New to the site/background on myself
 

Let me start out by saying that I am a Seacraft nut!! I just learned about this site thru Mr. Miles Offshore and think it is fantastic. I've wanted a Seacraft ever since I saw my first one in 1978. I was 6 yrs old and it was love at first sight. My dad bought a 1987 cc back in '91. The boat was a bank repo that had been badly neglected. My dad and I spent the whole summer when I was home from college restoring her. We completely stripped her down, replaced every nut, bolt, and wire; then buffed the hull out to a new like shine. It turned out awesome!! To make a long story much shorter, my dad sold the boat a year later while I was away at school. It about ripped us apart. Today a man up the river from me owns the boat. I drive past it everyday to and from work and it about kills me to look at it. Anyway.... I swore that when I got a good job I was going to buy my own. So 3 years ago I bought a 1988 cc that was in excellent condition(except for the motor) and ready to fish. I don't know if you would consider it a classic being an '88 but a Seacraft is a Seacraft in my opinion. You can go wrong w/ any of them. I have since added a 2000 225hp ficht Evinrude and new curtains. She is the best ride on the water and turns heads everywhere I go. As soon as I get a digital camera I will post some pics. I look forward to giving and receiving advice/stories from other members in days to come as well as seeing everyones ride.

Dan

Re: New to the site/background on myself
 

I agree any Seacraft is a classic. I thought Virginia Beach was a hot bed of Seacrafts now I know it is. How many more friends does Miles have anyway?

I can sympothis, I drove past my Seacraft for 12 years thinking how nice it would be have here. Then fate got her to me, I guess its was destiny?

Looking forward to the pictures.

Re: New to the site/background on myself
 

WELCOME ABOARD.

I to am new kinda. I think SEACRAFT'S
are like potato chips you can't have just one.

steve

Re: New to the site/background on myself
 

Dan, welcome up buddy!!! Skip, lots more is the answer, most are still not in the "internet age" yet though-(their Loss). By the way Dan- I understand that the post Potter hulls were built just as well or better than the Potters but the fittings/hardware used were of poor quality, so if you redid it all , then you for sure have a quality-fantastic ride. Looking forward to seeing pix. Have you told Gary about this site???? (Another Inboard Skip!) Squeeze it easy, Craig

Re: New to the site/background on myself
 

Craig, I haven't seen Gary since I loaned him my front rod racks last week. I usually see him walking Buck in the evenings when I get home from work. I'll be sure to inform of this site though. You are right about those fittings. All of the fittings are brass except for the 2 in the splash well. I don't think they were sealed at all! I discovered this when I drilled some holes to mount a speed/temp sensor and water drained out as if I opened a faucet. That made me real nervous so I (200 lbs) hopped on my motor to try to make the transom flex but couldn't. A friend of mine on the Eastern Shore that used to build boats said that the glass alone in that transom is enough to support the motor. So I took his advice as well as the advice and products from the Rot Doctor. I pulled the fittings and picked out what damaged wood I could. I then drilled several small holes in the bottom of the transom to let the water drain for a few months, frequently applying suction. Once it seemed dry, I injected some penetrating epoxy, sealed all holes w/ marine tex and reinstalled the fittings, sealing them w/ 4200. Problem solved....I hope.

Dan [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[ March 31, 2002, 04:03 PM: Message edited by: CroakerLips ]

Re: New to the site/background on myself
 

Sounds to me like your right on track Dan.Good luck, the flatties are a waiting!!!!Craig

Re: New to the site/background on myself
 

Dan
Welcome ... I'm very intrigued by your post above..about the water pouring out like an open faucet.......Why I'm intrigued is I suffered a similar "OH NO !!!" well not my exact words but you get the idea...I pulled out a transducer and the boat took a leak on me too...very short in duration ...but non the less- water out of the transom..and not a weep or drip ...IT WAS P--sing out...Like I said only a couple ounces but un-nerving at best....spoke to a transom guy and he had a boat that he was working on at that time and he said he got “ many five gallon bucket fulls of water” out...said it was all from up in the stringer system....SO……

How much water did you get out?? and how wet was the transom??

