1990 Steiger Craft transom investigation

[jc55]

This is my absolute dream boat. I love to do this type of work. So, just to clear the air, I knew what I was getting into and it still makes economic sense...and I ain't scared! With soft floors, I equate this to never being able to afford this boat otherwise, with close to the same repair investment as a $300 boat. At least comparable.

Still waiting to bring the Sport Craft home on clear roads to finish her assembly. This current boat is not a priority and I kind of promised the wife I'd not go in over my head just yet.

Some history, this is a Florida boat, used commercially for a time with heavy sonar equipment carried on it's decks. Salt water all it's life, never covered or indoors as far as I know. It was 35 miles off shore last summer. I feel the stringers through the sags in the deck. They "feel solid", and I have the stringer layout. They are all short stringers and bulkheads(no long pieces, grid design)

The transom...
The jack plate bolts have spacers. Obviously home made. The bent trim on the transom is from tilting the motor (200hp) forward when the jack plate is too low. It's all sealed with 5200 and paint. The previous owner was completely upfront and wasn't trying to hide anything.


See the bow? My finger denotes the depth. The outside of the transom at the deck joint (at bottom of jack plate)is straight.


Part of me wants to run a heavy duty aluminum C-channel across the transom for a season...
If the transom is wet, it should be salt water. Thoughts?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1990 Steiger Craft transom investigation

Soooo...What do you want to do??

 

[jc55]

Re: 1990 Steiger Craft transom investigation

Since I'd like to keep the boat forever, I guess I'd like to get a season out of it before gutting it entirely. I'm wondering what's happening to my transom. Can they just start wearing out from age and use? What should I do next? If I core sample and it's wet but not rotten, am I in danger of losing my outboard with that bow?

 

[zool]

Re: 1990 Steiger Craft transom investigation

Part of me wants to run a heavy duty aluminum C-channel across the transom for a season...
If the transom is wet, it should be salt water. Thoughts?

Thats a tough call JC, if your transom is bowed, you know you have a problem, if the transom is wet, you still have a problem, whether its salt or fresh, depends on the intrusion, outside or inside leakage. I also fully understand wanting to get a feel for it, before taking it apart. If you do decide on the bandaid, go overkill for sure, and skip the asthetics for now. imo.

 

[zool]

Re: 1990 Steiger Craft transom investigation

Also, from the looks of this other 23 Steiger build, you may have 2 long outer stringers..

http://forums.iboats.com/boat-restoration-building-hull-repair/23-steiger-craft-rebuild-589193.html

 

[jc55]

Re: 1990 Steiger Craft transom investigation

Thanks for weighing in Zool, and a killer paint booth that's gonna be! can't wait for the big paint day. Something about shooting a boat that that big that would make me nervous.

I've been studying all of Merch's pics and posts since they seem to be the only ones on the net. Wish he was still around. Here's his quote...

This boat was originally laid out with a sparse layout of ? plywood stringers an bulkheads arranged into a grid. There are no full length solid stringers and the fuel tank area looked really under framed. Steiger does something different now with a solid fiberglass grid, but I?ve decided to look at various ways I can do this.

I just need to be held and told that everything is going to be okay, I guess...as we all do sometimes. Maybe I'll take some core samples tomorrow and see what I have in that area. Then if it's just wet, or even dry for that matter, it may just be the weight of the outboard hanging off the back all those years?

Working on boats is like crack. Guess I'll start stock piling the marine plywood and resin for the fall.

 

[zool]

Re: 1990 Steiger Craft transom investigation

Yea, it looks like thge outers are the longest at 12'7", if his drawing is correct...I assume the Block Island and Chesapeak are the same hull structure...I ran a 17 whaler with a chewed up, bowed, soaking wet transom for years lol....but it was only holding a Merc 65 and was a 17er....I think with some Mcguivering, you could rig a bandaid for a bit....





PS-The bigger the boat, the less paint imperfections you can see at one time

 

[jc55]

Re: 1990 Steiger Craft transom investigation

Okay, so today I took some core samples (after plowing the driveway with the trusty Kubota).

Here's where I drilled, below the upper jack plate holes. My Sport Craft transom had black wood here...


Here's what I found. I drilled all the way up to the outer skin. A little moist...


I also drilled down near the garboard drain...


Okay, now for FREAK OUT time. I drilled the starboard stringer all the way aft in the bilge...

Um, no wood? (The wood bit you see were left over on the drill bit from previous core samples). I drilled the first bulkhead in pic as well...what?! No wood? Broke out the 15/16 bit and drilled all the way through. Into the foam on the other side...


