Advice for lifting cap

[GSX455]

OK, I removed the aluminum trim to uncap the boat. I have read from the How to forum in transoms to measure, but at 194 tabs long, it is hard to find exactly the info I need. I'm guessing this is measure width and then keep the bottom from flexing out after I lift the cap. Is this just 2"x4"'s clamped along the boat trailer to keep the bottom from moving too much?
Another question: The seal or trim for the cap seal. any good places to buy this?. This is 1974, so everything needs replacing.

Thanks!

 

[Scott Danforth]

normally you make a cradle to hold the hull

no, a 2x4 clamped along the boat trailer wont be enough. however you can build the cradle on the boat trailer if you want.

then after you unscrew the cap, you lift

most "seal" is a tube of caulk, such as 3M 4200 or 5200

 

[das_army_life_yah]

GSX455 This is how I did mine. I made sections of 2x4 to use as a mounting rail on the inside of the hull for the cross-braces. I made 1” thick pieces of 2x4 to use on the outside. I lifted the cap just enough on the sides, leaving the bow and stern of the cap in place. This allowed me to get the strips in place on the exterior and then I “sandwiched” the hull between the mounting rails I made on the inside and these strips by screwing them together using the existing rub rail holes. I made sure to get a bunch of measurements of where the flooring met the hull for reference and made sure to mark where I was taking the measurements from on either side. After that I lifted the cap and measures again to ensure they were the same. With the way my boat sat on the trailer, building a cradle wasn’t really an option. I had to be able to move it in/out of the garage as well, so building a cradle to remain in place on my garage floor was out of the picture. It worked well, but once I popped the cap, the bow flexed out. I plan on using a suggestion from sphelps to get the cap back on when I’m ready to get the stringers/floor installed. I’ll get some better pictures when I get home to give a better example of the bracing. As far as the rub rails and rubber strip go, they should be fine to reuse unless the rails are really bent outta shape. From my understanding, they’re more for rub protection and fastening the cap to the hull than anything else. You can probably just polish the rails up really well and give the rubber a good wash and treatment with a shine/color restoration for rubber.

 

[GSX455]

@das_army_life_yah
Great idea, its an internal brace with the bolt holes on the bottom to hold it in place from flexing in the back. I have to use cables underneath for where the top cap interferes with an internal brace towards the bow. My hull is like a tri-hull so external cradle might be an option up front.

My Aluminum rub rails are in okay shape, but the rubber strip is too weathered/cracked to re-use.