Giving a Bezoat a Second Chance

[DeanFHobart]

Get a template of the cowl while it is still on the boat.

[Albert]

Furthermore I just wanted to point out I won’t be doing the deck work. A local with much more experience has stepped up to do that part of the project.
There is a small but committed group of people in the area and were hoping to have enough boats that if the boarder is still closed next year we can race among ourselves.

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[Albert]

[Albert]

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[Albert]

Names actually Luc.
Some real boat guys showed up this afternoon and removed the rest of the decking to check the interior wood work. Everything looks like this will be a quick deck job, level and paint.

[ZUL8TR]

Same here Albert. You will work out the colors once reconstructed. If the cowl is still on or removed without too much damage make a thin poster construction board (the white stuff kids use in school for projects) pattern for the new wood. Have much experience with boat restorations with epoxy, varnish, wood work, etc just ask if needed.

[Albert]

Nice to meet you online Pete,
I’ll have to measure and compare to one of the local boats.
Funny enough we were talking paint last night and it was pointed out to me that there’s a few pounds to be saved there. Likely the bottom will receive a full coat of paint to hide all the filler and repairs. The boat will be receiving all new ocume up top and will likely be receiving blue/white accents or white/green accents. Jury is still out but the blue paint is in my garage and paid for. The paint job on it currently is a bit much for my taste.

[ZUL8TR]

Pete here

Since it was raced with the 80 years ago it might not have been raced as high as today where they run them measured at rear of prop shaft to be no higher than 1/2" below bottom measured outside the tunnel surface. Some do not cool at that height depends on several factors prop being one of them. I run the 80 at 1/2" with 3 blade on the round nose in the Avatar and it cools ok.

Great you are taking it down to wood.

With new 3mm ocume on the deck and cowl will you be doing it natural finish with color highlights?

Restoring old race boats is great therapy.

[Albert]

Mr or Mrs L8tr,
I’ll get measurements next time I’m up to the boat, but it was raced with a Yamato 80.
I may not be much for wood work but I can follow directions and have a wealth of knowledge around.
The list of west system and epoxies seem to be growing as my father strips the boat.
I would say 60% of the decking is already removed, all the wood work inside seems to be in remarkable shape considering what the outside of the boat looked like.
I was told to plan to spend a lot of time getting the bottom flat. I’m fortunate to have some time off this month before work gets real busy so progress should come fairly quick over the next few weeks.
As you mentioned the bottom is not done. We’re going down to bare wood, then it’s getting the full west systems catalog thrown at it.
Next update will include photos from the top with deck removed...and perhaps measurements.

[ZUL8TR]

Before doing serious work I would pull the deck off to see the complete inside and see what is needed. If your carpentry skills and budget are not there then do top repair and bottom work and hope for the best.

Bottom looks good in pic but for a good ride check the last 3 to 4 ft for flat both longwise and crosswise. Cut the highs and fill the lows with thickened epoxy ( I use cabisil to thicken). I use a flat 2x4x3 ft with 120 grit dry from cut belt for a belt sander. Also check the last foot or so of the sponsons and do same.

I would remove more of the old finish. Can seal it up with couple coats of epoxy then color to suit.

Post progress pics.

How tall is the transom vertical up from outside the tunnel to outer top edge of transom, not the slant dimension?

What is width of bottom at rear?

Give it a weigh .

Bezoats are great race hulls ran against many in Region 5.

[Albert]

118332350_185006279703714_4690621078778449562_n.jpg 118556697_805256103545422_3539340592490006323_n.jpg 118425235_295742491724149_6821098368537908355_n.jpg 118170489_641512116770074_2348171191524888016_n.jpg Edit: trying to get pictures back up here.

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[Albert]

Dean,
My experience in automotive has shown me that anything can be fixed.
The bigger question is as what point does it make sense to save a 25+ year old boat?
The local discussion on this has been that if the underside of the boat is solid, and the interior structure than it’s worth saving.
So far we have half that info.

Pictures to follow.

[DeanFHobart]

Anything can be restored... within reason. Remove the decks and go from there. Take pictures. A company called ‘Jamestown Distributors’ has really good technical advice... and all the supplies you would need. You could send them the pictures and they would be able to give you the best advice.

Good luck on your project..... put pictures here during your restoration.

[Robert M Keogler]

Great Boats, hope you can restore

[Albert]