Rebuild of '75, 23' center console begins
 

Started the rebuild of my 23' CC this week. Got everything derigged, t-top console and engine is off. Got the transom side boxes and the splash well and in floor bait well off. Washed all the glass dust off of me and the boat and will go at the transom core this weekend.

A few pics...

Attachment 22435

Attachment 22436

There is about a 5/8" curve to the back of the transom. 5/8" at 3 feet from center. Uniform on each side.

Attachment 22437

Was surprised there was only one layer of roving as the inner transom skin. No adhesion at all to the core.

Attachment 22438



Attachment 22439

Attachment 22440

Attachment 22441

One more, of the end result for the day.

Dig in! My transom has a bit of a curve to it too - I think the skins likely warp when the core gets wet and delaminates. I did a few things to try getting mine straight before I set the new core (Mine was an I/O conversion FWIW).

Good luck with the rest of the demo.

Most do when they rot out. Make sure when you build it back that you clamp a stright edge across the back when you bond the new transom core in or it will end up showing bowed still after the new transom is in.

Thanks guys, I have a couple 8' pieces of 3"x3"1/4" angle that I will put across the back before laminating anything.

Is this the one from Texas?

If was not so far away that would be me working on it

Good luck with the build

Thats a lot to get done in one day....love how you left all the old rigging in did you nick any with the saw? :)

strick

No Jorge, I have owned and used this one for a little over 12 years.


Strick, no I didn't cut anything but boat. I don't want to take out the sole until I have the transom back in so getting the rigging out would have been a pain, that stuff has been in those chases so long it feels like it grew roots. I plan on doing all the work on the trailer and don't want the hull to shift.

Inner skin is out as is the vast majority of the rotted transom. Cut the two tall stringers out. Just cut from the step down to the transom for now, I think that will give me plenty of room. Foam is dry except, for about 2" around the little plastic hose that serves to drain the upper side of the stringer. Had to come back in the house to check prior threads for where to cut, what I will call the lower stringer.

So the red area is the one that I would like to cut out, but don't know if that is acceptable? The blue is the tall foam filled stringer that I already cut out.

it is just a piece of wood laminate over (level) to mounting things

I figured it needed to come out so I have room to put in the thicker transom core. However I was not sure what its purpose or construction was. So thank you very much.

years ago someone called those the battery boxes...where your arrow is pointing...I believe they are made from wood...at least the ones on my old 23cc were and they were rotton so I'd yank them

strick

All right back at it, mom visited for a week then I was out of town for a week.

Supplies, epoxy, glass and ply have arrived.

Got a layout table put together and a glass rack built.

Got the transom skin all cleaned up, 3/4" marine ply cut and fitted. Tested my idea of how to keep the transom flat as my epoxy slowly cures. If the weather forecast for Sunday is correct at 61 degrees, I'll start filling in the notch.

All cleaned up.

Looks like a vertical mill in the corner.

Yes it is, full size Excello, the lathe sits to the left of it and the surface grinder to the left of that.
Hard to see right now as I have 50 lbs crammed into a 10 lb box, so to speak...

Cleanup is eminent!

Sweet! Machinist here also and following your build.

I would love to call myself a machinist, but I have too much respect for you all. I have fun with it and have enjoyed learning something new, but a machinist I am not. Just a hobby for me.

I flipped some of your pictures...hope I did not screw anything up!

strick

Strick, interesting, when I looked at the thread they were all right side up. What were you seeing and if you have advice for what to do next time so I don't waste your time again?

Hopefully they are still right side up? the photos on my desk top computer were sideways....hopefully I did not screw up your pictures...if you are looking at the thred from a phone and up loading from a phone things may appear load different... not a waste of time as I like helping but not screwing things up lol

strick

I'm no expert, but, I think the gyro in the phone changes what is 'right side up' according to the angle of the phone.

I will post some pictures in the next couple of days. So far I ground a 4" wide bevel on the outside of the motor notch and filled it in with 4 layers of 1708. I also added a layer of 1208 and 3 layers of 1700 along with 8" and 12" 1708 tabbing on the inside of the transom. I have the core cut and will be laminating it tomorrow.

