TOPIC: I can not get my shoe box joint back together HELP

I need a suggestions any of you might have to get a shoe box joint to line up. When I parted my boat it was really tight, now it is over a inch away on the sides got feed up with it today after work and quit. I just could not take it today. I was trying a putty knife but no real head way. I might need to enlist some friends, but anything that you have learned from experince could be priceless.

Hull wider or deck wider??

67sears wrote:

I need a suggestions any of you might have to get a shoe box joint to line up. When I parted my boat it was really tight, now it is over a inch away on the sides got feed up with it today after work and quit. I just could not take it today. I was trying a putty knife but no real head way. I might need to enlist some friends, but anything that you have learned from experience could be priceless.

From what you're saying the deck is an inch off too small and you can't fit it on the hull? Did you let the hull sit unsupported while you worked on the deck?

There's a couple ways to do this, but what I'd do is get a number of ratcheting tie downs and pull the hull together, slip the deck on, and pull the straps through. In the worse case scenario, cut them and they become an invisible integral part of your boat!

Sometimes strong tape stretched across the top will do it too.

What's the story at the transom? I hope it's not way off there.

Best of luck to you,

Frank

The bottom of the boat is wider by an inch than the top. The top was so tight getting off I thought this could be a problem. I like the strap idea just not sure the fiberglass is thick enough to take much of a tug but Frank that did give me an idea to make some brackets with eyes at work tomorrow to carry the strain over a wide foot print. Thanks for the idea I think what bothers me the most about the hole thing is I don't like how the boat is looks at this point after 9 months I can see a vision of the final out come and I am very disappointed.

could you let the hull set in the sun, so it may get a little more plyable?

woosterken

I know what disappointment is working on a complete tear down of a boat motor and trailer, trust me. I'm going through it right now.

Turnbuckles could work too, even simple ones made of rope. There's lots of ways of skinning this cat, er boat, whatever. Let me assure you, this is NOT a unique problem! Happens to lots of people, especially when a deck has been off a while and a hull has had time to spread.

Good luck.

Frank

Hmmm yes I can and and I think that would help thanks for the idea Woosterken

Drill two hole in the outside top of the hull on both sides. Run wire through the hole. Put a piece of wood on the outside to spread the force of the pull over a greater area. Get inside, put a stick between the wires and start twisting the wire. Get it where you want it and jam the stick somewhere so it wont move. When the deck is on, crawl under and clip the wires. Then fill the holes!! Should move your hull easily. Do as many as ot takes to do the job. Kinda brutal but effective. Don't give up. Your dream will come true. M

I have never done this but this is just a thought. Start at the transome and work your way forward (let the hull Grow long) as the sides become narrow. As far as pulling the sides in what if you fiberglassed some pulling areas inside the boat so you can just cut them off after you finished? Once again I have never done this but it might open up some new ideas.
Good Luck,
Pete

Just another thought, what if you cribed (supported) the boat hull from the sides of the bottom and take the weight off the keel (the center of the hull) will that possibly bring the sides in?

I have had to fight a few back together too. Put a two foot lenght of 2/4 on the side by the joint on both sides also a piece on the bottom of the boat each side. Then use a strong ratchet strap or a comealong. As you tighten up the strap it will push in the sides. You may need to use at least three or more of these straps. See Picture.
You also may need to get some flat six inch spats like the tappers use and also flat pry bars and a rubber mallet. Tighten, tap, and slide the bars and spatch. It will go. Oh it is a lot easier if you have at least two people.
D

The tempature may have contributed to the problem. Fiberglass shrinks and expands with heat and cold. If you subjected either the deck or hull to an extreme difference in tempatures as well as humidity you will most likely have issues when putting the parts back together. If it's off as much as an inch you may have to wait for cold weather and and let the part that is too large shrink. If you can get it in a refrigeration unit for a few days you may have some luck.

I had this happen to a 40 mold. The sheer was mated perfectly durring construction of the plugs but when parts were pulled from the molds there was a two inch difference! Our engineering team found out the hull mold was left outside for several days durring a Florida cold snap and didnt receive enough time to aclumate to the inside temp and humidity before part lay-up. We ended up scraping a 40 foot deck and building a new part and everything was fine. An expensive lesson learned.







If the hull was inside and warm, and the deck sat outside in the cold and then you tried to mate them the chances are they will not. FRP shrinks and expands. You may have to

herters59 wrote:

I have had to fight a few back together too. Put a two foot lenght of 2/4 on the side by the joint on both sides also a piece on the bottom of the boat each side. Then use a strong ratchet strap or a comealong. As you tighten up the strap it will push in the sides. You may need to use at least three or more of these straps. See Picture.
You also may need to get some flat six inch spats like the tappers use and also flat pry bars and a rubber mallet. Tighten, tap, and slide the bars and spatch. It will go. Oh it is a lot easier if you have at least two people.

Exactly what i had to do after hours of frustration getting mine back together.