THE ARRAN BOATS BLOG

I took the engine and cuddy off and flipped it over as it needs new keel bands.

I scrape the antifoul off as best I can with a scraper and then sand the rest off.The old keel bands were removed using a hammer and chisel.

I am still sanding but getting there slowly.

At last all the antifoul is removed.Just needs a wash and a polish of the hull above the waterline.

I fit U bolts to all the new boats as a winch point so I cut the old ring off this boat.Once cut its simply a matter of punching the remaining threaded bar In over till it goes right through.The U bolt wasn’t long enough to reach all the way through the stem so I recessed the holes with a faustner bit to give me enough thread visible take the locknuts and spread washers.

I have made the keel bands from 2 x 4m lengths of 3mm x 40mm 316 stainless steel flat bar.

I have now got the boat anti fouled with one primer coat and two top coats.As you can see in the pictures its also now back the right way up.

I have started on the inside of the boat and the centre seat support on the floor gets cut out as I am putting swivel seats in the boat.There is also a block of wood glassed onto each side of the boat which the seat was screwed onto which need removing.

They were first cut out with a grinder and then sanded back with a sanding disc.

I will need to grind all the paint off the sides of the hull and the blue floor paint.It wont all come off but enough to get a good surface for the flow coat and anti slip to adhere to.The steering console was removed to make the job easier.

The boat has now sold so I am busy finishing it.

I have ground the floor to make the new anti slip flow coat stick and glassed in two foam filled seat boxes.It has a new cuddy fitted and a new 9.8hp Tohatsu ready to be fitted.

Thats the engine and steering console fitted.

The sides of the boat and seat boxes have been flow coated before I add the swivel seats.Both the side windows are fitted to the cuddy.