About to Commit to a Rebuild--Couple Questions First

[Anonymous]

I am seriously considering embarking on an old 222 rebuild for a family/tower boat.  I have been checking out this site and some of the amazing rebuilds as well as the great information available.  Great Site!!

Alright my questions.........
1)  I am looking at two boats.  One is a 1970 222 and the other is a 1977 222.  I have been told by the two owners that the 1970 is a 20" transom while the 1977 is a 25" transom.  Is this correct?
2)  If #1 is correct wouldn't the 1970 with the 20" transom be a better selection if I am wanting to rig the boat to really run shallow?

Thanks for any input and the great site.  Looking forward to my "new" project.

[scott_gunn]

I don't think the transom height will affect how shallow you want to run.  The lower unit will still be sitting the same length below the hull - it's just that the top of the motor will be 5 inches higher from the water.

If you want to run shallow, you'll probably want a jack plate.  I'm not sure if the transom height will matter for that.

[Seadog]

I've got a 1970 222. Not sure of the transom height but if I had to guess I'd say it's 20".  I'll measure it later today and let you know.

Here's a shot of the transom and dead rise

Not sure if the 1977 222 has the same deadrise but it does have more of a bow flare than the 1970.  Both are great boats.

[Wilson]

What you are really interested in the the deadrise.  The 222s made in the 70's came in either the flat back model (see Seadog's) or in a 12 degree deadrise.  The flatback should be a makedly shallower boat, but you will sacrifice some in the way of ride.

[Radioshop]

I have a '73 22.2 myself and, I've generally found it to be pretty shallow drafted.  Mine has the later style of hull.  I don't think I'd want a flatter bottom.  My boating ranges from back country in the Keys to the reefs.  If you do want to go for the occaisonal trip offshore, everylittle bit of deadrise is handy.

[captflatback]

hi AFrayedKnot,

If you want i am going to run my friends 69 flatback on sat. if the weather looks good to see were to put the spray rails for my 67 flatback that were finishing up on. If you want a ride and to see if you like the boat email me or call me at 813-917-4989 we are putting in at DI boat ramp around noon.

[JimCt]

Seadog,  In your hull pictures above I was looking at the exposed stringers.  Are you redoing them?  If so, will you just dig out the foam & refoam or will you cut them out entirely and build all new boxes?  Also, what will you be using for cockpit decking when you button her up?

[Seadog]

Jim - replacing all the foam and all the stringers.  I probably went a liitle saw crazy when I was shoveling out the foam out of the stringers. Decided to remove the whole stringer system to get all the foam out, and start over. Sort of created a ton of extra work.

Stringers and foam

Bare hull

The new stringers will be all glass and foam filled.  Borrowing a technique from classicmako.com called the 'Strick Technique' for reforming the stringers. Deck and forward casting deck will have 1/4" Klegecell core glassed over.

[Wilson]

I would advise jsut digging out the foam, if possible.  Like Seadog said,  it will save you a TON of work.  Trust me!! I HAD to do it and really wish that I didn't have to.

[captflatback]

Me to that was the worst part of the hole project with the kids helping the dog running around the yard with old foam and leaving a 6 pack for the garbage man it got done.

[RickK]

were to put the spray rails

What are spray rails?  Is this a way to make the notoriously wet earlier AS dryer?

[Wilson]

This isn't the cheapest way, but they are supposed to be great.  

http://www.thesmartrail.com/

You could always build them out of some thing else.  I've seen them made from wood, or starboard.

[Seadog]

Rebuilding and refoaming the stringers is a ton of extra work. Grinding the stringers down to the hull was the only way I could get all that foam out of there.  

I thought when I first bought the boat it would be about a year till she was ready to slash.  Here I am, a year later, and now I'm thinkin another 3-4 years. Rarely do I get a full day to work on the boat.

You know how it goes.  Kids got baseball practice, swim meets, gymnastics, wife needs some attention, have to take the mother-in law to the dentist cause she's too scared to go alone.

Removing the foam is a nasty, filthy, ungodly smeelin' job. I'm glad that part is done.

[captflatback]

Rick K,

Yes it is a way to keep the boat dry when you get is a chop. If you run them all the way to the back you can get some extra stern lift out of them too.

[JimCt]

I laughed my ass off picturing Captflatback's dog & kids running around spreading the foam trash around and you trying to get something done and realising in the pit of your stomach the project was going to take longer... much longer than you'd thought.  Nothin' like messin' around in boats...eh?

Thanks for the info.  I've started printing some of these posts & pctures to build a reference library for the older AS I'm looking to buy & restore.

Concerning sprayrails, the concept goes back to at least WWII when Huckins used them on their MTB's.  They found the rails, placed right at the chine, dramatically improved the speed of the hull.  At speed, they found the rails, by redirecting the spray ( wasted energy) downward actually lifted the hull making for less wetted surface (drag).  The fact that this made for a drier ride wasn't really the main consideration.  Look at any of the old molded plywood Huckens boats and you'll see sprayrails from stem to stern.  Don't know if they still use them.