Cruiser Inc 202 Restoration

Michael J. Seiber · Post by **Michael J. Seiber** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 9:21 am

Hi, I have a cruisers inc 202 hull number 217150. I have removed the outer keel and decided to make a complete new outer keel for the boat. I'm installing the new keel right now. The inner keel is in fairly good condition and the ribs aren't too bad. My question is what is the best preservative to use on the inside. I would like to add pictures but I'm not sure how. If someone knows please clue me in. Thanks Mike S

txcaptdan · Post by **txcaptdan** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 8:01 am

Check out "About Dockside" section in this forum, there is a post about posting photos and one about license plates.
lets see some of those photos. I would seal everything in a thinned epoxy mixture, Smiths or make your own by thinning a good epoxy mix with 20-25% acetone.
Good luck

Michael J. Seiber · Post by **Michael J. Seiber** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 3:01 pm

Here's a few pictures of the Crusier 202. I belive its a 1963 model.

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/8980 ... 202lx2.jpg
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/8073 ... 001pd3.jpg
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/1784 ... 002bi5.jpg
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/7374 ... 003fq7.jpg
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/4593 ... 004mk6.jpg
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9024 ... 005lf0.jpg
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/9202 ... 006sf5.jpg
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/6729 ... 007at2.jpg
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/746/ ... 008oy9.jpg
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/8210 ... 009cz7.jpg
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8066 ... 010is3.jpg

txcaptdan · Post by **txcaptdan** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 3:15 pm

Micheal,
If you scroll down farther on the imageshack page the is a different link called "Hotlinks for Forums" this will make your pictures larger and visible on this page. test your post by selecting preview. i would be interested in seeing rear seat setup.
Thanks Dan

thegammas · Post by **thegammas** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 7:55 am

Michael - looks like a nice project - I too would be interested in seeing larger pictures, especially any that you have with the outer keel off - I'll be doing the same this winter.

Dan, regarding your comment on what to seal the interior with. I was going to use Smiths CPES - is this what you were referring to? Need it be thinned? I was looking around for some sort of product that would not only seal the wood, but perhaps even restore some of the strength to the frames (ribs). I asked about such a product on Don Dannenberg's site, and the response was 'no, no such product'. So I was going to seal with CPES and then paint the bilge with a red bilge paint.

John Hart · Post by **John Hart** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 9:22 am

I recommend Smiths CPES. I have read a number of comments about thinning other epoxies. I don't remember all of the arguments, but I know of some comments suggesting that CPES is different than just thinned epoxy.

I treated my boat before I read these comments (woodenboat forum), but my opinion is to stick with CPES. Smith's literature describes that his products are cellulose based in contrast to others on the market. It may be possible that MAS , System Three, West, etc. can penetrate better when thinned, but I have stuck (ha) with Smith's products and have been very pleased.

By the way, if you treat an area that is slightly punky with CPES, it will harden as the epoxy cures... it will not be punky any more.... (brush it on repeatedly until it doesn't soak in any more) if you leave a pool of CPES in a container, the resulting cured material will be a hard but flexible substance. This leads me to believe that it provides some stability.

Although I doubt that treated ribs/wood will have all of the strength or flexibility as the original wood, I am convinced it has a lot more integrity than untreated wood. For a few hundred $ of Epoxy, I think it is a good practice, even if only to soak into areas that you might not have visibility to.

For what it is worth, I would CPES and then varnish the bilge vs. paint..

John.

