81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

[Woodonglass]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Be careful with your Mekp mix. You can really weaken the mix if you get too low. I'd never go below 1%. 1.5 is best and just mix smaller batches and work faster or get up earlier and stay later.

 

[zopperman]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Thanks weldzilla. Glad you're on board.

Are you worried that if I use 25" shafts that i won't be able to trim them completey out of the water? Any other advantages to 30"? I think a good, fairly new, matched set may be hard to find.

I agree, but you can always find a longer leg if you aren't happy with the 25.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Thanks Wood. I'll stick with 1.5%.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

I agree, but you can always find a longer leg if you aren't happy with the 25.

Any unsight on my other two questions (getting the engines out of the water & other advantages)?

 

[WeldZilla]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Well I guess I am worried about the boat sitting so deep in the water that it will feel like any wave might roll over them.

Can you see the original waterline marks? If so measure how hi up the transom the old waterline goes. Now rest assured it will

rise a bit with lighter outboards but still if the old waterline is too high it should be addressed now. Putting on longer legs later won't move your engine bracket up.

How about measuring the waterline and let me know. Thanks

WZ

 

[zopperman]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

my only concern would be that the leg would be TOO low and create drag.

 

[Big Island Lifer]

I know I have a single and no fly bridge, but I think that this hull is huge for the length. The beam and draft will accept a lot of weight. On my boat the scuppers for the self draining cockpit are a good 18 inches off of the water.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

[h=1]OB Engine Shaft Length[/h]Well, a lot to think about. First, let?s talk about how the boat originally sat in the water. Here are two pictures for comparison. One is of the boat when new from the Sea Ray brochure and the other is the boat on the trailer.

As I look at the picture, the boat in the brochure seems to sit very high in the water. Of course, I don?t know which power package that boat had. When I compare the distance from the swim platform to the water in the brochure picture to the back of the boat as it sits on the trailer, I get the impression the back of the transom only sits about 2? in the water. What do you think?

If that is the case, that may be partly what led Sea Ray to put a plaque at the ladder saying ?Limit 450 lbs on bridge while underway?. It?s the underway part that worries me that the boat is/will be top heavy.

Overall, calculating the weight of the engines/drives vs the bracket, OBs, generator, bigger water tank, and FG staircase, I believe I will still be coming up slightly lighter (remember, the flotation in the bracket is enough to compensate for the weight of one OB). I am trying very hard to visualize how 25? shaft OBs will look sitting in the water, but nothing is popping into my head.

I will most likely be buying the OB bracket from Armstrong. Their web site doesn?t state any limitations on shaft length. Another vendor?s site only shows measuring options for 21? and 25? shafts.

I?m also having trouble visualizing what effect 30? shafts would have with respect to where the bracket sits and the net effect. I am assuming that the cavitation plate must sit at the same place no matter what the shaft length (let me know if that assumption is wrong). That would mean the bracket would move up on the transom by 5?. While that seems like the tops of the engines would be 5? higher, assuming Armstrong doesn?t change the bracket design, the flotation chamber would be higher and thus provide less flotation, letting the entire rig drop back down a bit.
OK, now I?m confused. I think I need to talk to Armstrong.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

[h=1]Moving Day[/h]The aft portion of the main bulkhead is ready to go in. I had planned to bed it in with P&L Premium today, but we got a late start due to a rain delay. Then, the yard manager called and said he was ready to move the boat as we had previously talked about. The owners of the property we coming into town soon with their RV and our boat was in their usual spot, right next to the manager?s trailer. He needs the water and sewer hookups.

We only moved 2 spaces to the east. But it was to our benefit as well. Working on the boat, I felt too close to the manager?s trailer, creating so much noise and dust. Especially since they eat early (5:30 PM) and grill out most of the time. Anytime I was grinding when they lit the grill, I would always stop so I wouldn?t spew FG dust all over their food. Also, about a third of our workdays, we would have to put up with the odor from their sewer connection. No more.

Here?s a picture of the boat being moved

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Finally, A Good Broadside Picture

I did not get a straight broadside picture of the boat before we backed it into its spot. Since then, there have always been other boats and RVs next to us, so I haven?t been able to get one. Since we moved the boat today, it left space open so I could get broadside to the boat far enough away to get the whole boat in the picture. I was even able to get on the manager?s patio deck so the picture was from a level angel.

