1970 Aquasport 170 rebuild

[catndahats]

one more photo.  After removing broken stringer, grinding a bit, and cleaning up.  

Now the boat will sit a while til it dries out.  While it is drying, I'll be making a new stringer mold, collecting materials, and making a new stringer.  Once done, reglass and foam in the new stringer.  The transom, amazingly is solid.  Have some paint and patch projects in store for the bottom---will have to have a boat flipping party to get easy access for fairing and painting the bottom.  Maybe my neighbor will let me borrow his forklift :sunny:


It's all good!

[Blue Agave]

Nice work!  Careful with Murphy's Law....now that you want the boat to dry out the drought in Texas will probably end.

[WesJ]

Looking at it, since you are going to redo the stringers it seems like itd be really nice to get that tank that came with it pressure tested and then sink it into the floor under the console, then just run the fuel filler up into the side of the console.  

Progress looks really good, let me know when you get ready to flip it, Ill try to come and give you a hand.

Wes

[gran398]

Cat,

You're doing good. You seem to be serious about this project, so:

We're going to recommend that you replace the transom. She is a 1970. Even if the pics were pristine...now that she's tore out...replace the transom. Trust us...its plenty wet. Doesn't have to be that much money spent.

As Rickk will vouch...many transoms have been replaced by the "poured" method. Leave the inner and outer fiberglass skins intact, jigsaw the horizontal top glass off...then take a chainsaw from the top and have at the rest. Then dig out what's left of the bottommost portion. Then put a heat lamp/fan combo on it. And dig out/blow out the residual.

Then pour. There are many threads here regarding "poured transoms."

Absolutely, the tank needs to go underneath. Just plan the stringers accordingly. And please, pressure test/double-check that tank before permanent install.

Best to you sir...and again, good job.

[catndahats]

thanks Gran...since I'm going to all the trouble with the rebuild, a new transom would be nice and eliminate any question of strength (plus it would look better).  Still thinking about the tank below deck.

[pete]

new transom

[c master]

Cat -
As you're finding out, there is lots of good advice on this site, from people who have direct experience with old Aquasports.  

I'm not as experienced as some of them, although I've built a racing sailboat and 'renovated' a couple of fiberglas boats.  Anyway, on my '75 170, the tank is under the floor...27 gallons and takes up 'zero' room under the console -   storage is at a premium on these little boats.  Also lower center of gravity and keeps the fuel weight out of the back of the boat.  I don't think you could get 27 gallons under the console.  Miller's Machine & Welding in Kemah can make you a high-quality tank to your dimensions.

If you rebuild your transom (a good idea), you might go a little higher at the top, if not all the way to the gunwales.  There are lots of lightweight brackets that don't put the motor too far back (not talking about a jack-plate), but you'll find that the original transom occasionally lets wakes splash over, and backing down in a chop will take waves over the original design.

Last suggestion...move the battery, battery selector and fuel filter into the console.  (If you have room)   Again, my boat has a forward seat so I have easy access to those items.  But the less you have attached to the transom, the better.  Plus it's a cleaner look, less corrosion on the battery, etc.  Whatever you do, the boat will look great...people compliment mine all the time.

[catndahats]

CMaster, I know Miller down here so that's a possibility.  Raising the transom is a good idea especially if I repower.  The 4strokes are heavier and that original transom is low.  Also agree on the battery selector and battery location, especially if the console is modified or replaced.  Thanks for the good ideas.

[c master]

Cat -

On 170's, weight is real important.  I have an Johnson 88 SPL on the back of my 170, with a Raptor cupped SS prop.  It isn't "fast", but it's a little workhorse, it gets me out of the shallows and it's light.  I rarely get water over the transom unless I'm backing down in a chop or a wake hits me at the ramp.  But any heavier and the boat would sit too low.  Even with the higher transom you'll still need your scuppers to be out of the water.  

If I had a bigger boat that could entertain 5 - 6 people, I'd want the quiet of a 4-stroke, although I understand that the newest 2's are very quiet.  And lighter.

