Stringer/Transom area question

[JohnB]

I started the "pull apart" this morning on a 23 Sceptre, in preperation of a bracket and closed transom. This boat must of been built on New Years Day, ugggghh, it's ugly.

When I pulled the floor up, I noticed that one of the 2 pieces that are mounted just inside the stringers had broken loose. These are close to 3' long each, on each side, about 8" wide, and 5" high. The other side was barely hanging on, it took me about 2 min to pry it loose. From the looks of things, they have been loose for many years. The kicker is they weighed at least 75 pounds each, and were solid/hard. This piece sits just inside of the stringers, and at one time might of been foam???

Question, are these structural, and do I need to put something back in their place. I don't think they have been doing anything but adding weight to the back of the boat for many years. I like the idea of having the extra room for the new in floor fish box, and leaving them out, but I want to make sure they weren't there for any structural purpose. The only thing I could think of, was maybe the live well rest on top of them??? to give support?

This is the second time this month I have run into this. Saw it on a Savage earlier this month. These were put in after the hull and stringers were laid up, and after they shot the inside of the hull with gel-coat. They did not prep the glass before they shot gelcoat/paint on the inside, and the gelcoat gave way, and everything popped loose. The stringer is also loose on the port side, and I am going to have to pull the gas tank to fix it, and check the other side. They did a lousy job of glassing it to begin with, I will shoot some pictures. Also, all the wood underneath the gas tank, and the wood in the back of it is shot. The gas tank seems to be wider than the clearance through the cap. Has anyone run into this? do you tilt it up on it's side to get it out?

I can't wait to see what the transom looks like inside

[strick]

John- I think you are referring to the battery boxes in your description.

http://www.casdvm.com/photos/SeaCraf...ttery%20boxes/

They are non structural and can be removed. Cant remember how my fuel tank came out but I think it was a tight fit also.

strick

[JohnB]

Thanks for the reply,
Battery boxes in the bilge, hmmmmm... that's what they call those.

I will shoot a picture tomorrow, I am planning on leaving them out, they didn't do anything for years, if it hasn't broke in half by now, it probably won't. These actually weighed over 70 pounds each. One broke loose and k/oed my raw wash down pump. I am just glad it didn't knock off one of the sea cocks, and sink the boat.

[strick]

Yea thats exactly what I thought when I discovered them thanks to Scott our senior member. He turned mo on the the fact that they looked rotten and should investigate. It is one of the few places you will find plywood in your Seacraft. I guess SeaCraft thought it was a good idea during those years to place the battery's in the bilge near the fuel tank

Strick

[JohnB]

strick,
Thanks, more room for the fish box. I like my batteries "above" deck. I am looking at doing something like what Capt Chuck did on his with the in-floor box. With those out of the way, it should make for a good size box. The hard part will be fabricating a lipped/sealed opening with a drain. I am hopping I can find something premade/used.

[JohnB]

I am getting ready to pull the gas tank. The plywood underneath gave way on one side, which now has the gas tank wedged in the foam. Anyone have a trick or 2 to extract it? At looks like the gas tank is wider than the opening. Do they tilt on the side? Also, when the gas tank decided to wedge, it looks like it separated the stringer on the port side from the bottom of the hull. I will be reinforcing both sides.

As for the transom, I am looking at a composite core. It looks like most of the boats redone on here used plywood. Has anyone recored a transom using composite? If so, what type and lamination schedule did you use. The only down side I can see to compostite, is putting screws in. They don't bite into the foam like they do wood. Anyone have experience with this?

[WillyC]

I used coosa board for my transom. It was the blue water series and 1 1/2 inch thick. Good stuff - very easy to work with. I first reinforced the corners (hull sides and bottom) with two layers of 1708 tape. Then two layers of 1708 over the remaining transom skin. Then glued the new core to the reinforced skin. Following that I used a layer of 1708, 2408, and 1708 respectively. Finally I added a knee to the center stringer and tied the stringers back into the transom. Everything is solid now and new motor should be going on soon.

[Old'sCool]

I used coosa board for my transom. It was the blue water series and 1 1/2 inch thick. Good stuff - very easy to work with. I first reinforced the corners (hull sides and bottom) with two layers of 1708 tape. Then two layers of 1708 over the remaining transom skin. Then glued the new core to the reinforced skin. Following that I used a layer of 1708, 2408, and 1708 respectively. Finally I added a knee to the center stringer and tied the stringers back into the transom. Everything is solid now and new motor should be going on soon.

Would you post some pictures??

[1bayouboy]

I was planning using that as well....it comes in a couple of grades (weights). It's more expensive than marine plywood and comes in various thickness from 1/4" to 1 1/2". Essentially its polyurethane foam impregnated with glass fiber....
http://www.coosacomposites.com/bluewater.html
and sample prices...

sample price list

[JohnB]

I will be doing some research next week, and post what I find.