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[mattyd272]

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[zool]

Re: 1979 Witchcraft 17' transom, deck and stringer repair

Re: 1979 Witchcraft 17' transom, deck and stringer repair

I use a sawzall and a long wood blade for 90% of the cuts, you can bend the blade flush with the hull and get a clean cut with little channel left to grind off..The oscillating multi tool works ok for tight spots..

ohh, and welcome to drydock Matty ..never seen a Witchcraft boat

 

[mattyd272]

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[Woodonglass]

Re: 1979 Witchcraft 17' transom, deck and stringer repair

Re: 1979 Witchcraft 17' transom, deck and stringer repair

To cut out the transom use a circular saw and set the depth to about a 1/16" less than the thickness of the wood. then cut multiple criss cross cuts into the transom on the inside. Mulitiples!!!!! Don't be bashful!!!! You will then be able to to take a wide stiff scraper and peel the wood off the transom and then use a grinder with a backup pad and some 24 or 36 grit resin coated sanding discs to grind the remaining wood off to get to the glass outer skin. These links should be helpful for you...

"Fabricating Decks, Stringers, and Transoms"

Click the pic to download and view the PDF file.

View attachment MaterialsList.pdf

 

[bvetter]

Re: 1979 Witchcraft 17' transom, deck and stringer repair

Re: 1979 Witchcraft 17' transom, deck and stringer repair

I also recommend a reciprocating saw, get the longest wood blade with the thinnest kerf possible. That way you can get up tight against the hull with a nice bend in the blade to get underneath the stringers and pretty much everything else. Of course you'll want to be careful in some tight areas, the blade has a tendency to grab now and then when the saw isn't at full speed. After you've used it for a bit you'll get the hang of it. I likely used the recip saw for 90% of my demolition. Good luck!

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1979 Witchcraft 17' transom, deck and stringer repair

Re: 1979 Witchcraft 17' transom, deck and stringer repair

For up close to the edge of the deck at the hull, I'd cut the deck out away a couple inches to make sure you don't add extra ventilation THRU the hull :facepalm: Accept that it WILL happen & move on when it does. We all have. Then I come back & cut UP from below the leftover lip w/ an oscillating tool:

Even using it and having a mostly mulch deck, I still managed to cut thru my FireFlite's hull.