1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

[Decker83]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

Thanks guys for the input. I am going to replace the foam inside the boat under the deck. I am talking about the foam that is on the outside of the transom. In the last pics I took, I have it circled in red. This is a small amout of foam. Its more like a cushion of some type. It really looks like styrofoam with a thin layer of colth and polyresin over it. If anyone has seen this before, please let me know what it is.
Thanks.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

I'm sure it's just filler providing some crush resistance. Replace it with the pink or blue sheet foam.

 

[Decker83]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

Thanks EZ.
I agree with you. I looked at it some more tonight and took some off.
That's all it can be is a filler.

 

[Decker83]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

Built a motor stand for my evinrude 120 hp today. Used the plans here on iboats. Worked out pretty well for me. I had some old 4"X3"X 12' lumber that I used. This stand would probally hold up to engines. O' well it was free wood.
I also took the engine off the boat today... As soon as the bolts were pulled out of the transom, Here comes the water dripping out. I will have to replace it for sure. No telling what the stringers look like. Just hope there is enough to have some type of pattern. Will pull up some of the deck tomorrow. Then I will know. This boat has not been in the lake for 10 years. Strange how it can hold water for so long.

 

[Decker83]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

I pulled 2 sheets of deck off my boat today. I found a ton of foam. It seems to be wet on top and really wet at the bottom.......
The boat manufactur is out of business. How do I tell if all the foam is for floation or if it is for structure. I will replace the foam but I would like to use some of the pink or blue foam in between the pour in type to save on some of the cost.
If I do this and it is a structural foam will it make any difference?
There seems to be keel stringer that's a 2"x4" and a stringer that's 2"x4" about 18" over from the keel and then a 2"x2" that's about 18" from the side of the boat.

 

[rickryder]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

That foam will never dry out....funny how the water just sits in there...

I'm not sure about the foam being structural or not....gonna have to search the Internet for clues Or maybe someone knows for sure and will chime in... Who is the manufacturer and any other info you have.... Model # etc.

 

[Decker83]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

Thanks rickryder.
It's a 1983 Deck Boat. It was made by Deck Boat. It's 18' 7" long. I don't have much more info. When I do a google on it, I come up with everything but what I am looking for. There is one place on iboats that tells me how much it weighs.
This boat has alot of foam.

 

[RIDEPATE]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

"This boat has alot of foam."

That's the statement of the year!!!!!!!! WOW. My guess with that much, that thick, it would have to be structual to some point. IMO.

 

[Decker83]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

Hey Ridepate.
LOL... It is a lot of foam. When I took the first sheet of plywood off, I thought OMG what have I done. The deck or the sole is made from 1/2" plywood. The support under the deck is 2"X2" lumber. There is some 1/2 plywood attached to them like a bulk head but it does not go all the way down to the hull. This foam must give the deck some support. I will make a better support for the deck. My main concern is the hull. How much if any support is for the hull.

 

[Decker83]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

Took some foam out tonight after work. I used a sawzall with a long blade and a prybar. Some of the foam was soaked and part of it was really dry. If the boat manufatcure would have use some limber holes on the stringers, I would not have so much water in the boat. None of the wood uder the deck has any mat or resin on it. It's all rotten. The stringers are covered with woven roven. They sound solid but I will do the drill test when I finish with all the foam.
I will post pics tomorrow. Lot's of foam to remove.

 

[Decker83]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

Here are some pics of some of the foam I removed today. This is only half of the boat.
Some of the foam has already been hauled off this week. Lots of foam still to go. What fun.

 

[Decker83]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

Here are some pics of my oversized motor stand. This was made using 3"x4" lumber.

 

[emoney]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

Looks like you're making really good progress. Couldn't you not replace all the foam, but beef up the structure in place of it? Looks like the manufacturer wanted to use as little framing material as possible, which meant they had to use the foam to give it some feeling of solidity.

 

[Decker83]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

I have finally removed all the old foam from the boat. I couldn't believe how much foam there was. The pics here are just from the last 4' of the bow section that I removed tonight. There is alot of rotting wood in the boat. Most of the rot was in the deck (sole) and just beneath the deck. All of the cross members were 2"x2" and had no fiber glass on them. Where the seams in the deck are, the manufacture put some 1.5 csm glass on top of the cross members and poured poly resin over it and just nailed down the deck.
The stringers were all cover with 1.5 csm and woven roven and they show no signs of rot. Of course I will do the drill test in them when I finish cleaning the hull and removing all of the rotted wood. I already know I need to replace the transom.
I also have my 12'x12' canopy up over the boat. It sure helps with the sun. It is also a pita when the wind get high. The first time I put it up last week, we had some high winds and all the leggs on it bent. Had to make new ones. Took most of a day to do it. I replaced them with some 1" sq tubing that has 14 ga walls. The wind will not bend these leggs but it might tear off the cloth. LOL
More to come as I slowly move along.

 

[Decker83]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

Hey Emoney
I do want to do a better job than the mfg did. I have some ideals but not in detail. I really want to replace as much foam as I can. This boat is 96" wide and mostly flat on the bottom. I fish at Lake Fork most of the time and it is full of tree stumps just below the water line. If I were to hit one and put a large hole in the hull. The foam will stop the water from coming in so fast. This could make the differance of me making it back to the boat dock. I really don't want my wife or my grand children to be swamped in the lake holding on to a sunk boat.

 

[produceguy]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

D83,
Lookin good.
Keep at it my friend.

 

[Decker83]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

Thanks Prodceguy.
Hope I don't get rained out this weekend.

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

I am praying for the same thing. I need dry weather. Lookin good.

 

[Decker83]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

Thanks Jay,
Doesn't look good for Friday or Saturday. But you know here in Texas it can change in 30 minutes.
Really like what your doing on your boat. Waiting to see how capping your stringers goes. All of what you have done looks really great. Really enjoy watching your work and vid's.

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: 1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

Hey Emoney
I do want to do a better job than the mfg did. I have some ideals but not in detail. I really want to replace as much foam as I can. This boat is 96" wide and mostly flat on the bottom. I fish at Lake Fork most of the time and it is full of tree stumps just below the water line. If I were to hit one and put a large hole in the hull. The foam will stop the water from coming in so fast. This could make the differance of me making it back to the boat dock. I really don't want my wife or my grand children to be swamped in the lake holding on to a sunk boat.

Yep, absolutely. I'd replace all the foam as it was.