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1981 CC - transom, decks, dog house.
Hey Folks.
Got around to making some sawdust this weekend. I think some of you enjoy pics, so I posted below. The plan is to close the transom, raise the decks, and slap on a bracket. I will also build a dog house. See you in two years. The boat used to be called "chaser," and from on the receipts, spent time in RI, FL, NJ, and most recently MA. This is when I picked up the boat. Good guy. http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...y/IMG_0384.jpg Trailer made it home. http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...y/IMG_0766.jpg Test cuts on the transom/livewell. http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...y/IMG_0246.jpg Livewell out; transom is wet, except where someone used the transom injection stuff. http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...y/IMG_0254.jpg |
Lessons learned.
I will update this reply, as I learn lessons.
1) Cutting fiberglass in the rain to reduce dust is a good idea. Getting a fullbody tyvek suit with hood for cutting fiberglass in the rain is a good idea. Getting a tyvek suit that is too small is a bad idea; the butt rips and your ass gets wet. - 3/29/09 |
Re: Lessons learned.
I always enjoy learning from others mistakes...Thank you. Thats some funny [censored] right there! Look forward to pics. and progress reports. Keep it up. Part II.
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more pics.
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Re: 1981 CC - transom, decks, dog house.
Ken,
Glad to see you had the Axe out :D I had the use a sledge to bust my livewell free from the "potter putty". |
Re: Lessons learned.
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Re: 1981 CC - transom, decks, dog house.
OK pics from last weekend.
Transom is completely out. This took a lot longer then planned. The seacraft part was not bad (transom was mulch) but someone did a nice job injecting chopped and poly to strengthen transom. This picture was taken by leaning over the transom and doing a pararama (don't get seasick). You can see my test cut into the deck on the left side. http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ny/transom.jpg Better shot of the test cut into deck (lower left), and my 150 gallon tank. http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...kenny/hull.jpg The foam stringers were good. One side of the ply was good too: http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...y/IMG_0277.jpg The other side was mulch, so I will cut back to good wood. My general plan for the good ply I leave (front bulkhead of closed transom, deck sections, etc) is to hit the exposed good wood with CPES before closing it up: http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...y/IMG_0276.jpg I also removed the old ply cores (all were wet) from all the panels I will keep (casting deck cover, fish box cover, big tank cover, small tank cover - 4 total). These need to be sanded. Here is what the front panel looked like after sharp tools, but before power sander: http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...y/IMG_0272.jpg My old transom and livewell, packaged and ready for new owner. http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...y/IMG_0281.jpg Look at that classic seacraft shape! http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...y/IMG_0286.jpg |
Re: 1981 CC - transom, decks, dog house.
good luck on your project
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Re: 1981 CC - transom, decks, dog house.
That is a monster gas tank :o Is it in good shape?
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Re: 1981 CC - transom, decks, dog house.
I also have an 81 and the previous owner said it had a 150 gal. tank, I'll splash it for the first time in a couple weeks. Almost done putting the electronics on her and cleaning it up, can't wait!
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Re: 1981 CC - transom, decks, dog house.
I think my tank is 150 too. I don't think it's the original tank because it's actually in really good shape and not foamed in at all. Just a 2x4 on one end, and covered in green paint (epoxy?). Definitely post some pics of your 1981, what motor and electronics?
No sure if that "good luck" was as positive one or negative one... either way, thanks! |
Re: 1981 CC - transom, decks, dog house.
Hey Ken....did you ever put humpty dumpty back together again?
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Re: 1981 CC - transom, decks, dog house.
Nope. Had to go get married. Buying a house next, so the boat is lonely. Where do all the weekends go!
Check the site for tips everyday! Heron came out great. Nice job. Did you see getthenet's mug on the last page of this months 'on the water'? His custom pogy rod is bent over and the elizabeth islands make a great backdrop. Ugly boat though. |
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Re: 1981 CC - transom, decks, dog house.
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good luck getting the boat up and running. |
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Re: 1981 CC - transom, decks, dog house.
