23' Seacraft Rebuild in RI

[Thomas]

Hey guys!

I am a long time Seacraft lover and always wanted to restore a 23. One finally came across that was in my price range and now its stripped down in my garage- the boat is a 78 23cc Potter Built I/O. I am from the Newport, RI area and have done a few boats ranging from 14- 18 feet. The plan is this 23 will get us out further fishing and to Block Island .

My plans for the boat are convert it to a bracket, add a new transom core (coosa? Airex?), fix up the stringers and put a new deck on it. I am leaning towards composite material as of this point and epoxy. I aim at this being a 2-3 year project.

Boat when i bought it:
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1Q...N0TGFjVFprczdB
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1Q...pYa2dJNXFVMTNR
https://photos.app.goo.gl/tyczVhdeNbMjPLqC8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/keZLXLxumuqt6rfg9


I shipped the boat to RI then I immediately stripped the whole boat into a scrap pile. I used a loader to remove the engine from the boat and cut the deck off. It was completely delaminated and still had wet wood in the core.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/s8EXbPeqUE6UKg8r7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/TVhyJ8Q7EdfAu9V37
https://photos.app.goo.gl/aENFdaFunEMceNQZ9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/imvdC1ihdKuetf1z8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/XpgChHMx7TQHZZpT8

Then i brought it to my garage for the winter transom work. Here is a 23 Seacraft in a 25' garage.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/XPTkdTW8E3WySqJx6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/3gjFd47VaAREnugT8

I cut the cap back aft of the rod holders to get at the transom. I figured this would be a good way to hold the bow as i braced and worked on the transom.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ku3cTFUCabfC11Hb7

I pulled the I/O motor mounts. They were about 150lbs each and soaked with water and mold.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/8CXGW5MZWi9BvJQ87

The transom was mulch. I scrapped it all out and removed most of what you see here
https://photos.app.goo.gl/CVmEwvno5xqQiFCr8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/oLcMoiZ96UDHGhqB9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/TZgue3uvtmJPrFmj7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/KVAvSgFThQm4M2Ji8

This is how it sits currently. I need to remove all the tabbing from the motor mounts and transom heat shielding. Any recommendations on multitool bits ( have been using carbide) or grinding wheels ( tried a cheap carbide tooth from HF- tore up the fiberglass)?

Also whats the best way to imbed the pictures into this forum?

Thanks!

Thomas

[Capt Chuck]

Great work Thomas! I love the picture of the "Potter Putty" just lying there like a dog turd.
You can post your photos by scrolling down to "go advanced" then hit "manage attachments" & upload them.
BTW: lots of CSC members up your way.(including Velvet Jones)
Your transom cut-outs remind me of my '78. What is your Hull Number mine was hull #49 Dec 78.

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by Capt Chuck

Great work Thomas! I love the picture of the "Potter Putty" just lying there like a dog turd.
You can post your photos by scrolling down to "go advanced" then hit "manage attachments" & upload them.
BTW: lots of CSC members up your way.(including Velvet Jones)
Your transom cut-outs remind me of my '78. What is your Hull Number mine was hull #49 Dec 78.

Thanks Chuck!

Most of that potter putty came right off with a chisel. If you see the metal square backing plate on the motor mount pictures, that was "sealing" a thru hull that was not being used.

My HIN is: SECF30100778 so 10th boat made in July of 78?

[Capt Chuck]

[QUOTE=Thomas

My HIN is: SECF30100778 so 10th boat made in July of 78?[/QUOTE]

Correct, you have been doing your homework

[Thomas]

This is how the transom looks now, most of the plywood is gone. I need to attack the keel stringer next.

Any advice on the thru hull transducers seen in the bottom right, is the transducer in a "pocket" in the hull or its it all glassed together- i cant seem to knock them out?

[Capt Chuck]

1.) The keel stringer was to beef up for roller trailers. Made from cut ½ PVC . Leave it alone. Good channel for water / Moisture. Keep going & DON'T REMOVE the hull side vents & their inside air channels
2) it looks like that's an old Airmar or the like transducer that was glassed in a mineral oil box? You should be able to cut it out with a jab saw since it not a thru hull install ?

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by Capt Chuck

1.) The keel stringer was to beef up for roller trailers. Made from cut ½ PVC . Leave it alone. Good channel for water / Moisture. Keep going & DON'T REMOVE the hull side vents & their inside air channels
2) it looks like that's an old Airmar or the like transducer that was glassed in a mineral oil box? You should be able to cut it out with a jab saw since it not a thru hull install ?

Thanks. My keel stringer is wood i removed a square from the top of it about 4' forward of the transom. Its wet stabbing a chisel into it you can see the moisture. Would you recommend the pvc keel stringer mod i have read about to replace this? I assume i need to beef up the layup on the keel when i am down in there.

The vents will be in the way of the new transom 3" thick is what i am aiming for. Any ideas on new ventilation places? I personally like the no vent look

[wattaway2]

Originally Posted by Thomas

Thanks. My keel stringer is wood i removed a square from the top of it about 4' forward of the transom. Its wet stabbing a chisel into it you can see the moisture. Would you recommend the pvc keel stringer mod i have read about to replace this? I assume i need to beef up the layup on the keel when i am down in there.

The vents will be in the way of the new transom 3" thick is what i am aiming for. Any ideas on new ventilation places? I personally like the no vent look

Just wonder why you need that much thickness if your staying with the I/O ? I converted my 23cc I/O to a bracket and especially with the full bracket found absolutely no need for anything more then the 2” thickness . If you stay with the I/O I would think the vents would be a real advantage in keeping the complete hull ventilated as at rest there is a low section between the CC and the bow that holds water and I would assume fumes as well.

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by wattaway2

Just wonder why you need that much thickness if your staying with the I/O ? I converted my 23cc I/O to a bracket and especially with the full bracket found absolutely no need for anything more then the 2” thickness . If you stay with the I/O I would think the vents would be a real advantage in keeping the complete hull ventilated as at rest there is a low section between the CC and the bow that holds water and I would assume fumes as well.

Wattaway, the boat will have a single 300 and a stoner bracket on it, the I/O is long gone.I am going to aim for 2 1/4" inches by laminating x3 3/4" sheets + glass.

[Thomas]

Slow going been cold in the garage up here in RI. I managed to get the transom all sanded down with flap disks, finding some delamination in a few layers of the transom glass which came from the I/O opening that was cracked. More clean up to do, then time to gather materials for the transom.