Lowe fish n ski remodel

[BackBreaka]

Hi All,
Been searching and reading about transom repairs and stern of boat remodels.

Anyone have any experience with a 1989 Lowe Fish n Ski - it is 17.5 ft long.

What I am interested in doing is:

1. replace transom
2. possibly raise transom to accept a 25" outboard (that I already purchased)
3. replace splash well, battery compartment and live well area with a better casting deck.

Advice is appreciated, experience needed.

Thanks for your Comments
Richard

 

[BackBreaka]

Re: Lowe fish n ski remodel

Hi All,

I was hoping I might have gotten some comments.....

Perhaps I didnt ask the right questions....

Does anyone have any suggestions on whether or not it is recommended to raise the transom an extra 5"?? If so what can you recommend or can you steer me in a direction where it may have already been done.

I am trying to figure out how to skin the raised wood portion of the transom and if I should add some aluminum gussets to the splash to well help brace the increased height.

Thanks,
Richard

 

[crkranz]

Re: Lowe fish n ski remodel

Hi All,


I am trying to figure out how to skin the raised wood portion of the transom and if I should add some aluminum gussets to the splash to well help brace the increased height.

I have thought about this too and the part that stopped me was the skin. If I did it I was going to patch in the new area with alum. the same thickness as existing then apply (weld/screw) another sheet big enough to at least cover the patch in area and overlap the joint.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Lowe fish n ski remodel

So you bought an extra long shaft motor and want to use it on that boat? How many hp is the motor?

You can do it and it wouldn't be that hard but it'll take some work and rigging.

You'll have to cut new transom wood and install it, and raise the splashwell for support/bracing. The skin won't be that hard, you'll just have to lap the new skin over the old skin... a couple of inches should do it.

Cutting down and raising the splashwell will be the hardest part, and you may need additional (taller) transom braces on the inside of the transom. Pictures of what you have to work with below the splashwell would help to figure this out.

 

[eboat85]

Re: Lowe fish n ski remodel

Richard, looks like your transom is a similar set up as mine. The wood is just below your lower mount and the pressure from the engine on a soft transom has twisted the board and creased in the skin. Like Jig said, it would be a interesting to see what is under the splash well. Eric

 

[BackBreaka]

Re: Lowe fish n ski remodel

the motor is a 115 hp

attached is some photos from down in the splash well....

from the outside of the transom it looks like the bracing (gussets) inside the splash well are riveted right through the transom along with about 6 screws midway down tying into the splash well area....

thanks Richard

 

[eboat85]

Re: Lowe fish n ski remodel

Richard, that looks like a different assembly plan than what I have found one my boats.

Once you start to disassemble the structure I would suggest posting specific questions and pictures as you go and those on here that have the knowledge will be able to help guide you. I doubt you will find anything that someone hasn't already worked on.

Good luck and enjoy the process.

 

[Teamster]

Re: Lowe fish n ski remodel

I think I would use a jack plate to raise the motor,.....

 

[BackBreaka]

Re: Lowe fish n ski remodel

I already have a jack plate on it, but even then the motor is on the top hole and the jack plate is up the max 5". The motor in this position is "floppy" so to speak when using the tilt, but maybe that is because the transom is weak. Perhaps just a new transom core at existing height would take the flimsiness out of it, but I do not know.

Does the motor need to be that High up in the first place, I was just mounting it that high because reading online the cavitation plate is supposed to be level with the bottom of the boat (keel). - Comments needed....

There is also a fair bit of porpoising when getting up on plane.

I was thinking that raising the transom and maybe using aluminum gussets through the raised bolt holes and mounting to existing splash well might work. Perhaps it is much more complicated. I have to ultimately get the motor off first and then look at taking out the interior wall to see what is underneath before I can make any judgements.

Will keep posting once I get the job started.

Rich

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Lowe fish n ski remodel

Your boats performance and handling will suffer with a 25" shaft motor, it was designed for a 20" shaft and that's what will work the best... but you can probably make it better than it is now by raising your transom and beefing it up.

A jackplate is only good for about 2 or 3" and after that your performance will suffer when raising it higher because it will get floppy like you said it does. There's just too much torque and thrust for that much leverage.

The way I see it you have 2 options for that motor:

1. Raise and beef up the transom. Raising your transom and motor is going to change the center of gravity both ways, fore and aft and port to starboard on your boat and it's not going to perform or handle like a 20" shaft motor would... but your performance should be a lot better than it is now with the jackplate.

2. Replace the 25" leg with a 20"... this would probably be your best bet if you can find a 20" leg for that motor.