Simmons Sea Skiff Restoration

[Hooky2]

Was given this Hurrricane damaged Simmons Sea Skiff 18 and have started the restoration this weekend. I noticed that some of the TF'ers have built some of these boats so I've attached pictures of the boat, where I am after cutting out the problem areas. Replica built in 1988 with FG bottom. Hull Bottom is perfect and I plan to restore it for my own personal use and power it with a 25-40 HP tiller OB.

[DDan]

Good luck! People who have the fiberglass bottom versions seem to love them. As I recall, they are self-bailing with the FG bottom.

Should be a very interesting project. Different set of problems than building from scratch - like how do you scarf planks with the first part already in place?

Keep us posted - will be interesting to follow your project.

Dan

[Hooky2]

DDAN
Been watching your progress on your build.....looks great! This boat was getting junked and probably borderline whether or not to fix. I saw potential there and I'm taking my chances. Not sure how or if I can scarf the planks in place.....been scratching my head and researching if there is a way.....any suggestions on another type of joint so I don't have to replace all the planks. You are correct, the boat being glass is self-bailing. I need to replace some ribs (3) and tab them into the floor where they're rotten, replace the transom which was a bear to remove. I've been watching you and JimRockfish builds and getting ideas.....I'll post progress as I plan to tackle this part-time throughout the winter

[Hooky2]

Thanks Jim! Like I said I kept up with your build and you did a great job. I have twin 250 etecs on my intrepid.....06 models and love them. Thinking about 40 etec for this boat.....How do you like yours and how's the performance?

[Hooky2]

Jim
Thanks for the info! The scarf joints with the boards in place is my biggest concern and hope I can do it.
Im going to clean up the areas where the new wood needs to be installed and then move the boat to my fathers where he's got the tools needed and readily available to make the process move smoother. We probably won't start installing the transom until after the 1st of the year and go from there. My plan is to have the boat completed by May 1, 2010.

[Hooky2]

Jim,
Thanks for the procedures. I couldn't be happier with my find. Worked on it yesterday until I had to leave for the in-laws for TG. All input has been very much appreciated!!

[DDan]

Jim and I are using conventional scarfing - cutting at least 8:1 (length to thickness of stock) bevels, then gluing bevel to bevel. This is done, I believe, merely to provide enough glue area for stength. There are alternatives. One, which is easier is to use butt blocks: You don't bevel the pieces to be joined, but butt them directly to each other, backed by a piece of about the same thickness glued on the inside. This isn't as elegant - for one the blocks will be seen inside the boat, but is is very effective. The outside is just sanded smooth. You wouldn't have to cut the bevels with half the piece already on the boat, although as Jim says this shouldn't be too difficult, but will require some care. Another consideration is that the double thickness at the butt blosk can create "hard spot" in the piece that is stifferer than the rest, and therefore the entire piece won't ebdn uniformly. Since you would be making these on the boat, with the bends in place, I doubt this is much of an issue. I put together a Pygmy kayak kit some years ago using these scarfs and the result has been perfect.

Another technique is described by Dave Carnell, who took the lines off the original Simmons skiffs and drew the plans available from the Cape Fear museum at Epoxy Knowhow (http://www.angelfire.com/nc3/davecarnell/epoxy.html) A slight hollow is sanded into a butt joint and filled with epoxy and a layer of fiberglass cloth. The whole is sanded smooth and becomes invisible.

Good luck!
Dan

[DDan]

Thanks Jim! Like I said I kept up with your build and you did a great job. I have twin 250 etecs on my intrepid.....06 models and love them. Thinking about 40 etec for this boat.....How do you like yours and how's the performance?

40 hp ETEC is the lowest power in a series: 40, 50, 60 hp. All are basically the same engine. As the lowest power offering in the series, the 40 hp loses some of the weight advantage of the 2-stroke (compaerd to 4 stroke). Just this year, Evinrude has started producing a series of lower hp ETEC motors: 25 and 30 hp. I was considering about a 30 hp 4-stroke for mine, but I'll now also consider a 30 hp ETEC when the time comes to spring for power.

Dan

[Hooky2]

Dan,
Thanks for the information. Back to working on the boat today. Cleaning up areas.....still prepping. Going to install transom first as Jim suggested so I'm getting it preped for installation. I'm located right by Jordan's Marine which has been known for woodworking and they said the butt joints would be the way to go with the planks in place......scarfing can be done but is very difficult. I do like Dave Carnell's method which is the way I'm leaning. I researched it prior to your email and it will give a better appearance than blocks inside the boat. As far as power, I have a long shaft 25hp yamaha which came off a sailboat, working on trading with a dealer down here on a used 40 HP two stroke evinrude. My friend has a carolina skiff which he replaced the bench seat with a compartment seat....Its solid FG and I'm going to modify that to make it work in the skiff as a forward seat. The compartment seat he put in his boat $250.00 will also work in the skiff and I'm going to get one of those as the rear seat which will store the battery and equipment out of the weather.....Thanks again! Bill
m

[Hooky2]

Sounds good Jim! Really trying to finish all the prep before the end of the year so I can install the wood in January. Can the conventional scarfs be done on the existing planks with them still in place? Thats where it looks tricky to me.