So a couple of questions, I fought much to hard trying to get bubbles out where the 12" 1708 tape passes/drops off, the 8" 1708 tape. I have various bubble rollers including one that is football shaped, seemed that nothing that I did would get rid of the separation right where the tapes cross. if I work it to much then the tape would pull away from the corner where I laid a pretty sizable 3/4" to 1" cove filet. Anyone got a trick? Would love to learn something before I tab in the core.

On another subject, the boat is now water tight, in that the transom drain has been glassed over. My intention is to use Capt Chuck as a role model and put a garboard drain, with an extended handle straight down thru the bottom. Before I drill the hole, would love opinions on how the keel stringer is handled when adding a bracket? I was thinking of not running it back to the transom, but instead creating 2 taller stringers/knees on either side of the centerline, about 10"-12" apart. If I did that, then it would seem that the drain could go dead center about 10" in front of the transom. Sure would be nice to hose all the fiberglass dust off of the interior every once in a while. Thoughts/Suggestions?

Thanks,

Michael

On my 18, I cut the keel member 4" from the front of the transom, glassed the end and cut a piece of the 1-1/2" baltek and glassed it at an angle from the keel member to the transom. drain is in the center.

http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...1&d=1604922942

Don't have a picture of the brace in place.

All right time for a photo update.

Transom is in
Added (1) 1208 and (3) 1700 to inside skin along with 8 & 12" 1708 tabbing.
Laminated 2 pieces of 3/4" marine ply and one 1/2" marine ply. Let it cure after applying neat epoxy to all inside faces and troweling on a cabisol, cotton flocking mixture with a 1/4" notch trowel. Squeezed it together with a 300 lb steel plate and screws and a coupe bags of concrete mix. When I cut the top curve the laminate looked solid with no gaps. I then a coated the back and sides of the core with neat epoxy and troweled on the cabosiol mix on the inside skin and back of the core. Pulled it all together with some long 24 and 30" clamps that I welded up along with a handful of 2x6x18" blocks inside and out, thru bolted with 1/2" rod.

Pulled fillets on the inside and added 8 &12" 1708 tabbing. Then laminated it with (1) 1208 and (4) 1700; wrapping 3 layers over the top and down the back staggered to 5".

A few more...

Looking for input on the pros and cons of what to do next?

The major structural things remaining are; extending the liner back to meet the new shallower transom liner, the actual false transom/liner, the sole, the cap, and building and attaching the bracket.
I think I need to do the liner before the sole, since the sole will be tabbed to the liner. I am planning on raising the sole only to the extent that I will put the new one on top of the flange I will leave when I cut the old one.

So what are the pros and cons of doing the sole before or after the bracket?

Time for an update, making some progress.

Added a couple of knees to the new transom and got the stringers tied back in.
I'll pretty it up with another layer of glass when there are a couple of warm days down the line.

Attachment 22880

Also, did a little fairing while the weather was still warm. And built the bones for the bracket mold.

Attachment 22881

Attachment 22882

Got the mold for the bracket completed and started layup after clay, wax and 4 coats of PVA. The reliefs on the front /bottom are to give me some extra clearance for mounting transducers. Part came out of the mold fairly easy. The flat surfaces are looking really good. The corners need some work in a couple of places but all in all, very happy with my first molded part. Nothing stuck to the mold, most of the clay came out on the part, am now in the process of cleaning it up. Plan on moving it outside to wash off the PVA.

Attachment 22883

Attachment 22884

Attachment 22885

Attachment 22886

Attachment 22887

Attachment 22888

Attachment 22889

Next up will be trimming the clamping board and then laying some more cloth on the clamping board and wrapping it around to the back. Right now there are only 4 layers in the inside of the clamping board.

Dang, dude! You've been busy!

What are you referring to as the clamping board? Are you planning on mounting the bracket flush with the bottom of the boat? Are you planning on adding stringers to the bracket? What did you core the bracket with?

