Week one of working on the steel trawler 

You do an awesome job. I like how you don't cut the problems you have out. I like hearing your thought process of how you're trying to figure the problems out. One thing about your videos you show The Good The Bad and The Ugly it's everything we all run into while working on projects. Keep up the great work stew

That air chisel on the big bolt/cap was epic. Well done.

“You talk to much” - “It’s much quicker than trying to mime it all”! 😂😂 my first belly laugh all week.

Heat and dry ice is a pretty effective method, I have friends that do work for the Navy trying to break apart huge mounts, and that's always their go to. Also, don't worry about the grinding being boring, there's more than a few of your followers (myself included) that enjoy watching the slow motion process of the restoration...winter boredom knows no bounds:-)

You do not talk to much. You explain how to do things. Your videos are very informative and you have helped me a lot with my boat just from watching your videos. Don’t change a thing about how you make your videos. Looking forward to the next one. Cheers.

mate . if you didn't talk We wouldnt learn anything. So please keep talking. keep up the great work. cheers Andy in Perth.

Change nothing , just be yourself , this is turning into a great fight as in man versus boat , good luck and keep those episodes coming .

Your ability to clearly explain (Talk) is what makes this channel so great!

When you said that people make comments about you "talking too much",,, I wouldn't them bother you AT ALL!!! What your doing Stu is actually talking us through the project and giving us thoughts and experience about the dilemmas you're having with the project at hand! All I will tell you sir is that you're doing a 1000% awesome job (filming and workmanship) and always look forward to your videos. You are a great hands on teacher. And god knows not many of you on this planet. god bless

Don't stop talking, it is this detail that gives us the impetus to keep going on our projects.

keep doing what you are doing . It is better to explain then show. The critics do not always know better, it is your project and you are doing okay, everybody makes mistakes that's how we learn.

I really appreciate ALL your talk. You do a great job of explaining the frustrating situation you face. As for this "blankety-blank" rudder shaft, I am getting the feeling you will have to torch cut it out of the boat when all is said and done. Sorry for that pessimism, but I have seen situations like this, and there was no salvaging the original parts. They just had to be cut out and replaced. I hope my feelings are wrong in your case. But, I bet you have already braced yourself for that possibility. My heart is with you. I see so much hard work ahead. You will need to just brace yourself for the long haul. Thanks for sharing. We collectively give you a big hug and give you our moral and emotional support!

The more you talk, the more I learn. Thank you!

I don't leave nowhere near the ocean but i still appreciate the hard work you're doing on that rust bucket, can't wait to see the end product.

Man, this boat is going to be a lot of blood, sweat and tears but hopefully worth it! Loving this series so far.

Ingenuity and persistence should be applauded. I’m not a boat person or mechanic but I enjoy watching/hearing your thought processes. Very interesting.

No way! You dont talk to much! Your telling us your story. What it takes to get these things done in real time in the real world. Thanks! Great stuff!!! I use kroil oil.

Finally somebody that cleans before taking apart! I get so frustrated watching people working or disassembling dirty stuff. Thank you!

I don’t think you talk to much... I think what your doing is educating us all.. and doing a great job at it 👍👍👍

" much quicker than trying to mime it all " absolute classic - love the vlogs

That motorcycle fork for a breaker bar is an inspired idea. Ingenious way of repurposing an old Fork. I'm going to give that a shot myself.

A fair bit of oceanic wire worm in the steel but does not look as bad as I thought it could, a bit of plate word and some welding should see it right but the best thing is to see your spirits have lifted and its starting to come together. Keep the vids coming as lots of us out here are as keen as you are to see her back in the water 👍

Keep it up! I'm lazy and am vicariously active through watching you rehab your yacht!

yeah mate your doing really well , the ideas you have on your own are better than what i can think of when im watching , i love your show its awesome and very informational, i think your talking is great , you sound like an aussie , so if anything we aussie can talk fast , and some people can get lost , but you have good speed and even if something isn't as interesting the way you talk keeps me focused and i have adhd , so your doing great and i cant wait for more eps

As said below: "you talk to much" "It's much quicker than trying to mime at all!" Great sense of humor and looking at a huge project as this one. You are very detailed in exactly what you need to do.

