Alumacraft Tampico Restoration

[chevymaher]

How can I test if what I have is working or not, and if not, do you have any idea how to fix it?

If adjustable air pressure is available, standard calibration speedometers should react to the following pressures: 5 PSI = 20 MPH; 11 PSI = 30 MPH; 19 PSI = 40 MPH; and 30 PSI = 50 MPH. Probably nothing wrong they pretty tough. This is what I used to test mine and it is right by GPS in the water.

Another interesting factor if you are in a stream or river. Gps reads speed off of the bottom not the water. If the water is moving in a stream that makes it off to. So unless the body of water you are on is still they are no more accurate then the boats.

 

[chevymaher]

At my age I just want to get to where I'm going to fish while I still have a pulse. :lol:

I am with ya. If it is anchored the radio is playing and the fish are biting. Hand me a pop and a prezel it all good from my seat.

 

[hvymtl939]

Had a pretty productive Saturday.

Had a buddy come over Saturday morning. We got the boat off of the trailer, and into the garage on a roller dolly. Can you believe the wife wouldn't give up her garage spot?!

Drilling rivets to get these trim pieces out to remove the rotten inner transom.

My view Saturday evening.

Inner transom is out.

Inner transom, and the brackets it attaches too. I thought at first this was a 1" piece, but it is actually 3/4". I think on the rebuild, the inner will be a 3/4" piece of white oak, and the outer 3/4" ply.

 

[hvymtl939]

So, I have some questions about these scuppers. There is one on both sides of the transom. That said, as you can tell from the paint line, it appeared the previous outer transom covered them up? Not sure what to do on the rebuild.

Opposite side outer.

And the scupper from the inside

I feel if you leave them covered up, you not only loose the self bailing aspect, you also have a great way to introduce rot. Would I lose much strength on the transom if I cut access holes, and seal the hell out of them?

 

[hvymtl939]

Also, after moving the boat into the garage, I noticed some water that had been sitting in the boat weeping out around seams, so I'm going to want to gluvit everything. Two questions. 1, how much do you think I will need, and 2, can you paint over it?

 

[hvymtl939]

Was messing around on youtube and came across this. Feel a lot better about my decision to stick with the 35 hp!

 

[hvymtl939]

I had been putting this off since I hate prep work, but it was time to get ready for paint.

Picked up two more dollies to help balance the hull.

Also picked up a stool. hope it halfway helps save my back.

Started sanding the outer transom.

Coming along slowly but surely. There's some pitting here that will require more attention.

Kiddo supervising.

Coming along

Calling it a day. I need to find something smaller so I can get around the rivets without chewing them up. Hope to not have to do it by hand.

 

[chevymaher]

I love it when my son comes to supervise me. He was used to me doing the chevelle. I was always don't touch. So he loves the boat he gets to climb all over and in it. he is a pirate on the high seas he says.

 

[HighDesertMan]

Was messing around on youtube and came across this. Feel a lot better about my decision to stick with the 35 hp!

Ha, that's awesome! I picked up an Evinrude 35 yesterday that I've had my eye on for a while.

Love the progress, the boat is looking good!

 

[hvymtl939]

Back at it. Bow area is 99% there. Need to do more work on pitting on the endcap.

Inner transom is slow going with the wire wheel. Bottom of the hull is going to be a breeze compared to the interior. I plan on just doing the interior with the wire wheel around the rivets, then 100 and 150 grit with the sander where I can. Then it will be time to flip the hull and do the outside. It will get sanded up to 320 grit before primed.

I keep telling myself "at least it's not a glass boat" over and over as I grind and sand, but so far it doesn't seem to help. I hope all this prep work makes the end result that much better!

 

[Woodonglass]

I'd use ext. grade plywood for both inner and outer transom pieces. It's stronger and if sealed properly will last for several decades. I like to use this for sealing the plywood.

It's important to really soak the edges cuz that's how water gets in and starts the wood decay. A final coat of Oil Based Rustoleum Paint and she'll be ready for Years of enjoyment

 

[hvymtl939]

I'd use ext. grade plywood for both inner and outer transom pieces. It's stronger and if sealed properly will last for several decades. I like to use this for sealing the plywood.

It's important to really soak the edges cuz that's how water gets in and starts the wood decay. A final coat of Oil Based Rustoleum Paint and she'll be ready for Years of enjoyment

I'd like to find some ply with a nice grain, and leave that exposed rather than paint. What would you recommend for UV resistance that won't yellow? The dash will be mahogany fwiw, and I'd like everything to be stained to match that as close as possible.

 

[oldrem]

Stain, Old timers formula with the Helmsman spar urethane followed by a couple more coats of the Helmsman spar urethane

 

[hvymtl939]

Stain, Old timers formula with the Helmsman spar urethane followed by a couple more coats of the Helmsman spar urethane

Good deal, thank you! Just saw in the Menard's ad for this week they have both the ply and mahogany I want on sale, so I'll pick some up this weekend.

 

[hvymtl939]

Went to Menards this weekend to get the wood for the dash and transom since it was on sale. I was originally planning on Mahogany for the dash, but ended up with this piece of maple that I really liked the figuring on. I think it will make an awesome dash that is the focus of the cockpit.

3/4 Birch ply for the transom.

It's been cold here lately. Usually the garage isn't too much colder than the rest of the house, but the past few days have been brutal, so the heater came on.

Still been working on sanding and grinding as it's been decent enough to go outside. I don't like to sand in the garage because of the dust. It's getting there slowly but surely.

Set the windshield back in place so I could mock up the dash.

Put the seat frames back in. Looks halfway like a boat again.

 

[hvymtl939]

Mocking up on cardboard.

The template.

The roughed out dash.

And it fits!

 

[hvymtl939]

Mocking up the transom templates.

Inner

Outer.

Hopefully over the next few weeks I have some nice weather to wrap up the surface prep on the hull and get ready for paint. I'm still trying to decide if I can pull off spraying it, or if it will still come out nice if I roll it on.

On the days I can work on paint prep, I'll keep working on the dash and transom. I need to get the steering setup taken off the jon boat this weekend so I can get the dash drilled for it. I also need to plan what else will potentially go on the dash, besides the steering and capacity plate.

On the transom, I was planning on cutting the two pieces, then clamping each piece to the hull to use the existing holes in the transom as drill templates. That way everything is pre-drilled, so the holes get soaked with the old timers formula and UV resistant spar varnish. This seem right to everyone?

 

[hvymtl939]

Does this transom design I have mocked up look sufficient to everyone? I was able to salvage the inner piece for the most part, but the outer transom was sawdust, and I'm not sure it was original. I took measurements as best as I could off the hull, and also did as much looking online for similar boats. This is what I found. The one consistent thing is all of these boats have both inner and outer transom pieces, although non of them are the same size or shape.

I want to be able to safely run up to 50 HP, which was the original capacity, or perhaps a 60 hp twin. To start with it will have a 35 HP.

 

[hvymtl939]

Took advantage of the 60 degree weather and knocked out more grinding this weekend. Interior of the hull is now 80% of the way there.

How does everyone recommend I get to these tight areas I can't reach with the sander or wire wheel? Dremel? Hand brush? (inside the transom there for instance)

Did a little polishing on the bow cap. Still need to work on that pitted area, but I think they will come out nice.

 

[oldrem]

Looking good.