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Old 12-26-2014, 04:34 PM   #16
mmc1800
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Re: New (to me) RIB - Alliance 14' 40HP

Ya I was looking into the Kaboat for a while and decided a used RIB would work better for us at a very similar cost. This is a small boat, but is is for sure a real trailerable boat. The only upside to the Kaboat was not having to store the boat somewhere, and I just decided it was worth it to have a more substantial boat since I have somewhere to park it.

I think we are probably going to always be on the higher side percentage wise on being careful and prepared.

Scrapped the plan for today weather is iffy and it was getting late. We are planning to go out first thing tomorrow instead and spend the afternoon today working on some things to get ready to go out.
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Old 12-26-2014, 08:46 PM   #17
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Re: New (to me) RIB - Alliance 14' 40HP

So I took a few hours after work today to install the custom rack and new beefed up beach wheel swim arms... pretty happy with how it all turned out.
Ended up adding a couple brackets off the back to hold speargun bags and to mount the dive flag too. I will mount the battery, depth finder/GPS, and dry box on the shelf tomorrow after taking it out for a test run.
In all... it's about $300 in materials. Total labor in it was about 18 man-hours for fabrication and installation (not including design work).
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Old 12-27-2014, 12:39 PM   #18
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Re: New (to me) RIB - Alliance 14' 40HP

Quote:
Originally Posted by J(dot) View Post
So I took a few hours after work today to install the custom rack and new beefed up beach wheel swim arms... pretty happy with how it all turned out.
Ended up adding a couple brackets off the back to hold speargun bags and to mount the dive flag too. I will mount the battery, depth finder/GPS, and dry box on the shelf tomorrow after taking it out for a test run.
In all... it's about $300 in materials. Total labor in it was about 18 man-hours for fabrication and installation (not including design work).
That is a pretty sick design for a rib. I like the wheels, havent seen that before.

Also see you are keeping your registration sticker on the engine? I guess that is one solution. I have mine in a vinyl envelope that is glued to the tube but I didnt imagine I would need a flap to close it; already lost 2 of 4 stickers. The glue on those stickers is gnat spit.
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Old 12-27-2014, 07:23 PM   #19
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Re: New (to me) RIB - Alliance 14' 40HP

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That is a pretty sick design for a rib. I like the wheels, havent seen that before.
Not to hijack the thread... but the sticker is likely not 100% good up there. However, it's the only place I could keep it affixed without falling off. Will place it back next to the numbers as soon as I have to renew the reg.
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Old 12-27-2014, 07:43 PM   #20
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Re: New (to me) RIB - Alliance 14' 40HP

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Originally Posted by J(dot) View Post
Not to hijack the thread... but the sticker is likely not 100% good up there. However, it's the only place I could keep it affixed without falling off. Will place it back next to the numbers as soon as I have to renew the reg.
My little vinyl envelope would be a decent solution if it had a flap. I have a couple SS snaps and some PVC cloth, I will end up gluing some kind of flaps to it. I painted my CF numbers on with a paint made out of aquaseal, spray paint, and Toluene, and cotol. Took forever to do, took weeks to cure and is now on just well enough that I dont want to take it off. In hindsight I should have bought white PVC fabric, cut out the numbers and glued it on...
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Old 02-15-2015, 02:47 AM   #21
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Re: New (to me) RIB - Alliance 14' 40HP

So I have been busy working on this RIB for the last couple of months.

Here is a summary, I will include pictures and more details in a longer explanation.

The console was poorly attached to the deck, and there were several half inch holes in the deck dumping water into the bilge, along with a bunch of other holes. I epoxied studs into the deck and filled all the holes, as well as reinforcing the fiberglass and allowing the console to bolt down to the studs.

I have added a lower compartment to the console, which was to raise the console 15" to allow me to stand comfortably when operating it. I built the new section out of 1/4" plywood and fiberglass.

