1985 Bayliner 2450 Ciera Sunbridge Restoration underway!

[Ciera2450]

AA72BCD1-AECE-4DD0-AA0D-D57278876304 by Jimmy Batten, on Flickr

 

[Ciera2450]

engine bay minus the engine
BA7BB4EB-6D33-4D5D-A358-9A4B75467ACF by Jimmy Batten, on Flickr

 

[Ciera2450]

Bell housing, y pipe, out drive and transom shield coming out!
505E219F-60F9-4789-81F5-BC806EDD64A1 by Jimmy Batten, on Flickr

2DC69207-E84B-4753-9D73-348B4D783028 by Jimmy Batten, on Flickr

3FC87FCD-FAAB-4E41-842F-B72B6AB1F609 by Jimmy Batten, on Flickr

10771880-3223-4D14-8A92-335B9FBEC372 by Jimmy Batten, on Flickr

swim platform is mostly removed and I pressure washed out everything to get a good look at what I’m workin with.

Tomorrow I will be measuring everything and start cutting out the engine mounts and transom. Can’t start grinding until my respirator cartridges arrive in the mail.

 

[Ciera2450]

I removed most everything from the transom. Transducer still to be removed. Pain in the butt undoing the wire run all the way to the dash. Also the last piece of the swim platform will come off but leaving for now as it makes it much easier climbing in and out. When the time comes I’ll have to use a tall ladder to get in and out

 

[Ciera2450]

I’d like to clean up and paint the Volvo transom shield while it’s out. What’s best procedure? Just zinc chromate primer and spray it?

ive started stripping some miscellaneous engine parts while the engine is out. Rustoleum “aircraft remover” and a wire brush does an amazing job of stripping the old paint off!! I was impressed.


CAA7440A-D9A9-4AB1-B486-E8DA809ED416 by Ciera 2450, on Flickr

 

[Ciera2450]

Going to start cutting out the transom today. Think an oscillating tool would work best? Parts of the transom appear fairly solid while other areas are not. Circular saw and cut a grid pattern? What say you?..

 

[Ciera2450]

Should I cut out the inner skin first? Or all at once?

 

[kcassells]

All at once, grid pattern, hammer, chisel, circ saw, Sawzall. oscillating is a good tool but not for bulk. inside.

 

[Ciera2450]

Thank you! I bought an oscillating multi tool anyways. I’m sure it’ll come in handy. Didn’t get at the transom yesterday but going to try to get it all cut out today. Waiting on my respirator cartridges to change me in the mail before I begin n the fun grinding part. Lol. I also ordered a couple tyvek bunny suits.

 

[kcassells]

On aother note you can get wood/metal Sawzall blades @12" long. Place guard on transom top and angle down into the transom. Works pretty fast and is an easy control. Lets you begin to make lots of vertical slices from the top and makes for a good start to compromise the wood for chop chop.

 

[Ciera2450]

Thank you sir! Been dragging this weekend and haven’t cut anything yet. I’m measuring everything and sketching it all out before cutting. I do have some questions

you can see here that the transom is two layers of 3/4” to abou two feet out and then only one layer to 50” wide total. Th last angled part towa d the hull sides is even thinner material. 3/8 maybe.

My my plan is to run two full 3/4” layers to the 50” width. Any issues with that?
52631427-4125-4873-AA3A-EFD701415389 by Ciera 2450, on Flickr

0380345C-1E82-4727-90CA-62A549C9654B by Ciera 2450, on Flickr


for the engine mount stingers. There was this piece of wood on top of them under the actual engine mount. Any reason I shouldn’t just build th new mounts to this height???

