An XR-6 eh? Thanks for muddying the waters ;-) Seriously though, I'd love to know the price with shipping in, just to see if it's even an option. PM me the price info if you like, not sure it's fodder for this thread, but it's your call. Use this shipping address for the quote, as it's only about a 1 hour drive for me, but on the US side… 4777 STATE HIGHWAY 68, OGDENSBURG, NY 13669-4168 How many footers? Right now there's only me, and only occasionally, but the kids get keener every year. BTW, I have a really nice barefoot boom we custom made for the Checkmate which should move over very nicely to the Dyne, but that's a whole other subject when the time comes...
So, a closer examination on the weekend revealed there is some rot in the seat stand boxes (fairly staright forward) and the floor balsa running fore and aft, at least on one side (somewhat more Bano-ish, although different construction). No indication of it from the outside (fortunately), hull is rock solid, but there is some softness when checking from the inside. Won't know for sure the extent till I get to the point where I dig it out, but I suspect the length of it will require replacement. Doesn't seem too bad, just more than I originally thought. That however will have to wait for the Spring.
I did put stringers in my older style dyne. I found all of the balsa to be rotten. As Jim said, once the water gets into the balsa it tends to spread. Just so you are aware, in mine, there was a layer of fibreglass, then balsa, then fibreglass, then balsa, then the outside layer. My tools of choice were a grider, a circular saw, a recipricating saw, an air chisel, a shovel, a home made metal crook, and scrapers. I utilized composite instead of balsa and put in a plywood subfloor. It is not quite finished yet, but it is usable. I still have to do the rear seat. But it is in the water and has been used for skiing. I only did the interior this year. All together, I think the whole project took about 6 weeks. Late evenings and all day Saturday and Sunday, frequently. Chad
So that's how they built them in 64 eh. It "looks" like theres only on layer of Balsa as of 1970, but only time will tell, unless someone else has experience with a 70's no floor boat? Do you have photos on this site or otherwise of the restoration/renovation?
There should be two layers. The Crosbys used to talk about how tough the two layer hulls were. I would consider end grain balsa as a replacement. High end boats use that even now. The new Dynes are built that way. jim
Jim's right about the balsa. Go to the restoration section and use the search engine feature and you will see several pictures of not only my boat and restoration but also the restoration with the balsa. The balsa is very light and easy to work with. From what I understand it is not that expensive either. Jim told me that Ab Crosby said the hull could withstand a 22 caliber bullet, but Jim said he hadn't tried. The cool thing about the restoration of these 18 footers is that they are not made any more, they are super easy to work on, and it is an open canvas. Look around the site, you will see that every 18 footer that has been restored is a little different. I look forward to seeing what you do with yours. Chad
Thanks for all the replies. Makes me want to start work right away, however due to not living in Jim's clime, it will have to wait for the Spring.
You are in Canada, and it is cold there, and you mentioned that you cannot start work until it gets warmer. Consider this. If you are going to have to grind on fiberglass, you will need a fair amount of clothes and personal safety equipment to protect yourself, and your eyes from the fiberglass dust. Use the clothes to keep you warmer, but still a little cool, and for protection from the dust. Fiberglass dust, and sweat is a really bad combination. Do not meant to be the bearer of bad news, but if you find some wood rot, it will be much worse when you finally get it all out.
Hey, no worries on the bad news, I'm here to learn, and I appreciate the insight. I've done a full "Bano" resto on a 14' boat (not a Dyne). Floor, stringers, transom, and even cut open the front to make room for a pedestal seat, so my eyes are wide open. Many questioned why I did that resto, although the re-finished boat has served us well. There doesn't seem to be many around willing to take on projects such as these, particularly as a hobby, which is why this site is so appealing, tons of expertise! I look forward to working on the Dyne to see just how bad it is, and correcting it. Good point on the cooler vs. warmer working conditions, nothing like a little sweat to drive those fiberglass dust particles in a little deeper.
