Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

[redeye1962]

I am currently restoring my 20ft Texas Maid and was wondering about the transome. I am not sure if it needs replacing. There is not much movement but there are some cracks where it has been repaired before. There are some openings as well that have some rotting wood. Can this repair wait until I finish the rest of the restoration or should it come first?

 

[TheWoodCrafter]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

What is your definition of "restoration"?
I would think it includes repairing/refurbishing/repainting everything.
Especially structural items.
I would do the major stuff first.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

You're going to need/want some hp on that transom to push that 20-ft Maid along nicely. Rotting/rotted wood is not the ticket. Drill some small holes in the transom...if the shavings some out wet and mushy, you'll need a new transom. Is your T. Maid aluminum or fiberglass? Either way, it's not too hard to gut and replace the transom. Search the Boat Restoration forum for Texas Maid or transom replacement and you'll get enough results to show you how it is done. What model is your TM? I'm in the last stages of restoring an early 60's Texas Maid Impala...a 15 ft. aluminum runabout.

 

[BillP]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

Most stringers and floors butt against the transom so if they are part of the restoration it's probably easier to do the transom first. Otherwise, if the transom doesn't flex much under hard power loading it probably can wait another season or two. Badly rotted transoms are way easier to replace than partially rotted ones.

bp

 

[redeye1962]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

While I was searching for the mysterious serial number in the back to try to get my title, I did notice the transom is spongee on the sides and I took the top plate off and it did not look good. I could handle this project myself if it wasn't for the engine. I am not sure what to do with it when I am doing this. I know I am going to have to learn how to dimantle it and put it somewhere, somehow. Do I need an engine lift? Any ideas?

 

[TheWoodCrafter]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

Removing the motor is not as hard as it looks.
You will need a stand to mount it on after it as off the boat.
Fab something from 2x4.
Disconnect wiring, fuel line, control cables from the motor.
Rent a cherry picker, maybe $60.
Depending on the motor depends how to grab it.
Some Evinrudes have a built-in swing up hoop to grab, Mercs are different and need a special eyelet threaded onto the flywheel. You can use straps and wrap the power head. That is the heavy section.
Lift the motor off with the cherry picker and mount it on your new stand. I built one with wheels so I can move it around the garage as needed.
Depending on the HP it could weigh upwards 400 LB so be careful.
Took me 15mins of cherry picker time once I had everything disconnected and an engine stand made.

 

[redeye1962]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

I had a feeling I would need something to pull the engine up. That is my only hang up. Unfortunantly I am not blessed with a garage to store the motor etc I have a back yard. I was hoping my brother and I could do this........we are muscle men...maybe not. 400 lbs is pushing it a bit so we may need an engine lift. I will have to make the engine stand and let my brother decide if he thinks we can pull it off.........literally.

Thanks,

 

[TheWoodCrafter]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

What motor do you have?

How about a block and tackle from a tree.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

An easy way to remove an outboard is as follows:

1) Crank down the trailer jack so the tongue is as low as it can be.

2) Place the motor in the full down position. Then fill the space between the ground and the skeg with wood blocks.

3) Disconnect all wires, cables and mounting bolts.

4) Start cranking up the trailer jack. What happens is as the front of the boat goes up, the transom goes down. The motor stays in place standing on the wood blocks. One or two people are needed to keep the motor balanced on the skeg until the boat is pulled away. Then the motor can be laid on a utility trailer, or on the ground.

No lifts are needed, no block and tackle, no dangling motor. And it goes back on the same way.

 

[redeye1962]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

I have a 90 hp evinrude, there are no trees around to tie to. The trailer method is very interesting.

I am going to talk to my brother and see if he want to go into a hoist, he is about to buy a boat and he wants a car project. They are only around $150 and can be used any time. When renting a hoist for around $60 x2 you can just about own one.

I know I can do this if it wasn't for the engine......I do need it though.

Thanks for all the ideas and keep em coming. You guys are great.

 

[redeye1962]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

Ok I am not sure where to put the chains. There are a couple of empty threaded holes on the side that appear on different areas of the engine. In other words if I was to lift the engine up it would not be balanced. There are a couple of other larger threads on top but they look weak. I will look for a swing hoop?

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

If you don't have a lifting eye that screws into the top of the flywheel, make a cradle with tow strap and connect the chains to the strap. Chains will booger anything metal they come in contact with. Or, use the leverage method with the trailer as another Iboater mentioned. I tried it last couple of times I needed to pull a heavy outboard and it works well...easier on my back than dead lifts or climbing trees.

 

[TheWoodCrafter]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

My old Evnrude 90 had a lifting hoop folded down next to the flywheel. I un-clipped it and it folded up centered on the crankshaft nut.
Did you look for this?