Michael J. Seiber · Post by **Michael J. Seiber** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 12:32 pm

Thanks for everyones input. I will post more and better pictures soon including the keel. As you see I have the front part of the keel installed. I formed it out of three pieces of green oak. Scewed them to the front of the boat with spacers in between so they would dry that way. I left them to dry like that for two weeks. I then took them off, made a jig the exact curve as the bow on a flat table, Gorilla glued all touching surfaces and clamped it all together. I ended up with a three piece laminated bow keel a little bigger than the original and very strong. The rest of the keel is out of one piece of oak. I'm thinking about running the keel all the way back and doing away with the brass strip at the stern. Also I have a fitting that goes through the transome with a long wire that is attached on the inside of the boat. Does anyone know the fuction of this wire? Thanks Mike S

txcaptdan · Post by **txcaptdan** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 6:23 pm

I have had very good results thinning MAS epoxy and West system then varnishing over when cured. I have noticed that MAS thinned seemed to leave a matte finish where West seems to leave a glossier surface. Smiths is already thinned so I would not thin their product. I feel I do get some added strength to materials soaked this way. I just can't stand to spend what Smith wants for thinned epoxy.
Micheal - If you are refering to extending the keel cap to the transom, I believe most outboards recommend that the keel cap stop short of the transom so that it does not create a cavitation. I built one that went all the way to the transom on an 18' Cruisers and could not tell any difference.

Michael J. Seiber · Post by **Michael J. Seiber** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 6:30 pm

Here's a picture of the bottom of the boat with the keel off. The stand is attached to the eye hooks on the transom.

Michael J. Seiber · Post by **Michael J. Seiber** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 6:41 pm

Here's a picture of the keel drying. Its three pieces of oak with spacers in between.

This is the rest of the keel. it is a piece of oak tapered at the end.

By Marinermikes

This is the inside of the transom.

By Marinermikes

Michael J. Seiber · Post by **Michael J. Seiber** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 6:52 pm

This is the keel installed.

By Marinermikes

Here's the end of the keel. As you can see I have several roller marks to get rid of.

By Marinermikes

I modified the floor framework. As you can see I've added a cap to the keelson and put oak blocks between the keelson and floor board supports. I did it to give the keel and floor a little more strength.

Michael J. Seiber · Post by **Michael J. Seiber** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:20 pm

A Picture of the boat with the final coat of primer. I'll lightly sand it one more time then add the color. The bottom will be blue with a white enamel on top. As you can see the windshield is complete.

By Marinermikes

I took a few pictures of the inside of the boat. The back seat is done, and the splash tray is almost done. I haven't started on the front seats yet.

The vinyl is complete on the floor, but one trim piece is off because I'm still running wires.

The dashboard still has the original vinyl. I'm going to cover the holes with a piece of mahoghany with bilge pump switches in it.

It had the hatch in the middle of the floor which I replace with a hinged door. I'm putting dual bilge pumps in it, one of each side of the keelson.
URL=http://imageshack.us]

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I'll post some more pictures in a few weeks when I get the color on.

txcaptdan · Post by **txcaptdan** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 9:10 pm

Great work Michael! She is really looking fine. I launched mine today and she ran out great. It won't be long before yours is there too. keep up the good work.

txcaptdan · Post by **txcaptdan** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:56 am

As to twin bilge pumps on either side of keel... No one makes a decent bilge pump that will totally drain your bilge near keel, you just cant seem to mount them close enough to keel bottom sheet connect. There should be pass throughs in your keel to allow water to pass to each side so one pump should be sufficient.
My 16 holds most of water under helm seat, the deepest part of the hull and a new pump mounted right up against the keel still allows about an inch or so water to remain.
If you feel the need to add another pump add one at stern that you can run when underway. I did this on an older Seacamper that I used to own and that worked well for removing water when it all runs to the back as you take off.

Michael J. Seiber · Post by **Michael J. Seiber** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 8:17 am

Dan, Thanks for the info. Mine didn't have a cross over tube. I didn't think of it until after I had the inside done and epoxied and decided against drilling a hole through the keelson and putting a tube in it. So your telling me when the boat is at dock that the water will collect under the front seat. That makes sense since the keel runs slightly down toward the front. I may have a little more weight in the back than yours. There's a seventy five HP Evinrude that goes on it and I will have the weight of the back seat.