I take it you were satisfied with the performance of the CPES…

I ask because I'm contemplating putting in a new transom...even though there are no signs of distress in the transom..No cracks not even crazing at any corners or around the mount. I also have little distortion when jumping on the engine... ..but I know that transom is wet. I also have other motives (its going to need to be replaced at some point)to doing the new transom but this is driving it right now.

Anyone else had this problem ??? [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

Thanks
Scott

[ April 02, 2002, 12:03 AM: Message edited by: Scott ]

Re: New to the site/background on myself
 

I would suggest you take a core sample, see if it is wet all the way through or not. I had the same with mine but it was only wet like 1/8" out of
1 1/4" or so. If this is the case then I would do as Dan did, let it air leak/dry for a couple weeks or so and fill with git-rot or a similar substance. One thing to keep in mind if it is freshwater it will definitely rot it out, If it is saltwater when it drys it will "cure" it, not rot it. (Generally) Hope this helps, Craig

Re: New to the site/background on myself
 

Thanks Miles

I've got to think this one through. But I 'll have some more questions for you (or anyone else).. regarding this. Like I said you can "sound" the transom and its solid...or so it seems. I just dont like the looks of things around those transducer holes (One set of holes had the water pour out (did not have a rotten wood smell to it either … did have a mild odor ... and it was clear water... another set of holes towards the centerline had a slight drip ...I took off Five Transducers in all!!!)

In the picture the water came from the highest/first lifting strake (actually was on the other side but you get the idea )This makes me wonder if the stringer butts into the transom here as it is much higher than where the water was just dripping (lower in the transom). Additionally in between that nylon thru hull and the engine you can see a hole where twin motors were mounted. These holes were never patch appropriately... you can also see that has some weep ... especially on hot days when it cooks.. the wood inside is tan/brown(and NOT the BLACK DEATH color) and fairly solid.....but it still weeps out small quantities of water.. The two holes to the left were for transducer wires and are dry and solid...so I dont know what to think some say leave it..... other say put in a new transom... I know its going to need a transom sooner or later.... [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

http://www.classicseacraft.com/patton23transom.jpg

Re: New to the site/background on myself
 

SCOTT:
Let me tell you about my transom on my 23'. The boat sat on the bottom for three days (before I bought it) The transom was full of water. This I didnt know until I took out all of the plugs and screws. Out it came, It looked like sewer water. All it did was drip, drip, drip. So, like miles said, I took a 1 and 1/2" holesaw and drilled a hole as close to the bottom as I could. That helped to drain (what I thought was all of the water) out. I put a heater on the transom to dry. I came back the next day, only to find more water on the floor. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] At that point, I knew that the water was being trapped up inside. So I took an air hose and put that in a smaller hole higher up. Believe it or not, that forced the water down and out. I did this on and off for a week until there wasn't anything left, then more heat to dry it out. I think you will find that if it doesn't have enough air getting into the plywood, the water just gets stuck inside. The plywood on mine was gray. Like you said, it was still hard. When the washers on the motorbolts start to sink into the glass on the inside, you will know that it's time to replace the stern. [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

Steve

Re: New to the site/background on myself
 

Hi Steve
Thanks for that...Like you said when the fiberglass starts to "dent" around the mounts then its time to get the old out and the new in..

I talked with a Fiberglass guy in Ct. today and he aired on the side of replacement...granted he has not seen the transom but sounds like he knows where I'm heading.....

