1976 Montego 16- The "Free" Puppy

[ShoestringMariner]

That’s a pretty cool glasser and worth a resto! Looking forward to following your build thread

 

[ratdude747]

They were out of outdrive oil pumps though... no worry there, I'll order online or get from another Menards on my next adventure.

Obtained today... I was impatient. If time/weather permit, I'll see what I can do this week after work.

 

[ratdude747]

Will do when weather permits. Not sure what to look for without cutting the whole thing down... The wood under the back seat cushion was good. As was everything in the engine compartment/bilge. Somewhere I have a moisture checker (like home inspectors use)... but goodness knows what I did with it and if it works.

Took a look this evening while I had the opportunity (installing some new carb gaskets).

Looks like there has been moisture there before.... As the carpet is peeled. But it's all glass coated and painted black like the rest of the boat:



(Shot at the back where the floor bows a bit)

The lid to the ski locker is wood. Latch tongue is rusty but the black paint is still good.

Looks crunchy in this pic... But in person it's hard to tell. There was a set of kinda rotten junior wood skis in there and a lot of the debris looks like it came off them.

Well... Good news or bad news?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Don't think the black is paint

 

[ratdude747]

Don't think the black is paint

Same shade as the fiberglass... there and in the bilge. Didn't leave marks on my fingers either.

In any case, what would I do from here, short of chopping the entire interior to pieces as an "exploration"? The only non-glassed wood I've found is deckboards and the back of the rear seat. Back of the seat is also painted/stained black.

 

[ratdude747]

Same shade as the fiberglass... there and in the bilge. Didn't leave marks on my fingers either.

In any case, what would I do from here, short of chopping the entire interior to pieces as an "exploration"? The only non-glassed wood I've found is deckboards and the back of the rear seat. Back of the seat is also painted/stained black.

Just heard back from the friend, who told me this:

"It sat up at tall timbers marina uncovered for 6 weeks once and got rained in. Soft spot was noticed the following summer. Circa 2008. I highly doubt it's that bad. It's sat in that dry barn most of it's life."

Well... guess that explains the floor. That said, the incident was 15 years ago and it ran another 5 years (and sat for another 10) without progressing... maybe OK as long as I keep an eye out for further issues?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Floors rot after the transom and stringers

 

[ratdude747]

Floors rot after the transom and stringers

And... what do I do?

The transom is solid as far as I can tell (I did look when I was working back there on the trim electronics and the fuel filler)... Other than some surface cracking around some of the screw holes (stern light and fuel filler, both had good wood underneath the gel coat), everything back there are solid and when manually tugging on the outdrive, I observed no flex. I do not recall seeing any cracking around the outdrive mount points or transom loops. I'll hammer test it later (just looked that up).

And I've noticed no other floor issues aside from the back of the ski locker. And at 350lbs, if there was another soft spot, I'd feel it.

No, it's not perfect. In an ideal world I'd be gutting the interior to put down fresh wood. However, that's not in the cards at the moment. Maybe later if/when I get it otherwise usable (and decide it's worth keeping/maintaining)... but if it's solid enough for the moment, I don't see the point in stalling the whole project.

 

[airshot]

Drill some test holes into that glassed over wood. That inside wood is probably rotted. If rhe wood shavings cone out dry and wood colored, your good, but if the wood shavings are damp, wet and discolored, then you have weal rotted structure. Unfortunately rhis is what happens on old glassers, they look good but the rotted structure makes the hull weak and can create a major disaster when going across the water at speed or when a wave is hit. Looking out for your safety !! Been around boats for well over 60 years, not being critical but odds are not in your favor by a loooong ways....Sorry....

 

[ratdude747]

Drill some test holes into that glassed over wood. That inside wood is probably rotted. If rhe wood shavings cone out dry and wood colored, your good, but if the wood shavings are damp, wet and discolored, then you have weal rotted structure. Unfortunately rhis is what happens on old glassers, they look good but the rotted structure makes the hull weak and can create a major disaster when going across the water at speed or when a wave is hit. Looking out for your safety !! Been around boats for well over 60 years, not being critical but odds are not in your favor by a loooong ways....Sorry....

Will do.

Another point of note... the "soft" spot isn't mushy. More, springy. Not like a lot of the "soft floor" youtube videos I've seen.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Go here. https://forums.iboats.com/threads/how-tos-and-other-great-information.283508/

Read links 14, 15, 18, 2, 3 , 4a, and 4b in their entirety

 

[ratdude747]

Kinda rainy today... But I was able to do a bit of hammer testing on the transom.

Didn't find anything super dull. maybe a bit of a sound change near the outdrive hole, but still bounced the hammer no problem.

Good news?

 

[Scott Danforth]

hammer testing doesnt work.

 

[ratdude747]

hammer testing doesnt work.

Not sure how I can do drill test back there. I can't access the lower transom from the inside without pulling the motor, not something I am equipped to do. Nor am I a fan of drilling the gel coat below the waterline...

 

[alldodge]

Drilling is done on the inside using about 1/4 bit with tape on it so you don't go to deep

Not being able to get to the transom makes it bad

 

[redneck joe]

Take the screws out of what appears to be an old transducer mount.

If water come out , bad.
Drill hole slightly larger and describe / show us the wood that comes out.

Put appropriate sized larger screws back in. Use lots of 4200.

 

[redneck joe]

Just heard back from the friend, who told me this:

"It sat up at tall timbers marina uncovered for 6 weeks once and got rained in. Soft spot was noticed the following summer.

Six weeks one time out in the rain wont cause a soft spot unless there was something else wrong.

Get a moisture meter

 

[ratdude747]

Plan is to get a moisture meter after Christmas.

I think the hose back there is supposed to be the pitot tube for the Speedo. But it doesn't look like one.

 

[redneck joe]

Yeah prob right. Cut it. If cracked inside the boat then that could be a cause if rot issues . And could be pretty localized if that is what has happened.

 

[ratdude747]

As promised, I obtained a moisture meter. Attached is what it says about the transom.

At the fuel filler (known to be very dry) I'm getting about 4.5%. This jumps up to 8% below the bumper, gradually increasing up to a peak of 11.5% at the bilge plug. Also of note is that both swim steps are around 5%

Yes it is technically wetter at the bottom... But not to the point of being "Wet"?

One other thing... Yep the hose is for a pitot tube. Which is probably in the glove box now that I remember. Probably something installed once one is on the water?