Re: Gettin' started on the t-bird tri-hull.
Removing the upper deck is easy. Here are the steps:<br /><br />Remove outboard<br /><br />Pull black rubber strip out of aluminum bracket that runs around entire boat. You may need to remover aluminum end caps first, you'll know them when you see them.<br /><br />Remove all screws that hold aluminum brackets to hull. They should be in sections. You may have to grind the heads off of some as they are probably rusted. Angle Grinder works fine.<br /><br />The upper deck may be held to the hull by staples or adheisive. Probably staples, you will have to pull them all, there are a million or so.<br /><br />The splashwell may be bonded to the transom, but the bond breaks fairly easily. If you havn't already done so, make sure all wiring and controls are either removed or at least not attached to anything in the hull.<br /><br />Make sure upper deck is completely free, then get some buddies, four people are enough, lift the upper deck free and set it wherever. Make sure the upper deck is supported under any areas of the upper deck that droop when placed on the ground, don't need stress fractures.<br /><br />Now for the deconstruction:<br /><br />Do not remove a single bit before getting accurate width measurements of the floor, in at least one foot increments from transom to bow. You need these in case the hull spreads after the floor is gone. Mine didn't spead at all, but you never know. You can use these measurements to cut new floor sections, and it will assemble accuratly. Mess this up and the upper deck will not go back on properly.<br /><br />Tear out the transom. It is a bit more work, but you may as well do it all if you are at this point. My transom felt solid but when I got the upper deck and floor out, it was mostly soaked, partially rotted, and had carpenter ants in it. It held up good considering it had a 125 horse Merc I-6 on it.