Getting this picture may not seem important, but actually it is. We didn?t have one and we have searched the Sea Ray brochures and the internet for a suitable picture. The reason we want it is to put it into Photoshop and start playing ?what if? games with it. Things like color schemes, T-Tops, etc. Finally, we can!

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

[h=1]Main Bulkhead Update[/h]Sorry it has been a while since I posted. I have been working on the boat, just wanted to make some noteworthy progress first.

To recap the main bulkhead design, it is double thickness of ?? ply. The aft portion supports the front edge of the cockpit deck and the forward portion supports the back edge of the bridge.

Here is the center piece of the aft portion PL?d in place:

Once the center piece was in place, I had to refit the two side pieces, partially because I didn?t allow for the resin and FG on the edges. Now they are in place. I filled some of the space around the pieces with structural filler from West Marine (bought this before I was set up to mix peanut butter). Today, I mixed my first batch of PB. I see that as a milestone. I used the PB to further fill around the bulkhead pieces. Here is a picture of the aft portion of the bulkhead in place.

I also started on the 3 pieces that make up the forward portion of the bulkhead. Here are 3 pictures of the pieces after I coated one side of each with resin. I set up under our canopy behind the boat to work on two of the pieces. For the third, I set it up inside the boat.

Another task today was to close up a number of places where water is getting into the boat. So, I added another canvas on the back (which is open to the weather), I caulked (temporary) the outside edge of the windows, and I filled some of the many screw holes around the boat. I used Bondo for that last step. It sets up so quick, I have little working time. Now that I?ve mixed my first PB, I will use PB without the glass strands as my filler. That will give me a lot more working time.

Well that?s the update for now.

Everyone have a Merry Christmas and a great New Year.

 

[zopperman]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Looking good, PB is great stuff!!!

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

[h=1]Window Inserts Started[/h]One thing I need to do before the aft portion of the main bulkhead goes in is to fill in an open space in the aft ends of the aluminum window frames. There was a wooden (rotten) panel we removed, which left a 1 deep trapezoidal shaped opening. Here they are ready for FG:

I made the template yesterday and cut the pieces today. I got a coat of resin and one layer of CSM on them this afternoon.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

[h=1]My First BIG Batch[/h]Another thing I managed to get done today was a layer of CSM on the forward center and one side main bulkhead pieces. I have never mixed a batch of resin bigger than about 850 ml. Since the side bulkhead piece was large, I figured it was time to step up my game and mix 2 liters.

I made sure I had everything I needed set up and ready to go. Mixed it up and began rolling it on. No problems like I had with the “ugly” aft bulkhead pieces. The CSM laid down nicely with no air bubbles.

I look at this as another milestone. Little successes keep one going. I’m a happy camper tonight.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

[h=1]Edging Peanut Butter (EPB)[/h]What??? Well this is my term for an idea I?ve been thinking about. As you know from previous posts, I?m having trouble getting the CSM to go over the edges of the boards without air bubbles. Several people suggested cutting some thin strips of CSM and tearing them apart a little bit before putting them on the edges of the boards. But that method seems very tedious and time consuming.

So what about mixing short strand glass with resin (wallah... ESP) and brushing that on the edges. Kind of like PB without the Cabosil and microbaloons. I haven't tried it yet. Will soon. It may turn out thinner than PB, so the name may be a stretch.

Think it will work?

 

[zopperman]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

I would route the edges and make the CSM easier to lay... I would make a little bit of that PB and test it... smack it with a hammer etc

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

I definitely plan a strength test on my EPB theory. I'll report back the results.

As for routing the edges, are you talking about a very small curve. Most of the time I want the edge to butt up against something, so I want a flat surface. If I rout too big, it would be too curved.

Merry Christmas

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Frow what I've read, as little as a 1/4 inch roundover helps a lot...plus any gaps can be filled with PB or thickened epoxy...

 

[zopperman]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Frow what I've read, as little as a 1/4 inch roundover helps a lot...plus any gaps can be filled with PB or thickened epoxy...

This.

Merry Christmas to you and your family, KickBack!

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)

Thanks Zak. Its just after midnight. Officially Christmas.

Same wishes to you and yours.

In the morning I have to go look for my router bits. Lol