New Project, First "adventure" into boating

[carpedium]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

Great thread - I look forward to following this one. Good luck!

 

[island mike]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

Yeah,Your going to replace your transom,So you would have to lift a small part of the deck in order to get to the transom,Like said from there on you can check your strings and bulkhead.With a little luck the transom is all you have to replace.Useally When a deck is rotten,The transom,Stringers and everything else is too.In your case your cousin replaced deck and transom and stringers but the transom was the only thing left exposed...mmmmmm You might be lucky you might not.Good luck start ripping.

 

[zryder94]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

So I was thinking today, If I am going to be basically gutting the back half of the boat, I wonder if it would be possible, or worthwhile to convert this to an I/O.

Any thoughts?

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

What is the upside you're thinking to gain by to converting TO a I/O? Got a spare marine 4.3 V6 or bigger motor laying around?

Donor OB boats seem to be more plentiful & cheaper. Most of the inexpensive donor boats that were I/O I've seen on CL have already had the motor & outdrive taken as donors to the sellers project.....

 

[zryder94]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

As for what's the upside, that is what I was going to ask you guys. For one, I would think most marine inboards would be 4 stroke, and possibly more fuel efficient engines.

Just a thought that might be worth considering.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

IMHO, which is just that, an I/O would be much more expensive to get installed and up & running then a good used OB. Depending on the 'new' dry weight of the boat, the 85hp Merc may still be under sized. But again that is an opinion w/ little fact to back it up, since I couldn't find a spec sheet for a Sportsman Imperial 20' Cuddy. I didn't spend much time looking to be honest. If the power head & rest of the motor is in good shape (you mentioned earlier a bad lower) and you have no intention of using it (I/O conversion or not) get it posted somewhere for sale, while people are getting their rigs ready for use.

Keep an eye out for a donor boat &/or motor OB 100hp +, you might get luck & score a great OB for this boat, a trailer & or hull you can sell, and possibly other odds & ends to use on this one too. The other choice involves selling the trailer & introducing a sawzall to the donor hull. This is also an option for an I/O donor, but they are not as plentiful as OB's.

The current splashwell is molded into the cap, lending support to the cap, the transom & the stern end of the hulls sides. The transom is currently probably 1.5"+/-, the favored I/O by Mercruiser needs a 2 & 1/8" transom, and an entirely different relationship of the transom, hull, stringers & motor mounts then an OB does. Different stresses & weigh bearing, to a much heavier engine. Although it is much lower in the hull, and obviously further forward then and OB. And when you build the doghouse to cover the motor, it may not lend the same support to the cap & et al mentioned above.

Depending on the time frame you're trying to keep, you may have a very long time to make an OB decision which requires little rework pretty much until you're ready to hang it near the end of the project. I/O installation will require LOTS of changes that will be wholly dependent on what motor & outdrive you pick, and all that will need to be fairly soon and before the back half of the boat is put back. You'll probably want a permanent, under the deck tank.

Installation tips for permanent tank

I hope some of that ^^^ helps.

Either way, there will be lots of help along the way around here. Oh and I just remembered you'll need an alignment tool to align the motor & outdrive in an I/O conversion, not $200, but more then $100 @Ebay I hear.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

As for what's the upside, that is what I was going to ask you guys. For one, I would think most marine inboards would be 4 stroke, and possibly more fuel efficient engines. Just a thought that might be worth considering.

I forgot to agree: you are correct on these 2points as I understand I/O's.

 

[zryder94]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

Well that is a fantastic bit of information. I think it would be far more sensable to keep the OB on this one, even if it is underpowered. Too much monkeybuisness, and too much we don't know to swap motor configurations. If I want an IO boat, I ought to junk this and find a restorable IO, or restore this, sell it, and find something ready to go in IO. I think for the moment I will stick with what I have, hoping the motor will be serviceable. If not, I would think outboards are a little easier to find anyhow.

Thanks for keeping my head clear of fancy ideas.. lol

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

You might poke around & read some of the Mercury OB forum & see if there's some additional years & models that will have compatible lower units. My 1971 Merc 650 uses quite a few other years & models lower unit. In fact a later model lower is preferred to swap in, stronger components made of SS. I don't have the recall to give you models & years. But it's out there in the forum a few times.

I am not typically the voice of reason & clear headed thinking. You are welcome, just the same.

For sure run through the motor & decide if she's a keeper or not, and start looking for parts & pieces, they are out there. Once I bought the 1st boat & a 2nd motor, they seem to be EVERYWHERE... And my interests became much broader:facepalm:

Now it's officially:
2 1960 Glastron FireFlites, 2 essentially junk hulls for training purposes at work (the MRS still isn't fully buying that 1), a 1963 Jet (close to operable condition, but needs work). a 1963 Jupiter (bare hull, but don't tell anyone, I haven't introduced her yet), a plywood boat I built last summer and motors: 1971 Merc 650, 1962-3 Merc 500M, 1961 Evinrude 75hp StarFlite, 1957 Johnson SeaHorse 35hp, 1959 Johnson 10hp, 1969 Johnson 40ESL electric shift 40hp.

