transom, stringers...HELP!

[Josh9685]

HI<br />boat is a 75 Wreidt Spoiler.<br /><br />I started the replacment of the transom, then I noticed that the stringers are shot as well.<br /><br /><br />what else could be rotted out? the floor seems good, but what lies under the floor? is it just an empty space and then the fiberglass shell of the boat, or is there a wooden(possibly rotted) frame?

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: transom, stringers...HELP!

Your boat likely has stringers that run all the way to the bow. Probably rotten too. Hate to say it but you are likely looking at pulling the floor and redoing the whole deal. Sounds bad but lots of people have gone through it here and with great results, better than new. Use the search function for "transom, stringers, floor" etc. Enough reading to keep you busy all week but you will know what you're getting into.<br /><br />Have fun!

 

[EZLoader]

Re: transom, stringers...HELP!

Here is a link to a well done project by Boomyal...<br /><br /> http://www.shareaproject.com/pages/projectTut,p,92,00.html

 

[Josh9685]

Re: transom, stringers...HELP!

wow, looks like a lot of work.<br /><br />how much is all that gonna cost me?<br /><br />here is the deal:<br />I bought this boat off of Ebay for 3500. The seller is a marine mechanic who stated that the boat has no rot and runs great. The boat ran about 10 minutes before the motor was covered in fuel due to a malfunctioning carb and we were stuck in the middle of a lake for 2 hours.<br /><br />I do think it's a really cool boat, but I have no emotional attachment to it. <br />is the cost of going through the boat and replacing the transom/stringers/flooring/foam and the whole works gonna be cheaper than purchasing a different but similar boat?

 

[crab bait]

Re: transom, stringers...HELP!

not to embarass/scold/or DAH you..<br /><br />but it's a 30 year old boat,, an E-bay'd..<br />THIRTY YEARS OLD..!!<br /><br />even a 10 y.o. boat can have many issues.. <br /><br />if your crafty/handy,, it's a good project.. an when it's done,, you'll know what you have..<br /><br />and i guarentee by that time you'll have an emotional attachment to it..

 

[Bondo]

Re: transom, stringers...HELP!

and i guarentee by that time you'll have an emotional attachment to it..

Ayuh,...........<br />And will have $pent Atleast as much as you paid for the boat in the 1$t place.............. <br /><br />'Course,...... The "Up" side is;..........<br />You'll Know All of Us here at iboats a Whole Lot Better..................

 

[Josh9685]

Re: transom, stringers...HELP!

I could monday morning quaterback it all day, but I wont.<br /><br />what will I be spending the most money on? <br /><br />all I will be replacing is wood right and epoxy right?

 

[Boomyal]

Re: transom, stringers...HELP!

One of these days I will compile the cost of my repair project, seperating out the mechanics from the structure. For what I did, I don't think the cost was outrageous but until I total up that thiiiiiick stack of receipts I won't know for sure.<br /><br />Many here have done much more to their boats than I did. Fortunately I had a boat that was well built and did not have any of the interior issues that many boat half its age have.

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: transom, stringers...HELP!

wood, epoxy, cloth, mat, acetone, beer, music, friends, marriage counseling, sleep deprivation...<br /><br /><br />these are a few things that youll experience while rebuilding your boat!<br /><br />fun!

 

[Josh9685]

Re: transom, stringers...HELP!

HI,<br /><br />the stringers that the motor(460 ford) is bolted to end before the deck. There is a 1 inch space beetween the deck and the stringers. It looks like the stringers are bonded to the fiberglass deck and the transom, and nothing else. they don't appear to run the length of the boat.<br /><br />The floor has drain holes that are about 3 inches around with vented drains installed in them, they look sorta like shower drains. There is a hole at the base of the floor where the water drains into the bildge where the engine is.<br />I put as much of my hand into the drain as I could and I felt what seems to be the bottom of the boat, but I can't be sure.<br />Is it possible that this boat doesen't have stringers that run the lenght of the boat?<br /><br />also on a side note, how do I get the engine out? <br /><br />It is straightforward enough, but I don't think a standard engine hoist is going to be tall enough to remove the motor. I could use a chainfall attached to the supports of my barn, I removed a 4cylinder like this, but a big block ford makes me a little nervous.

 

[KilroyJC]

Re: transom, stringers...HELP!

Not knowing wherre you have your boat & the type area it's in...<br /><br />If you are near a commercial property of some sort, you might be able to work a deal to use or have a driver help with a hi-lo forklift. they work great for liting motors.<br /><br />If there's a convenient equipment rental place that's reasonable, forklift or backhoe for the day.<br /><br />If it's in your backyard, consider a pile of 2X6's & 2X10's made into a derrick with a deadfall hoist, 1 ton or better capacity. I did something like that for my outboard on a smaller scale. <br /> <br /> http://mysite.verizon.net/kilroyjc/id4.html <br /><br />Obviously you'd want to scale up considerable from that! I'd use sistered 2X10's for the crosspiece supporting the deadfall & engine. 2X4's for diagonal bracing to keep the cost down, and bolts/washers/nuts for easy disassembly & reuse of the wood when you're done with the project. Talk to your local neighborhood structural engineer for advice - I 'm not a sstructural engineer... I just overbuild ridiculously for safety margins!<br /><br />Knew someone who rigged that setup to pull engines & transmissions - this would just be a taller version. that's where i got the idea for my setup.

 

[itstippy]

Re: transom, stringers...HELP!

Dumb idea of mine - edited to remove.

 

[tootoot]

Re: transom, stringers...HELP!

myoutboards. Good one. Beer, acetone, funny.

 

[20mako1975]

Re: transom, stringers...HELP!

Originally posted by Boomyal:<br /> One of these days I will compile the cost of my repair project, seperating out the mechanics from the structure. For what I did, I don't think the cost was outrageous but until I total up that thiiiiiick stack of receipts I won't know for sure.<br /><br />Many here have done much more to their boats than I did. Fortunately I had a boat that was well built and did not have any of the interior issues that many boat half its age have.

I am on into 10K on this 20 foot Mako project of mine. But when it's done, it will be nice. Transom on this boat was thoroghly checked out by a very experienced boat builder in my town. No delamination anywhere. Not bad for a 1975. I got lucky on the transom, but had a nightmare removing the old gas tank. THEN trying to find a place that would take the 20 year old gas off my hands. <br /><br />Now I have to cut out the floor up near the bow area. There is a slight "swell" in the floor. It was where the olf fuel lines went. So there is probably fuel soaked foam under there. I'll just cut it out and replace the foam or whatever else is damaged under there. <br /><br />Oh well.....A little cutting, laminating, sanding, epoxying, fiberglassing, sanding, sanding, sanding, and primer and paint.......it will be as good as new. (Did I mention sanding?)<br /><br />Have fun with your project. I am with mine