1987 crestliner saber restoration.

[rolling@trolling]

So here is what is going on, I'm in the process of completely restoring this boat, it's make is a 24.5 foot saber edition with a outboard motor. To this point l have completely rebuilt the transom, tore all the floor boards out, and removed all of the water logged float ion foam. After the foam was removed found some minor pitting in the hull, not to bad no holes thru the hull. I then sand blasted the whole bottom of the inside of the hull, then sprayed inter protect 2000e inside the whole hull. What I would like to now is if the flotation foam needs to be replaced in the hull. I contacted this company out of San Diego called aero marine, she informed me that they sell a 100% closed cell foam product at 2% density, I bought a 2.5 gallon kit for 245.00$, has anybody gone thru this process.

[smallboat]

I have poured foam into several boats I have restored. Your decision was correct to use 2lb closed cell foam. It won't absorb water the way open cell or 1lb foam will. Its a messy job but straight forward. US Composites in Florida also sells 2lb foam kits and they are usually quite competitive in price. Their website can be very informative.

[SylvanTroller]

Jamestown distributors sells some good stuff and has some informative videos. Make sure you dam off any areas you don't want it. It will flow where ever it can.

[rolling@trolling]

Thanks guys

[SylvanTroller]

Another quick suggestion lay painters plastic down where you want to poor. It will act as the dam you need and keep the foam where you want it. If I were to do it again I would poor with the floors out. I poored with my floors installed last time by using a hole saw to open areas. You couldn't get the floors back up if you had to after that the foam adhered to the wood.

[rolling@trolling]

One more question, I'll be redoing the floor in this boat, when I pulled the old flooring out it was marine grade pressure treated plywood, so I went and bought about 700$ in flooring. Just wondering it the wood will react with the aluminum hull, and should I seal the bottom of the plywood in the west system if it will, Thanks

[SylvanTroller]

You do not want to use pressure treated lumber in an aluminum boat. It will react with the aluminum and eat holes in it. If you bought marine grade ply which the cost leads me to believe you did. It should not be pressure treated.

[SylvanTroller]

There is a ton of aluminum boat restoration info on the Iboats forum. If you go to Iboats.com tons of knowledgable folks as well. I got most of the info from there when I redid my sylvan.

[rolling@trolling]

Thanks, should of done my research first.

[rolling@trolling]

That explains the pitting in the bottom on the hull

[SylvanTroller]

Yeah it is a real bad combo. I have a 91 Sabre, a little slower on the resto than I was on my sylvan. Love the boat, hoping to repair it at the end of this season. You planning on painting yours?

[SylvanTroller]

Meant to say repaint it at the end of this season.