2001 Legend V151 - Green Ain't Good!

So I picked this up about 5-6 years ago from a friend of the family and it has served me well for the deal I got on it. It's had some very minor issues over the years but it's finally getting to the stage where it needs some serious loving. My biggest concern is that it was taking on water faster than it should and that the floor boards are getting pretty soft.

This is my first remodel and although I've poked around these forums and the facebook groups I haven't done much in the past. This is new for me, but I enjoy new things and am approaching this as not only necessary, but a learning process. My Tentative plans:
- New floors: New wood and replace carpet with vinyl
- Find/Fix water leaks
- New bench tops
- Remove ugly green paint and peeling pin stripping and decals
- Rear bench to connect the two rear side benches, a sort of "U" bench.
- Basic Audio system (2 speakers + CD/mp3 player)
- Re-design the battery system (move to under the front deck). Right now 1 battery is half sunken in one of the rear benches and the second is at my feet under the console.
- New gas tank setup (back bench): The current tank is partially sunken into the back bench. It eats up valuable sitting space. I'd prefer to either fully put it in the bench or on the ground under a new back bench.
- Re-wire the switch panel: lights, bilge, live-well
- More in-bench storage
- Foam under floor (none before)

If opportunity presents its self (ie, if I have enough time this year)
- New paint job for the hull
- Removal of leak seal on the base of the boat
- Paint and re-decal outboard

So I'm posting here hoping for help and suggestions as I go. Here is what I started with this morning:







Here is where I'm at now:



Good news is it was pretty easy to find the leak!



There were a few other leaky rivets that I'll have to squash out, but I don't expect that too be too challenging. The seams all look good, a couple of screw holes and others that also need to be patched but all seem doable. Questions on that probably to follow. For now, my main concerns and next steps are:

1) The flooring supports look flimsy, I was thinking I could pick up some additional aluminum and to run in a few places. Sound like a good idea? Or unnecessary?

2) It looks like the floors were 1/2" plywood before. I'm thinking 5/8" would be better, marine plywood for the floors and either the same or pressure treated for the benches. Is 3/4" overkill?

3) Flex Seal Removal: The previous owner obviously had a leak issue and sprayed this crap all over the bottom. What would you guys suggest to get it off?



4) What would you guys recommend for paint removal? I do have a sand blaster and was thinking maybe a fine grit abrasive would be my best plan. I don't have a lot of experience with the sand blaster but have no qualms using it, I'm just a bit nervous about the soft aluminum. The other options would be stripper + wire brush? Just curious on what others have had success with.

So that's it for now and that should keep me busy for a while. Thanks for any and all feedback or suggestions. If you have tips or other suggestions for the build feel free to let me know.

[edit] Changed the thread title to "2001" as the previous date was incorrect. [/edit]

Don't use pressure treated wood, it can be corrosive to aluminum. Paint stripper will work on the flex seal. As for the rest of the hull, if the paint isn't peeling, I'd give it a light sand and paint over top.

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Conventional wisdom here on TB.net is instead of marine grade, use exterior ply. Both use waterproof glue. The main difference is the exterior will have voids. Of course, you will save a bundle of $$. Whichever way you decide, for best results seal the plywood. I would stick with 1/2" ply. 3/4 is overkill IMO adding unnecessary weight and cost.

I think you will like the vinyl floor cover. I have it on my boat and love it.

Weldorthemagnificent said:

Don't use pressure treated wood, it can be corrosive to aluminum. Paint stripper will work on the flex seal. As for the rest of the hull, if the paint isn't peeling, I'd give it a light sand and paint over top.

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Thanks! So paint stripper over sand blasting? I have no problem trying the stripper, just hoping it's not a waste of time. A lot of the youtube videos I watched had minimal success with the different forms of paint stripper.

LDUBS said:

Conventional wisdom here on TB.net is instead of marine grade, use exterior ply. Both use waterproof glue. The main difference is the exterior will have voids. Of course, you will save a bundle of $$. Whichever way you decide, for best results seal the plywood. I would stick with 1/2" ply. 3/4 is overkill IMO adding unnecessary weight and cost.

I think you will like the vinyl floor cover. I have it on my boat and love it.

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Thanks for the tip, I'll do just that. I was planning on sealing any ply I did use, any product endorsements?

I'm sure I'll love the vinyl, my buddy has a boat he bought in 2019 that is vinyl and although I prefer the carpet for kneeling on, the ease of cleaning the vinyl, just hosing it down after use, is fantastic! Not to mention that ugly *** green will be gone!

Yes on the flex seal, stripper will remove it without roughing up the surface. I assume you want to leave the bottom bare aluminum. I would. As for the green paint, I'd remove the decals and give it a light sanding to scuff it up and paint over top. I hate to strip a hull down to nothing unless it's in really bad shape or has multiple coats on it. My last boat had 2 different colors of red over 2 different blues. What a mess! Anyway, the best primer is the existing factory paint job.

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Weldorthemagnificent said:

Yes on the flex seal, stripper will remove it without roughing up the surface. I assume you want to leave the bottom bare aluminum. I would. As for the green paint, I'd remove the decals and give it a light sanding to scuff it up and paint over top. I hate to strip a hull down to nothing unless it's in really bad shape or has multiple coats on it. My last boat had 2 different colors of red over 2 different blues. What a mess! Anyway, the best primer is the existing factory paint job.

