Water getting in.........

sogood

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May 11, 2016
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361
Yes, an Irishman passing through U.S. security was stopped and questioned. "Do you have a criminal record? " asked the guard. "Why?" answered the Irishman " Do I still need one?"
 

sogood

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May 11, 2016
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Not a whole lot to report, except that I have both transom boards cut along with all my glass. Yesterdays weather wasn't great, so I headed off to my supplier and picked up all my glass fibre and resin. Hopefully it will clear up enough tomorrow to allow me to do any last grinding and prepping on the boat, so I can start rebuilding. I also have to cut out the small end sections of the "stringers" that run from the ends of the motor mounts to the transom and then rebuild them once the transom is sorted. So, getting there. watch this space...…………...
 

sogood

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May 11, 2016
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The weather here is really fighting me. Every time I get togged out in overalls, woolly hat, face mask/respirator, protective goggles, set up the extension lead, gather the appropriate tool together, the rains come! But I've persevered and have almost all the cleaning/grinding done on the boat. Just some bits of the stringers to cut out in readiness for my new transom boards, both of which have been coated in resin to help seal them. Crazy winds blowing today, along with the accompanying rain, so I'm indoors...……..

The forecast shows Monday to be a really good day, which is when I have a hospital appointment at 1.30. two hours away! So that's Monday pretty well accounted for. Typical! But hey, it is what it is and things can only get better. I'm happy with the results so far and confident that it will be a better boat for the effort.
 

Rick Stephens

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Aug 13, 2013
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I hear ya! Same kind of problem here, only different project. I'm building a mobile welding truck. Taking my old Chevy flatbed truck and redoing it. Took the bed off and stripped the paint and started building tank racks and in-bed water tank with wash down pump, etc, preparatory to painting the bed. Then had to strip the paint off the cab as well, since it has Chevy paint that is peeling (sorry, but I repeat myself). I'm finding that I prefer temperatures over 20 degrees in the shop. And doing paint work under 50 is impossible. Did you know you have to pull the front fenders all the way off the truck to remove the fender flares on a 2000 year truck?

Getting tired of temps in the teens day after day. Been a cold couple months here

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sogood

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May 11, 2016
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That looks like an interesting project, and it's nice to have a big enough building to work in. Unfortunately, my
"man cave/shed" won't take my boat comfortably and access is a bit of a pain. One thing I don't have to contend with is snow! Our temperatures here have been a little bit unseasonably mild with averages of about 60. It's just that we've hardly had a day free from rain. But the forecast is showing an improvement, so watch this space. Regarding your fender removal, I've been there too often. Some things are just built by sadists!
 

sogood

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Todays weather was great, sunny and dry, so I got a good bit done. I'm ready to start fitting my new transom, which I intend to start tomorrow, weather permitting. I also investigated the rot in the old stringers and engine mounts, all of which will have to be replaced. I intend to run the new engine mounts the full length of the bilge, tying into the transom, unlike the current set up, where they reduce in size and separate into two small stringer type set ups. Why it was done like that originally,I don't know. I'm hoping to cut the gel/glass from the top of the mounts, as shown in the picture and install the new wood inside the cavity, properly glassed etc.

I'll be replacing the stringers that run parallel to the mounts by approaching them like the transom. Cut away the surface gel/glass and fit new marine ply, glass it all in and run it full length also, tying it into the transom.

Any thoughts or opinions appreciated. Engine mount end_LI.jpgEngine mount rot.jpg
 

sogood

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Like the Sinatra song "All the way" or as least as far as I drilled, to within about 18" of the furthest end. That's where they meet a stringer running across from side to side. That checks out ok.
 

Rick Stephens

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Like the Sinatra song "All the way" or as least as far as I drilled, to within about 18" of the furthest end. That's where they meet a stringer running across from side to side. That checks out ok.

That's a good nuff reason to drink some extra tequila and celebrate. Have fun. Nasty messy itchy part of the job almost done. Can start laying in glass.
 

sogood

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Yesterday was a day of my life I'll never get back. A 3 hour round trip to see a doctor who took my blood pressure and listened to my chest. That will be €130.00 Thank you very much. And I still have to go back for a "stress test". I wasn't stressed until I visited him!! But all that faded away today, as I worked in glorious sunshine, and hardly a cloud in the sky.

I cleaned up the transom area, and coated same in resin, laid in my first layer of glass, gave my first transom board it's second coat of resin and clamped it in place. So, the transom reconstruction has actually started. Feel like I'm turning a corner. I've left it all clamped up to set fully overnight and tomorrow I'll lay in the second board, using the same resin and glass sandwich and then it's just a case of layering up the glass.

