Never Again II
 

When I was getting close to finishing my '74 20SF earlier this year , I joked with my wife (she really didn't see the humor) that I would name it "Never Again". I told her this was so I could name the next one "Never Again II". She still has not laughed.....

So begins the next boat project, a '75 Sceptre twin I/O which I plan on converting to a bracket / outboard(s) . I picked the boat up a few weeks ago from OSEAD in NJ and have started to disassemble. The sole/deck is shot as well as the patch over the tank. Previous owner had some rough glass work on the fish/storage box on center to make it deeper - that will need to be fixed. Forward deck is also wet/soft .Transom , surprisingly sounds solid but is likely wet too.

The hull is in pretty good shape with no damage or apparent spider cracks. There is a brush paint job that actually came our pretty good between the waterline and the rail. Boat is that Seacraft mustard yellow underneath so will be looking for a good paint stripper to start. to get cleaned up before final paint down the road.

The cabin was actually in pretty good shape and damage free and seems solid - hopefully not much work to do in there except remove cream colored carpet from the overhead and paint.

Here are pics as it was a couple weeks ago mostly intact.

Thanks to Flexpat , who put a BUNCH of time into creating a 3D model of his 23 Sceptre project , and was willing to share the model - I am able to do a little preliminary work to see what my mods may look like prior to starting to cut any materials.

What I'm aiming to do is remove the windshield and replace with a fiberglass cowling that is a little steeper in the front and tapers back into the angle at the back end of the windshield base. Two possible looks are completely flat in the front which means a little more glass work or just add the cowling above the current windshield base which I think will be easier and doesn't look too bad.

Here are some images below of what this might look like. The added on part would be same color as cap and you would not see a seam on the sides.

The windshield was plenty heavy (115 lbs) and hoping that I can keep the weight in check by not over building. There will be much weight coming out of the stern with the engine removal (1300 lbs?) so need to be careful not to screw up the balance.

Lot of details to work out and I'm sure I'll stumble a couple times along the way. I could easily take a different path and turn it into a Savage type set up but want to do something different and keep all that open cockpit space open.

Lot of hardware removed, drives off, engines ready to lift out, bow rail off, carpet pulled out of cabin .
Still a fair bit to strip off but this is the easy part....

And away we go ....

Thanks for sharing.looks like a interesting project.

I like that look! I can't imagine the added shroud made from the right composite board would add that much weight back.

Love the 3d stuff, will be watching this .

Looking good. You can track the changes to the CG inside Solidworks but I suspect that putting an OB on a bracket will almost completely offset the removal of the two I6's with drives. Some of the new core materials are about the same weight as balsa; using them for the stuff up front will help keep it from getting too fat. If you still have to play with balance, a 20-30 gal fresh water tank comes in real handy and you can put it wherever you need - you might even be able to put one inside the bracket. :D

Windshield Wiper
 

Packrat-- I noticed in your pics you have a motorized windshield wiper. Are you planning on reusing it? If not, I may be interested in buying it from you. Does it still work?

Thanks,

Jim

I might get in a bidding war with Jim over that wiper if it still works!!

I'll be watching this project as well. I will be doing some front deck work soon and potentially some areas on my floor, near the i/o cover hinges...

My gut says your transom is wet too - especially from the transom storage box garboard tubes.. At least thats where my transom was rotted from. I had two i/o's, redid the transom and converted it to one i/o.

If I were you. I would also look to fortify, add stringers etc to high load areas to really strengthen things - hey! you'll be there anyway, might as well make it tighter than new !

As for the wiper motors - are they hard to come by ? I replaced mine 12 years ago with (2) new AFI stainless ones like that - work well enough ( marginally so )

Really cool rendering of the project into the software. Looking forward to seeing how it comes out.

Jim, Since you spoke up first you can have it if you pay the shipping - don't plan on using it - I'll see if it works and let you know via PM and you can send me your address then. Half the battle might be getting the SS hardware out of the aluminum frame....

It will be a few days before I can get to messing with it.

Brian

Went ahead and pulled off the wiper motor this evening and I think it's a lost cause.

Put power to it and nothing. Then disassembled the cover plate.

It must have taken a whack at some point as the mounting stem was hanging on by a thread to the motor housing. Inside all damp and full of corrosion and looks like salt residue.

Sorry but don't think this is worth the trouble.....

Would be interested in anchor light mine didn't come with one

Sorry, the lens was cracked and the whole thing was just in relatively rough shape so that already was tossed.

Thanks for checking on it. I'll pass. Good luck with your restoration. I'll be checking in to see the progress.

Jim

I really like those boats and think my next resto should be one. I've also taken the "never again" oath. Lol.

This is gonna be a great build to watch! Probably much faster than the 3+ year coddling of my Sceptre shaped lawn ornament too; I admit the 2000+ mile 'trip to the boat shed' is definitely hindering my schedule.:eek:

One thing I never figured out for mine is better way to access the bow while having the access watertight and the hard part; not in the way when up there.

Really hoping Brian comes up with a good solution here that I can copy!:D

I think 2000 miles is a valid excuse for delays....

The forward access is an issue. Don't think a hatch is in the plan for this one as I want to keep things as clean as I can and there will likely be a space issue as you mention.