Love the explaining along the way. No such thing as too much talk as long as its explanations! Keep up the good work mate!

Started watching some old videos of yours.. you don’t talk too much. Its important info and im learning a lot.

That is hard work. You are in a good area. I see mangrove trees in the background. That is a good sign somebody cares about the marine ecology

Stu! I shoot video for a living and appreciate your patience in working tough projects while taking time to set up, explain and then edit for us to follow along. Huge time investment and greatly appreciated. +1 on the appreciating explaining over miming. You’re definately not talking too much. I started supporting your channel (not much, but a strong symbolic gesture) and am getting others hooked. Keep up the great work!

I appreciate the talking because for me it's all explanations. As always, good video!

Right-O!!! Cant wait to watch! This is a great series!

You don’t talk to much stu keep Up the good work love watching your videos

There may be a taper lock sleeve, similar to engine valve keepers, that prevents the shaft from slipping down and also doubles as a bronze bushing. . . after all you can turn the shaft. Cut the bottom flange off and push the shaft upwards. Love that you fixing the old girl!!

as a boilermaker i am enjoying watching you bust nuts in the sun good work mate

"Saludos" from Mexico Stu, I got addicted to your action-packed videos! Great learning experience! I have been thinking of finding a metal boat and after your videos I think it is the right way to go. I have enjoyed mechanics and metalworking for decades as a hobby so it is really in my DNA. Your example of a "fierce steel warrior" just convinces me to follow your example! Keep on showing a great example. I hope to meet you over a "cold one" one of these, amigo. . . Harley

Keep going with a sledge hammer and a proper solid steel bar. Have the bar the same diameter but have a tube locating it directly in line with the post. Heaps of penetrating oil also. Great series!! Really loving it

Still just fascinated by the entire project. I find myself starting to think about doing a trawler myself someday, but let’s wait and see what all you encounter first. Thank you for putting these videos out and good luck this week

Loving this. Keep thinking I might have to get my own trawler to do up.. then I remember I live 150km inland

I have been working on a similar steelboat project for 3 years now, and I have learned much of the same lessons you are talking about in the videos. For the rudder post situation you are experiencing, I think I would have cut the whole thing out with a grinder. If it creates a square hole instead of a round hole (as if you use the torch its not that important. What I will do on similar issues on my boat is to cut out the old and rusty thing, fabricate a new one, and especially in areas where you get a load/force ( like the rudder post) You could prepare everything , lubricate and test it in your workshop, and then make the plate a bit thicker than the hull. Position everything with the rudder, tack-weld it, remove the rudder ( bolted parts) and then weld both inside and outside of the hull. This will reinforce the area too. Good Luck on your work and your project. Very Interesting to follow your project.

I wish I would've watched one of your videos years ago. I see them in my recommendations from time to time but never had the chance to watch them. Now I'm kicking myself for that. In less than a minute of the first video I subscribed. The good part is I can binge for a few weeks on this series.

I find myself eagerly waiting for the next installment. Great topic and carry on talking. Your doing fine.

Was reading the comments below, and I must say, Stu, you will surely get this accomplished with a little help from your friends! What an awesome group you have on here.

Best DIY channel on RU-vid

Something that works really well that I have found from experience is heat quenching. Where you heat followed by quickly quenching with water. I removed some hydraulic ram pins from a barge this way that refused any other ways. Good luck stu

Watchin ur vids of obviously smokin hot weather down under almost gives me a warmish feeling while freezing my ass off here in TX usa..

You don't talk to much, great work and as always great video :)

Brought back memories. Did all your tricks, but ended up cutting the whole lot out. Replaced everything. At least now I know the shaft, seals and bearings are good to go. My rudder ‘sloshed’ as I upended it to clean, Shit ! water inside ? Drilled into it only to find they’d filled it with oil ! There is a God !!

Like an aircraft fitter I have had a lot to do with car engines at home. I grew up on them. Plus gas was a substance that was used some years ago to free rusted bolts and shafts. You had to apply it every day for a couple of days before attempting to free what ever was stuck.

