2002 SANTE resto project

[t.franscioni]

Got the belly hatch made finally. Just need to cut the hole for the latch. So like I mentioned in last years post when I started this part of the project I made new hatches rather than build up the original ones. Used thicker coosa board and cut it slightly bigger in length and width to take up gaps that were needed for the carpet. What I also did was wrap these hatches in fiberglass. My thinking is they will be less likely to bow over time from being stepped on and will make them more durable from dents or anything that might get dropped on them. Plus the gel coat should go over fiberglass not coosa foam board I imagine. Going to repeat the same process for the fuel tank hatch and the bow floor panel which is also coosa board. Below is the original belly hatch so you can see the gaps and how it sits lower than the rest of the floor.

[brit_hunsicker]

I’m glad you’re getting to this portion now. This will be me in 8 months so I’ll be watching carefully from here on out.


Sent from my iPhone using PLT Nautique

[t.franscioni]

Here’s the finished floor panels and the old ones side by side. Even with using 1/4” thicker coosa board it still took 3 layers of fiberglass top and bottom of each panel to bring them up to level with the floor. There super strong now though as a result no way they will flex or bow over time. I need to figure out a method to secure the fuel tank hatch to the hull without using any fasteners because I don’t want screws showing in the panels or sea deck when it’s installed. I think I’m going to use dowel pins in the front and rear and that will lock it into place and when the seats are installed they will keep it secured. I’ll be working on that next then I think I’m headed into the gel coat part of this project which should be really fun.

[beamons]

I am so excited to see this part. Are you working with a smooth surface or are you going to do something different?

[t.franscioni]

As many who have done this already can attest when you take the carpet off you’ll find that the floor on these carpeted boats is far from level. That’s a big part of why it’s taken me so long from getting the top deck off till now. In between my posts of repairs and reinforcing and making panels are at least 40 hours of just sanding and glassing low spots, trueing up edges and sanding more and sanding some more. Even now it’s not perfect but it’s close enough that I can float the low spots and the remaining weave that’s showing with polyester filler. The filler is much easier than fiberglassing but it needs to be used very sparingly like no more than a few mills thickness really just enough to fill the weave of the fiberglass your gel coating over. I want the gel coat to have a really nice finish so I need to start with a really nice finish. In reality you can skip all this and just gel coat over the raw floor as long as it’s clean of all residue and just modestly roughed up so the gel coat can bite then when you put the sea deck on you’ll never know the difference. Plus the gel coat itself will act as a filler because it goes on fairly thick. One thing to keep in mind is if you are going to do leveling with fiberglass then make sure you stick to polyester resin and not epoxy. Gel coat is polyester based and sometimes polyester has a bad reaction if placed over epoxy and will cause the finish to orange peel.

[t.franscioni]

Some small touches that will never be noticed but I think are nice. On the belly hatch the hinges were drilled all the way through and had a nylock nut on the bottom side holding it together. For the new hatch since it will be gelcoated on the bottom I thought it nicer to use threaded inserts so the bottom will not have any nylock nuts showing. Working on securing the fuel tank hatch to the hull without using any screws that would show in the sea deck.

[Evening Shade]

I have no doubt this will be the BEST 2003 SANTE in the world when you are finished. It will be priceless. I've really enjoyed following this thread.

[t.franscioni]

2002! I despise the dash pods and the vinyl pattern changes made in the 03s...

[Evening Shade]

2002! I despise the dash pods and the vinyl pattern changes made in the 03s...

My bad. Typo.

[ecoastkid]

I'm new here but not new to forums.

Never seen one that spanned so many years and is still going lol.

I just read this whole thing and I'm blown away by your project. Really nice work man. When its done that boat is going to be killer.

[brit_hunsicker]

I'm new here but not new to forums.

Never seen one that spanned so many years and is still going lol.

I just read this whole thing and I'm blown away by your project. Really nice work man. When its done that boat is going to be killer.

There was a BFN project on CCF that I read through a while back. It was like a 4-1/2 year project from start to finish and pretty much did this same work just on a different platform. And his thread was updated on a daily/weekly or monthly basis at a minimum. He did all new Coosa flooring and stringers. I have lots of respect for these guys.


Sent from my iPhone using PLT Nautique

[ScooterMcgavin]

I couldn’t agree more and have lots of respect for these guys too, amazing progress and awesome project.

[t.franscioni]

I too saw the BFN project. That was more extensive I think than what im
doing here at least as far as structural work is concerned. This project is only taking forever because I haven’t been working on it at a regular pace. It’s been a month here a month there. Iv only probably got 300-400 hundred hours in it so far. Luckily enough lately iv been at it almost every other day wanting to wrap this gel coat up and get to assembly. Appreciate the kind words guys. Help keep me focused lol if I don’t post regularly call me out on it haha.

[t.franscioni]

Came up with a “fastener free” way to attach the gas tank floor panel and it’s pretty solid. Started by bedding the floor panel to the hull with thickened resin so the panel has perfect contact with the main hull stringers that it rests on. Next installed 3/8” fiberglass dowel pins in both the front horizontal and rear bottom vertical orientation so the front pins keep the panel from lifting up and the rear pins keep it from sliding back. To remove the panel I will just raise the rear seats pull up the rear of the panel and slide it back to get to the gas tank. Once the panel is gel coated I can put the seadeck on it and not have any screws showing.

[Treybizttu]

I love this thread... Keep up the good work