SXR Cannibal's build - IS FINISHED!!! decks split, rocker nose, -3

[Cannibal]

So, I wasn't planning on rebuilding this thing until next year, but I blew my engine up and since that was out, I pulled my tank, then pulled the waterbox and foam and cleaned and dried the engine bay....then I found water coming from under the tray and decided I would go ahead and cut it apart and fix it's issues. I wasn't a fan of the Blowsion (I think kickers) footholds, but the turf was in great shape, so until I found the water, I had no reason to redo it right now.

I bought a Ridged JobMax oscillating multi-tool that comes with a 220(ish) degree cutting "wheel", a plunge cutting blade, and adapter to take other blades. At Home Depot, they had it for $129.99 plus free head (it accepts multiple heads, which is kinda cool). So I got the 1/4" driver head. I also bought a ridged scraper made by Bosch. This scraper seriously killed the turf so fast. Easiest turf removal ever.

So, I cut the tray apart with said tool, removed the foam, the proceeded to remove 7.5lbs of glue....holy crap....seriously 7.5lbs of glue....crazy.

In their defense, I will have to put a little bit of 5200 back in to seal up the tubes and crap, but I can guarantee it will only be a few ounces, so not much of a defense at all.

I plan on doing the same thing to the engine bay. I'd guess probably a good 3lbs or more in there, but we'll see.

I have some ideas for putting the tray back together, but we'll see. Some new footholds are in order, located like 1-2" forward of the old ones, maybe a lowered tray, add trim tube in case I want to run my X2 trim setup. I'm getting rid of my Blowsion one-way valve. It didn't leak at all, but I just don't need it, and would rather have the extra time to right a capsized ski. I'm also going to cut it -1.5", right back up to the ride plate bolts. Maybe a new exhaust tube, I don't like how it is diagonal and interferes with the footholds.

Under the hood: I plan on reinforcing under the handlepole mount, removing that glue from everywhere, and that's pretty much it. Maybe add some filler under the hood lip where some serious gel goat cracking has happened sorta like a lip reinforcement, but no glass. I might spray the engine bay with appliance epoxy paint, maybe a little detail work.

The last pic is how it sits right now. Will update as progression is made.

 

[Crab]

Steve, look for the Interlux bilge coat at the local marina, specifically made for areas like the engine bay and sprays real nice, did it inside the green ski.

 

[Cannibal]

I remember seeing that at West Marine one time. I will have to check it out next time I'm up there.

Sent from my CrackBerry using Tapatalk

 

[tightithrash]

cut the nose off that pig!

 

[icecoled007]

wow you really opened up that tray!

 

[Cannibal]

cut the nose off that pig!

Lol...I wish. Ideally, I'd split the decks, add some rocker to the nose, and graft it all back together. No way I'm doing that to a ski that I plan to ride in March or April. If this were a spare hull, absolutely, but my projects end up taking WAY longer than I plan.

wow you really opened up that tray!

The ski has Blowsion rail caps on it, so my plan is to glass those directly onto the ski instead of the stock "caps" (gunwale tops). The Blowsion rail caps look good glassed on.

My wife doesn't know that I plan on sanding off the gel coat and getting this thing painted this winter as well....I have to if I glass the rail caps on.

 

[Cannibal]

Alright, so made a little more progress. While I was removing some of the extra glue, the top deck started separating from the bulkhead, so I figured, "what the hell, lets separate decks".....did I ever open a can of worms or what.

I kept adding the glue from the front to the glue I had from the rear, in total I ended with 11.33lbs of excess glue.

Here's where it sits now:

 

[tightithrash]

Cut it now!

 

[Cannibal]

If I could really figure out a way to add a little rocker without adding a crap load of weight putting it back together, I'd consider it.....about all I could figure is to get a belt sander, thin the bottom out (cause they are like 3/8" thick), cut, rocker, then glass it all back in.....IDK....I've thought about it, not sure quite yet.

 

[Matt_E]

So what's the wife say about this, considering the conniption fit you were describing over just the footholds?