I learn SO much from your vids @dangarmarine...good work Stu - I’m living vicariously through this experience with you!

I've just spent three years doing up a 30 foot GRP trawler, total rebuild, good luck.

Very interesting and a 1 finger salute to those who say you talk too much!!!

This is a fun project to watch and is why i subscribed to this channel about 3 weeks ago. Hello from Davenport Iowa USA.

Old machinist tip 50/50 mix of auto trans fluid and acetone for penatrating lube, put it in the top of the rudder tube and let it work a day or more. Also are you sure driving it down is best? It seemed like the shaft is much smaller on the bottom than it is inside the boat, might be better pushing it into the boat

Stu, That rudderpost is a bit odd. The shaft protruding below the hull is much smaller than the shaft above. I strongly recomend pushing the shaft upward with a hydraulic jack. If the shaft travels upward look for a retainer of some kind on the upper part of the shaft. Most rudderposts in the US have a gland and packing to seal the tube. I don't see one on yours. Something has to keep the water from squirting up the tube alongside the rudderpost. Solve that mystery and you'll find the path for the rudderpost removal. Good luck ! Standing by for the solution.

Really loved all of the videos stu i really hope you get more subcribers finding your channel has really helped reignite my pursuit of becoming a marine mechanic, i can't wait to see the end result for the trawler and the progress videos

Loving this series so far!

This will sound crazy, but thread the plug back into the deck (the one you took out with the sitllson wrench) about 3/4 deep. Make an short iron rod to extend from the bottom of the plug to the top of the rudder post. Continue tightening the plug to push the post down. You can also hammer the plug from above once it's tight.

Don't stop talking, I'm crap at Charades! Love the vid's mate, keep up the great work.

Love following you progress and please keep up the good work

I like the way you are attacking all the problems. This boats going to look and work great when you are finished!

Fark those who say you talk to much! I really appreciate the honesty and the clear explanation of everything your up to, massive challenge ahead, keep up the good work, I love this channel..

nice work! Im so excited to see how this goes.

To free a frozen plug, heat the plug cherry red with a torch (causing plug to expand), then throw cold water on it (causing metal to shrink).You have to be careful about driving a frozen shaft out of its bushings. It’s always better to pull a shaft. Depending on the hardness of the shaft, pounding on it may mushroom or expand the steel above the bushings which will work against you getting the shat free.

I'm enjoying this series. Keep up the good work. I've never worked on a boat but this project looks like something I would be interested in.

Keep talking and explaining, great information and problem solving techniques, mahalo from Big Island Hawaii.

Love this project and the insight into the problem solving. Keep it up!

Hello Dangar, I was excited when you got the cap off the rudder post. Good Job! Your making progress. You could get a rose but attachment for the Oxyfuel torch. Multi-flame attachment is the same thing. I use the rosebud a lot for heating.

You're right about some of us wishing we had a boat to restore. I'm one of them. If you didn't talk (I've watched silent videos) I wouldn't know your thought processes. The bits of knowledge and experience that you use to make a "plan of attack". At least you have the right tools. I've watched guys work with nothing more than a Crescent wrench and a pair of slip-joint pliers. A large Crescent wrench, I learned, can double as a hammer!

probably been said a hundred times already, but there must be a snap ring or equivalent in there somewhere. I hope you got the large size oxy/acetylene bottles, you will likely need them. I wouldn't be surprised if the solution for the rudder post is to cut the entire assembly out of the boat and deal with it on a bench/ in a machine shop etc. oxy/acetylene is a great way of removing things like that wear strip also. use a heavily oxidizing flame (wear a face shield and shirt/long pants) and the scale will first explode off the hull then the wear strip will simply melt away. the violent nature of the heavily oxidizing flame acts like a diffuse cutting jet such that you can remove the outer layer of steel without cutting into the hull proper. I don't know much about boats but I'm no stranger to dealing with heavily rusted out multi layer steel components. best of luck in your adventure.

very good stuff... great to see someone getting in there and making it happen.. your going to have a great boat when done..

