535 stringers and knees

[Petemcglynn]

Hi,

I know absolutely nothing about boats, except, they're pricey, and a great deal of fun.

Ive bought myself what I believe to be a 1969 535 which has evidently been modified a little over the decades.

What I'm after is a little advice. I have removed all the exterior fittings and interior flooring, also the stringers and cross supports as they were almost rotted through.

The 535 has a couple of crevasses that run the length of the hull approx a foot each side of centre. These appear to have pipes, fibreglassed in since first manufacture at a guess, which run down the majority of the length, but don't breach the hull.

As I am having to replace the wooden structural reinforcement anyway, should I also remove, reinstate, fill with resin or ignore these little blighters that seem to have not aided the draining of the bilge area of my newest project.

Like I said, I'm brand new to boats and this is my first project. The learning curve has already been pretty vertical, but my thinking is that if I'm going back to a grp bubble, then it'd be best to do everything whilst the opportunity is there.

This was a very reasonable purchase in my opinion, especially being my first foray, and I'm enjoying the journey immensely already, especially as I haven't had her in the water yet. Any advice as to construction, hull compartmentalising, features and interior design would also be hugely appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Pete
x

[vreagh]

On the very early 535s (a model called Shetland 69) the mouldings on the hull a foot either side of the keel, cover what is in fact steel rebar as used in concrete structures. Also set within the keel is a solid 1 1/4 inch steel bar which runs from just in front of the centre part of the seating to a foot or so in front of the transom.

[Petemcglynn]

Thats great, thank you.

I've now got a second one, serial no 1884.

Any ideas how I can find the year of manufacture?

Pete

[Mark0405]

Thats great, thank you.

I've now got a second one, serial no 1884.

Any ideas how I can find the year of manufacture?

Pete

Take a look here - viewtopic.php?f=14&t=282

This would suggest it is around 1970.

[Petemcglynn]

Thank you,

I'll take that as read, seems liken early no.

[535Mustard]

Easy way to tell the difference between a Shetland 69 and a 535, the floor stringers and the side windows.

You can see on the pictures, that's a Shetland 69 as they go all the way across in the 535 they don't and the side windows are shorter and rounder on the 69.

The shetland 69 also has steel in the keel where as the 535 doesn't as said before.