TOPIC: 1957 Magnolia 16ft runabout "Baby Doll"

I probably paid too much for this on craigslist a few months ago but I fell in love. Im not certain on the year, or a particular model. This is my first fiberglass project and my first boat restoration. This will be a learning experience and unfortunately a budget build. Enough talking, here's the pictures.

This is definitely in worse shape than I had expected, and this project is also becoming more difficult and expensive than previously thought. But not impossible, or unaffordable. I'm not giving up.

Some PO had did a horrible job (man I hope noone says this about mine in 20yrs) of fiberglassing over the stringers. I had to peel huge chunks and sheets of glass out of the floor to expose to rotten wood and original hull.

After removing the rotten wood, I sanded down the floor and smoothed the channels for fresh stringers/runners. My buddy has a saw Mill, and planer, and alot o handy tools and spair wood. Custom cut.

Hindsight 20/20. Probably should have sealed the wood prior to Installation.

Skipped them earlier. But we worked on the transom at the same time. It was beyond shot.

Another decision that will be frowned on by the professionals, the plywood I used in the transom was rough probably BC made from hardwoods. It was not marine/cabinet grade or anything pricey. I used resin between the first layer and the original boat hull, then resin between the 2layers and glass over it when I finished

The fiberglass cloth I'm using throughout the boat is all different. This is a learning experience and I'm trying to experiment with what works, is affordable, and correct in its strength and flexibility of the task at hand.

I used the super heavy thick weave you see in the red resin on the main floor and first layer on the transom. I used a lightweight see thru layer up from on those points first until I realized I didn't like it. I've settle in a middle of the road kind . I couldnt tell you specifics

So far I've used the fibergladd jelly on small cracks to seal my runners into the seat boxes, and the "kitty hair" slimy stringy fiberglass putty to fill in bigger gaps around the new transom. I also used a trick to take apart the cloth and mix it with resin to create your own putty. I've been sandind btween coats of resin.

You can see that thick weave on the transom and the green putty around the edges

Why the gaping, nor square, hole in the front seat? I don't know. But noticing the void inside, I put some jobsite tested 2pt industrial foam to use.

It took quite a few holes to ensure the coverage was uniform.
As for that hole up front. I used an access door from industrial a/c duct to create a 2in deep 10×10 box.

That's after I glassed around it and over the holes cut for the foam and also we put them in to retrieve rotten wood from the runners

Since you asked for it, I'll give you some free advice...worth twice what you pay for it.

When restoring boats, use only marine products. No steel trap door, no soft wood stringers or framing elements, no B/C or any other plywood other than marine grade held together with marine grade glue, no construction grade foam, etc., etc.

My best advice is to ask questions before you proceed rather than explain the things you did wrong after they've already been done. The labor to do the project is the same whether you use the right materials or not. The extra expense for the right materials will ensure that this doesn't happen: "Some PO had did a horrible job (man I hope noone says this about mine in 20yrs)"

This site is a wealth of information that you have not taken advantage of. It's your boat and you can do whatever you choose but for the record, you're doing it wrong...and there's no good reason not to do it right.

Thanks for the honesty, though I don't believe a few of the decisions will effect the final product. But Now that I know of this website and all the information ,I'll do a little more plan

My concerns are in the transom and the plywood choice. But I'll be redesigning this to have a "shelf" under the engine enclosing the space underneath up to the seat back.this will tie the force of the motor in better with the entire time at of the boat. This also should help with my transom not being built as well as it could have.
The painting stage I will not be just "winging" or using non marine products. I want it done right and last years to come. I've been doing alot of reading, but I still have questions. I'll be sure to ask them closer to time.

This is a project for later. But I do have the powerplant choosen and acquired. I found a guy on eBay who redoes the wire harnesses for $100. Tag it. Remove it. Ship it. A new one comes back w your old labels on.

This is the trailer I picked up for $200. Came with this 19ft inboard carbon fiber hulled cruiser. Took the hardware we could off and put it in the woods.

A little more progress over thanksgiving. More glass over the seats, and a coat of resin in the floors.

Also put another layer of the thick weave on the transom. I'll add a nice thinner layer outside for cosmetics and leave the inner alone.
Haven't decided yet, but we were trying to mock up the tank I salvaged from the trailer's donor inboard boat. Might have to find a different one.

Here is my other boat. Usually has my Goodyear 12 on it or my 7.5 Evin or the 7.5 Corsair.

Built on a budget back in high school using: b/c plywood, construction grade waterproof adhesive, SS screws, exterior wood stain, and exterior house paint, wood putty, fiberglass ONLY on exterior joints, house cabinet hardware, rust oleom on the trailer and house carpet over the bunks.
All and all its holding up very well. Been abondoned under a lean to and neglected the last 4yrs. So i brought it out to seal it back up and get it seaworthy. 8+ yrs so far and this is the second coat of paint. Im atually having to sand a little and do a few throughou coats this time. With a little more money and experience, I'm going to glass over the deck this time. I have noticed different spots where glass wood have been nice, or where the wood putty doesnt stand up the time and sun while filling in screw heads. Some things are worth the time and money to be marine, other things not so much.

There are ways around spending a fortune on marine supplies. With more than one way to skin a cat, the trick is choosing your battles and learning from experience.

Got a little done on the boat before I was side tracked onto my fuel cell for the truck. Drilled the drain hole and 2 part marine epoxied the brass tube in

Had my helper preparing the last coat of resin for a new one. I was doing the floor.

This was the first part I glassed. Over the first two stringers I ended up with domed up section (an air pocket) between the cloth and wood. As I continued I changed my technique and had better results. I painted the wood and floor both times first and then applied the cloth and more resin. The technique that worked was letting the resin become slightly tacky before pressing down the cloth. Coating the floor on one side of the stringer, sticking the cloth, then the top of the wood, sticking and coating over to soak through, then the other side. One step and curve at a time. ( the cloth was so thick it did not want to shape to the sharp line and tended to pull up and round over)also the only places I used that super thick cloth was in the middle floor area and the transom.

Short of cutting that section completely up, we brainstormed a solution. Filling the cavities with resin, if we could figure out a way that worked. I hole sawed 3/4" holes into the fiberglass to pour resin into. Tapped around w a rubber mallet to help distribute. And finally used the shop vac and a series of smaller 1/4" holes to suck the resin where we needed.

You can see the dark red resin spreading. Later I will glass back over the stringers and holes. Luckily these first two spots and one small pocket on the outside transom is the only.

Good progress, ingenious filling idea.

Bob

Thanks. I wasn't too keen on cutting my new floor up. 2nd picture is early on, the resin ended up spreading nicely. I'm thankful for that ugly bright red hardner. It came in handy.

I have to glass over these holes. . use some more putty in a few corners and I should have the interior fiberglass done.(except for the "splash well?, transom shelf, whatever you call that)
Then It'll be time for fairing compound.

Got a little hand sanding done on my putty today. Slowly but surely shaping up.

Also relocated. It was at my buddy's house under a tarp shelter, I bit the bullet and brought it home to my new wife under my carport in town and kicked my truck out into the elements. That should light a fire. At my buddy's the out of sight out of mind played a role. No more.