I went the reverse way on that... I openly claimed that I was picking up as many projects, boats, etc as possible while I still had my freedom. So I bought stuff cheap and started as many free projects as possible. So I don't have a lot of cash sunk in (yet) but I have peed on the hydrant and established my boundaries. We'll see how long that lasts.
Tiger and his boner have made for some interesting newly wed discussions. Me: That one doesn't count she was just some floozy from the airport bar! Her: why not? Me: UM. because... he was just... you know... everyone agrees she doesn't count. Her. who is everyone? Me: you know... people. Don't count that one. (back peddling furiously). (kudos to adam carolla for having this same discussion with his old lady.) |
Ok, making fiberglass dust again.
This project is back on the docket. Here's the game plan:
- finish removing the old deck - make a new closed transom - make/buy an engine bracket - raise the decks - make a new doghouse - make a new leaning post - recore the topcap - paint the whole thing - buy a new motor, ff/gps, and steering. - Most important: pop up up and down bowlight. (- figure out how to post photos on here...) MATERIALS - I built a Tolman skiff 10 years ago, and redid it from the stringers up two years ago; no-blush epoxy over 10oz cloth and AC ply is my preferred material. - Getthenet/shirmpin' convinced me to mold some stuff out of vinyl/1708 - I was undecided on paint, but since I love putting the cart before the horse, I went ahead and bought a gallon of Awlgrip on sale for$200 from westmarine. I guess that means I have to be painting within a year. Might try latex porch paint for no skid. |
Chaser is a tuna boat!
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The hull came with a binder full of women I mean old receipts. All kinds of offshore stuff (Lee's holders, Penn 30W's, Jamestown Distritbutors from when they were actaully on Jamestown Island), so I did some googling and discovered that the former owner has written some pretty good small boat articles, I decided to get in touch.
Turns out he's a great guy! Has a Seacraft20, lots of other Seacrafts over the years. And he used to tunafish 'Chaser', even featured her in an article on how to layout sportfishing boats: https://pbbackissues.advanced-pub.com - "78 - Aug-Sep 2002" page 56. (Chaser is on page 78, screen shot below) I haven't finished anything yet, so no photos of the build but hopefully soon. |
May 1st deadline.
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Did not make my May 1st deadline, to mount engine. Frankly, June 1st looking iffy too. 3 weeks ago: "I should have the tanks and decks in by the end of the week..." Anyway, lots of nice emails from BP (former owner), he even sent some ply peel! Nice guy, he built a great boat.
Progress! Bracket is out of the mold, console components I got from CMP (almost 10 years ago!) seem to fit my vision of a doghouse, both tanks ins, molded a livewell, and stuck the livewell into the leaning post. Now need to finish the transom, decks, and mount everything. What I have learned: - Vinylester is better than poly, but stinks to high hell. - Vinegar actually works pretty well for epoxy/VE clean up. - I should not be allowed to mold and lay up things: I used a pile of tires for livewell mold, then spent 5 weeks engineering a way to keep this 700 lb 'water cannonball' from rolling around the deck... So of course I bought an 8 ft crowder 130 UL to go with my brand new tuna harpoon I bought last summer, as well as a GO12 with Halo20+... because projects needs porn I mean motivation. I am not looking forward to sanding/faring that much surface area, it's like mowing an airport. |
Bracket is done.
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Whelp, the bracket got installed and hasn't fallen off yet, so I can post those photos. Shrimpin' sent me the original drawing, but all subsequent mistakes, errors, and issues are my own. Glass schedule was 8 gallons of vinylester, mat, 3 layers 1708, 4 layers of 1708 1 foot tape along each edge, and 3/4" ply for everything else. I decided to use awlgrip green, because I wanted see exactly where I did a shit job sanding down the faring compound. Shrimpin' emailed me no less than 3 times asking if I regretted the decision to make my own bracket instead of buying one... I like the curvy sides on mine!
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Nicely done we’re you get those drawings from again?
Strick |
The bracket drawing came from some internet-wierdo called bigshrimpin. He also sent me a link to 1708 tape, a vinylester source, and a PDF on how to measure/attach the bracket. I ended up using 8 x 5 1/2" bolts. Good dude to know.
