Had a pretty productive weekend! Finally got the motor out - which was a bit of redneck genius if you ask me! I've got a shed I was going to store it in until we are ready to put it back in, but I had no way to get it out of the boat, and no way to get it in to the shed. I knew an engine lift wouldn't raise it high enough to get it out, but I didn't really have the $$ to buy a bunch of wood I didn't really need to build a gantry that I'd only use 1 more time - to put it back in 6 months from now. So, I put the engine lift IN the shed and backed the boat up to the door. Raise engine, roll engine lift back and turn, set it down in the corner - boom. Done. Engine is tucked away.
Then, I began removing the transom. I had a unique problem (I think, anyway). Apparently, multiple people through the years has left ATF fluid from the trim pump leak and sit in the bilge area. The transom acted just like a wick, and pulled it up in it. the lower 6 inches of the wood was saturated with ATF fluid. After I got the fiberglass off, I was able to remove the first layer of plywood pretty easily, since it already delaminated from the 2nd piece. The 2nd piece was still very much attached to the hull. As I would try to remove it, part would stick to the hull, part would pull off in small strands like spaghetti. I took the grinder to it, but that was pointless - the ATF fluid acted as a great lubricant. The friction would eventually get hot enough to start burning it, which stank almost as bad as my old gear lube. Not really, that gear lube was pretty horrible. But anyway....
Eventually I just took a wood chisel and used it like a scraper and scraped it all off and got it cleaned up. The piece of wood still there in the picture - is going to stay there until just before I am ready to start glassing. I decided to leave it for now to add structural strength while I am in and out of the boat doing all of the other grinding and stuff. I'll have all of my new transom wood "dry fit" and ready before I remove that piece.
So What I have left on the hull is:
- removing engine mount block
- removing wood in bilge bottom
- removing wood in ski locker bottom
- removing final transom piece
- grinding everything
Now for a question that has been bugging me. You can see from the pics and my previous diagram that this boat has an offset transom. I am not sure really what you'd call it, but that's what I will call it until told other wise. What is the purpose of this? I thought it might be that pulling the motor and outdrive in that 6-8 inches but keeping the outside dimensions on the hull would help it get on plane faster as the prop would be closer in. My son said he thought it was about balancing the weight better, which I think would also lend to quicker hole shot. How far off are we?
And final picture is just an "oh crap!" pic. We are finding so much on this thing that has surprised us. This weekend, I think I was most surprised by the condition of the gimbal bearing.