 

[redeye1962]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

Actually I found a couple of loops on each side of the block that looks like it would work. The rig I made will not work because we do not know how to remove all the linkage. Some of the hoses go so far into the engine frame we cannot access them to take them out. We may have to go buy a cherry picker and swing the engine around to hang in up and then replace the transom.

 

[redeye1962]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

Alrighty, my brother and his son came by with a engine hoist and we have the engine off. I am wondering about what type wood to use. I do not have the funds to use marine grade and I hear that treated wood and aluminum do not mix. I hate to use regular plywood on it. I have been using treated plywood and fiberglass resin for the deck and other areas of the boat and wonder if this would work for the transom as well. I have looked on this website as well as others and a bit confused as what would work best. I am hoping the resin I am putting on the wood will separate the aluminum and the chemicals. Any ideas?

There is another problem I found when investigating the transom. I found out the topdeck was draining water directly onto the transom which rotted the ends of the transom and is why I am replacing it now. The picture of the back of the boat shows the end cap that sits on the topdeck and water will flow underneath onto the transom. It has been doing this for years. The top of the transom looks like it was resined or had epoxy but wore off. I would like to get this fixed while I am repairing the transom and looking for ideas.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

When I redid my Texas Maid, I skinned over the ends of the transom with 3M 4200 and kinda caulked the edges of the end caps with it too. Not fancy, but working so far. If you epoxy or encapsulate the transom wood it should be water tight.

 

[redeye1962]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

So I got the old transom out before I pulled the water well. I finally decided it would be a good idea to get the water well out of the way when I saw some old screws across the transom and some weird brackets. Hard to explain but I am not sure what the previous owner was thinking. It will help me manuver a bit since it was a booger to test fit just one piece of wood back there. I can only imagine what two pieces will do. There is some strange bending that will need to be done to get the new transom in place


Here is the old transom with the new wood. A bit of a differnce but I think I am make a good decision to replace at this time. I have cut the wood and will let it dry for a week before putting the two together. Nest week I will have to glue and screw and start the resin coats. Unfortunantly I only have the engine hoist for a couple of weeks so I need to put a rush on this.

Please pay no attention to my crowded garage, this is why I am doing this job outside. It is amazing alot of this stuff is not mine but it is my fault for having such a small garage.

I think something we all can take away from this is to remember to have a sharp blade when cutting your wood. As you can see I did a number on a pole I use as supports of the saw horse.


I am going to try to paint the back of the boat while the engine is off because I remember what a pain it is to paint around it. I also am trying to find someone who can fabricate another top cover for the middle area the engine connects to. I may need the extra support and well it did not fair so well when I stepped on it. Sorry no pics. I will keep the pics coming.

 

[redeye1962]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

Here is where I am at now.
This pic is the transom and the rear deck. I resin them at the same time to save on rollers. It is amazing how many of those things I have used. I tried to resin alot of wood at the same time but when I get to the last one the resin is hardening.


I tried to reinforce the deck by using the cut pieces in between the stringers and glassed the edges hoping to create a sturdy connection.



The Transom had a bit of a curve on it as well as the edges being thinner than the middle part. I glassed the edges hoping they will last a while and will apply some 5200 on the top to try to protect it some more. Cannot be too careful.



Here is the engine tucked under a tarp while I get this transom completed. We could not figure out how to diconnect the cables so we swung it around for now.........boy is it in the way. I am having a top cap made that will go down to the middle of the transom for some extra support. The guy who is making it for me insist on using 1/4 in aluminum. Is that overkill? I am not sure if I am going to get to the paint but I will try.



Ike put me behind, the weather is getting cold now in the 80s but it is suppossed to be in the 90's this weekend. Maybe I can get something done betweent he volleyball game, boy scouts, church, etc.....school is on again.

 

[redeye1962]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

Yeah got the transom in now. just trying to fasten it down. popped some rivits on the way so I am going to replace them with some SS fasteners with nylon/ss washers with a splash of 5200. hope it works.
I am a bit worried about the top plate. it looks like someone did a home made job and the holes do not line up well. It could not be my cutting is off a bit. I have to figure something out. I am not sure I am going to need the supports the previous owner installed. the transom appears to be pretty sturdy. I have the design of the middle top cover at the fabricators and hope to get next week so I can get the engine installed and get back to my rehab.

 

[redeye1962]

Re: Rehab on 65 Texas Maid

Sorry folks,
I forgot the pics. I was a bit distracted from my other project of the day.



Mans gotta eat.

As you can see below the popped rivit problem I am having. I replaced a couple with some aluminum fasteners I had left over but I went out and bought the SS fasteners and will replace them.



Here are some of the ss fasteners I put through the bottom of the hull. Used 5200 with nylon nuts. I am impressed there were no leaks before..........that I know of.


Here is the new transom in place.




This is one of my worries that the bolts will not pass through some wood. I may have to have another top plate fabricated to come down a bit more so it would make sense.