Strick

Clamping board is the transom of the bracket. The bracket will sit 3" above the keel of the boat. I was planning on the top of the clamping board to be right at 34" off the keel of the boat. I do plan on adding stringers, I was planning on two, full height and about 3.5" wide, built on a foam core. The only part of the bracket tub that is cored is the clamping board. It is two pieces of 3/4" and one piece of 1/2" marine ply hot coated with neat epoxy and then laminated with epoxy, cabisol, cotton flocking mix spread with a 3/16 notched trowel and pulled together with lots of screws, later removed. The rest of the tub is about 3/8 thick mainly 1700 thicker at the corners. The front face is thinner except the perimeter 5-6" where the bolts will go thru. That is about 7/16"

Ok got it...been a while since i built a bracket...just trying to get a handle on all the new terminology lol..sounds like you are on the right track...I’m sure it will come out ok...things to consider...putting the stringers in prior to removing it from the mold..using composite such as core cell...very light weight and work great for the stringers. You are going to want to be able to glass the swim platform to the tub inside and out otherwise it will crack where the bonding putty is and leak...

Strick

Marked the center line of the boat transom and the bracket. Used a squeegee with a small hole drilled in it to mark a repeatable spot on the chine corners. Drilled a small hole and then using a stick with a pencil and screw inserted, struck arcs. Connected the intersections to get the center line.

Attachment 22947

Attachment 22948

Attachment 22949


Got the bracket mounted with just 3 bolts. Wanted it in place to verify the height to trim the clamping board.

Attachment 22950

Got it trimmed, next step is to template the platform.
Attachment 22951
Attachment 22952
Attachment 22953

Got the form/mold made for the platform, minus the final clay radii on my curves. I decided to do it a little different and not create a hood to go over the clamping board, but rather glass the back of the platform to the face of the clamping board. The front lip of the platform will be let into the front of the tub and glassed over. Also, tried something different for the radii at least on the straight sections. I got a couple of pieces of pvc cove molding from Lowes and ripped the excess wall thickness off. Also beveled it, where necessary, to 12 degrees. Used hot glue to attach it. If it works out it sure was easier than running clay. Used a cut up plastic feed bucket for my curves.

Attachment 22956

Attachment 22957

Attachment 22958

Attachment 22959

Despite the cold snowy weather got a little bit accomplished.

Got the platform core cut and test fit.

Attachment 23070
Attachment 23071

Got the holes cut for the deck plates, I'll be using the 10" Armstrong plates.

Attachment 23072

Installed 2 stringers in the tub.

Attachment 23073
Attachment 23074

And got the platform laid up and popped out of the mold.
Need to do some more work on the deck plate cut outs and build up for and glass in an aluminum backing plate to catch the mounting bracket for a sport ladder.

Attachment 23075
Attachment 23076


Making progress.

Talk about dedication.
Keep going.
I admire your determination..

Looking great.

Got the main tank(150 gallon) pulled out today. As well as the sole on both sides cut out. Almost 65 degrees so I also got some fairing done on the transom and bracket.

Still need to take out the floor compartment immediately in front of the console. I plan on reusing so I cut around it for now. It currently and will continue to hold a 30gal fuel tank.

Really a shame to remove the whole sole. Other than 3 or 4 soft spots it was in great shape. However, every year I find another crack or void in the gelcoat so it was just a mater of time. The soft spots have all shown up in the last 3 years.

I am undecided on whether to include a hatch/cover over the main fuel tank(which is how it was), or just make the sole solid and maybe etch a cut line into it for future access. My initial plan was to make the sole solid, but it sure would be easier to install the sole if there was a cutout. However since the tank runs under the console, tank removal would require the console and leaning post to come out anyway. I have a few days to think about it before starting to template the sole.

If anyone has a neat way to build the sole without a hatch/cover, but still set yourself up for the future removal, I would love to hear it.

Have no idea what I did to stretch the picture, but you all get the idea.

Attachment 23086
Attachment 23087