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Yes I think I remember chatting with him before. More later
Strick |
The Diagram you posted I sent to Big after I pulled it out of my files Last year. I talked with several members in the upper tiers of CSC including Tim as I wanted to get "permission" to post the full diagram for those interested in building their own bracket. At one point the brackets were patented and the name "seamark" may have been under copy right/trademark protection hence the need for approval from the uppers. If I can get the OK then we can make it a "sticky" in this sub forum.
strick |
Awesome, thanks!
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Bad Obsession Motor Sports Mini build... PROJECT BINKY.
One of the topics I have seen discussed on csc dot com, and thought a lot about, is "what is the car version of the seacraft?" Seems to have settled on corvette, maybe Camero or disgustang. I would like to suggest that it might be the Morris Mini because of 'Project Binky':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txtM..._ae83e313-GLTO - seacraft innovations such as variable deadrise are about as important front wheel drive. Every modern car and SUV owes its front wheel drive layout to the success of the mini, perhaps to the degree that seacrafts have influenced modern center consoles. Maybe only Boston Whaler's use of poly/fiberglass is more important (thus making the boston whaler 13 akin to the VW bug). - the original seacrafts were pretty effective raceboats, Minis (Mini Coopers) were so good at rally racing that they were effectively banned. - Probably more than any other hull, seacrafts get rebuilt with obnoxious levels of attention and care, largely powered by Japanese 4 stroke engines. These guys repowered a mini with a Toyota Celica 4wd drive train... the inline4 2L they installed is not too far removed from a yamaha outboard (Yamaha used to be the tuning division of toyota). - Some folks could get a little grumpy about the small stature of the mini, but compared to all the 27-30' regulators, Contenders, See-Vees etc. 23/27' seacrafts seem like hulls that out perform their length. Anyway, when I would get a little stuck or depressed about my seacraft project, I'd fire up the next episode of the binky build. There's even a side quest where they rebuild an old hauler... not too far off redoing an old boat trailer. Their paint episodes convinced me to try out awlgrip. I am not too pleased with my final paint job but very happy with awlgrip, as a product. |
Closing the transom.
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I made my first cuts into the original transom on March 9, 2009. The plan was to close the transom and add a bracket. In late 2020, I considered a cutout without a bracket, but adding back the splashwell was going to be as much work as a bracket. But I did think about it.
Transom is 2 sheets of 3/4 ply, inside face got 10oz cloth. Stringers (dry) were extended back to the transom. I added a small limber hole, so the water that collects outside of the stringers can drain. Hopefully I won't regret that. I used 3 layers of 1708 and mat to fill the cut out. I should have gone with 4 or 5 layers, or just cut up one of the unused deck hatch panels. I put the drains about 8 inches in board, so they drain right on to the tabs. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to get the hydraulic steering cables and transducer cables through the bulk head, without spending $500 on cables. At one point I was about to order $1500 worth of thruhull transducers because I didn't want to put a 1"hole in the new transom...I ended up buying the uflex hytech kit because its beefy enough for the merc 150 efi (e.g. rated to 175 hp, unlike baystar), and modifying a Scanstrut Multi Deck Seal to get the 1" simrad tranducer through. |
Recoring Topcap.
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I recored the topcap with 1/2 ply, mat, and vinylester. I made the transom cap from 3 layers of leftover 1708 from the bracket. I stuck some extra 1/2 ply where I might put rod holders.
It turns out that the there is a slight crown at the bow. I thought I got this by not supporting that section when I vinylestered in the ply, but I should have measured the width at the anchor locker. Getting the topcap on was a bit of a clown show. It wasn't heavy, just awkward. In order to get things to fit, I had to jack up the bow a little, but was still about 1/4 off. Good thing 5200 is strong, and rubrail covers the gap. At the transom, I forgot to consider that the new transom extends back a little (e.g. 12° lean back), so I had to cut the top cap lip and epoxy in some leftover strips of fiberglass. I think in cars they call this 'dzusing in a panel', anyway it worked. |
Gas tanks and Decks.