My initial thought is to shorten up the bow rail so it ends say 10 inches forward of the windshield base and clear off all other stuff along the gunwhales except for maybe a pop up spring cleat and just go up the sides with a low profile hand rail on the hard top. Gunwhales are skinny but I think I would rather go that way than try to put a step and pad on the companion side of the helm and try to maneuver over the cowling. I would think that EZ2CY curtains or similar are going to be added at some point forward which is another obstacle that says go around.

My first boat was a 24 Topaz that had a tower and three sided enclosure and going up the side worked best although it had maybe a couple more inches of width to step on and a lot of stuff to grab on to along the way.

Engines out and drives / drive hardware off. Just holes in the transom at this point. Surprisingly the transom seems pretty solid. Some oil / grease contamination in the plywood at the cutout for the drives but no obvious rot. Will be a little dilemma if the moisture meter says dry....Was hoping for rot for ease of removal.

Bit of a mess to clean up but LOTS of volume to play with and many ideas....

Come on cool weather- much better to wear all the dust fighting stuff when it's cool!

Aint that the truth. Not much worse than being tarred and feathered with sweat and fiberglass dust.

Why remove? If it's dry and rot free, cut back to clean wood, plug the holes and tab in the plug. You could then beef up the transom with an additional layer of core and glass.

Agree if dry- Will see what I learn from the moisture meter in the coming days....

So got the boat off the trailer and blocked up last week.
Was able to go over the transom with a moisture meter to see how things looked. As expected on a 40 year old boat, the meter pegged wet on a lot of area. On the port lower side showed wet while Stbd upper side suprisingly was pretty dry. Might be hard to make out grease pencil marks in below photos.
Don't want to invest all the time in the deck, stringer, and bracket work over a wet or moist core. Out it comes...

Little more progress. Tank out. Most wiring removed. Need to scrub/ de- grease whole engine space. Lots of oil residue. Tank was in good shape with no serious pits. Might be a case for not foaming in tanks as only screws and rubber rub strips on the bottom. Let it breathe and allow to dry against the aluminum. Tank date on label says 1974.

Only 2x #10 screws per tank bracket into side of stringer which had worked loose after 42 years - guess not too bad.

Did find a surprise at the 90 degree fill elbow of the tank - looks like a failed fill with a can? Or maybe a siphon attempt?

Looking good Packrat! Making some progress. I'll have to swing by again when you start ripping into the transom core.

Degreasing
 

Anyone have an effective de-greasing method for the bilge? 40 years of oil drips and grime have left a nasty sludge in the bilge. First thought is to get a gallon of simple green, few buckets of hot water and get to work with a scrub brush.

There will be a lot of glass work coming in this area- tank bed, keel stiffener, transom chocks/gussets, etc and don't want grind in oil residue if any is left behind.

Typically would just scrub first with dawn or simple green, then hit surface with grinder/sander then clean with solvent but there is a LOT of oily glass in the bilge. Looking for good first cleaning step that might be better.

Thanks.

Plain old Gunk and a pressure washer......
After that plain old bleach and a pressure washing !

We use cases and cases of this stuff at the boatyard I work for.
Very effectively degreases just about anything! The sprayer head has a nice long shot too for localized degreasing, or for spraying somewhere you cant quite get to.

https://www.spraynine.com/product/marine-grez-off/

https://2xdmz41ee1hc1qdhmh35hx4a-wpe...06/30232-1.jpg

Thanks for input.

Find Costco < Kirkland, liquid dish washing liquid works pretty good.

Little motivation just arrived.....

Packrat, do you have any plans for the engines/outdrives? I am looking for at least one (or 2) for a project I have (1965 bowrider 19) . I am in Va., not too far away. Cc, aka Carey.

Carey,
Unfortunately, the motors and drives have been scrapped. I dont have a lot of extra storage space so they needed to go. I advertised them locally on CL and FB but no takers. One engine was seized and both were rust piles. Drive transom brackets had serious corrosion too. Didnt think any of it was worth the trouble given what you probably can get for newer/ better stuff?
Brian

Current state of things. Ready to make template for transom core.

Any progress? I'm headed this direction with my sceptre and like your models

Nothing too significant. Did make the transom template and cut the core sheets to shape. Core should be installed and glassed in about a week. Lay-up table for deck pieces is assembled.

Order of glass work will be transom, cockpit sole/deck, fwd deck recore, helm area cowling.

Will be slow going even though the weather has finally broken with other time demands.

In a little spring cleaning mode. Before they go to the dump, does anyone want the windshield or twin engine motorbox off my 1975 23 Sceptre project?
Understand that size and shipping cost are obstacles for this so just looking for a longshot that someone in NJ, Md, or Va might need these. Im on eastern shore of MD.

Windshield is in fair shape - no excessive pitting but will need all new glazing / seals and new side panes.

Motorbox is really only useful for the shape. Core on top and sides is saturated and will likely need to be replaced - lot of work.

Creeping ahead- transom complete except for external fairing, vent holes filled, stringers re-attached to transom,bulkhead forward of tank laminated and installed, tank beds laminated and installed tank for trial fit.

Next steps: install tank attachment points, laminating deck (the biggest job so far) , plugging holes in cabin bulkhead, core/ laminate cabin sole....etc., etc., etc.

Seacraft yellow is back.....well at least until it gets painted in the coming months.