1983 Deck Boat Transom/deck/stringer replacement Help

[Decker83]

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

Thanks Cadwelder,
That's what I will do...

Got back to the boat today. Pulled out the splash well and the two live wells. I guess that is what they are. Each side had a hole thru the transom to let water in.
The splash well had a support on the bottom side that makes a x shape. Wright in the center of the X is a cut about 1/8" wide and about 12" long. Why would this be necessary???

 

[Decker83]

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

Looking at the transom there is no fillet on them. The fiber glass is curved like it is but i took the end of a cresent wrench and push thur the glass. There was nothing behind the glass in the radius part. You can see this in the 3rd pic. It's where the transom meets the bottom of the hull. The transom has alot of water in it and shows alot of dark spots in the wood. The mfg put some type of black rubber in bottom and part way up the transom.
I did drill a few holes in one of the stringers. It had a good color to it. No signs of rot.
But it did feel a little moist. Will be replacing them also while I'm here.

 

[Decker83]

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

Well I did some more work on the boat. I was able to take out the transom wood. The transom was made in 3 sections. It was 2 sheets of 3/4" plywood. On the port and starbor sides the plywood did not have fiberglass on it. The pic's show the rot. On the middle section it had csm in between the ply and inside. The middle section showed no signs of rot. The end of the stringers were also caped before they were tied into the transom. There is no rot on the main stringers.
I also removed all the bulkheads and cross members today.

 

[Cadwelder]

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

Looking at the transom there is no fillet on them. The fiber glass is curved like it is but i took the end of a cresent wrench and push thur the glass. There was nothing behind the glass in the radius part.

Nothing unusally about that....I've never seen fillets run from the factory, it takes too much production time to do them and you see how long it lasted, I've done restores and put fillets in and some I didn't....never really had a problem either way.

How have you got the hull supported during this restore? Hull become very flimsy when the deck and stringers are removed, and you can easily get a warp in the hull if you're not careful.

 

[Decker83]

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

I have the trailer under it and I have 2"x4" supports that run the lenght of the boat on the outside edges. I did level the bow and the transom before I removed the bulkheads. I think I'm in good shape the boat is still setting level.
Thanks for your imput.

 

[Decker83]

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

Started to do some grinding on the transom today. I do have the proper protection gear. As I was grinding I took out all of the lose glass and wood. I made sure that all the layers of glass that had separated where ground out. Something I did not expect to find was water between some of the layers of glass.
I'm using a 4.5" grinder. It did ok on the transom but I think I will go my 9" grinder on the flat parts of the hull.
I'm really enjoying the itch. (NOT)

 

[Decker83]

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

Hey guys,
Been a few days sence I been here. I had family come in from TN that stayed for a week. Didn't get much done on the boat. Spent alot of time with my two oldest grandson's. Really enjoyed seeing them again.
Did some grinding in the hull. I think that the 7" disk that is a 24 grit does a better job than the flap wheel. The lowest grit I could get on the flap wheel was 40 grit. Also had a problem with the city here. Said I could not use a popup canopy in my driveway. Goes against the city's ordnance. So I moved the boat into my backyard and set up a new 10'x20' canopy. Now I have to reset up the boat for new support and make it level again. Backyard is not the best place to do all of this work. Will get new pics as I go along.

 

[Decker83]

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

Hey guy's.
It's been almost a month since my last post. Weather here has been 100 or above for the last 16 days straight. I'm not like Friscobaoter, can't stay in the heat that long.
I finally have the majority of the grinding done. I still have the stringers to remove, but I wanted to flip the boat over and make new cradle for it. What I had for my driveway will not work for my back yard. (Thanks alot City Codes)
Here is a pic of the 4.5" Dewalt and the 9" Milwaukee. The 3m 24 grit really did a good job on cutting tlhru the glass. I have used about 4 disk so far.