I also completely rehabbed the deck, filling the holes from previous hardware, removing and fixing cracks and chips in the fiberglass, and repainting it. Also did some of the work needed on the transom, filled some through holes and some small ones.

I completely redid the entire electrical system. I added a dual battery with switcher, and a 6 position switch panel circuit breaker.

This may be a little too much to cover in one post. It would have been better if I had posted the progress as I was going along, but I was paying more attention to getting it done. I will post a lot of pictures, and not explain it as much as I would have probably, but feel free to ask any questions about how I did anything if you want to know I will be happy to explain.



The console had come loose when we were on the water, when I pulled it completely off I could see why. The various attempts to keep it attached over the years left a bunch of holes and a mess under the console on the deck.





Some cracks and holes in the fiberglass. These are not cracks that let water through, they are primarily cosmetic as there is a layer of fiberglass under this, but the holes are a problem for water getting in.



The holes under the console were giant and allow water direct into the bilge.



The materials at the start. I ended up buying a gallon of 105. I used most of it in the project, so it took about 5 quarts.



Turns out the deck was not flat, there is a gutter that runs around it and the console had been made taller on one side to compensate.



I cut off the extra piece because I wanted it flat.



I used the cheapest wood I could find, since it is more of a mold than structural. This is under 1/4" plywood.



Usable deck is nice and wide for a 14' RIB.



I used a piece of cardboard to make a template for the new box that will go below the old console.



Lots of chips and cracks that needed correcting.



Tacked the box temporarily to get the epoxy on.



First coat of epoxy and enough to hold the box together.



Once the box was stable, took out the blocks and put fillets on the inside.



I tried to get along without these pumps for a while (using a digital scale). The pumps are WELL worth the cost. Use them, makes it really easy to get the mix done.



This box needs to hold a lot of weight and stress, so I reinforced the edges and corners with a layer of glass first.



Box coming together - a layer of matt inside and out, as well as the extra layer on the seams in and out.



Some of the holes in the deck under the console were open to the bilge.



Clear the deck since there is so much repair to do.



Easier to work on the console on the table off the boat.

(Need to post this in multiple messages - there is a image limit)
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Old 02-15-2015, 02:48 AM   #22
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Re: New (to me) RIB - Alliance 14' 40HP



Get a first idea of what this might look like - just sitting on top of the box.



Marked the holes that need filling, rounded the edges to a bevel to hold the epoxy.



Matt on top, last layer with freshly applied epoxy.



Some of the holes filled with epoxy (with filler) rough.



Larger holes



Big crack/hole - rough filled before sanding.



After sanding (sanding is so fun).



Holes in the side of the deck prepped for filling.



Raised the deck with some fiberglass, instead of making the bottom of the console uneven.



Epoxy syringe, to fill in the holes where the bolts will stick up.



Prepped.



Getting ready to cut the console for the power block.



The box about as pretty as I care to make it. Strong is more important to me than pretty.



First layer - I left the washers and nuts on the bolts to hold them straight, and just filled in the bottom (so the would not stick) - then removed the bots and washers and filled in the rest of the epoxy.



Much better system to hold the console on.



Can see I moved the studs in a bit to where the deck is thicker, and covered the old holes with a layer of glass to strengthen it.



Holes cut for the power system.



Nuts from the bottom, I used 5 bolts as well as epoxy to hold the old console to the top of the new box.



The bolts from the top piece.

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Old 02-15-2015, 02:53 AM   #23
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Re: New (to me) RIB - Alliance 14' 40HP

Used a marine primer, before rustoleum marine paint.



Deck after primer, starting to look nice.



Filled the gaps around the edges with epoxy and adhesive filler, there is epoxy, bolts, and more epoxy holding the pieces together, they become one piece.



Filled some holes in transom that went all the way through, and lowered the level water could get in by several inches.



Starting to look like it might be a console.



Getting there.



Paint looks good.



All the holes are gone, looks like a new deck.



Almost ready to put the console back on.



Cleaner.