9AC3B53B-D5E4-459F-9472-1F53ECCCF9D7 by Ciera 2450, on Flickr

 

[Ciera2450]

Cold day here in Georgia but after work I’m going to try and get cutting on the transom. Would love to get all the grinding done before it starts getting hot here! A few more weeks and it should be warm enough to start glassing everything back in. Assuming I’m that far along. Lol

 

[Ciera2450]

Well..... no going no back now. I got a larg portion of the transom cutout. The center section I referred to earlier has been replaced at some time in this boats past. Not very well but the wood was still mostly solid there. I got it out in large chunks. The outer part where the thickness decreases was not repaired and the wood was just soaked mulch. I still have some more cutting to do but ran out of daylight and it was getting cold. Once transom is completely cut out I will get to the engine mount stringers. Btw, I can feel inside them where I cut the transom and they are soaked. Oddly enough the outer stringers where the engine bay side decks are are solid as a rock. Years ago, I replaced both of those decks because someone had cut a bunch of holes in them and drilled them to verify.

Shot of where the transom repair joint was done at some time in the past

36AFDC9F-8999-4E94-AD50-B496123EF13B by Ciera 2450, on Flickr

the amazing tabbing that was done on that same repair
5661141C-6776-4275-9229-5F1077C8F3ED by Ciera 2450, on Flickr

not the best picture but there is a small lip where the repair and old section meet. I’m assuming this was from them grinding the section they repaired? Hopefully I can grind it all smooth enough as I still plan to go 2 layers of 3/4” across the entire flat section of the transom. (There was 2 layers center and 1 out to 50”

FB2267D5-1523-40A2-AB02-ACCACF1A059A by Ciera 2450, on Flickr

where I left off for the day....progress!! Tomorrow I will get it all cut out and possibly engine mount stringers cut out too.
DFAD1BA9-7695-4186-AEBB-36E04EC29543 by Ciera 2450, on Flickr

 

[Ciera2450]

The upper part is going to be tricky. Not much room to get at it. This portion is again only 1 layer of 3/4” core. [if that)

i think I can get my multi tool in there to cut it out. Grinder will fit as well I hope. Glassing it back in will be tricky but I’m not removing the cap on this big girl for this small area. The wood actually appears solid here as it’s above water line and no holes in the area.

CB34CEF5-9A43-43B7-BD42-4EF504F17B65 by Ciera 2450, on Flickr

 

[Ciera2450]

This the other side and wider shot of the upper area. It appears to be thinner than the 1 layer of 3/4” core directly below it???

0380345C-1E82-4727-90CA-62A549C9654B by Ciera 2450, on Flickr

 

[Ciera2450]

Directly above that area is only glass hull.

 

[froggy1150]

One of the tools I used was an air hammer with different chisel bits. The big wide one I made out of 3/8 plate that I sharpened. I do have a 10 hp 60 gallon tank compressor so air wasn't an issue. Got to be careful with the little ones though, they will go thru quick if not careful. They did make quick work of it though

 

[Ciera2450]

Thanks froggy, that’s a great idea! Fortunately, I have most of the wood removed. A bit to do in the tighter areas but most came right out with a pry bar. What do you recommend to cut the glass skin in tight areas? The multi tool works but slow going. Grinder and cut off wheel? I was hestitant because when those things break, it’s not pretty.

 

[kcassells]

No fun but looking good!

 

[Ciera2450]

Thank you. Hoping to get all the demo and grinding done this week and coming weekend. Then order all my resin, glass etc. I believe I’m going to remove and give the fuel tank some love while I’ve got the stringers and bulkhead removed. Once those are back in, I can’t access the fuel tank with out removing them again or cutting away the aft birth floor. There is a small access in the birth for the sending unit and fill/vent hoses.

It’s a 33+ year old aluminum tank. Probably can’t hurt to at least remove it, Clean it and paint it for corrosion protection. No leaks that I’m aware of but it should just slide out when the bulkhead and stringers are cut out. Hoping anyway!

Not the best picture but an idea of how the tank is tucked under what is the rear berth behind the “fire wall”.

EC77CD32-2472-4E3A-8F46-9EE79D78D0AD by Ciera 2450, on Flickr