 

[Decker83]

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

I also got the boat flip over today. I used a 4x4 post that I had. I cut a cross bar and made it like a tee. Then I dug a hole in the ground about 2' deep. I just used the dirt from the hole to fill it back in. I also compacted the dirt around the hole. I tilted the post at the top as far back from the boat as I could. I used a com-a-long fastened to the top of the post and a 1.5" eye bolt that was a 1/2" dia. thur the lower transom drain hole. On the bow I used my hoist and fastened it to the eye bolt. I then rasied the boat up about 4 and a half feet off the ground. I was then able to trun the boat by myself. After it was fliped I lowered it to the ground.
Now I need to build a new cradle for it. I have seen several plans here that have given me some ideals. Just not sure how I will do it. Need to level the boat and make sure I support the area for the stringers. With it just sitting on the trailer I could feel all kinds of give in the hull. I will have to come up with something that will set the boat up without any twists and keep it level in my back yard that is NOT level.
Here are some more pics

 

[Decker83]

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

Started to build a cradle for the boat today. Used a 2'x8' x 3/4" peace of plywood to form the first peace for the bow. Used OOPS method of tracing the curved shape. Worked out ok. Have a little sanding to get it right.
Had a little help today. Just couldn't seem to get him to do much. He just keep jumping around all over the yard. Just wouldn't stay still long enough to do anything.
Finally he just went back to his cool shaded hole.
Oh well. So much for all his help. LOL!!!

 

[Woodonglass]

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

Decker,

Nice FLIP!!! Very Unique hull. Looking forward to seeing your cradle design. I really liked mine. Especially having the pneumatic tires so I could easily roll her around when needed. Hang in there with this STINKIN HEAT!!!!

 

[Decker83]

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

Hey Guys,
Been a week or 2 but finally finnished the cradle. I used about 25 2x4's. I supported the keel with a 2x4 running down both sides. I also put a 2x4 for each stringer and one more for the starboard and port. I used a piece of 3/4" plywood to shape the bow and tied in the stern with 2x4's. Used brick layer's line the get everything straight. Once the hull was done I built up from there. I made the upper frame and used 2x4's to make right angles to the hull. Used the lines to make sure all of the 2x4's stayed in place. I then crossed braced the frame. After finnishing the cradle this morning I flipped her over again. Still need to make sure the boat is level and not twisted. After that is done I will cut the stringers lose and start to make a new transom.

 

[Woodonglass]

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

That IS very IMPRESSIVE!!! Should be rock Solid and the Hull Should not FLEX on you at all. GREAT JOB. If the Factory paid this much attention to detail none of us would have to restore these old boats.

 

[ezmobee]

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

That is some serious cradle there. Nice work!

 

[produceguy]

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

If you put as much work in that boat as you did that craddle, Your going to have one nice solid rigg.

 

[Cadwelder]

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

Holy sh**, that is one strong cradle....are you going to make a mold out of it when you're done? I've seen molds that didn't have that good of a base. You shouldn't have any flex problems with that one.

Fantastic job Decker.

CW

 

[Decker83]

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

Thanks Guys for all of your positive comments. I really appreciate them. Makes me feel better about using all the wood. When I was grinding the hull I could feel alot of flex in it. I was really afraid to cut the stringers loose. I hope this will work. First time gutting a boat this size.

Cadwelder I got the ideal from your cradle. Haven't thought about a mold. Just hope I get this hull done right.
Didn't work tonight on the boat. It is a 108 degrees today.

 

[drewpster]

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

I went through the same effort in building my cradle when I did my tri-hull. (I think yours is better) I will be worth it in the end when the glassing is done and the cap goes back on easily. I have seen others that did not, and some did not go together at all. Good job.

 

[Decker83]

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

Thanks Drewpster. I read your therad and took the ideal of using the plywood on the bow of my boat from you. I won't say mine was better, Yours looked really good and I could tell you put alot of work into it and yours is in the water now. Watched your splash today and it was awesome. I just hope mine will look as good as yours going across the lake.
Kent

 

[Woodonglass]

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

Kent,

Your boat, when finishe, will be ONE KOOL VESSEL!! It is a unique LOW RIDER!!! Very stable and IF the factory and built it correctly, would have been a GREAT Boat. Now that you WILL be doing it RIGHT, it will last for DECADES and provide you and your family YEARS of SAFE and Durable enjoyment. Hang in there buddy, this HEAT can't last forever, and next year, when you're crusin on the waves, it will ALL be worth it!!!!!