Pulse170 Floor Restoration

[JW]

If the balsa core is wet and gone soft back where you're carrying all the water pressure at speed, that's a major headache. That's further than I'd go with a boat................

 

[Rob B]

I checked the area in question earlier and didn't see anything out of the ordinary, so tomorrow I'll take a few core samples then go from there. I have a little more of the floor to remove next to the transom, then I'll start prepping the boat for the new floor. I need that tool that wildman has in one of his pictures, it looks like a die grinder with a blade on the end of it to cut the floor next to the transom.

 

[JUPITER PULSARE]

Ok..probably more $$$ than you want to spend but....you could have a new tank made that would fit under the floor between the stringers. It would lower your center of gravity, improve handling, make room for some additional storage and clean rigging behind the rear seat. You could fillet a length of pvc pipe in half and run it under the tank (glassed to the hull) for drainage to the bilge, foam the tank it, and use a solid piece of ply (glassed on both sides) for the new floor.

 

[Rob B]

Ok..probably more $$$ than you want to spend but....you could have a new tank made that would fit under the floor between the stringers. It would lower your center of gravity, improve handling, make room for some additional storage and clean rigging behind the rear seat. You could fillet a length of pvc pipe in half and run it under the tank (glassed to the hull) for drainage to the bilge, foam the tank it, and use a solid piece of ply (glassed on both sides) for the new floor.

Jup, I've thought about that,since looking at your resto pictures. I'm not sure why CM added a 32 gallon gas tank in a 17' boat? That tank takes up a lot of room, plus I would love the extra storage space as well. Another idea is whether or not I should add the ski locker back since we tube more that we ski?
If you look closely at the drain hole it's up about 1-2" from the bottom. I know on bass boats that drain hole is flush with the bottom, that a poor design to get water out on CM's part.

Here's the gas tank from Overton's
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=39537&pdesc=Moeller_25_Gallon_Marine_Fuel_Tank_18_03W_47L_7_5D&str=gas%20tanks&merchID=1008&r=view

 

[Rob B]

Yesterday after work I went to Lowes to buy a die grinder and came away with something else. I needed a tool that would cut close to the transom so that I could get the rest of the floor out. What I found was an attachment for my drill that held a cutting blade. My angle grinder couldn't get in tight spots so I opted for that attachment. That's in the first picture.

So anyway I got some more work done this evening, cutting out the floor next to the transom. I then took a core sample from the area in question that look dark although it's lighter in person. Good news is that my core is ok (second picture). I've got the other side to finish hopefully tomorrow then sand everything down and start the replacement.

 

[Rob B]

Today I continued the tear down of the Pulse170's floor. This boat has got more body filler than the cars up north back in the 70's. Anyway I've got the floor,stringers and knee braces completely out(first pic). I'm thinking of cutting back the floatation boxes flush against the wall (second & third pic). What I've found out is the CM has added foam from back of the boat along the side to just pass the console. All that's left now is to finish grinding/sanding and start the rebuild process.

 

[JW]

Glad to hear the core is OK!! If that was a Hydrostream, you'd be pulling ALL the core out too.................

 

[Rob B]

Glad to hear the core is OK!! If that was a Hydrostream, you'd be pulling ALL the core out too.................

I hear that. I've got a "how to" article that shows a guy recoring/ floor/stringer replacement in his Hydrostream. Good article.

 

[fiftyp]

Jup, I've thought about that,since looking at your resto pictures. I'm not sure why CM added a 32 gallon gas tank in a 17' boat?

Because at WOT all day, them ponies are thirsty..

 

[Rob B]

Jup, I've thought about that,since looking at your resto pictures. I'm not sure why CM added a 32 gallon gas tank in a 17' boat?

Because at WOT all day, them ponies are thirsty..

True that!!!! Especially 200 ponies

 

[JW]

When I had the Pulse 171 and the XR6 spinning a 26" Laser II, I could burn that 30 gallons up on a day EASY.

Later, when I had my Pulsare with the 225 Promax (6400 rpm) spinning the Tempest 23" I could burn through the 38 gallon tank in 1/2 a day EASY

 

[Rob B]

Today I got some more work done, man this is time consuming. Anyway I got the last brace tore out that was underneath the splashwell. I started sanding/grinding down where the old floor and stringers used to be. Did I mention how much body filler was in this boat? I bet I took out 20 plus pounds of that stuff. Anyway here are a few more pictures of progress.

 

[JW]

Geez, I can't believe that wood was rotted too What's the deal here? This isn't an old Hydrostream or Glastron GT, this is a '90's Checkmate!

 

[Rob B]

Geez, I can't believe that wood was rotted too What's the deal here? This isn't an old Hydrostream or Glastron GT, this is a '90's Checkmate!

When I bought the boat I was told " this boat was kept in a garage". I've pulled alot of rotted wood from the boat and found a few dirt dobber nests as well. The only way water could get to that brace was thru the boot where all the cables come in. I'm guessing the water would just sit until it evaporated. You can bet that will not happen again once I'm done.

 

[JW]

The main reason that I think lipped splashewells are DUMB!!!! I've seen too many bad transoms on friends boats over the years because of lipped transoms holding water in, and then cracked lipped transoms holding water in so that there's time for seepage. In my opinion, the Pulsare 2100 is the only way to correctly build a transom. I think CMate is doing a no-lip transom on one or two other boats now too. Water can't sit in the transom and weep into the cable pass-thru on a 2100!!

A few Hydrostream guys completely deleted the splashwell on rebuilds. If I had to completely re-do my Pulse, I'd go that route.

 

[Rob B]

I'm wondering if I can drill a hole in the spashwell just in front of the lip, add some type of fitting, attach a drain hose straight to the bilge area. That way all the water in the splashwell goes out instead of just sitting there.

 

[Rob B]

The main reason that I think lipped splashewells are DUMB!!!! I've seen too many bad transoms on friends boats over the years because of lipped transoms holding water in, and then cracked lipped transoms holding water in so that there's time for seepage. In my opinion, the Pulsare 2100 is the only way to correctly build a transom. I think CMate is doing a no-lip transom on one or two other boats now too. Water can't sit in the transom and weep into the cable pass-thru on a 2100!!

A few Hydrostream guys completely deleted the splashwell on rebuilds. If I had to completely re-do my Pulse, I'd go that route.

That's a good idea, only if I had to replace the transom. That's a major overhaul.

 

[175checkmate]

When I rebuilt my transom and slash well I did not install the splash well drain thru the transom. I drilled a hole in the bottom center in front of the transom and it has a fitting to drain it to the bilge.

 

[Rob B]

When I rebuilt my transom and slash well I did not install the splash well drain thru the transom. I drilled a hole in the bottom center in front of the transom and it has a fitting to drain it to the bilge.

175 can you tell me the diameter of the hole and the fitting makeup for that? Do you have a picture of that installed?

 

[Rob B]

I ended up removing the floatation boxes today, my grinder hit the board and water starting coming out. Here are some more pictures of the tedious process of repairing a floor.