1996 Stingray 556ZP

[BruceShark]

So like many others during COVID, I decided to buy a boat. After a few weeks of searching I thought I found a good one. Seller was nice and helpful. Provided some good photos of the boat, and was selling at a reasonable price. Having looked at about 5 other boats before this one it seemed like a good deal! PO had it slipped and was willing to give my son and I a ride on the boat! Boat's sell quick here as I had already lost out on 3 additional boats, 2 before I could even contact the seller and one that sold before I could get a second look at it!

I saw the boat at final sale time on a trailer and everything seemed good, took it for a ride the next day with a friend! My friend then commented that the floor under his seat seemed a bit soft. I looked at it and thought "I'll just reenforce it this season and fix the floor over the winter." Then after our fourth time out, and bringing the boat out of the water, I find the worse issue. There is a crack under the sterndrive and it's pushed in.

I'm starting my full discovery, and picking up my first tools for the job. Fortunately HF is only 20 min from the house. I've been lurking on the forums for about 2 weeks reading up on several other successful repairs and I'm hoping that I will be one of them!

 

[kcassells]

Oooppps... time to jump the shark. Ha ha. Anyway looks like a decap and sounds like a rehab. Do some research on decapping a boat, take alot of meas and pics, and build a cradle.
Oh yea read the sticky notes above.

 

[BruceShark]

Appreciated Kcassells! I'm hoping NOT to have to decap her, I saw a similar restore where it was possible to get under the front, so I'm hoping for that. Went to HF today and picked up a cheap grinder and some flap wheels, and a sawsall for cutting into the stringer if needed.

Sadly the local HF didn't have an engine hoist, so I may have to road trip next week to another location for one. Planning on removing the sterndrive tomorrow. Got some 2x6 boards to build a holding frame for it.

 

[kcassells]

Good. At least when you pull it you'll see the condisyion of the transom and utter wood.

 

[Baylinerchuck]

Following along. That transom crack looks pretty severe. I wonder how that happened. That’s going to be a pretty big repair.

 

[chevymaher]

Getting the motor out with a motor hoist is iffy. Buy a block and tackle off of evilbay for 20 something bucks. I did mine without uncapping. It is a pain to gut but worth it to me no to have the added problems. Pick your poison. Perfect joint and struggle gutting. Or easier gutting and struggle with cracking gel coat fitting to parts that no longer fit. To me a better finished product is worth the extra work.

 

[GSPLures]

I like the boat. If you go the HF route for the cherry picker get the 2ton hoist it lifts higher and has a longer reach than the 1 ton. I was able to lift my motor over the side with about 2 inches of clearance. Of course with a different boat and trailer setup it may not work out the same for you.

 

[BruceShark]

Following along. That transom crack looks pretty severe. I wonder how that happened. That’s going to be a pretty big repair.

One of our last outings, we got into shallow water to get on the beach, and backed out. I think we may have hit something then that pushed the stern drive into the transom. I was looking back at photos I’d taken right after buying and I think there was a long crack under the gimbal housing from day one. I also see evidence of a previous repair on the transom, so I think it was poorly repaired at one time.

 

[BruceShark]

Getting the motor out with a motor hoist is iffy. Buy a block and tackle off of evilbay for 20 something bucks. I did mine without uncapping. It is a pain to gut but worth it to me no to have the added problems. Pick your poison. Perfect joint and struggle gutting. Or easier gutting and struggle with cracking gel coat fitting to parts that no longer fit. To me a better finished product is worth the extra work.

Yea, I was thinking and discussing with some friends. I think the beam in my garage should be able to handle it, so I will either do the block and tackle (need to just find one), or it that doesn’t work my neighbor has a bucket loader on their tractor. They have let me borrow it before.

 

[BruceShark]

I like the boat. If you go the HF route for the cherry picker get the 2ton hoist it lifts higher and has a longer reach than the 1 ton. I was able to lift my motor over the side with about 2 inches of clearance. Of course with a different boat and trailer setup it may not work out the same for you.

