FourRFishin

So, I decided to take on a project a few weeks back, purchased a 1975 20 Proline for $400.

The plan is a stringers up restoration to lighten the boat and eliminate all the wood.

This will be my first ever restoration like this so any comments or suggestions would be great.
I have read and studied many various threads on here and Classic AS and have learned a lot from the likes of Melba Toast, elite51203, Captadam, Flatback20 and others.

I grew up in Ft. Pierce, FL and now reside in Slidell, LA.
It's funny to think now that I have started this project, nearly all the materials and parts I will need will be sourced from within 10 miles of my parents house back on the Treasure Coast, LOL.

I grew up with a fascination for boat building and was determined to make it my life's work to build custom sportfish the likes of Merritt, Rybovich, and American. But, sadly through the "process" of college my priorities changed and I landed on a career in agribusiness.

This project has lit a fire inside me to fulfill at least part of the life goal that i haven't had the opportunity to work on until now.

I hope you find this build is interesting if you care to follow, and ill try my best to not ask completely ignorant questions along the way (but no promises).

Tight Lines,

Rick

(Pics to follow shortly)

jdwaters

A person that might be able to help ,if needed, is Mike Carrigan. You can possibly reach him on Band of Boaters

FourRFishin

Awesome, thanks for the name!

FourRFishin

Went a head and started demo on the transom, plan is to leave the outer skin and build from there- obviously with lots of grinding in there as well. Pics are coming (this 10 post rule is quite different).

89crestliner

Subbed to see the progesss. I too have a older proline 89 21ft center console that I struggle to find info on in too see pics

FourRFishin

one more post so i can send pics...

FourRFishin

ready for tear down







old wooden core, some rot near the scuppers and where the floor met the transom

soaking wet, and ready to tear the old wood out

decent tank came with the hull, trying to decide if i want to coat it and incorporate it into the new stringer design or sell it and have a new custom one made.

FourRFishin

cut more of the cap away from the floors, so that i could access the transom corners better. Eventually i will cut the cap clean from the floor.

Made a little progress on the old core removal on the transom. Multiple stainless screws were removed. Two secondary pieces of marine grade ply were used as core material in the upper corners of this transom, they came out much easier than the 1.5" main core piece that you see in this pic.

Took a core sample of the two outboard stringers where they meet the transom. Safe to safe we have some rot going on. glad were switching to foam!

FL.flatback 222

Glad to see another classic given a new life.
I be following along

FourRFishin

first 3/4"piece of old core came out relatively simply, getting close to grind time

FourRFishin

1.5" transom core is gone. I was honestly very surprised how easily the marine ply came out

FourRFishin

Excuse my delay between posts... I just got married last weekend and we have gotten our fair share of crappy weather in Louisiana this season. Looks like another small hurricane coming this way early next week.
I decided that I am going to go with a 3 part inside design. I am keeping only the forward seating to use as a design for the future. Getting rid of the side panels will give me a ton of extra deck space, and will give me more of the look that i am going for.
I will be cutting the cap around the top of the forward seating to save the forward section. I will be reconnecting this when the new forward seating is installed.
I'm going to create a jig to support the cap once removed, and flip the cap to add some extra structure.
I will grinding and removing all of the wood and old glass from the underside of the cap. Then i will be gluing 1/2 divinycell H80 as core and wrapping it with biaxial and epoxy.
Photos and progress notes to come.

Tight Lines

Boat_Life

Congratulations on getting married! Looks like a cool restoration project.

Aquasportfisher

Following along- I acquired a PL 20 a few years back intending to do a rebuild, but moved on to other projects. The one I had was a full transom, built for an OMC SeaDrive.

nc_robbie75

Congrats on the build, that’s one of the proline’s that kinda started it all looking forward to your progress. We’re redoing an 233 formula now so it definitely gets in your blood and becomes an addiction. Keep us posted on your build.

FourRFishin

Got some more floor pulled out to expose more hull surface and stringers

cut the floor up to the old gas tank hold.

Cut the cap around the top of the forward seating. I plan to tie the cap back into a new forward seating bench.

FourRFishin

Got her pretty much gutted, on to grinding.

FourRFishin

Since my last post I had my first child, baby girl named Layla. 5 days later we evacuated SE LA due to hurricane Zeta.
Here are some pics of how i found the boat post storm.
Overall I dont think anything got too out of wack. I will now be building a cradle to put the hull in while i finish the rest of the restore and while i rebuild the trailer.

Rick

hull jumped off the trailer and got wedged between the boat trailer and my utility trailer

cap laying in the brush off to the side

FourRFishin

Gonna be building a cradle to put the hull in for the remainder of the build.
Any thoughts on this style?

FL.flatback 222

I second the cradle idea. I dont miss climbing up and down a ladder 2000 time a weekend. When doing my boat project. Get it as low as possible.