I don't have many photos. Just a couple of more which are attached.

Thanks on the feedback...much appreciated.

That's a bad SOB!!! The top is perfect, bringing in the rear uprights off the gunnel is the way to go!! Looks very well built, strong and very stable. As a long time trolling fisherman in my old clunker 23, I would go crazy with anything on the gunnels blocking the ability to walk around the rear of the boat with fish on. Sweet!

The metalwork on that top is amazing.

I'm sure you mentioned it in another topic somewhere but who did the design and fab?
Did you have it done locally in southern Maine?
Whoever did that is an artisan...

Names and phone numbers would be great.
They should get all my business.

Thanks Don V and Erebus.

The top was designed and fabricated by Noel Redman of Redman Marine Fabricators. His shop is in the next town over so I was there 3 times a week (during lunch, after work and on Saturday's) giving input & feedback. I knew what I needed and what I liked, so between the two of us we came up with design that looks good, is super strong but without making me feel like I was in a cage.

And to top it off, I did not loose any speed. In fact, I hit 58mph on the Garmin GPS with a swift current. Regular top speed is around 53-54mph

As everybody said, Well Done! Looks custom factory and those speeds are impressive. Does she need much tab?

Blackfin26 - the boat does not have trim tabs. I have debated about whether I should add them or not. I need to run the boat some more before I make any changes that affect the ride.I only had half of the 2015 season and it just went in last week for the 2016 season. Maybe 35 hours since I bought it?

sad news
 

I have to report some very sad news.

A week ago Friday, the fellow who made my hardtop....Noell Redman of Redman Marine Fabricators passed away from an apparent heart attack. He was only 50 and appeared to be in good shape. I went to his memorial service on Thursday and it was tough to see his family grieving, especially his 11 year old son.

Hug your wife and kids and tell them you love them every chance you can get. Life is too short.

Here are some better pictures of my new seats and clamp on seat bracket that I designed. The clamp on bracket allows me to remove the seats and bracket and get to the fuel tanks, if ever needed.

I bought three seats from the owner of a Grady White 36 Canyon. I used the two outer ones and will be selling the center version with dual arm rests.

Lastly, after being out in pea-soup fog last Sunday and getting scolded by my dad (at age 47!) who recently saw the accident off Chatham in the news, I adecided that it was finally time to finish wiring up my new Garmin 18XHD radar. I had started the project earlier this summer, but walked away from it in disgust after spending 4 hours or so snaking the wires through the fiberglass top and aluminum piping.

Hey Ed thats one hell of a beast...I mean boat! Nice work on the engines and top re fab.

strick

I am going down the rabbit hole again and will be installing a new larger displacement bracket and new 250 four strokes on my 1986 27 Seacraft.

The bracket came off and she is now naked, but I am a bit unsure in my transom angle measurements.

Using the standard carpenter's square method where 1/4" equals 1 degree in transom angle, I came up with:

Port: 3.5 inches= 14 degrees
Starboard: 3.125 inches= 12.5 degrees

Using my digital angle finder against the old stainless marine bracket, I came up with 76.5", which I think equates to 13.5 degrees (am I thinking this through right)?

I then took the carpenter square and put the long end on the bracket's swim platform and the short end on the side that mounts to the transom and came up with just under 3.5 inches which would equal somewhere between 13.5 and 14 degrees ??

I need to walk away from this and clear my head. Any advice would be appreciated.

13 1/2 sounds about right Ed...I usually use these two things to find angles...put on the bottom of the keel to measure up the transom. I would trust your digital analyzer.

Strick

Thanks Chuck. I got a good nights sleep and went back over to the boat today. I used a larger angle finder and confirmed the old bracket was 13.5 degrees. The actually transom varies but I guess that is to be expected for a hull that is 33 years old and will be going on its third bracket and third set of motors.

I haven't seen one yet that didn't vary somewhat. I like to use a long straightedge to try and average out the variances. Looks like what you have to measure with dose that as well. I have found that most transoms tend to bow outwards and when you mount the bracket its normally tight in the middle with slight gaps towards the outer edges...


My 27' has a crown transom with a recess for I/O's so it will be fun figuring out how to do a bracket on it when the time comes. Probably going to build the pocket out but try to do a custom bracket to match the curve of the original skin.

