1974 22-2 Restoration

[fitz73222]

That looks like my families old crab boat.  Could you read Atocha or Fort Myers on the trans?  Is that a Ford 302 with a Eldelbrock intake?  I know I have seen the boat before on this site several years ago.  We had a converted OB to IB 22.2.  The 351w went into my Mustang and the 302 went into the crab boat...what fun.

I thought that boat was originally an outboard when she first came to the forum. Probably the only one of its kind that was an outboard, converted to inboard, and converted back to outboard. A true inboard outboard!

[blindmullet]

Looks like my old boat.  We bought it around 1994 and sold it around 2000.  My dad bought it from a guy down in Ft. Myers--it provided a lot of stone crabs to the Gulf Coast.  We had about 350 traps.  It had a nice hauler and table on the port side at one point.

I have never seen another one like it.  The guy we bought it from did the inboard conversion.  Would go about 50mph when we had the 351w in it.

[Thermal]

That looks like my families old crab boat.  Could you read Atocha or Fort Myers on the trans?  Is that a Ford 302 with a Eldelbrock intake?  I know I have seen the boat before on this site several years ago.  We had a converted OB to IB 22.2.  The 351w went into my Mustang and the 302 went into the crab boat...what fun.

Blindmullett

I'll check the engine.  I pulled it so long ago I don't recall.  Nothing on the transom, which as you can see is now long gone. My boat was in SC for along time, owned by one of my neighbors. So I don't think it's the same boat you had down in FL, if I'm reading your message correctly. Either way, glad to hear that this boat or one a lot like it gave your family some good work and fun.

T

[Thermal]

Some new pictures.  Here's the progress since my last pos. Advice is welcome:

The fuel tank I planned to use did not fit, so I hunted down a new tank. It was (at least for me) tough to find tank that would fit the 22-2 hull without going custom, which was too costly.  Anyway, I found one, it fit and should work well.

The stringers nearly finished.  We removed the front thru hull after removing the inboard, everything is draining back now. The penetrations are in below the deck.

The deck is built.

Bracket arrived. It needs to be painted and permanently attached.  

I prepped the console for sanding and painting. Also sanded the t-top some to clean it up.

Because of cost, I've decided (I think) to go with the livewell in the transom bench instead of a leaning post.

Next we're start placing the pumps, piping, lines and thru-hulls.  After that we're going install the motor and tentatively attach the console and t-top and then float the boat to see how it sits in water.

Some pics:

Bracket



Deck in bow:



Deck in stern:



A test run positioning the console and t-top. The console is siting 93 inches forward of the transom, which seems good. It could go another 10 inches forward.  We'll see how it floats.  

[slvrlng]

Looking real nice!!!!!!!

[LilRichard]

Looking good!

[rcoy]

could you give us some more information on your brackett? whats the measurements on it, who built it, how much? ive been going back and forth with myself between a brackett and jackplate or a porta bracket. does your bracket provide flotation? fiberglass or alum?

[Thermal]

I spent today digging out foam.  The boat has been out of the water for more than a year and inside for months with the deck off and transom out for much of that time.  The foam was still damp at the bottom the length of the stringers and wetter in patches. Squeeze out water like a sponge.

I've enjoyed working on the restoration, but digging out this foam was less fun than other days.

Happy Thanksgiving.

[Thermal]

could you give us some more information on your brackett? whats the measurements on it, who built it, how much? ive been going back and forth with myself between a brackett and jackplate or a porta bracket. does your bracket provide flotation? fiberglass or alum?

I've had a few questions about this.  You should know that I've no expertise. I'm learning as I go.  I'll explain the decisions I made, but it's not meant to be advice.

I went back and forth between a bracket and Porta. I ended up deciding on a bracket.

Here's info and why:

Material: It is aluminum.

Dimensions: I'm not sure all of them but can get anything specific. Single engine. The transom angle is about 14.5 degrees. The swim platform is 6 ft. The setback is 30 inches.  It will hold a 175 Suzuki and allow it to tilt forward.  It will provide some floatation. Came with an Armstrong hatch. Not painted/powder coat.

Manufacturer: D&D Marine. Here is the link: http://www.dadmarine.com/. If you look at the photos on the site, you'll see a 22-2 here: http://www.dadmarine.com/PICT0010.html.  Easy to order. Easy to give custom info.  Arrived in two weeks.

Purchase price: D&D was the best price I could find at less than $1500 built and delivered.  I looked at several bracket manufacturers in FL, both aluminum and fiberglass, and Porta Bracket.  I found D&D thanks to the recommendation of one of fiberglass bracket manufacturers. Porta Brackets looked to be significantly more expensive. I did not want a used bracket because I was concerned about the angle and any hidden damage I'd not catch.

Maintenance: I'm told the Porta brackets are very reliable and I'm not trying to talk them down, but I see more parts to maintain, repair and replace.

Use: I wanted the full transom, swim platform, fuel efficiency and performance of the bracket. I think my kids and family will be out on the bracket a lot, swimming and whatever.

Draft: I lose on draft. That was my trade off. I don't cruise in shallows. I'm outside Charleston, SC. I mostly pull into flats and creeks for short distances, where I can raise the prop, take it slow.

I think the bracket will work well for me. The money I saved is going back into the boat.

Hope it helps.

[gran398]

George, looking good! Sorry you guys were tied up that weekend...looking forward to next year.

Happy Thanksgiving!

[Capt. Bob]

Therm,
Once you get the bracket mounted and the motor in place, you may have to fiddle with the mounting height of the motor to get your max performance. Careful and accurate measurement during mounting will pay off in the end.

That stated, you'll like the bracket for all the reasons you listed. It's hands down the easiest way for young and old to enter and exit the water, works well at keeping hooked fish away from the prop, E-Z for mounting a live well and just makes the boat look a little more high performance IMHO.

Good luck.

[Thermal]

Latest work:

This cooler never worked properly. Drained into bilge instead of onto to deck or out of boat.  And lip of drain was about 1/3 of an inch, left sitting water.  New drain to the side, onto deck and flush inside.  Small thing but now fixed.



Helm was a mess.  Cleaned, sanded, painted and polished. Looks a lot better.

Before



After



This is the center console.  Starting work on it now.

[rcoy]

How much would do you lose on draft with that bracket?

[Thermal]

How much would do you lose on draft with that bracket?

I don't think I'll lose much draft on the hull, maybe an inch or so. What I meant in my post is that the bracket will draft lower than the Porta Bracket. I should have been clear about that.

We removed an inboard from the center of the hull and added an outboard on the bracket.  We removed a fuel tank from the transom and added a new tank forward under the deck.  We moved the center console forward and added a t-top.  We removed a lot of wet and heavy marine ply and foam from the old deck, transom and stringers and replaced with lighter composite, and removed a tower.  Seems the boat will sit differently, but hard to say how differently.

[Thermal]

Fuel tank is installed.  Penetrations are installed. Holes drilled and glued for bracket.  Bilge has been patched, sanded and first coat of paint.  Spent Saturday sanding the cap and inside of hull. Hoping to glue in deck before Christmas.  

Tank



Bilge