My first boat. 79 Formula.

[79Formula]

I just picked up a 1979 Formula F18. It has a 260 hp merc with #1 drive. Trailer is a 2000 Loadmaster. The boat has new floors and stringers. It is very clean overall. Runs great. I discovered I will be doing a transom this winter though. Paid $3500 for it. Here are some pics. How hard is the motor/drive to remove?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

Nice boat. Welcome to iboats.

Too bad about the transom

Motor removal is not too hard however it can be a high lift....... it is a very high lift as compared to a car. Some people have recruited friends with a backhoe/tractor to help. It can be tough in a garage due to ceiling height. A few people have built heavy duty frames to mount a chain hoist from. Consider that motor almost 600 lbs (it is less but work with 600).

Lots of guidance here. Lets hope it is just the transom but it could be more such as stringers too.......

 

[79Formula]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

The stringers have already been done. I got the boat from my uncle. He is a body guy and he cut them and the floors out already so they are solid. The motor mounts and everything in the engine room feel rock solid, core samples too. Let's hope it's an easy transom only.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

Man, w/ a 60's slightly finned T-bird (right?) in the garage shouldn't you be using it to tow:

Or a:

I spent some time on a Checkmate that was a very similar layout & color scheme. Nice looking boat, hope the deck & stringers get a clean bill of health. Even 'recently' replaced, they may have suffered water intrusion because of the soft transom, or whatever caused the soft transom. Much easier to replace them all at once then part now, redo some of that work later when you redo another area.

I'd be extremely careful, but some have used the cherry picker while it's set up in a truck bed to get the height & lift needed to get the motor out. But be extremely careful, the risk of tipping & it's consequences are much less then desirable...

Welcome to the iboats dry dock

 

[79Formula]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

The car is a 1964 tbird. Has a new motor, interior, wheels and tires. I was supposed to paint it this winter, but I would rather have the boat done then the car.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

You might check with your local Tow Truck guys. They sometimes will come out and hook on to it IF you have it chained up and ready to lift and set on a stand. They and just back up, hook up, lift and set. Takes em less than 1/2 and hour and charge you for the price of a tow. Worth a shot. I know several guys here on the forum got it done that way. If you know some one in the business you might get it done for a six pack or two.

 

[79Formula]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

I actually know 2 people that both own towing companies.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

I actually know 2 people that both own towing companies.

Good friends to have May use 1 to pull & the other to reset when you've finished

 

[79Formula]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

Genius! I went to west marine today and priced out all my materials. I think I can do the transom for about $250. Are there any parts of the motor/drive I will not be able to re use? Gaskets, o rings, seals? I am going to leave the as much intact as i can on the motor.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

I don't know much about IO, but you'll probably want to do the service while it's apart... Might read thru some of the threads in the Mercruiser forum to see what all is involved. My understanding is it isn't exceptionally difficult, but is extremely tedious, and time consuming, and must be done & checked & rechecked to ensure proper alignment to prevent premature failure of the outdrive~motor connection, parts, bearings & etc, basically.....

If it's apart, it's a perfect opportunity to do it & not have to again for a bit. You'll need the alignment tool. It should show up in a Mercruiser thread. Factory, ebay or used, they are available online. It's like the clutch tool for installing the clutch onto a manual transmission.....

 

[79Formula]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

I know I will probably get some heat for this one, but here goes. When I am on plane at a 3500rpm cruise I am going 35mph on GPS. I have to use alot of trim tab. If I try to back off on the tabs to get some speed the boat porpoises uncontrollably. Is it the hull design or is that a side effect of a bad or wet transom? I have checked and the bottom of the hull is straight.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

Sooo... What exactly IS wrong with the transom that led you to believe it needs to be replaced? And what led you to believe it was safe enough to be on the lake @ 35 mph???

 

[79Formula]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

There is a small bit of play at the gimbal housing meeting the transom, there is a few cracks at the base of the gimbal housing, I pulled a swim platform screw and shoved a pick in and it was mush, the fiberglass inside the engine room on the transom right above the drive is not solid. I run it because I dont get much play in the drive and figure it should be ok till i pull the motor labor day weekend. When I pull the boat out of the water it leaves a brown streak between the transom and drain plug.

 

[79Formula]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

I would assume that the hull (without any structural defects) should go from plane right up to full speed without getting scary. My uncle said the original owner(his neighbor) said it was a 60mph boat but my uncle was too scared. I am praying that when the transom is fixed it will be able to run with much less trim tab and not get scary when trying to go fast.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

There is a small bit of play at the gimbal housing meeting the transom, there is a few cracks at the base of the gimbal housing, I pulled a swim platform screw and shoved a pick in and it was mush, the fiberglass inside the engine room on the transom right above the drive is not solid. I run it because I dont get much play in the drive and figure it should be ok till i pull the motor labor day weekend. When I pull the boat out of the water it leaves a brown streak between the transom and drain plug.

None of that indicates that it should be running above idle, if in the water at all...........

Too much unknown & unseen between the inner & outer fiberglass skins of the transom. And there has been enough stress & movement to CRACK the metal gimbal housing. <<-- that is a huge indication of things are not as they should be. Dare I say not even in the 'as they should be' neighborhood.

Boat safe.......

 

[79Formula]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

The Aluminum is not cracked. Its the gelcoat by the gimbal housing.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

The Aluminum is not cracked. Its the gelcoat by the gimbal housing that's cracked.

Those cracks aren't much better... Still an indication that there are problems hidden within the transom. Have you noticed any odd, strange noises coming from the coupler, motor or outdrive? From the interior you can probably see & probe the motor mounts. It may not be to that point yet, but misalignment because of wet, damp, soft & rotten or completely rotted away wood structure that supports your drive train & having the transom flex can lead to problems w/ the motor & outdrive.

Got any pix from the interior & the exterior of the transom?

I don't think I'd be putting it back in the water, and definitely not running it very hard at all....

If it's got problems now, continuing to immerse it in water only gives more water more time to further damage the support system for the motor & outdrive............

 

[79Formula]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

Actually the motor mounts are perfect. The battery box right against the transom is unknown. The boat is really solid. I think it has transom issues due to the 400 screw holes for all the transducers over the years. When it is smooth water the boat is smooth as silk, when I hit waves I feel a slight vibe in the gimbal, what I assume is the greater load putting the driveshaft out of alignment.

 

[emoney]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

As long as you know that should that transom decide to go ahead and finish failing, that the boat could be at the bottom of th lake, then no biggie I suppose.

 

[79Formula]

Re: My first boat. 79 Formula.

I Just had to know what was up. I loaded up a 1 1/2" hole saw and cut through the fiberglass on the inside of the transom about 6 inches above the gimbal housing. Here is a few pics. The wood felt dry, i guess it was wet at some point.