This is really good and can't wait for more. Nice to see you wearing some protective gear, BUT at the beginning you had dust mask etc on. And NO eye protection. Most precious things in the world is our eyes. Please protect them. We have all done it.

Thanks for the great videos and details of what you are doing

I like these videos. I'm not a mechanic of any type so I actually appreciate the talking. It helps me understand your intent

Really enjoy your deep-level of detail & insight on both the project and your process... GREAT stuff !! Thank you and keep up the good work !

Loving this new project. Keep it up.

Great video, heat is always your friend in these situations.

I think you’re doing an outstanding job, explaining what you’re doing showing a great video. Bestest!

Hi, no you don''t talk too much. You are actually explaining and thinking out loud, and it makes learning much more interesting. Thanks.

"Much quicker than trying to mime it all..." classic! Great video Stu, keep it up!

I feel for ya mate. My adventure was with a boat built in 1932 but she was wood. Often cursed that fact because I thought it would be way easier to just cut out and replace a steel panel rather than fiddle with long lengths of 3" thick oak. Spent 3 seasons doing work I thought would take 1. OOPS. Loved every minute though - Hope you're loving it too. Tremendous pride felt with a ob well done!

Love your videos! You explain everything great. I wish I could get over there and give you a hand, you definitely have a great dose of patience. I truly appreciate all the time you dedicate to sharing your work and adventures, because I just love all things boat! Best of luck with your build! I wish I was working right along side of you!

Thanks for talking about what you think and doing? . Makes it better for you and us😊.

I am enjoying your videos. I have watched other videos on boat restoration and several of those are silent. I can't stand them. I enjoy the explanation a lot. Thanks

I appreciate all the talking. Keep it up

I like your commentary Stu. Very well explained. Keep it up man. I am hooked.

Really really enjoying this series stew. 👍

I like your explanations so keep it up, really enjoyable. Thanks

Really like the way you think outside the square, it'll be sorely needed on this project I'm sure but you'll get there, good luck mate

You're doing fine the way your explaining everything. I'm a plumbing contractor of 32 years so I've been doing real work instead of critiquing you from their parents basement and the only mechanical ability they have is opening a bag of chips. You tell us the how the the real projects go with the problem you encounter on the fly. Can't tell how many time on a job that brute force and stupidity was the main tools I used. Haha. Here's a tip though on that 2 inch plug removal. When you have your wrench and cheater bar on it pull hard to try to remove it and at the same time take a ball peen hammer and hit the top of the plug hard and rapidly until it breaks loose. I've used this trick on 100 year old fitting with success. Sometimes you need 2 people to do this but most of the time just yourself will do it. Keep them coming.

If I could come help you , I would.....but I'm in Burbank California , you're on the right track , keep going !

Thanks for being real. Looking forward to the following video's.

I am hooked. Absolutely love these videos. Subscribed and you are an extremely smart and talented dude. Thanks for the entertainment.

maybe hook the steering back up and use it to turn the shaft while you heat the tube to help break it loose?

I defiantly feel for you ,,, been there and done that ,endless work

Me and my friend had a same problem this summer, but the rudder shaft was in teflon cylinder so I'm sure it was easier for us. This how we took it out: we set on the rudder like 3-4 meters long lever, and I was pushing lever left and right, and my friend was pushing the shaft down with press. Best regards from Croatia, Dubrovnik

You have some good ideas there , another idea just for the heck of it is to cut the rudder flange off underneath and drill a hole in the shaft itself. Start with a small pilot drill and increase in size. Try some heat on the outside of the rudder tube underneath and maybe inside as well and maybe you could beat it out with a drift or even jack it out. The dry ice is also a great tool . Good luck , you will get it out.

Great vid can't wait for the next one

The rudder tube has expanded inside with rust, it needs to be heated to near red, then the shaft will fall out, due to the destruction of the hard rust.

Maybe there is a locking pin to stop the rudder post from falling down. No experience but maybe. You could also try hitting the rudder post upwards from underneath the boat and see if that moves it.

a lot of good suggestions stu, keep your sense of humor buddy