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Draco 2000 DC 1971 Rebuild.

Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 11:27 pm
by De Novo
As recently (rashly?) announced on CMBA Facebook, I have decided that over a year in a field is simply not good enough. The renovation is back on. Bought with no engine, half a floor and a big hole in the transom where a Gill bracket was going, it is going to be a big job but I love these boats.
I have made a 'to do' list and on it are :
49-Renovate toilet.
120- Make curtains.
Toilet! Curtains! makes it sound like a big boat.
Already had some good chats with CMBAers at the Falmouth rally but will be asking many more questions.
Job 1- Renovate trailer as it will need to come out of the field before serious work can start.
The wheels are off, sent for blasting/painting/new tyres. One bearing needed. Mudguards need repairing /painting. New winch.
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This is how it arrived. Pulpit is right one but has been altered and put on differently. Will come off, might go back on properly.

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You can see the Gill bracket just sitting inside the hull.
Both GRP fabricators I have seen said 'what the...' cutting a hole has taken away all the strength of the transom, and the hole is not even in the right place! Transom will be replaced leaving me with the choice of outboard on a bracket or an inboard.
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Steering wheel, a 'Personal' is original and good. Seats are originals (maybe recovered) cleaned up a treat. Instrumentation and throttle probably original as they are usefully dated -1971!
All we be re-used if possible. They are all now in the loft.

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All the floors need to come up, -there is no paint on the undersides of the ply and much black mould everywhere. Nearly all the veneers will need replacing.




Much to do here. Overall a pretty good base for restoration I think.


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The floors are just screwed down. Under the white fake wood vinyl flooring it is just bare plywood.

Re: Draco 2000 DC 1971 Rebuild.

Posted: Fri Dec 01, 2017 7:50 pm
by De Novo
Progress I had already made while the boat was in a field; pretty field though.

As the plywood floors needed to come out (the undersides needed painting) I had to take out the bunks in the cuddy.
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Then I decided to take everything out.
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All degreased and sanded.
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Polyester topcoat will be applied to all the lower half of the hull interior, this is first coat.
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There is one large area, and several small areas of hair line cracks in the gelcoat.
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Thanks to advice from Rob (CMBA) and George (Pendennis Shipyard) I tackled them using my Dremel to create a V groove and Jotun Megafiller to fill all the grooves and holes everywhere.This is fill 1.
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The interior of the deck moulding has got small bubbling over some of the surfaces, a type, or start of, osmosis but they do not bleed when pricked. The other Draco built boat of this age I know of locally, also has this issue.I have lightly sanded it with good results. I had already decided that a respray would be needed. What 2 pack paints would members recommend? I could either roller it on or get it sprayed in a booth.

Re: Draco 2000 DC 1971 Rebuild.

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2022 8:43 pm
by Draco
Hi, did you finish the Draco 2000DC rebuild? Is she now afloat somewhere in SE England?

Re: Draco 2000 DC 1971 Rebuild.

Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 3:42 pm
by De Novo
I am afraid the boat still sits on land. It got overtaken by a Glastron 153 project which is now finished. I expected to move to a house with room for a 20’ boat rebuild but this looks unlikely now. Decision to be made in couple of months.

Re: Draco 2000 DC 1971 Rebuild.

Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 5:59 pm
by Draco
Hi, that's a shame (glad to hear you rescued the Glastron though - soooo much work!). I was hoping you had what's possibly the only other MK1 DC2000 in the UK. We bought ours from someone living in Kent a few years back. Good luck with house move.