Maybe before you buy a motor, you could launch the finished hull, put some sandbags in the transom and see how she floats with a 4-stroke's worth of weight back there.  

C

[WesJ]

One of the ideas I had when I had the boat was to add a bracket (like the old whaler brackets that added flotation to the back end of the boat also) to set the motor back a little more and then 2 seats could be molded in on either side of where the motor would sit now for additional passengers.  Always wanted to see a 17' boat with that type of setup.  That would be the best of both worlds, still really manuverable and easy to handle with just 1 person but yet big enough and have enough space to have 4-5 people in the boat.

Basically a smaller version of this bracket on this 26' Edgewater.
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/refere ... 0x336.jpeg

Wes

[flounderpounder225]

Cat
Since you have the stringer damage, and already have one out, is the boat on a bunked trailer, or stands?  Be careful and make sure the hull is fully supported fore and aft and athwartship.  My cousin in Ft. Pierce was redoing a Dusky 26 inboard, had the stringers out, and the boat was on 4 boat stands.  He came home one day to see the starboard forward 1/3 of the hull bowed over, with a huge concave, it took a lot of work and time to correct, and probably never did regain the exact original curve.  Just food for thought.
Marc

[MarshMarlowe196]

I guess those Whaler guys spent too much on their boats, and couldn't afford any extra bandwith on their website    When I clicked on the link, it called me a thief.

So here you go-


Looks like a cool idea, also maybe looks like a lot of work to make it right.  Maybe a transom bracket and some jump seats would be easier and work just as well.  But if you made your transom bracket like the Edgewater's, you'd definitely have a one-of-a-kind 170  

If you decide on buying a 4-stroke engine, the new Suzuki 4 stroke 90HP is only 20lbs heavier than a 90HP ETEC.  Just something to think about.  

[gran398]

Cat -
As you're finding out, there is lots of good advice on this site, from people who have direct experience with old Aquasports.  

I'm not as experienced as some of them, although I've built a racing sailboat and 'renovated' a couple of fiberglas boats.  Anyway, on my '75 170, the tank is under the floor...27 gallons and takes up 'zero' room under the console -   storage is at a premium on these little boats.  Also lower center of gravity and keeps the fuel weight out of the back of the boat.  I don't think you could get 27 gallons under the console.  Miller's Machine & Welding in Kemah can make you a high-quality tank to your dimensions.

If you rebuild your transom (a good idea), you might go a little higher at the top, if not all the way to the gunwales.  There are lots of lightweight brackets that don't put the motor too far back (not talking about a jack-plate), but you'll find that the original transom occasionally lets wakes splash over, and backing down in a chop will take waves over the original design.

Last suggestion...move the battery, battery selector and fuel filter into the console.  (If you have room)   Again, my boat has a forward seat so I have easy access to those items.  But the less you have attached to the transom, the better.  Plus it's a cleaner look, less corrosion on the battery, etc.  Whatever you do, the boat will look great...people compliment mine all the time.

Hey c master, you're spot-on with all of your recommendations. Keep up the good work

[WesJ]

Have you had any time to work on it lately Nate?

Wes

[catndahats]

just stopping in to say "Hi"

I haven't done anything for a couple weeks.  School's started (I'm a teacher) again, and have been letting the hull dry out after removing foam and the bad/worst stringer.  Need to remove the motor, buy glass and epoxy, build mold for new stringer, etc...  I am still debating on whether to to keep the original style trapezoid stringers, or go back with some sort of Coosa wood type stringer grid which would make a more rigid hull, and allow for some redesign of where the fuel tank and storage would go.  I'm leaning towards going back with the original style from a cost perspective, and to keep with the original design.  The list of "wanna do" project is quite long....motor, trailer, transom, stringers, paint hull and deck.  The road goes on forever, but the party never ends.... 8)

The funny thing is:  This is my FIRST Aquasport rebuild, but I know in my heart it is not the last....