Yet Another Transom Job in the Works - ?ions

[ocuyler]

To remove the old plywood, I purchased a cheapie ($39) 14" electric chainsaw from WalMart

Some of you guys remember the last time a chainsaw was mentioned here. That time it was used to assist in cutting out foam during the removal of a fuel tank. Yes, he lived...

[Fishjack]

Jeeper - Funny you should mention "chainsaw" - already using one and it works great...
With the small electrics you don't have to worry about kickback .... at least so far



Also - after debating on how to section (puzzle piece) my plywood together I think your are right - I have decided to cut the top out and work with one piece. I guess this is now an inside/outside transom job.

"TRANSOM TREASURES" - having read many other posts about what was found in the old bildge of these old SeaCrafts I could not wait to cut out the original "baitwell"








SHOW ME THE MONEY - Coin collectors should start refirbing SeaCrafts - Several 1960's vingate silver quarters and dimes - might pay for my transom... He He




Anyway - Took off work tomorrow and I am going to try and get as much old wood out of the transom as possible.

One question - my boat had (I guess) a factory installed transducer -

Should I do anything with this or just leave it as is and work around it????

[warthog5]

It's a little hard to tell what's going on, on that last pix Jack. Can you get a better pix of it?

What FF are you using or what do you plan to upgrad to?

[Fishjack]

Warthog - I will get a better pic tomorrow after I clean the bildge up a bit..
I am using a Furuno FCV600L with a transom mount transducer and plan on sticking with that unit for now.. works pretty well for me. I noticed that you have the 582L correct? If I was in the market for a new unit that would probably be my choice.

[Scott]

Jack
Whats on the other side of the glass block ?? smooth hull ?
Do you know if its solid ?

[warthog5]

I would be looking at a Airmar B-60 tilted element X-ducer to get rid of that junk on the transom. It will clean it up a lot without the transom mount unit.
The B-60 is a good unit to use with the 600L.
Jim @ ByOwner has them for under $200.

[Fishjack]

More Pics of "I guess" progress -

Scott - I will have to dig around to see what is in there? Not sure yet will advise.

Warthog - I like the idea of a thru-hull X-ducer.. How do they perform at speed?

Cut further down towards the bottom of the hull - you can see that one of the old 1" brass drains had a crack in it -


Can anyone say core trouble? I knew I had some soft spots on the cap.. I will tackle this project later.


Cut out the Ice boxes - Below I scraped some of the foam that is in the inside corners. Water is standing in a recess under the deck just to the right of the exposed foam.
You can reach your hand in there and feel it. The starboard side is dry as a bone. Is there some sort of drain that might be clogged???


Here is a little cleaner shot of the factory thru-hull transducer??
Also a lot of other transom jobs I have seen pics of have two stringers instead of the single stringer in the center that my boat has?


It is a B**ch getting that wood out of the bottom of the transom..


Another question - the inner skin (which is all I have left) is very thin. Should I just cut that out or try and bond my new plywood to it??

Thanks for the responses.. Jack

[Scott]

Jack
If I recall I think Capt Chuck heard direct from either Hermco or B Potter that the center stringer in the bilge was reinforcement for trailering. Chuck can confirm that. Several of the boats don’t have that center stringer. Now that little box fabricated into the bottom and stringer …that’s interesting.

Your Bilge drain … that doesn’t look so hot

Great pictures!!!

[ob1jeeper]

FJ,
Thin as the inner skin is, I believe it's important to get a good bond to the core.

I made a core template then dry fitted each core piece, then bonded the layers of core material together, outside the boat. I then dry-fitted the bonded core, trimming as required, then clamped it in place.

Since you have your bracket, I would also dry-fit it, while the core is clamped / dry-fitted into place. Mark and drill the bracket holes in the core & inner skin, and use these holes as well to clamp it all together.

Additionally, I marked and drilled the inner skin in an approx 4" grid, (in the "reachable areas").

Then when it as all dryfitted and ready for resin, I slathered both pieces liberally, set the core in place, used the bracket holes with large washers, to clamp it in place, and finsished it off using 3/4" screws with fender washers, in every other previously drilled inner skin hole, to "clamp" the inner skin to the new core.

While that was curing, I fabbed the outer skin replacemment, dry fitted & pre-drilled it for the bracket holes, and before mounting it, again drilled the skin on an approx 4-6" square pattern, and secured it with 3/4" screws (& fender washers) to the core in the alternate holes to allow the excess resin and air pockets to escape from the un-used holes.

When it all set up, I removed the screws & fender washers, then back-filled the holes. The inners I simply sealed up with a 2" square patch of resin soaked glass as no one is going to see them anyway, and the excess holes in the outer skin was an easy grind, fair fill, & level before final finishing.

Hope this wasn't too confusing...

[warthog5]

Warthog - I like the idea of a thru-hull X-ducer.. How do they perform at speed?

The one I have installed in a 25ft Mako was outstanding at any speed. It painted a pretty pix on a 600L
Jim say's he has sold a whole bunch of them now.