Mwar's '73 196

[Mwar410]

Picked up another one to add to the fleet yesterday. At some point I'll have 3 project boats going at once. 



Couldn't pass it up, seems to be in real nice shape. Almost a shame to cut it all up to do a full restore on it. Transom seems solid, stood on cav plate and there was no noticeable flex. Typical soft rear deck, didn't look under the floor yet.  Quite possibly has the original 135 Rude or Johnson on it. Which is supposed to be running?! Would've tried it but it was about 20 degrees out. Next nice day I'm around it's going for a sea trial.

[umecheme]

You must not be married 🤣

[RickK]

If it's only a soft deck you might want to try the resin injection method of repair.

[Mwar410]

Rick, I've already thought about that, but this is definitely the boat I want down in Fla. That  means before it leaves the proximity of my shop, it'll need to be worry free. It's in nice shape but it's still 46 yrs old.
And after dealing with those asshats from the town, I know there won't be any long term projects in the driveway appreciated.

[Mwar410]

Does this look like the original transom

[fitz73222]

Looks like someone skinned the outside of the original.

[Mwar410]

Not sure it's been skinned over, if so they did an expert faring and matching job, except the cap /deck joint? Also the HIN looks like the original stamp. The transom is oddly solid, especially for the amount of holes through it. I'll know better when I start stripping it down.

[Mwar410]

Had an unusually mild winter so the work has started.


Got some stuff stripped and getting ready to remove the floor

[Mwar410]

Got the easy part of the floor out




Found some dinosaur eggs


Doesn’t look terrible down there, haven’t seen any delam of the stringers. I’m fully prepared for a complete resto but I’m not going to lie, it would be nice if the stringers were dry. Ill go at them tomorrow with a 4 1/2” hole saw.

[Capt. Bob]

Got the easy part of the floor out

Found some dinosaur eggs

Ballast stones.

[RickK]

Yeah that's surely weird. Were they in the aft by the transom?

[Mwar410]

They’re foam that has been in there from the beginning of time? Turned into perfect stones, Never saw anything like it.
They’re all right along the stringer to about midship.

[Mwar410]

This is the other find


How long do you think someone was trying to figure out what the heck was making that noise.  Big’ol chunk of putty.

[RickK]

They’re foam that has been in there from the beginning of time? Turned into perfect stones, Never saw anything like it.
They’re all right along the stringer to about midship.

Certainly a first for me. The hull was full of foam where the balls sit correct?

[Mwar410]

Nope,no foam. The pic is just the way it was when I pulled the floor.

I cut a few holes in the stringers towards the stern, it was wet. So now it’s time to redo the stringers.
Here’s a question, do most remove the engine bed stringers/mounts?