1977 Sylvan Sea Monster Side Console Rebuild

[oldrem]

Finally finished rebuilding the carb today. If the forecast is right we might actually have temps above freezing next weekend, so hoping to get the motor wheeled back into the garage to put it back together. This winter is hitting this old man hard. Been fighting Plantar Fasciitis for the last 6 weeks and having to clear snow over and over (snowed here 4 of the last 5 days). I'm plum worn out. At least I'm able to keep up with everyone elses progress. Learning a lot and anxious to get on with some actual boat work.

 

[Watermann]

Oh yeah I hobbled around for almost 2 years with that before it went away, that PF is seriously painful and it hangs on.

 

[oldrem]

Instead of working on the outboard this weekend I decided to make lifting it safer. After using my engine hoist to take it off the stand last weekend to widen the stand, I found it was now impossible to safely use the hoist anymore. To put is back on the stand I had to set the stand on the hoist supports, lower the motor on the stand (cockeyed) then slide the stand with the motor on it off the hoist.
Got me thinking and drawing this week. The end result - I just finished building a 1 ton gantry in the car port and tested it with a 450lb load which showed zero deflection in the beam. I feel safe now.

 

[Watermann]

Good thinking there, man handling those motors is risky business.

 

[oldrem]

Decided Monday that the gantry needed a trolley to be more functional. I drew one up, ordered 4 flange bearings (each has a load rating of 4700 lbs) and 2 pieces of cold roll steel. Stopped at Menards and picked up some grade 8 nuts bolts and washers, steel tubing (for spacers) and paint.

I got it finished this morning and installed this afternoon. Tested it with a 500lb load and it glides so nice. Also shortened the chain on the hoist so it wasn't dragging on the concrete.

 

[oldrem]

Finally had some warm weather when I got home from work tonight. Still can't get the slot head bolts out of the rear pedestal. The few I've gotten to turn seem to also be turning the nuts, so will have to wait until I remove the decking. Carpet has been coming out fairly well, not leaving too much glue behind.

The rear section of the old deck actually seems solid - will be interesting to see what it looks like underneath. The center section is definitely bad. One way or another I'll at least have some good templates. Got some of the screws out of the first section of the raised deck, but have had to drill heads on several of them.

Couldn't work very late due to getting swarmed by mosquitoes. I think they're going to be bad this year with all the rain we've had.

 

[chevymaher]

Good yo see your getting to do something.

 

[kcassells]

Great! Get while it's there. Hopefully it'll jump in temps to a consistent workable temp. Get the deck out.. no temps needed for that!
You go Cowboy!

 

[Watermann]

Angle grinder with cut off works great for zipping the heads off the deck rivets, as drilling they start spinning.

 

[oldrem]

Angle grinder with cut off works great for zipping the heads off the deck rivets, as drilling they start spinning.

Good to know now - was going to drill. Dug out my old grinder - after looking at that rear deck section in better light this morning, it will also be replaced with new so gouging it with the grinder will be fine. Anything to make it go faster with the limited time I have to work.

 

[oldrem]

Had 2 hours to work on it tonight. Pulled the rear deck section and the small portion of the raised deck. Disassembled the steering and pulled the console. Pulled most of the old wiring.

Drilled out the rivets for the large section of the raised deck and removed all the screws I could find. Seems loose, but still won't slide out. I suspect some pieces of rivet, but got too dark out to pursue it tonight.

One thing that surprised me was the lack of any foam and no signs of any ever being there.

Please pardon the fuzzy photos, I was losing light and really needed to eat.

 

[mickyryan]

maybe a prior po gutted it and rebuilt it?

 

[oldrem]

maybe a prior po gutted it and rebuilt it?

Very possible since it's 41 years old. If someone did remove the foam though they did one heck of a job. Absolutely no signs of any residue anywhere so far. I'll definitely be putting some foam board in it later before I re deck.

 

[Watermann]

I can see there's some dimensional lumber sticking out from under the bow deck section, definitely not factory. Someone has been there before you and left out the foam.

 

[kcassells]

Well look at it this way .....you don't have to deal with the foam removal aspect so you're a step closer.

 

[oldrem]

Well look at it this way .....you don't have to deal with the foam removal aspect so you're a step closer.

Yep, definitely feeling lucky so far Digging the sopping wet rock hard foam out of the Ouachita wasn't fun.

 

[oldrem]

What a difference a day makes. Last 2 days was upper 70's when I got home - tonight 45 and drizzling. By the time I quit it was 43 and pouring buckets. At least all the old decking is out now. I think I'll start removing the inside trim off the gunnels next so I can get rid of the rest of that nasty carpet.

What's the easiest way to remove the remaining pieces of rivet left after pulling the deck? I'm afraid I'l kneel in the wrong spot and end up with a rivet in my knee.

 

[BWR1953]

What a difference a day makes. Last 2 days was upper 70's when I got home - tonight 45 and drizzling. By the time I quit it was 43 and pouring buckets. At least all the old decking is out now. I think I'll start removing the inside trim off the gunnels next so I can get rid of the rest of that nasty carpet.

What's the easiest way to remove the remaining pieces of rivet left after pulling the deck? I'm afraid I'l kneel in the wrong spot and end up with a rivet in my knee.

I put one section of the deck back in that I could move around to provide a stable work platform.

 

[Watermann]

Cut the head off the rivets and punch them down inside the ribs, you can use a shop vac to suck them back out from the tops of the ribs if they won't come out of the limber holes.

 

[oldrem]

Had a few hours after work today, so I drilled a ton of rivets to remove the inner gunnel trim, cut off all the standing rivet studs left from the decking, removed all the nuts and bolts from the 4 cleats and the rub rail channel and started removing dried rotted carpet from the bow and gunnels.

Wish I had a video running while I was working to catch the red fox that trotted through along the fence right in front of me.

A friend stopped over with his Sportsman 500 ATV for me to start tearing down to replace a bad carb, so started on that and should be done tomorrow so I can get back on the boat.