Batboat Rebuild: Day 16 October 1, 2008

The weather was cold and damp since the day I had the Batboat in the river, however, the weather report for today was good so I got up early to grind out most of the remaining fiberglass that anchored the stringers to the hull.

Perhaps I would have a few good, warm days until snowfall that will let me glass in the stringers, I hoped.

The old stinger fiberglass needed to be ground down a little bit to clean up what was left of dirt, rot and mold which the old, saturated foam floatation left behind so new fiberglass resin can stick and set to the hull better.

I put on the sloppy t-shirt, baggy sweat pants, overalls, Tyvek suit, and respirator again and commenced grinding with a 60 grit flapper disc.

It was damp and breezy but those layers kept me warm.

I removed all the original fiberglass foundations of the stringers except for two spots. I left those in so one stringer can brace the rest in place while I properly fiberglass them in. When the resin is set I'll grind down the remaining old glass and laminate in the last stringer.


After maybe two hours I felt light rain sprinkling down so I got out of the boat, began tidying up around the drive way, tarped the vessel, and put all the tools and equipment away for the day.

Geesh! What a disappointment. I was only a little more than half way finished!

Several hours later the sun was out and clouds mostly gone. Go figure.

Winter snow will soon be here. I will have to put most of my plans on hold until the warm weather breaks in June 2009.