27’ Tournament repower
 

As many of you will recall, last winter I sold my twin Merc 250 EFIs and the Stainless Marine bracket and began preparing the transom for a repower. I honestly measured the transom for a new Armstrong bracket no less than 10 times. I know I drove my friends and the folks at Armstrong a bit crazy, but I know my boat better than anyone and realized I had one shot to get the bracket perfect. The original design presented had a tub that was too wide at 52 inches (bolts landed on foam filled stringers) The second variation had a tub that was 44 inches wide and would fit, but I was concerned about not enough displacement for heavier four strokes. The third and final variation was a tub that was 48 inches wide but also incorporated a 6 inch bolt flange inside (normal was 3 or 4 inch) that allowed us to move the tub bolts inside of the stringers and avoid any interference.

Next I plugged all holes with resin soaked hardwood dowels. Then ground down about 30 spots and applied several layers of 1708. Then I ground and faired until the cows came home. Next I rolled on four coats of gel coat. Then I sanded, sanded and wet sanded some more followed by several hours of buffing. The gel coat came out okay but definitely not up to my standards. Future project.

At this point, I was getting pressed for time (crazy summer in the marine industry) so I asked one of my dealers if they could take on the rest of the bracket installation and mount the twin 250 ist Honda’s.They jumped on it and had it back to me in just under a few weeks which was great!!

As you can see below the bracket fit perfectly. The greater displacement of the Armstrong wide body over the original Stainless Marine lifted the stern about two inches and the bow about an inch even with a 200lb total motor weight difference.

Attached are some pictures. I will post a video link too.

Top speed right now is 51mph at 6400 rpms with an occasional bounce off rev limiter using Honda/Solas 15.5x17 props. We need to try a pair of a Honda/Solas 15.25x18 props to get the rpms down a bit and pick up a couple of mph. I may also try my old Merc Mirage Plus 19 props.

The first thing I noticed was a big difference in noise followed by lack of a serious cloud of two stroke smoke! I did not take exact notes but I had about a 50 mile ride home and burned about 30 gallons of fuel so figure around 1.66 miles per gallon.

Ed
Nice work! That boat is sitting perfect at rest. Can you get an under bracket picture from your tender showing the self bails? How much fuel was on board when the picture was taken? I want to see inside & console pictures so I can endorse the Gucci award.

She came out really nice Ed. Good work!

The console is the original and I hate it (too short for me and access sucks) At some point when I replace it we can revisit Gucci but I appreciate the consideration.

As far as the scuppers are concerned, with the Mercs and the Stainless bracket, they were about 4 inches underwater but the deck always self bailed and would never flood even with two people aft. I guess the deck is much higher than the scuppers? With the Armstrong and Honda’s, scuppers are about two inches higher. I will get some pics.

I had a 150 gallons on board, minimal gear (life raft etc) and four people during sea trial but it was just me on the 50 mile ride home.

Thanks Scott!

Making an executive decision to grant a "pre" Gucci award Ed !!
Will have to wait for the official award from Capt Chuck..;)
Great job, The 27 makes me sweat when I look at them...:D

Nice work Ed! perfect balance so she should jump right up..with those motors you can go anywhere!

strick

Thanks Strick. Yes, with the Honda's i can and will go lots of places. The Mercs while powerful, were definitely not reliable and had me always worrying, what if?

Here are more pictures, Capt Chuck.

1)Scuppers are about two inches higher than with old bracket.
2)Seastar Power Assist steering
3)Dual Seastar Tournament Series steering rams
4)Honda HD4 gauges on abs carbon fiber panel
5)Original console

Man your repower turned out well!

As it drops down to about 10 degrees tonight and I begin my winter hibernation, I started to think about summer and thought I would share some pictures of my newly repowered 1986 27 Tournament taken from the drawbridge during a stopover in Perkins Cove, Ogunquit, Maine.

Strick can you fix the second photo, please?

That thing is a beast!

Nice boat Ed...shes a big mamba jamba

strick

I was going through my phone today and found more pictures of the bracket job. The first shows a wood template that was created to make sure the bolt pattern lined up with out any interference. The second shows the custom bracket with an extra wide 6 inch flange on the inside of the tub. This allowed the bolts to fall between the stringers while still providing significant displacement with a 48 inch wide tub.

Very nice! Nice move on the Hondas!

Thanks DonV

That would be the perfect Bahamas boat

Perfect Bermuda boat! I want. How do you like those Hondas?!?!?

Thank you BermudaTriangle.

I love the Honda's but I am a bit biased as I work for Honda. In all seriousness, this boat is totally different with the Honda's versus the old Mercury two strokes. I get just under 2mpg and tops out at 51mph at 6300-6400 rpms.