 

[Cannibal]

Lol....well, I have most of the supplies for this, so not too much of an issue. It's more about money and the fact that I need a $1200 engine rebuild and every time I mention something else....It's a sensitive topic to say the least. I got a $1800 annual bonus from work, so I've got a little to play with, but not much room for surprises.

Time to start selling some stuff I guess. There's a lot of 'wants'.

 

[550/440]

Craziness! Don't sell, hoard it all for later! okey: Looking good though - lots of work going into your ski! How's the red 750 hull coming along?

 

[Cannibal]

Craziness! Don't sell, hoard it all for later! okey: Looking good though - lots of work going into your ski! How's the red 750 hull coming along?

Haha, I don't have much ski stuff to sell that I actually want to let go, time to say goodbye to some Jeep crap I have sitting around and probably the Jeep.

That red hull was to build to replace my step-dad's hull that is breaking and falling apart. I'm still pushing for him to get a different ski. He'll be 58 in March, I'm trying to get him on a lightly used SXR and away from the 750s all together. I know he'd be happier on an SXR in the end and he has a good number of years left before he HAS to give it up. My mom is the issue, she doesn't want to let him buy one. I keep telling her, "You don't stop riding cause you get old; you get old cause you stop riding".

 

[Cannibal]

Oh crap...this is getting interesting. I had thought about this, but didn't necessarily plan on taking it this far.

So here's where I am now. I decided to rocker the hell out of the front. I made 8 cuts 2" apart and use construction wedges and open each one up 3/16". Then used some plumbers strapping and ran screws into each section to hold it into shape.



Funny thing, I measured the thickness of the bottom deck, you see that picture right, .5495" thick. The thickest part was .58+, crazy. I'll be sanding the hell out of this taking it down under 1/8" and then glassing in a couple layers of bi-ax (not sure if I have 1208 or 1708). This will add the strength back in.



I mocked up the top deck and cut the top deck to fit. I figured a bit wrong and ended up with a 1/2" gap that I'll have to fill in. I moved the top deck 2" forward which should help out with weight transfer since I'll be taking 2" off the back as well. I will have to move the top deck tray front back to it's original spot because of the way it mounts to the bulkhead. The problem is that I planned on moving my footholds farther forward by 2", so if I do that now, the footholds will be 4" farther forward, but the front of the tray will be in the same place. Not sure if that is going to leave me enough separation when riding goofy foot like I normally do. I have a short pole and my old footholds were basically stretching me out. If I leave the footholds in the same location (2" forward as well), I won't fix this issue. I may end up needing to put on a longer pole. We'll see.



Since I will be glassing the sides of the bottom hull, I'm thinking of adding a wide rail to the front since I can just wrap the cloth up over the rail flange at the same time. With the way the SXR is built, the wider area up front (built in tubbies) only leaves 1.5" of rail width where the back has 3.5" of rail width. If I make the rail follow the contour of the hull, it will make the front rail wider than the rear in respect to total ski width, but result in rail width from hull being the same front to back. This would help the front of the ski pop back up when it dives in. Not sure if this would cause any ill handling (turning) though, any input?

 

[jeastes1]

looks sweet!

 

[tightithrash]

yesssss YEEEEeeeessssss YYYYYEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!! OH MY SICKNESS this is what im talking about! props amigo, props.

 

[vitalikol]

Wow !!!

 

[hillbilly550]

Your this far in, cut 2 inches height off the top deck. Nice job so far.

 

[Cannibal]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone....I really am just shooting from the hip on this build and praying that it all works out in the end....lol.

Your this far in, cut 2 inches height off the top deck. Nice job so far.

I've seen this suggested in other builds.

Besides basically lowering the center of gravity a little and lowering the pole mount, would there be any other benefits to this? Not sure I could even do this as it sits. If I cut 2" off the top deck, the top deck nose would no longer meet my bottom deck without moving it forward any more, and that can't be done, so it means reshaping the whole nose.

I already plan on doing a lowered tray, which will get my center of gravity lower some.

 

[550/440]

"You don't stop riding cause you get old; you get old cause you stop riding".

That's right Cannibal! Your hull mods are getting sicker and sicker! Can't wait to see you out in the surf again soon!