# 17' Dusky Project



## brnbser (Oct 1, 2007)

Well I decided to find myself a winter project. I picked up the 17' Dusky the sosmarine had last week. This extensive of a project is new to me but it should be fun and I hope to learn alot and end up with a good quality bay boat at the end.

Here is a couple of pics of what it looked like when I brought it home last week.














































I picked up the boat the day before Turkey Day andsomeone had attempted to replace the deck before but it wasn't done very well. The transom is obviously trash as well.

Here are a couple of pics to where I got with it on Thanksgiving morning.



















As you can see, on the port stringer, they made an attempt to repair that as well. The stringers are badso one evening this week, I will pull the motor and then remove the transom and stringers.

I'm pretty sure this will keep me busy all winter long in the rebuild. I really like the Dusky hulls and despite everything else, it's in suprisingly good shape. Should be fun and I'm looking forward to the rebuild.

It's got one of the old Johnson 115 Sea Horse motors. I haven't tried to start it but know that it isn't seized and spins freely and these motors are known for lasting forever if you took decent care of them. I will probably give the engine acloser look and do some testing after I get the stringers and transom removed. The deck, transom and stringers were pretty wet and under the deck was full of water saturated styrofoam soeven though the hull itself seems dry, I'll let itdry open for a few weeks just in case. Then I'll play with the motor some more. I've done a bit of glass work but I've got a few interesting ideas I'm thinking about trying with this boat. More to follow........


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## Travis Gill (Oct 6, 2007)

looks like it used to be a mullet boat. Good luck restoring it!


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## Voodoo Lounge (Sep 28, 2007)

Maybe a little late by the pics, but you might want to strap the hull or build some jig type walls to help keep the shape so the sides dont deform. The deck helped with that before and now that its gone the walls are alot easier to move!! Good luck!! X-shark will have some valuable input I'm sure!!


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## TkTom (Oct 18, 2007)

Scott,

Thats is awesome, I wish I had the time and money for a project like that. I love working on cars and boats, but with paramedic school, I don't have tie for ANYTHING!!! Oh well. Best of luck and let me know if I can help you in any way.

Tom


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## wld1985 (Oct 2, 2007)

G/l it always seems like a fun project, but you've got to know a few things when redoing fiberglass... there's a few ppl on here that have done transom repairs and so fourth...


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## David Ridenour (Sep 28, 2007)

This will be a good thread. Keep us updated and educated.


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## brnbser (Oct 1, 2007)

Thanks for the recommendation Tony, I took plenty of measurements on the hull before I pulled the deck and the boat is light enough now that I'm using all the old styrofoam to support the hull and keep it's form instead of the hard blocks. 

As far as the glass work, I've actually done alot on both vette's and boats. The only thing I've never attempted before is a transom. I've been watching the other Grady transom project and watched as Will did his as well. I'm looking at a new composite material for the decking and possibly the transom that is noted for it's strength and ability to not absorb water. It's the decking that's used to cover the ice on ice rinks when not in use and can support extreme weights with zero water absorbtion. It's kind of unconventional and untested as far as I know but extremely light weight at about 1/3 the weight of marine plywood. More to follow on that in a few days as additional info comes in.

I'm sure Bobby (X-Shark) will let me know about the good and bad of the goofy ideas I come up with along the way and I'm looking forward to it.


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## parrothead (Oct 1, 2007)

Looks like a fun project. Please keep us posted.

Scott


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## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

> The stringers are bad so one evening this week, I will pull the motor and then remove the transom and stringers.




Don't remove all this stuff at one time. You will end up with a wet noodle.



My suggestion would be to leave the stringers as they are for now.



Rework the transom. Then remove one stringer and replace it, tying it into the new transom. Then remove the other one and replace it.



I would also suggest that you build a mold and make your stringers. then use a holesaw after they are installed and bore some holes thru the top section and pour it full of 4lb density foam.



Here's a example of the stringer application.



http://www.classicmako.com/projects/xshark/bw30.htm



Let me know if you need more suggestion's or help with building them. I can build the mold and the stringer's in my shop.



Here's some other examples:



http://www.classicmako.com/projects/ayala/ayala11.htm



http://www.classicmako.com/projects/ayala/ayala12.htm


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## Breeze Fabricators (Oct 2, 2007)

Where is your shop?


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## brnbser (Oct 1, 2007)

Tim, 

Don't know if you were talking to me or Bobby about "where's your shop" but I don't have a shop, mine is in my back yard. I bought a house on an acre lot in Cantonment a few months ago with a couple of sheds. I've also got an old 12' alum boat that was my grandfather's that I literally learned how to fish on in TN that I plan on going thorugh this winter.


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## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

Mine is in my backyard Tim.


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## reelsmooth19 (Nov 27, 2007)

Yea, That is going to be a fun project. iam rebuilden my 13 whaler. It fun but when its don. its going to feel good.


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