While it was setting and hardening, I made a trip to the harbour and met up with my friend to do another fitting for his cover. Took some measurements, made some marks, drew a little sketch and then back home to do some more work on it. Not a big deal as the harbour is only a 3 minute drive from home. I'll be alternating between his cover and my glass work and tomorrows weather forecast is for another great day. Perfect for resin, dry and warm.

Some pics, including one where you can see the ends of the engine mount/stringer, that for some reason reduces down from it's original 7" x "4, down to two little stubby sections running side by side. I've already cut these back for access to the transom and will be running the new engine mount/ stringer all the way up to the transom, but maintaining it's full dimensions all the way along its' length.
New transom board 1.jpgNew transom board 2.jpg
 

Rick Stephens

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That looks great. Pretty plywood. We don't have much that looks that nice. One thing to watch carefully is that your keyhole area stays completely parallel. It needs to be close. And it is easy to pull a wave in the glass part of the transom with the clamps.
 

sogood

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Thanks for the input. That's marine ply and yes, it's almost too nice to bury it under a ton of fibreglass!
 

Willyclay

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The link below will get you to an "Installation Drawing" in the Mercruiser FAQ's for 1992-2001 Alpha Gen II drives that shows the transom thickness "parallel" specs in Note#3 mentioned by member Rick Stephens in his Post#19. I could not find the same specs for your year or Gen I. I believe they are the same but an expert, which I am not, needs to verify the specs before you try to install the drive. Good luck!

https://samerwebapp01apncus01.azure...27-b6c0-5366cc9f4b8b/alphagenii_1992-2001.pdf
 

sogood

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Thanks for that. The tolerance for the transom inner/outer parallel seems to be 1/8" which I'm fine with. It's well within that at the moment and I'll keep checking it as I lay on glass. Which is where I am now! The second transom board is fitted, and tabbed in. It also got the resin and glass sandwich treatment and is tabbed in. Time overtook me and I didn't get any glass on the outside of it, which is a shame as the weather has turned (again) and is damp and misty. It rained a bit last night and the transom board got damp, although it's covered up, so I'll have to wait for things to dry out and warm up again before I continue.
A question for the experts. On the old transom, at each top corner of the keyhole, there was a deep recessed sort of countersink. You can see one of them, coloured white, in the attached picture. What are they for and are they needed? I looked at the back side of the inner transom plate and there are no lumps, bumps or shapes at all that might relate to these recesses. Another thing I noticed is the fact that the same inner transom plate has a sort of curve on it, in that it's not totally flat, so how does it sit flush and snug against the inner transom? Is it supposed to? I didn't notice anything unusual about it when I removed it, so any thoughts appreciated.

As to the engine mounts/stringers that I wanted to run full size all the way to the transom, as opposed to the stepped reduction that they presently have, I began some head scratching as to why they reduced in size at all. I figured it's to facilitate something on the engine, perhaps giving better access. So a closer look at the engine, on it's stand, reveals the bell housing area swells out somewhat and dips below the level of the engine mounts. So it seems that this is why it's built that way. looks like I'll have to replace like with like, but in a tidier, stronger way. Some relevant measurements should help. I don't have the means to drop the engine in for dry fitting/ testing etc. so I'll just work around that. And a picture of the second transom board, in place, tabbed in, with some screws in place to keep it pulled together. When I took my clamps etc. away, everything stayed put with no movement or pulling. Getting there...... Transom board 2.jpg
Transom 2.jpg
 

chevymaher

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Mar 29, 2017
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On mine the stringer reductions were for the fill and vent tubes on the gas tank
 

Rick Stephens

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The relief cuts at the top of the keyhole are clearance for the steering arm. I used a hole saw to cut mine, but I got to do it sitting on sawhorse. I laminated my 2 sheets of ply with PB before installing in the boat in one piece.
 

mickyryan

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Apr 18, 2016
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i used a drum sander on mine at top because i was doing poured in transom.
 

sogood

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May 11, 2016
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Thanks for that guys. It won't be an issue to cut out the recesses as I haven't gotten any glass on the board yet. Rain has put paid to any progress for the moment and it's not looking good for the weekend. Any thoughts on the curve in the inner transom plate. I can't see how it will fit flush when it's mounted and I'm dubious about putting any strain on it when bolting it down. Thanks again.
 

sogood

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May 11, 2016
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I'm still alive but the weather has gone downhill since my last post. Cold and wet with temps down around 40 at the best, with a wind chill factor thrown in to make it even colder. So no more glassing for now, although the inner transom is under wraps just to keep it dry. No change until the weekend, by which time I'll be away working. Otherwise, I'm still wondering about the aforementioned "curve" on the inner transom plate.
Any thoughts on this?
And to chevymaher, thanks for the input but my fuel and vent lines are at the opposite ends of the stringer/engine mounts. In fact the don't get anywhere near them. The odd shape is to facilitate the bulge created by the bell housing/flywheel area. Thanks in advance.
 
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