Thank you! I do like the look and design of the boat overall, only complaint? Carpet. I’m not planning to put that back in though. If the block doesn’t work and the neighbors tractor is out. I will look at the 2 ton hoist. I think I like the other options first though, I don’t have much use for a hoist outside of this project.

 

[Baylinerchuck]

Yea, I was thinking and discussing with some friends. I think the beam in my garage should be able to handle it, so I will either do the block and tackle (need to just find one), or it that doesn’t work my neighbor has a bucket loader on their tractor. They have let me borrow it before.

Harbor freight is where I bought my chain fall. They also have straps and a balancer. I bought lumber and built a gantry that’s was bolted together. I built it custom because my driveway has a decent slant. Once out, I modified a HF furniture dolly and stored it on wheels. HF is a great place for cheap tools you’ll likely not use often.

 

[BruceShark]

Harbor freight is where I bought my chain fall. They also have straps and a balancer. I bought lumber and built a gantry that’s was bolted together. I built it custom because my driveway has a decent slant. Once out, I modified a HF furniture dolly and stored it on wheels. HF is a great place for cheap tools you’ll likely not use often.

I love HF for the cheap tools, I bought a 4.5 in grinder and some flap wheels yesterday. Definitely going to check them out for a chain fall, I think I can attach it to the beam in the photo, once I remove the wood rack behind it. Planning to do that today or tomorrow.

 

[Baylinerchuck]

The Mercruiser outdrive requires a certain thickness transom to mount properly. You’ll have to really grind out that crack on both sides IMO to repair it properly. I don’t remember off hand what that thickness is, I can look it up.

I doubt you would have cracked it that much without knowing it. Especially since there would be major damage to the outdrive. Those transoms are so thick, that must have been a hard hit.....even if the wood was rotted.

 

[BruceShark]

From the reading/research I’ve been doing I think the Alpha One requires 2” to 2 1/8”? I’m planning on grinding out the whole transom on the inside after removing the engine, V’ing the crack on the outside, reinforcing with 1708 inside, filling on the outside to level, and gel coating the whole back.

I’ve been watching Archbuilder’s videos on his SeaCast transom and considering that route to rebuild once the repair is done, if the cost of that is too much then Plywood, resin CSM, and 1708. I’ve been lurking and reading as many rebuilds here in the last two weeks as I can find that are close to what I think needs done.

 

[88 Capri (2022 SOTY)]

It looks like you had the same idea with the 4x4s in the garage. I only have a 2.3 in mine and used a 1/4 ton chain hoist to pull it. Can't see them but I had 4x4s on each side of the boat.

 

[matt167]

I think for it to shift like that and bust the transom inward, it almost had to push the engine forward too, meaning the mounts are probably all rotted..

But for sure that is a pretty nice boat and good to restore

 

[BruceShark]

It looks like you had the same idea with the 4x4s in the garage. I only have a 2.3 in mine and used a 1/4 ton chain hoist to pull it. Can't see them but I had 4x4s on each side of the boat.

88Capri, I’m guessing once you had it up you just pulled the boat forward?

 

[BruceShark]

I think for it to shift like that and bust the transom inward, it almost had to push the engine forward too, meaning the mounts are probably all rotted..

But for sure that is a pretty nice boat and good to restore

Matt I know I have a soft deck on the passenger side and I suspect my stringers are shot. Wouldn’t surprise me to find the motor mounts rotten too. Hoping to have a “new” boat in the future!

tbh I’m thinking myself lucky to find out this way instead of as the water was rising on a cruise.

 

[88 Capri (2022 SOTY)]

Yes Bruce. I had to let the air out of my tires to clear the transom.

 

[Scott Danforth]

you may want better tools than Harbor Freight..... I went thru 4 of their angle grinders before going back to old faithful..... a 1990 vintage craftsman (re-baged dewalt)

also, read the links in the DIY sticky. specifically 14, 15, 18, 2, 3, 4a, and 4b