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I decided to replace the original 110 gal tank (for twin 2 strokes) with two 55 gallon plastic tanks. The new tanks were taller than the original with 3 sides on the bottoms which were supposed to fit snuggly against the vee shape of the bottom, but because the keel was done with a section of PVC covered with heavy glass, the tanks didn't quite fit. Also, because plastic tanks need room to expand 3-5%, I decided to make a new tank cradle. The tanks can now breath a little but are not going anywhere. I also moved the livewell from in front of tanks to the leaning post, so I wanted to move the new tanks forward. With two tanks, I should be able to adjust weight distribution a little; I don't plan to make any trips burning all 110 gallons on a merc 150 efi.
The decks were raised 1.5" which I had planned to do with 2 by cedar framing, but the weird shape of the stringer convinced me to do it by laminating 3/4 ply. I left the inside lip from the original decks. Without that, I never would have noticed that the decks have about a 1/2" crown. The decks themselves got a layer of mat and vinylester on the bottom, and 10oz cloth and epoxy on top. A second layer of 10oz cloth and epoxy went on after the decks were installed. I almost forgot to cut gas tank inspection hatches, but the original owner of chaser saw some early pics and sorted me right now. Thanks for that! Its worth noting that the original tank support was replaced at some point. 3/4 ply with a few layers of 1708, maybe 1808, it weighed a couple hundred lbs. After sitting with water pooled in it from 2009 to 2020, there was no water in the ply: I used it for stringers in the bracket, as well as tank cradle stringers. |
Doghouse and Leaningpost (livewell)
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From this very website, 10 or so years ago, I bought the top half of a console and a console roof from CMP. The roof was very heavy. I think what happened is that they laid up the original roof, but it was too floppy so they added many layers of glass and poly, but it got too heavy, and they sold it to a doofus like me. I cut out all the extra glass (which I used into various spots, such as filling the topcap lip at the transom, etc) and made some plywood supports that I epoxied into place. I like doghouses that lean back a little, so I added that to the 1/2 ply sides, but then had to recut the windows. Made some window frames from mahogany leftover from a whaler interior I made last year.
I had an engine cover from a 1964 seacraft 20 I/O that I converted to a full transom (I sold the unfinished hull last year), which I wanted to make into a seat. In the end the cover was too big, so I cut it up to match a seacraft cushion I bought. Then I figured out I had the cushion backwards, and was also not too thrilled about putting holes in to the doghouse for the cushion buttons, so no cushion on the seat. In the end, I don't really like the shape of the dog house. Because the sides do not taper in, and the roof does not have enough crown, the whole thing looks too boxy to me. Im not going to fix it though. Anyway. |
Almost forgot the leaning post/livewell...!
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The leaning post and livewell was a hoot. In order to make a mold for the live well, I piled some trailer tires, covered them with plastic drop cloth, and then added mat plus 3 layers of 1708. I would advise against this; I ended up doing a lot of grinding. I was planning to use my 55 gallon trash can as a mold, but the can was busy being used as a trash can. I scored and bent 1/4 ply to make the back of the post. This was such a pain in the butt that I popped a mold of the shape so I don't ever have to do it again, even though I never plan to make another leaning post livewell for a seacraft. I have the cushion from an old arigoni post that will go on top.
I used mat and vinylester over 1/2 ply for most of the surfaces. At the time, vinylester was $30/gallon and epoxy was around $70/gallon. BUT, vinylester is now $50/gallon, and I found some good epoxy (SC110 is $730 for 15 gallons), so I would suggest using epoxy and 6 oz, in the future. After all my posts about painting boats over the years, after finally roll-and-tipping awlgrip, Im a big fan. I guess my advice is when you think you are done sanding and faring, just do one more round. Also, safety first. The livewell is foamed in to the back and the base support. The base that it's epoxied to is bolted to the deck with two engine bolts... I don't want a 500 lbs 'water cannon ball' rolling around the deck. The inside of the livewell got painted with the last of my tohatsu lower unit spray paint. Hope the baits feel at home. I am not looking forward to plumbing the livewell. After all this work to redo this old hull, pumping hundreds of gallons of saltwater on board seems a little risky. |
Will be looking for pointers on paint!
