Salvagefirst's 23

[Captn C]

That is my high school sweet heart holding her Warsaw. We plan to marry this fall after being apart for 25 years. That was her first offshore fishing trip! She is quite a fishing machine! Since that trip she has hooked (but got cut off on the engines) the only Mako Shark I've see in 30 years of offshore fishing, she caught the largest Black Drum ever caught on any of my boats (see picture below, her first Barracuda, her first Amberjack and Red Snapper!

She is also hangs in there to clean the boat, make new leaders and help with repairs!

BTW- Yes she does have a sister, but she is already married! LOL

[Ntrain2k]

My deck was loose too on my 25' SeaCraft.....When I go in to do major surgery I may pull it all apart the same way. I'm know it's not held together like it should be.

Ntrain2k,

Did you get a chance to view my pictures? I havn't heard back from you on them. I know I forgot to measure the transom....Sorry about that! Too busy fishing.

Sorry Captn C, wasn't looking here to see your reply.

Your repairs actually look first rate. Please do measure that transom for me and get back.

[Finster]

Picture update.

[Finster]

Les, whats the latest??

[salvagefirst]

its been well below 70 degrees all this week and u.s. composites lost half my epoxy, finally came friday. took some 1/2 tubing wrapped it in wax paper than added glass and resin, made me 2 nice tubes im going to put through the stringers for drains.I hope to get a good start on the transom this week, still unsure of the height yet,30 inch motors are not as popular as 25 and cost more. Les

[FELLOW-SHIP]

Salvagefirst
Don’t think, don’t count the cost, don’t do anything BUT GO WITH A 30” TRANSOM AND A 30” SHAFT. Trust me on this one.
FellowShip [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[salvagefirst]

How about a walk thru on the transom rebuild. Im doing it from the inside, ive removed the skin, cutout the old wood, then im going to clean it up with the grinder. Do i need to lay any new glass between the old glass skin and new plywwod or just resin? Im using 2 sheets of 3/4 marine plywood since i have good supply available. im only 3 miles from the C-Hawk boat plant here in NC. what weight glass to finish the transom out with ,1708,1808,? And do i need to put anything other than resin between the two sheets of ply? Les

[FELLOW-SHIP]

Ha Les
I came in from the inside like you when I did my boat and I also used marine grade ¾ plywood as you are.
I measured the thickness of my old outside skin and it was not as thick as I liked it so I added two layers of glass to that wall building out to about 5/16 of a inch maybe 3/8 of a inch. Then I used the glue and screw method with thickened epoxy to lay the first layer of plywood I beveled the edges of the plywood to get to fit correctly and after it started to harden I used a putty knife with pennant butter thickened epoxy squeezing it into the gap all around the edges of the first wall of plywood. Then I did the same thing with the second ¾ sheet of plywood using thickened epoxy glue and screw method.
What you do First it to brush on regular epoxy on both sides of the job either fiberglass wall and one side of the plywood or if you are on the second sheet of plywood brush on regular epoxy on the two sides that tough each other then mix up mayonnaise thickened epoxy and use one of those trawls that look like a comb with ridges and apply your thickened resin after that use clamps and screws to hold together. Let it dry and then go on with the second layer of plywood and the pennant butter around the edges. Then add at least ¼ to 3/8 layers of glass on the outside tying it to the hull at least 6” overlap I added several extra approx 8x12 lap over’s all around the plywood to the walls of the hull. Then add at least 1 to 3 knees to add additional support. And then it’s Budweiser time.
FellowShip [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[warthog5]

Something that you may want to think about before you install the plywood. Depending on the thichness of the transom cap. Cut the camber into the top edge of the plywood and make it say 1/2in or 3/4in shy of the top of your existing transom top glass.
This will give you a ledge for the top cap to sit on and conform easier. I used 3/4in Kledgecell for my top cap. I laid it in a mold and glassed the bottom side. As I found out the mold wasn't really nessissary. It will conform with glass on just one side.
Seacraft's have a little more camber in the transom cap than I like. On an 8ft beam boat. The transom will a little narrower. I like the center 1 1/2in higher than the sides. This allows an easy surface to walk on and if your going to install any kind of hatch's it will be a little easier to make them conform.
http://www.classicmako.com/projects/xshark/bw4.htm

[salvagefirst]

Fellow-Ship ,what are u using to thicken the epoxy, cabosil, microballons? I hate to buy more epoxy ive allready got 4 gallons of 635 thin from US composites. I still need to order more cloth, what type did you use? Thanks, Les