Sneakbox Renovation

[Steve Sanford]

Steve~

Funny you should mention ping pong balls - I wish I had a thousand! I am thinking of some "scientific" way to measure the volume of the air chambers before the decks go on. I was thinking sunflower seeds - only because I have them - or whole corn. Something approximately uniform in size that could fill the space, does not compress very much, and could be mounded up to approximate the deck crown - then scooped into measured containers. And, if they eventually get put to another purpose, so much the better....

For the actual flotation, I may look into the flotation bags used in canoes and kayaks - so they are removable and add little weight.

All the best,

SJS

 

[Bill Ferrar]

Steve,
Have you ever though of blue dock foam. If anybody can carve the foam to fit, you can.
I often wonder why people do not fit foam to the boats?

 

[rick born]

steve, by making rear deck longer check for reach of back of motor for tilting to shallow drive to long is making you un balanced to pull. I see tank long ways off transom ( is reason to grab handle) not flat to it with 76 in cockpit feet are not under deck. just wondering rick

 

[Steve Sanford]

Good morning, Rick~

I understand your thoughts, but - I usually have to put my left foot or knee on the stern deck to reach the motor - for shallow drive, shifting or starting - because the 22 inch deck already makes this necessary. Of course, I use a tiller extension for roaring around the Bay with reckless abandon.....

All the best,

SJS

 

[Steve Sanford]

Now I will try to catch up to Tom Barb.....

The first task was to level up the forward part of the hull to get the twist out - prior to making new frames or otherwise reinforcing the hull.

In addition to cross spalls - to maintain the beam of the open hull - I needed to lift the starboard side with struts to level her up.

What looks like a king plank - running down the centerline - is actually just a batten. The top of the new hull frames will be at the bottom of the batten.

The batten is attached at the bow and stern and supported with these 2 posts. I gave her just bit of hogback - "measuring" with my squinty eye....

I had hoped to be able to remove my center floorboard intact. It had been permanently refastened a few years ago, though, with 3M 5200 and screws. So - no go!

Neither could I remove the anchor chocks from the floorboard. So - all new floorboard and chocks. The parallel lines aft of the anchor chock will help me fasten the new chock for the headrest - once the new cockpit s built.

My 10-pound Navy anchor gets lashed in here with it 50-foot rode - also lashed to prevent tangles.

I scribed a new transom board using my standard technique - dropping perpendiculars every 3 inches of beam.

My 4d finishing nails and 1/8-inch aluminum copy the curve of the hull.

I reinforced the bow - beefing up the existing center stringer and adding 2 more laterally. Actually, I had added these 2 outside stringers way back when, but - because I could not get to the hull interior to grind it properly then - their 'glass had mostly let go of the hull.


I used 17-ounce biaxial tape and epoxy. The lateral stringers were "glued" into place with thickened epoxy last night - and given the biaxial this morning.

I "milled" some foam insulation board to make the form for the new stringers and to fill in the "cove" of the existing center stringer.

I cleaned up the inside of the transom to receive the new reinforcement.

I set the new transom board - which had been previously sealed with epoxy - in 3M 5200 over most of its area - but used thickened epoxy along its lower edge - to tie it to the sole.

I have already made 3 new frames/bulkheads - almost ready for installation.

All the best,

SJS

 

[mo elgammal]

Steve ,looking good nice and neat work .

 

[Tom Barb]

Nice work Steve. I believe you started with more work than I did. I didn't have any demo to do.

 

[Paul W]

Someday, Steve, I will be as cool as you. Someday.

 

[Paul Dobrosky]

Steve, Having an early Gus Henrick sneak Box out of New Gretna N.J. is what the boat reminds me of ,its what he called his feather edge model. Which did not plain Off . Road high in the Bow to get threw rough water conditions. Hope this is some help. I am sure the Craftsmen you are it will come out better then new. Keep us posted. PAUL

 

[Robert Van Sant]

Someday, Steve, I will be as cool as you. Someday.

Ditto

 

[Bill Ferrar]

Hi Steve,
It looks like it is coming along great. My question is how do you do it? Do you sit for hours thinking what needs to be done?
Come up with a plan then work from the plan or make it up as you go. If it is not to much trouble can you post time.
What you have done so far would take me weeks on a good week. Keep up the good work.

 

[Tom Barb]

Paul, I don't believe it's a Heinrichs. I have one a Gus Sr. Boat from the 40s-50s. They were all cedar.

