1963 Correct Craft Atom Skier

Here you go- ebay link

Another question. The chrome is in good shape but a few pieces have some tiny bumps. Is there any way to smooth them out without re-chroming?

Don,
The PO fiber glassed the bottom. I'm sorry to say that the method does not have a good track record. One layer of glass does not have the strength to hold loose seams together so if there's any movement the glass fractures allowing water to enter. The worst long term is glassing rots the wood at an accelerated pace. Even without any fracturing of the glass allowing water in from the outside, a boats bilge is wet so water enters from the inside keeping the wood damp. Some call glassing "the kiss of death" for a wood boat. The glassing explains why all the hardware was removed from the bottom of the boat.

Again, what do you know about the PO and his wood boat knowledge?

It's still a nice boat. Probably a much bigger project than you realized, but all the hardware being removed from the bottom is an indication that someone knew the bottom needed to be replaced. You can patch it up and put all the hardware back on so you can use it for the short term. It's still a nice boat worthy of restoration as its pretty complete and original The engine cover looks great!.

Don,
I agree with Bruce. Patch the area you ground down at the transom and run the boat. In the future it will need a new bottom.

OK. Thank you very much.

I'm getting ready to pull the engine, however I am having trouble knowing how to remove the exhaust hoses. The rear hose clamps are inaccessible. Any ideas on removing and replacing?

NewOwner wrote: I'm getting ready to pull the engine, however I am having trouble knowing how to remove the exhaust hoses. The rear hose clamps are inaccessible. Any ideas on removing and replacing?

Don,
As the engine is being raised, pull the hose off the exhaust elbows.

NewOwner wrote: Thanks. Before I received your post I cut them off. I figured they had to be replaced anyway. Would your advice work for replacing the new hoses? Also, when I removed the hoses I noticed the copper exhaust tubes that extend through the stern are loose. What is the proper way to replace these to keep them from leaking?

Don,
Yes, when the time comes to install the engine, start the hoses on the elbows before the engine is fully in place. It works great since you are using the weight of the engine getting the hose on.

Look in your parts box. You should have round trim rings for each copper exhaust tube. The inner inside ID of the rings will be beveled. The bevel is there for packing just like you use for prop shaft and rudder packing. As the ring is screwed to the transom, the packing is compressed around the copper. The method is a carry over from when the exhaust was hard piped with copper all the way from the engine through the transom. The copper moves in the packing when the heat causes the pipe to grow. Since you have the rubber, you can just use 4200 to seal under and around the trim rings and pipes.

Thanks for the info. I found the rings, and noticed when I pulled the copper tube out, there were remnants of the packing.

When I get the engine out I plan to flip the boat (not sure how) and see how much of the bottom is fiberglass.

Also, when I order new exhaust tubes is there a particular type of rubber that should be used? And, I plan to replace the water hoses on the engine. Are these hoses preformed or can I use flexible hose?

8122pbrainard wrote: Don, For exhaust hose, there is a marine specific hose. You will want the plain non corrugated type.

Is this an originality thing? If not, corrugated is superior in all respects and priced similarly to the smooth wall. I’d be sure to use reinforced at a minimum, but the corrugated holds shape better.

Don,
Looks like you have some more work to do. I recommend replacing the bad wood with wood rather that patching with glass and epoxy or polyester. You have the hull flipped so a proper fix will be relatively easy.

81nautique wrote: 8122pbrainard wrote: Don, You have the hull flipped so a proper fix will be relatively easy. easy is a relative term Pete. .

Alan,
Yes, it sure is a relative term! But, I did prep Don some time back to be prepared for reality!

8122pbrainard wrote: Don, A proper fix involves flipping the hull, removing all the ply, repairing any rot and rebedding the ply but it's time consuming.

Thanks for helping.

Don,
Looking at the new pictures, I feel the mystery of why the bottom was glassed has been solved. Looks like there was a prop, strut and shaft hit that bent the strut to starboard causing the prop to gouge the hull. The quick and dirty "repair" was then filling and glassing!!    I'd say that "repair" peeled off pretty easy didn't it!? I know of a glassed bottom that came off underway and the boat went down real fast!! Do a proper repair and as Alan mentioned it will be good for another 60 years!

Alan mentions the topside ply needing removal due to potential stem and frame repair. I agree there may be a problem but don't be too hasty. Open up the bottom first to get a good look at the frame and the portion of the stem were the bottom ply is fastened then post some pictures. CC laminated their stems which are know to come apart and suck up the water. However, I haven't seen any screw popping at the stem that would defiantly indicate a stem problem so you may be OK?

I've asked before about what you know about the previous owner and some history on the boat. Anything yet??

Don,
There's no special tool to remove all the screws. Clean them out with a pointed tool and then you can remove them with a drill driver.

The "top side wood" is the plywood on the hull sides and some also refer to what's on the deck. Alan mentioned it since he (and I) are worried about what condition the stem and other frames like the transom frame are in. I suggested removing the ply bottom first to get a better look so that would be my first step.