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True, I'll take a closer look at the paint and see how the factory job looks. I was basically looking to do the same coverage as is already there and leave the bottom bare. Now getting a closer look today I notice a couple spots that seem to have been worked on. I can tell he pulled the floor in the front in order to get at some of these. He seems to have 3 ways to address leaks:
1) Bang on the factory one rivet.
2) Replace the factory with a different one. Looks sketchy, I'm not sure he used the right size.
3) Bondo! It looks like he's built up over a couple of rivets and then did the leak seal over top. IT looks like this was done to the one that's misssing.





Next question, the aluminum supports for the flooring look pretty flimsy to me. I was thinking of adding a couple more straps. Make sense?





Thanks again for all the help guys. I really appreciate it.

Jfenny said:

Thanks for the tip, I'll do just that. I was planning on sealing any ply I did use, any product endorsements?

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I'm basically going to repeat what I've learned here on the forums.

For two-part epoxy coating, Raka Epoxy (raka.com) is highly recommended by an experienced member here in the forums. Personally, I have used TotalBoat penetrating epoxy. I liked the coverage and ease of use. But to be honest that is the limit of my experience sealing plywood with two-part epoxy. So, I can't compare it with other products.

Others use "Old Timers Formula" which is a blend of 1/4 boiled linseed oil, 1/4 Spar varnish or Spar urethane, and 1/2 mineral spirits. Put it on until it won't soak in anymore and then wipe off the puddles. After it dries (which some say takes a while), then two coats of the straight Spar. Again, I have not used this method personally, but it is often mentioned as an effective method.

I've used helmsman spar urethane. To be honest, how you store your boat is more important. Bow up, plug out, no wet leaves etc. Or better yet, cover it. My current 16' utility has a budget drop in deck up front with nothing more than Thompson's water seal on it. I keep the boat in the garage and expect that deck will last as long as I can stand on it

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Thanks guys. Yeah, the boat is stored outside all year long but always has a cover on it. I have a tight travel cover I keep on it during the summer/spring and then I built a frame and tarp over that in the winter to keep the snow off it. Other than this year. I took the motor off today so now it's time to flip it upside down and see about working on that hull. Although I might not get to that until the spring. I also tore that ugly green carpet off, what a dirty job. That carpet was falling apart, and so much dirt through it.

My goal for the winter is to cut the flooring and put the vinyl on it. Then get to the rivet repair and painting in the spring. Unfortunately I think today was the last day of warm weather for the winter. Luckily I think the break down is done!

I agree 100% with Weldor about paying attention to how the boat is stored. Mine is also outside all the time. I have it under a boat cover that is pulled tight so rain runs off. Three years and running and so far, knock on wood, no problems with the floors. Few things last forever and I accept the floor will have to be changed at some point. I have several years before that happens.

BTW, just my opinion, but I think the vinyl floor cover will also add a pretty substantial layer of protection, especially if wrapped around the edges of your ply flooring.

For sure on the vinyl, it won't hold moisture like carpet.
Might want to fix rivets, flip and paint before you add all that weight back in unless your a much stronger guy than me

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Weldorthemagnificent said:

For sure on the vinyl, it won't hold moisture like carpet.
Might want to fix rivets, flip and paint before you add all that weight back in unless your a much stronger guy than me

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Read my mind...but am trying to work around the weather as I'm doing most of this outdoors. For some reason my wife insists on parking in the garage during the winter! The tentative plan is to cut and vinyl the floors and benches over the winter. We're hosting a New Year's party this year so I've got a few saw horses set up and the first few guests that show up will be put to work helping me flip the boat so I can start working on the sanding/prepping/riveting during the winter and spring. I suspect I won't get that stuff done until spring. But in theory, the majority of the floor and benches will be done and ready to go in as soon as that's finished.

Yeah my wife's like that too, I evict her periodically for my projects. My rationale being, I get one room in the house that's mine, and she has to park her car in it. Lol

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Weldorthemagnificent said:

Yeah my wife's like that too, I evict her periodically for my projects. My rationale being, I get one room in the house that's mine, and she has to park her car in it. Lol

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Ha! I was able to do that more before but now there is a workshop/mancave attached to the garage for me to play in it's harder to make the case that I need the garage as well! Unfortunately I can't the boat/sled into the mancave! But she's reasonable, if I'm working on a project she recognizes the family usually benefits so she'll suffer the snow and ice if needed....for a short period of time.

Ply for benches vs floor

So having ripped up the floor and the benches I've noticed it was done it two different sizes. The floor was 1/2" while the bench seats and the front platform were all 3/4". I was planning on doing 5/8" for the flooring as I found the 1/2" to have a bit more flex than I liked and I was wondering if there was any reason to stick with the 3/4" for the benches and front platform?

Just wondering from others experiences.

Just wanted to provide an update for those who've been so helpful. Unfortunately my timeline has changed dramatically, my father passed away in April, it was a shock to the whole family. One of the healthiest 79 year olds I know....diagnosed with Cancer at the end of February and passed by the end of April.

We didn't do a burial but instead have plans to spread his ashes at our favourite family camp/fish crown land (Ontario, CAN). That means the boat has to be ready much earlier than expected. As the executor of the estate I have my hands full and don't have time to get the full build done by then so I'm hitting main priorities first as we'll need the boat to get to our spot.

So for the update, the boat was already stripped and upside down at the house so I removed the black leak sealer on the bottom, chipped off the bondo the previous owner had on a half dozen leaky rivets, and washed down the scum yellow color on the bottom.

Before:






Cleaning:



After:





It's off at the welders now having 19 screw holes in the transom and a couple cracks in the brackets repaired. I may get to polishing the aluminum or I may have to hold that until next year. Next I need to remove and re-do the under-floor brackets.