 

[Shawn Linn]

Steve, I always enjoy the detail you put into your builds and how freely you share your knowledge on the site. I appreciate how much time it takes you too put together the pictures and descriptions for the page. Thank you.

I guess the fact that you never sleep helps.

 

[Craig F]

Ditto on the it being a non-Heinrichs. Here's a 1950s glass over cedar model that my dad restored (no glass on the deck)

 

[Arthur Webster]

Steve like all your post.Makes me want to jump in and start on my boat or crave some decoys,and get some sleep.Seems all of my time and energy is being with our new 7 week old black lab Ella.Lots of fun.

 

[Steve Sanford]

Bill et al~

I literally do dream about the "next steps" as I lie in bed at night. So, I am ready to go the next day/morning/middle of the night.

I have installed the 3 full frames and now just have to add short deck beams to the 4 existing knees to match the new deck camber and width.

As mentioned earlier, I use 1/2-inch AC plywood for my frames. Most also need some reinforcement to take fasteners. I am using Cypress for all of the athwartships members and Philippine Mahogany for the longitudinals - which need to be stronger. Both species have a moderate rot-resistance.

Here are the 3 full frames laid out on the bench.

Here they are dry-fitted - with other temporary reference frames.

The solid frame in the middle is temporary - to carry the "hogback" the length of the boat and to help me lay out the knees/deck beams later.

Before enclosing the stern, I added a Cypress "bumper" inside the transom - so that gas tank cannot chafe against the hardware.

The large holes for the Beckson Deck Plates were sawn on the bench - and I pre-drilled for the fasteners then, too.

I have few step-by-step photos of the frame installation - because the epoxy is so messy. I embed 'glass tape within U S. Composites 1:3 Thin Resin with Medium Cure Hardener - thickened with their Fairing Compound - which is a mix of phenolic microballoons and Cabosil (colloidal silica).

I grind and sand the cured epoxy so it will take paint and leave snag-free cleanable surfaces.

Inside the air chambers it is less important - and more difficult - to smooth everything off. The Cypress nailer on the forward bulkhead is now notched for the central framing member ("king plank" - sort of.....) but will also be notched for the cockpit carlins. I will carry these carlins from the transom forward well past the cockpit and into the forward air chamber so they will help to stiffen the deck.

After the 2 forward frames were installed and fully cured, I check the level at the cross-spalls.

Both sides were right on the money - at 39 and 15/16ths inches off the floor. So, I could remove the cross spalls and temporary blocking.

Unfortunately, I could not remove all of the twist up forward. I believe everything is symmetrical below the water line - where it really counts - but the gunwale is almost an inch higher on the port than starboard. Nothing I can do about it because it was manufactured that way - way back when.

The starboard side is a fair, sweeping sheer - but the port side has a bit of "powder horn" just before the bow.

I used Cypress for the longitudinals on the sides of the gas tank chamber - because they will not need to take any heavy loads. I used my pneumatic stapler rather than screws because I am going through quarter-inch ply - not half-inch.

The 3 gallon gas tank is checked for fit between the port and starboard air chambers.

I "fastened" - with epoxy et cetera - the aft frames today.

Thus far I have just "eye-balled" the volume in the air chambers. I plan to get a better estimate with a couple of buckets of tennis balls from my gunning partner.

Tomorrow I will make the 4 short deck beams to be fastened to the 4 knees and will lay out the cockpit carlins.

All the best,

SJS

 

[Mark W]

Thanks Steve - I always enjoy watching you bring stuff back to life.


On the picture of the gas tank, - how do you refill it? 3 gallons enough to get you around and all?


Mark W

 

[Steve Sanford]

Mark~

I used the 3 gallon with my 9.9 Johnson for many years. Although I always had an additional 1-gallon jug along, I never needed it. I typically traveled betwen 2 and 4 miles round trip on a hunt.

The 3 gallon is not fixed/secured in its new cubbyhole. ( it was always under the stern deck - but there was no flotation back there.) I will just pull it out, set it on the stern deck and re-fill it back at the house like I always did. And, I will still bring the 1-gallon along - stowed up forward.

All the best,

SJS

 

[Gary Tanner]

Great watching a craftsman at work!
Gary

 

[Mark W]

I get it. I didn't look close enough. I see the tank just slides out. Didn't see that the first time.


Mark W