Modernizing a Prout Elite 37ft

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Wow, it's really coming together nicely.
You do an amazing amount of work in such a short time.
Happy Birthday

there is a trick to it!
,and that is to have everything you will need to hand before you start,right down to the last nut n bolt,paintbrush,solvent etc,
and have a plan,stick to it rigorously,prefabricate everything if possible.

and have a few buckets!

no joke!
i have an engineering bucket,a fiberglassing bucket,an epoxy bucket,a drilling holes through deck bucket,a sanding bucket,etc

makes life so much easier especially if climbing up and down ladders all day having all your tools and materials for a specific job in one easy to carry unit!

zeehag im packing my bags

vic have a good passage to panama!

and every one else thanks for the interest

[Sos]

Very well done and Happy Birthday!

Must go and get some buckets

[cpa]

Happy Birthday and great progress!

[salticrak]

happy birthday you old bastard.

[Krogensailor]

"the plan would be to fabricate a mold for an enclosed raised cabin top fwd"
Why make a mold? Unless your gonna make more than one part a mold isin't needed. Baltec Corp makes a product called Dura Core. With epoxy and gass covering you can make a very light/strong pilot house structure. Dura comes in strips, panel and scored panels that can be compound curved.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Krogensailor

"the plan would be to fabricate a mold for an enclosed raised cabin top fwd"
Why make a mold? Unless your gonna make more than one part a mold isin't needed. Baltec Corp makes a product called Dura Core. With epoxy and gass covering you can make a very light/strong pilot house structure. Dura comes in strips, panel and scored panels that can be compound curved.

i will look into it,though in my experince it works out much cheaper building a one off disposable mold,less work,and easier to get a high quality finish using gel coat,grp and polyester.

though scored panels might be the way to go for the roof section.

[Krogensailor]

? You still have to make a highly finished male plug to make a finished female mold. Why not make a highly finished part. I've used the strips to make a cambered roof. Couple of forms spaced 18" apart, strip plank, glass in and out. Strong, light, Insulated. The panels only come in 2'x4'x1"

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Krogensailor

? You still have to make a highly finished male plug to make a finished female mold. Why not make a highly finished part. I've used the strips to make a cambered roof. Couple of forms spaced 18" apart, strip plank, glass in and out. Strong, light, Insulated. The panels only come in 2'x4'x1"

not nessacary,i just use faced mdf panels to make the one off female mold,and buff out any imperfections that occur at the joins in the mold once released.

the initial flange molding taken from the deck to get the deck profile becomes part of the finished molding.

sorry no photos of the last one i did on this computer,but it turns out 98% perfect if a little care is taken,and no complex curves involved,saves a lot of time.

[Ram]

Wow your fast & -its all looking very good !!

[Krogensailor]

I guess it's about what material your inclined toward. I'm a woodworker and that's my default position. I'm made lots of molds and find it to be work. I manufacture a shelby Cobra hardtop and made the plug/mold/multiple parts. I like the product, not so much the process. We work with whatever skill sets we have. There is no "right or wrong" to do things. There is what works and what doesn't. Enjoy

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Ram

Wow your fast & -its all looking very good !!

not as fast as i would like to be!
currently fixing roof's in the wilds of hungary,whilst the engine is sitting in my workshop in the uk waiting for a few bits and pieces,and me to get it running!

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Krogensailor

I guess it's about what material your inclined toward. I'm a woodworker and that's my default position. I'm made lots of molds and find it to be work. I manufacture a shelby Cobra hardtop and made the plug/mold/multiple parts. I like the product, not so much the process. We work with whatever skill sets we have. There is no "right or wrong" to do things. There is what works and what doesn't. Enjoy

part of my workshop is set up as a dedicated grp/epoxy room with heating/vacume/extractor etc

due to the weather here prefabricating stuff off the boat in controlled conditions makes life a lot easier!

i will probably use something similar to duracore for the interiour,though prefab in the work shop,before fitting the finished item.

thanks for your interest

[Moe R]

Big time lurker here. One of my favorite threads. How are things going?

[Cotemar]

Here are a few pictures of an old cat that has been lengthened and changed into a powercat. I was anchored next to him a few weeks ago.
Someone did a real nice job upgrading it.

[Sos]

I am amazed that it sits in the water as well as it does with those two huge lumps on the sterns!