How do you see through that mask!? |
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Paint has been a '10 year' question; after watching my petit easypoxy flake off my work skiff after 10 years, I decided to try awlgrip. The $150/gallon from west marine, but also excellent prices and service on all the rest of the reagents from defender dot com sealed the deal. I was very concerned about the fumes from Awlgrip. For example, the fumes from a few drops of paint on my shoes was enough to give me a headache. I approached the awlgrip like epoxy (e.g. potlife, mixing, cleanup, SAFETY), and even double checked my approach with AkzoNobel after that headache... it turns out the safety phone number in the awlgrip application guide is for chemical spills; I finally got someone to answer questions about which 3M mask and filters I should be using (correct answer is 6001 ORGANIC VAPOR CARTRIDGES / 3M 5N11 OR 3M5P71 PRE-FILTER WITH 501 FILTER HOLDER, which is what I use).
I've been asking around on a few boat forums and it seems that folks can develop some pretty gnarly medical stuff (specifically autoimmune, I would include rare cancers), perhaps from sanding/inhaling curing or uncured paint/epoxy/poly etc. There seems to be a little shame or unwillingness to share stories outright, likely because getting sick from doing this activity we all love seems kind of silly, but anyway the more I hear, the more vigilant I am about always wearing some form of 3M mask (curing vinylester stinks; don't do it in a carport or basement). NOT a political statement in anyway, it's just all the fiberglass dust I see around my work space. I guess as a last comment on safety... I made a whaler13 interior from mahogany last year, and one guy told me about mahogany sawdust being toxic. So I started pubmed'ing (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, search terms: plywood, epoxy toxicity, plywood dust, etc) and it turns out even plywood dust is not great to be inhaling. Who knew! I read every MSDS I get, usually just to find out what chemicals are actually being sold. For example, Im pretty sure the rhino bedliner product is similar chemistry to awlgrip, but do your own literature search. Doing your own 'research' means test tubes and pipettes, so have at it if you want, but googing shit online is not research (THAT is my political statement). Anyway, I 'see through the mask' by being scared shitless that these boat projects might be making me sick... for sure these boats aren't great for my mental health! Im still grumpy about my doghouse roof being too square and not 'curvy' enough, nevermind how awlgrip highlights all the spots where I should have done more faring/sanding... oh well there's always next time. |
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Got the 150 installed, too cold to take it for a spin. Still not done, but getting closer.
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looks nice and functional. I bet you are happy to be finished. Wednesday is going to be close to 50 degrees . . . what prop do you have on the back?
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It took me a few tries, but I finally got an enertia 15p. The guys installing the engine couldn't find one, so I ordered 3 in a row from various online retailers last summer. Each one listed the prop as 'in stock', charged my card, then emailed me to say it was backordered. I finally bought one from some guy on ebay for $900, he had a bunch for sale.
Yup, I am glad to have a boat I can fish this summer! Can't wait to fix all the little things I don't even know are wrong yet! The unknown unknowns... |
how does the landcruiser do towing the 23?
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Will be curious know what kind of numbers you see with the 150.
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2 hour break-in done.
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Just finished the 2 hour break-in, so numbers aren't official, but so far, I think things look good?
WOT 5800rpm, 30knots. 4000rpm, 20 knots, 4.6 gph, same numbers as everyone seems to be getting. If feels like the prop is breaking loose a little on the way up to WOT, but I have no idea how trim tabs work. With the bracket, maybe the engine can come up a hole or two? On the other hand, I'm not sure all the extra work would improve things all that much. I'm a little confused about hooking the engine up to the simrad... the wiring harness has a NMEA2000 plug (photos), but both mercury and the marina say I have to buy either the $300 gateway or the $700 link...? Any advice would be helpful. Lucyyy the GSP seems ok with the doghouse, otherwise. The land cruiser is very happy. 7-10 mpg, but after 2 years of pulling a whaler 13 around, where the boat/trailer was to small to see in the mirrors, truck finally feels like its doing its thing. Are the squid here yet? How does that all work? I've never had a boat ready early enough in the season to chase them down. Ok, tight lines fellas! |
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