13 Whaler freshen up - The Hull Truth

Afishinado · 10-10-2009, 08:54 AM

Decided to actually do a freshen up to my 13 Whaler, a 1975.. To include for this year:
Removing lots of bottom paint
Repairing some cracks and filling the old nav/anchor light holes
Filling lots of screw holes
Repairing the gel coat up in the bow area, and paint repairs to seal repair.
Replace the console top with a new one (I think)
Repaint the hull & bottom paint (plan to fully redo inside some other time)

Never done this before... and I will take a break from it from Nov until June.
So I am started... Bought the rub rail, removed the old one and cleaned up the old holes. I figure I will practice filling those before I do any that are visible...
Here's an old photo of the subject and progress so far.....
Help & suggestions as I go are not just appreciated, but needed!
Thanks!

Jay A · 10-10-2009, 10:53 AM

I got a 1970,great boats to work on. I would suggest now that you have the topside prepped remove the motor and turn the boat over. Check and repair the bottom and while it's upside down it will give the hull a chance to drain any water that's probably absorbed in the foam. When that's done then you can turn the boat over and finish the topsides and repair anything in the motor mount area.

Afishinado · 10-10-2009, 10:54 AM

A couple hours into it now... About done for the day

Change in plans... Have to take so much out of it to remove engine and flip it, may as well do the whole job... Out looking for some youngbacks to flip it over and onto the trailer...

Cooper · 10-10-2009, 05:19 PM

THere have been a couple small whalers like that restored on classicmako.com. You might want to cruise over there and do a search. Keep the pictures coming. Good luck!

wellcraft26 · 10-10-2009, 07:35 PM

I'm a classimako member and I'm also restoring a whaler, but a 15. I started a thread there but I need to post some pictures. I'm redoing the whole boat with new mahogany super sport interior. I should have the inside ready for primer by the end of next week. Then flip it and work the outside. I hope I can paint the whole boat by the end of October.

Soundbounder · 10-11-2009, 07:24 AM

Good Luck!!!
Old Whalers are great boats.

bstnsportsfan · 10-11-2009, 09:53 AM

Looks like a great project! I look forward to reading about the progress.

Afishinado · 10-11-2009, 11:23 AM

Got a bottole of Goo Gone

a razor blade scraper and the decals are gone.. Found some youngbacks, flipped it and started on the bottom. Happy to report not a single spot that needs repair. Removed 95% of the paint with a scraper, the rest with my Porter Cable orbital and 80 grit.... Half way done, enough for today... Stella time! On line to get some bottom paint... Now thinking about painting the bow section of the hull while its upside down rather than doing it while its sitting on the trailer. There are holes to fill and stuff, so I can't do the whole hull until its right side up... Wadda ya think of that idea?

Jay A · 10-11-2009, 03:53 PM

OK...I still see high spots of paint, Mix water with dishwashing soap and apply to those high spots then hand sand with 80 grit.

beenie · 10-12-2009, 11:18 AM

I know it's too late, but I flipped mine solo and I'm a little guy and not a youngster. That's a great boat. I recommend sanding the entire bottom while you have it flipped and then regel before bottom paint. Man, when you said you were about an hour into it, you had done more than I did in a week. Mine is a 68. Sanding the interior is one heck of a job. I painted my hull to take the easy way out and for speed, but next time it well get gel. Keep us posted. And make a project page and personal page at whalercentral.

Afishinado · 10-12-2009, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wellcraft26

I'm a classimako member and I'm also restoring a whaler, but a 15. I started a thread there but I need to post some pictures. I'm redoing the whole boat with new mahogany super sport interior. I should have the inside ready for primer by the end of next week. Then flip it and work the outside. I hope I can paint the whole boat by the end of October.

Sounds great, share some picts! Yours is gonig to be fancy tho!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay A

OK..............Mix water with dishwashing soap and apply to those high spots then hand sand with 80 grit.

Thanks Jay! Thats the kinda info I need. I cheated a little and used my orbital as a wet sander with the 80... It REALLY did the job.

So anyone want some bottom paint? All scraped from the bottom before sanding, theres red, black, blue and green is in that bag...

Ok, so I'm going to paint next, flip it upright and throw it on the trailer and have it inside for the rest of the project.

cjd · 10-12-2009, 06:38 PM

Is that a Parker 17 or 18 next to the whaler?

Afishinado · 10-12-2009, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjd

Is that a Parker 17 or 18 next to the whaler?

Yes, a 18... Next door neighbor owns it, unfortunately it is practically never used, maybe used it 15 minutes this summer! Still has some of the same fuel I put in it in 07....

Got two thick coats of Micron on the bottom of it.. Waiting on the light blue for the hull now.... I have some hole patching to do before I can paint the transom..
.

Afishinado · 06-09-2010, 01:27 PM

Got much of the settling in at home stuff out of the way, decided to put a little time into this project. Drilled out all the holes in the transom a little and filled them today.

Afishinado · 06-09-2010, 01:32 PM

Someone point me in the right direction to fill these monsterous holes, a link to a similar repair would be good. I don't think the filler I'm using would really be the best way, looks like thats what one of the previous owners did in the 2nd pict. Thanks

Cooper · 06-09-2010, 02:20 PM

You might need to grind the gelcoat back a bit, glue in a piece of wood, cover with fiberglass (both sides), and then fair it out.

beenie · 06-09-2010, 04:00 PM

For the area where the light will go, after the wires are run you could use just about anything as the light will cover it. Bondo should work well. For the lower pic maybe some shredded glass mixed in epoxy would fill it nicely.
Mike

Just1more · 06-09-2010, 04:08 PM

Afish, for inspiration, do a search for a badass little whaler someone fixed up on here about a year ago. I forget who did it but I know it had a little Johnson 40 on it. Nicely done!

cgrand · 06-09-2010, 04:12 PM

marine-tex should work for the lower pic
not sure whats going on with that huge hole above...if you need to fill it in full & fluch, i'd take coopers suggestion of a piece of wood soaked in epoxy

jaybyrd83ecu · 06-09-2010, 04:37 PM

For the first hole cut out a plug roughly the same size and then set it in place using some thickened epoxy resin and put a layer of heavy glass on it. Get it as close to flush as possible, but not higher. Let that set up. Then come back with some Alexseal fairing compound for that gouge. I would even sand where you fill the hole after it has set up and cover it with alexseal. Then sand both of them after the fairing compound has set up so that it is flush and faired with the surrounding areas. I have some pictures of the process if you'd like me to post them.