708 was dry formed & fitted ahead of time, also the inner core was dry fitted. A layer of 1708 & Heavy Mat was sandwiched in between the cores, all voids filled with Vinylester thickened with Talc, then 2 layers of 1708 was rolled down over the top. The bleeding black line seen under the glass work is the maximum height I can brace transom. Original transom had no transverse bracing like you see on bigger boats. Well, when I smoked a inverted cypress tree with my other VL100 the lack of bracing allowed the splash well to collapse a bit fracturing the glass. I'm installing a brace system like in my ChampioN while doing the reconstruction.

This boat had no transverse bracing to the transom. In a earlier post I explain why I feel the addition is necessary. Using 1-3/8in Coosa 26 I table sawed out the reinforcement piece in the pictures. Also sawed the bevels to make the glass conform a bit better. After epoxy gluing the piece in, I made a pattern for the tie pieces to the stringers. Drop Coosa 26 was used (I don't throw anything away in this material) to make the connecting braces. The last pictures is of the additions glassed in. Next is the aft flooring to tie the back the rest of the way in.

Nice work. Reading up on Coosa 26.

Originally Posted by BuckeyeCrappie

Nice work. Reading up on Coosa 26.

At 26#'s per Cubic/ft its the strongest, lightest, core material around. Most think the core does all the work but it is also a molding material to align the fibers in a shape that transfers energy. Remember Energy travels in a straight line so when engineering a lamination that is very important. Also read up on the 1708 Fiberglass fabric. It is Not Woven, the strands are stitched together so they remain straight. Woven reinforcement fabric is not as strong, not even close, by Oz/yard weights.

I worked this hull for Deflection & Ejection, if I hit something perpendicular I want to hull to deflect and me to eject up not forward.

If you get a "Punch Thru" the hull slows or stops forward motion and the operator continues forward motion, not a situation I'm looking to experience anytime soon.

Good reads for sure, and some really great info. Hoping to get mine done in thenear, not to distant future. I'm paying close attention to this. I may not be doing the top off restro, not sure till I open up the lower deck and what I find their. But by the way she seemed very heavy going up hill, I wont be suprised to find at least some very wet flotation foam.

Originally Posted by Jamesdean

Good reads for sure, and some really great info. Hoping to get mine done in thenear, not to distant future. I'm paying close attention to this. I may not be doing the top off restro, not sure till I open up the lower deck and what I find their. But by the way she seemed very heavy going up hill, I wont be suprised to find at least some very wet flotation foam.

The little hull was so lite after this work was complete and back on the trailer I could pick up the bow and walk the hull up in the air (no cap). I have more glass than original but what I cut out (fiberglass, foam, and water) weighed way more than what it weighs now.