And I haven't put anything in the water yet except a labor day splash for the plywood boat........

So it begins...

Like I said, not necessarily the voice of reason.....

Welcome to the madness, be on the lookout for early warning signs of MBS, multiple boat syndrome. MOBS is also fairly common, multiple out board syndrome....

 

[zryder94]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

Well, got the pressure washer from work for the weekend, filled her with Diesel, and went to town on the boat. It is amazing what a little water, a lot of heat, and an amazing amount of pressure can do.

This is what she looks like cleaned up.

my weapon of choice

Standing behind the transom, looking forward

Front of the deck

Rear of the deck

It seems like in a few places, especially on the edges of the plywood panels, the fiberglass is not stuck to the underlying wood. I think a little bit of water got into it during the pressure washing, and I was able to "push the bubbles" under the fiberglass. I think that means i will need to replace the deck, but I would like to get some more opinions. I have not done any core samples yet.

Next step will be to take her down off the trailer, and separate the cap from the hull.

Thanks for watching.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

It seems like in a few places, especially on the edges of the plywood panels, the fiberglass is not stuck to the underlying wood. I think a little bit of water got into it during the pressure washing, and I was able to "push the bubbles" under the fiberglass. I think that means i will need to replace the deck, but I would like to get some more opinions. I have not done any core samples yet.

You are probably correct, and no disrespect to your relative/friend that you got the boat from, but the time uncovered & exposed to the weather, particularly ice freeze/thaw cycles, have probably attacked the ply edges that may not have been properly prepped prior to installation. That movement could open even very minute pin holes that would let water gain access to the plywood's wick-like edge. And any water access to the plywood reeks havoc along any & all adjoining wooden surfaces.

If there's water under the epoxy & glass, it needs to be removed. Some portion of it was coming out to gain access to the transom anyway......

Nice job w/ washing her down. 1st shot before from your original post to the 1st shot washed, night & day...

 

[zryder94]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

ply edges that may not have been properly prepped prior to installation.

What is the proper way to prep plywood prior to installation as decking?

I want to make sure I do it right, when it comes to that point.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

Check the First link in my signature below for information on Decks, Stringers and Transoms.

 

[zryder94]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

Check the First link in my signature below for information on Decks, Stringers and Transoms.

I did, and your thread is a wonderful wealth of information.

However, I may have missed it, but i was wondering if anything needed to be done to the edges of the plywood, like epoxy'ing them, or completely wrapping the sheet in csm prior to installing it.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

You do this on sawhorses. Cut the CSM 3" oversized all the way around. Coat the wood with resin first. When it tacks up, coat it again and lay the mat and pour the resin on and roll it out from the center to the edges. Use the fiberglass roller to get rid of any bubbles. When it tacks pull and tear the overlap edges so they are "Hairy" and then use a chip brush to dab the resin on the hair and over the edges. This is on the bottom side of the deck pieces. That's all that's required. Flip it and do the same to the top side. You're ready to install.

 

[zryder94]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

Well, it has been a while, but I got the boat off the trailer and on to its carriage. The rub rail has been removed, and as soon as I can put some angle brackets on the roof I will be hoisting the cap off the hull, and beginning my transom replacement.

The carriage was made out of doubled 2x6's running the width, and 3 2x4's running down the length of the keel. there is a little spline for lack of a better word that runs right down the keel, and that sits between the 2 vertical 2x4's.

Hope you guys like it. Thanks

 

[sphelps]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

Looks good ! The only thing ya might do is install a angle brace from your horizontal 2x6 to the vert 2x4 just to keep it from maybe working loose . Nice to be able to move it around isn't it !

 

[zryder94]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

I sure could do that, just to be on the safe side. As it is now, it feels pretty darn sturdy. It is super easy to move, and I love being able to move it. We were able to completely turn it around this afternoon, to point bow into the garage, so that I have good light to work on the transom.

I also got the cap lifted to the ceiling. No photo's of that yet, but it went pretty smooth. Added a few good heavy duty U-Bolts to some existing holes in the cap, attached ratchet straps to angle iron lag bolted to several stringers, and up she went, easy as nothing.

The transom is junk, so its next to come out.

More pics to follow.

 

[rickryder]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

Nice job on the cradle!

 

[zryder94]

Re: New Project, First "adventure" into boating

Nice job on the cradle!

Thank you!