Okay, before I throw a party, I didn't think Steiger Craft did this until 1996?! This would be every boat owner's dream. Merch's '91 was all wood. I think I'm gonna call the factory tomorrow.

Another random deck core near a known wet area. Looks wet but not rotten.


So, the core samples look good, right? What in the heck do I have here, all fiberglass stringers?

 

[ahmincha]

Re: 1990 Steiger Craft transom investigation

Hello jc I cant help you with a answer but I got my fingers crossed for you

 

[jc55]

Re: 1990 Steiger Craft transom investigation

Thanks Bud. Looking good on your project, real good!

Correction, Merch had an '88 and I read that Steiger started using fiberglass stringers in '90. I think I just hit the, "not having to buy 15 gallons of resin" lottery...

 

[merch]

Re: 1990 Steiger Craft transom investigation

Hi jc.

Just saw this.

It appears as though you are a much luckier man than I. I'm dusting my project off (literally) and getting back underway after a looooooong break.

Also as an FYI, my transom core wasn't that rotted. The problem with the transom was water intrusion and delamination from the core.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: 1990 Steiger Craft transom investigation

I will tell you what I think.......

That jack plate has damaged that transom to the point of needing replacement........more then a band aid repair will help

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1990 Steiger Craft transom investigation

I will tell you what I think.......

That jack plate has damaged that transom to the point of needing replacement........more then a band aid repair will help

I agree!

I don't care how well you put a Band-Aid on a boat, it still makes you look ignorant to the people that know what it is. It takes away from the beauty of the boat and your credibility as a backyard Boatwright.

... you might as well rip out all of the floatation foam and not replace it while you're at it.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: 1990 Steiger Craft transom investigation

Without having any idea of how you think or what you know....... the physics of a jack plate exerts pressure on the transom similar to when we put a cheater bar on a wrench. It does not need as much pressure to accomplish the same task. That jackplate should had had more reinforcements then those small plates on the upper bolts. That jackplate is acting as a cheater bar on the transom

Now considering your situation........ wet wood is heavy wood....... That is a beautiful boat and you are faced with decisions. What size motor is it? Personally I am an "overbuilder" like most of the people here. I have been rebuilding a boat and my favorite so far has been the epoxy. For working time and strength it sure made a bullet proof transom.

In your situation...... I would advise that you take your time and do it right. That is a dreamboat so I would continue the dream. I would seal all the wood

 

[jc55]

Well, it's time once again for the annual transom replacement project now that the Sport Craft is splashed. (No worries, project #3 is in negotiations ) It has been a great season getting to know the boat, rewire, work out the bugs, and take my life into my own hands relying on that red ratchet strap that kept the Suzuki from falling off of the transom, and to the bottom of the river during 300 miles of boating.

I'm documenting on the web again for two reasons. One is to keep me accountable in finishing her, and the second is that there is lack of Steiger Craft tear downs. This'll be just transom and deck...hopefully...:lie:

The engine was literally getting ready to fall off. Just like Bob said about the jackplate working the transom as a lever. Under the aluminum trim cap and huge layer of 3M 5200, most of the outer layer of plywood was actually gone. A 3/4" void. The inner skin was completely delaminated from the transom.

Below, by the chisel was a huge void of black water...

The deck had been replaced previously but they left 8" of original all the way around including against the transom. This was all completely mulch and the deck didn't look like there was any resin on it. It almost looks treated. This was after about 8 hours of work. I am sore!

Transom so far and tools of choice...

An all too familiar sight...

Fiberglass stringer with what is left of 2 plies of transom. I was thinking about using an electric chainsaw to get this remaining bit of plywood out. Kind of like the "Seacast" guys do the transom itself. Other than cutting the stringer and repatching, that's all I can think of...

 

[zool]

Yup, shes ripe alright!, glad you made it thru the season without losing the Zuki...lemme grab a beer while I watch another serious sensible sized transom be wrestled in a boat

 

[ahmincha]

Well let the fun begin coming aboard if you'll have me

 

[jc55]

Absolutely Almincha! And I can use some help with the heavy lifting Zool.

 

[jigngrub]

Transom so far and tools of choice...

.... and now we see why the transom hasn't ever been replaced, because it's a big ol' PITA!

The 'lectric chainsaw should get most of that crapola out of there, but it's still going to be a challenge to get the transom skin and end of the stringer cleaned up well enough for a good bond... but I'm sure you'll come up with something.

 

[jc55]

You know it's funny jig, one layer of woven roven tabbing from the stringer to the transom (peeled off easily) and not a whole lot of tabbing in general. I think that anything I do will be miles ahead. I think this one went from the top down(rain water). I was going to build transom, fit, completely encapsulate on the bench with 1708, then install. What'ya think?