What did you do with your transom...replace it or it sounds like you may have done the penetrating epoxy?? Hows it holding up

Scott

Re: New to the site/background on myself
 

Scott:

I picked & picked at the plywood where
I had made the holes . The ply didn't pull
apart so I glassed the holes back over. With
the motor on the boat I stood on it and
jumped up and down. Nothing moved but the fat
around my middle. So I think it will be fine
for a few more years [4]. IS your boat 20 or
23'? I only ask because I see a 200 on the
stern. Alot of motor for a 20. I saw a new
2002 ***** boat that had its 200 yam. torn
off by another boat. NO wood at all in the
stern just 3/16 glass inside -foam -3/16
glass on the outside. So what I getting at
is try jumping on your motor and see what
happens. IF you can flex it--replace--if it
dosen't your good for a few more yr's. Just
keep your eye on it and no jack rabbit starts
out of the hole. Not that you would no one
does that. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Re: New to the site/background on myself
 

Steve
Its a 23'....and yes I've been on the cavitation plate jumping around looking like an idiot [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] ...I get a small amount of deflection on top of the transom maybe a 1/4" ..... down at the bottom of the bracket its rock solid, no movement at all....this is where I've seen failure in other boats...as the motor bracket pushes and crushes right through the hull. I'll put some holes in the transom and see what I can find....

Thanks again
Scott

[ April 03, 2002, 12:16 AM: Message edited by: Scott ]

Re: New to the site/background on myself
 

Scott
Sorry I haven't got back to you sooner but yesterday was my B-day (the big 30)and I've been out celebrating. Anyway, initially about 3/4 of a beer can came streaming out. Then it was like Steve said, drip, drip, drip. I started by removing all screws and thru hulls from the transom starting at the top to try to get an idea of how extensive the wetness was. Like I said previously, I emailed the Rot Doctor a few times and talked w/ an ex boat builder on the E. Shore. We decided that I may have caught the problem in time and that I could probably(hopefully) avoid a transom replacement. The idea being fix it real good by drying it out and injecting epoxy, use the boat for the fishing season, and check it again later to see how things look. I started drilling some small 1/4" exploratory holes starting along the bottom edge just below the trim tabs and workng my way down to the center. The 2 lowest holes were 1". The wood around the drain holes in the splash well was saturated, as was the wood along the bottom edge of the transom below the trim tabs. The top and outer edges were dry and the rest seemed to be solid. It seemed like the water was entering at the drain holes, seeping down, and filling up in the lowest point in the transom. I rigged 2 hair dryers so they would blow warm air into the holes 24/7. Occaionally I would use a wet vac to suck water out. It was like Steve said, there seemed to be pockets of water. I would think I finally got it dry, then I would come home from work and would see a drip on the driveway. When it seemed to be dry for a few days in a row, I started injecting the CPES. I injected the CPES w/ a very large syringe in the drain holes of the splash well until it started coming out the bottom holes. I then plugged the bottom holes until it came out the top. Yes, I do like the CPES. It penetrated very well. I have used Get Rot before and have also been satified but I think the CPES is better for a transom repair b/c it will penetrate farher. To continue, all of the places that I picked out wood, I packed w/ marinetex to fill the void. I then sealed all of the screws and thru hulls w/ 4200. I know I didn't get out all of the moisture but I think I fixed it pretty good for now. It might be about time to drill a test hole just to see how it looks. However, I don't like drilling holes on my boat!!!!! It's not natural. I will have my fingers crossed and a rabbits foot in my pocket. I hope this answers your questions somewhat. Feel free to ask me anything else.

Dan

Re: New to the site/background on myself
 

Dan
First off Happy Birthday!!
Thanks for the detail about the transom...It sounds like we have a very similar situation...My transom does seem to be dry up higher and wet down low....Like you ... I want to be sure that going out the inlet I dont leave something behind!!! That would not be cool.....and truthfully I dont think I would...its solid....I think its just playing mind games with me knowing whats going on back there. I'm going to have to get the motor off the boat and see whats under that wood [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] cap....I'm scared to think about it but it might just make up my mind for me.

As it is I just ordered ,today, 3 gallons of resin and a bunch of cloth to start the hatch rebuilding...

Trayder thanks for the info on LBI Fiberglass ... those guys (Peter and Brian) are really good.. and very helpful [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Scott