Start of the new power system. Dual battery, weather deck switches/breaker box.



Common bar for the ground wires - and the raw switch box from the inside.



Some of the wiring on the inside.



Console attached. One battery is in (second one goes in later need the room to work).



Battery switcher from the inside.



Installed transducer.



Power is on. Console is looking good and is very solid.

Also the steering was reversed, so that is now fixed, and the steering cable used to be too long, but the way it is run now it fits perfect.

Lots of pictures, without much discussion of how all this happened, but if you want any details feel free to ask and I will try to explain.

I will post some more pictures when I get everything else installed, but this seemed like a good time to post the progress.
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Old 02-15-2015, 11:36 AM   #24
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Re: New (to me) RIB - Alliance 14' 40HP

Real nice job, looks great

Are you going to paint the tubes? What did the fiberglass/epoxy materials cost for this project?
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Old 02-15-2015, 01:06 PM   #25
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Re: New (to me) RIB - Alliance 14' 40HP

Wow, really nice work. And lots of it. You've got mad skills.

Thanks for taking the time to document it too, great posts. As a chronic CL window-shopper, it's therapeutic to get a clear picture of how much time and work can be required to turn the boat from the picture into the boat in the water.
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Old 02-15-2015, 10:39 PM   #26
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Re: New (to me) RIB - Alliance 14' 40HP

Norcalsurfer: The tubes are dirty and don't look great, but the hypalon seems solid. I am not sure yet what I am going to decide to do with them. The next project is going to be going through them and finding all the slow leaks. 3 of the 4 tubes have leaks but it is not really a big deal to me as it takes a couple of pumps to replace a couple of days of the leak so not urgent. It is really amazing how much the pressure changes from warm day to night which is actually a bigger change than the leaks by far.

The epoxy is $150 per gallon (including the hardener you need) at West Marine. You can probably get it cheaper somewhere, and I might consider using a different epoxy that would be close to $100 per if I was going to do some giant project. For me it was not worth sweating what might have saved me 20 bucks after shipping etc. I bought about $50 worth of glass (also at West Marine) and I have a bunch left over I will use on something else. I spent far more money on tools than anything else, but I am like that the next project I will have more of what I need when I start.

EDIT: I bought 5 quarts, was a waste to buy the first quart, but it was the first time I worked with that stuff and wanted to make sure I was going to be able to use it. I probably could have got away with just the gallon. So total cost for epoxy and glass should have been around $200 to answer your question, my actually cost was about $250.

Rootsman: Thanks. I have quite a bit of carpentry and trades background, and I like to make furniture and that kind of thing as a hobby, I am using YouTube to parlay that into boat skills. There is great stuff available to learn how to do just about anything with boats.

We could have used the boat the way we got it, but I prefer to try to make it better and improve the experience and safety.



Getting ready to take it out tomorrow. Going to set up for H&L and Hoop Netting, since I am don't have anyone to go with me and I mainly just want to run the boat through paces and test the transducer is placed well etc. Maybe get some diving in Tuesday is the conditions look good.



Really happy with this layout so far, we will see how it works in the water. Storing most everything up in the bow, leaves the deck really open to work.



10 hoop nets and all the rope etc, managed to store it all in the bow and not lose the seating space. I think this is going to work.



I still have a ton of stuff I am planning to do, but I think this should work for a day of fishing and night of hoop netting tomorrow. Trying to keep the deck as open as I can.

I am hoping to get more bug diving in this season - we will see. At least with the hoops I can get some bugs when conditions are not great for diving.

I might not have mentioned this, I am also planning at some point to be towing this behind a large sailboat and hitting the islands for multi-day trips. That is one reason I wanted to stay at 14 foot (can use it at the dinghy docks etc.).
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Old 02-16-2015, 02:53 AM   #27
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Re: New (to me) RIB - Alliance 14' 40HP

re: slow leaks.

One thing that works really well on my inflatable is just work my way along the underside when it's anchored in clear water and look for little bubbles.
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