78 22 FF Rebuild

[fishon]

It's been fun to watch your project...and inspiring.  I'm reglassing the top of my transom and replacing part of the deck under the console.  I think I'm going to put a new tank under the deck as a previous owner mounter a grabrail to the console with screws into the tank. (I bet that was a surprise...but not as big as it could have been)  The holes had been fixed w/ epoxy but the tank is old and pitted and the sending unit isn't working. New tank time.

[Curious]

Thanks for watching fishon.  Using this site for advice and to watch other people's experiences was instrumental in getting this done right.  I pretty much started out with zero knowledge and experience on how to do this.  I also checked out a couple of transom jobs on classicmako.com, youtube and the Seacast site was helpful too, transomrepair.net.  The only reason I went with Nida Core is because I was able to get it from a distributor closer to me and save on shipping.  The stuff worked out great- very solid but drillable and sandable.  

The glass work is a learning curve- with the motor cut out and going up the sides there are a lot of curves and it was my brothers first time working with 1708.  He just ended up doing it in sections and using smaller pieces on any radius rather than try to go around corners with a full piece of the stuff.  As long as you dry fit everything as dirtwheelsfl suggested in my other thread and prebend the stuff to wrap around the transom the air bubbles were pretty minimal.  Another great tip is to just do an L instead of trying to wrap all the way around like a U.  In other words, take an 8" piece of 1708 and go 5 inches on the outside and over the top with the 3 inches and let that set.  Then do 5 inches on the inside and overlap the 3 inches on the top rather than trying to do a U over the top and down each side.  

As far as your gas tank, as you probably saw in some of my pictures, I'm in the same boat as you.  For now I'm just going to get the motor/battery/control installed and run off a 12 gallon portable tank but I'm planning on doing the tank pretty soon after I get the boat running.  I've gotten a couple of quotes from MA and RI that I'll dig up and share with you so you'll have an idea what the cost should be.

[fishon]

I found a Moeller poly tank that may go under my deck at Eastern Marine Supply that about $100 less than West Marine.  I would like to get a 27 gal in slightly forward of the above deck/ under console tank I'm scrapping.  I found some machined aluminum blocks in Delaware on Craigslist that will move my engine back 2" but uncover my deck scuppers.  They have been blocked by the wider engine bracket. (narrower brackets in 1972.)  I sawed through the deck skin where the console had been to reveal the only soft spot in the deck. Just removed enough deck to locate stringers.  The '72 170 has three stringers so I'll be cutting through the center to create a coffin for the new tank.  I'm looking forward to having the storage space uner the console for tackle but also to get the battery off the deck.  Ran out of time tonight.  Had to pick my son up from baseball.  Tomorrow is another day.  Before I remove too much of the sole I want to know how thick the tank can be which will determine which length and width I order.  I think with a poly tank I should leave at least two inches all the way around for expantion.

[Curious]

I tried to find a Moeller poly tank that would fit my tank coffin but there aren't any sizes that retain anywhere near the original gallons (around 54).  I've read that as long as you leave some expansion room around the tank you're good to go.  I think Moeller even has an installation guide on their site.  Good luck!

[SeaOx23]

Great thread. Thanks for the step by step documentation of your transom rebuild complete with pictures. Makes it much easier to follow along. Keep us updated and be sure to include the finished product with a picture of the outboard hung on the new transom.

[Curious]

Now that you ask, here's a couple more pics of the fiberglass cap:





Started with some kitty hair to fill some gaps in the corners and at the top of the gunnels.  Then a couple layers of 1708 followed by a layer of 1.5 ounce chopped strand mat over everything.  A little filler in there to smooth things out as it progressed.  I think he still has to add a little height to the motor well to get up to 20".  It's around 19 3/4" right now.  All polyester based resin and filler to bond well to the Nida Core and fibergalss skins which are polyester based.  My brother is doing the glass work, final fairing and paint as I am completely illiterate in this department.  So far it is coming out great but any comments and tips would be appreciated.

[Curious]

Another reason I wanted to keep the sides of the transom the same height was so I could mount a kicker motor directly to the transom like Bondobill's setup.  Right now it measures around 20 or 21 inches right around where the scuppers are and a 9.9 or 15 hp long shaft motor measures 21.5 or 22 inches.  That way I can have the security of an auxillary motor but don't have to mount one of those drop down brackets.  Thoughts?

[bondobill]

Another reason I wanted to keep the sides of the transom the same height was so I could mount a kicker motor directly to the transom like Bondobill's setup.  Right now it measures around 20 or 21 inches right around where the scuppers are and a 9.9 or 15 hp long shaft motor measures 21.5 or 22 inches.  That way I can have the security of an auxillary motor but don't have to mount one of those drop down brackets.  Thoughts?

 Curious.
Maybe it's too late but have you thought about a extra long shaft kicker. That's what I got on mine, that way I was able to raise the outside of transom another 5 to 6". you said you still have some pour left over . I had a long shaft on it before, found backing down on fish in rough water the hood of the kicker would dang near submerge, also with kicker higher makes it easier to operate.
Just a thought
BTW nice job on transom
Bill

[Curious]

Bill, yeah I though about using the 3 gallons I have left to raise the sides up a few more inches.  A guy over on classicmako did that and it came out great.  I talked it over with my brother and we decided to just finish it as is.  I'm only planning to use the kicker for an auxillary to get home on if the main engine fails so a regular long shaft should do the trick.  Do they make it longer than 22 inches?  I guess with the 20" main engine shaft and the lower transom sides I run the risk of the engine getting wet and water coming in over the top of the transom.  My plan is to keep things safe by building a hinged or removeable bulkhead a couple of feet forward of the engine- not quite sure how I plan on doing that yet but I have a couple of ideas.

Another thing I am worried about is there is a trough at the back end of the deck where the scuppers are and the scuppers are actually below the waterline as it is currently painted.  I haven't had the boat in the water since I've owned it so I don't really know if the scuppers will be under water and the trough wet all the time or not.  A little extra weight (Nida Core vs. plywood) plus a 200hp Yamaha Salt Water series motor...  I just don't know yet how it will sit in the water so the plan is to get it set up, splash it and re-evaluate from there.  I was thinking of filling in the trough with the extra Nida and putting the scuppers flush with the deck to raise them up a few inches but that would also add a few extra pounds to the stern, too.  Nothing a couple of ping pong scuppers can't cure, I guess.  At any rate, I'm just gonna get it rigged and in the water and see how it sits.
Dan

[SeaOx23]

In regard to your scupper woes. I owned a commercial model Sea Ox before my current sport model. It had the same set up as your Aquasport. The little scupper holes were in the stern. What I did was glass over the stern scuppers and relocated them to the sides. When you build that well, put the new scuppers where the end of the well wall meets the hull. They will be about three feet forward from the stern depending where you have the front of your well. That will get your scuppers way up above the waterline instead of sitting way below the waterline as they were in the stern. Worked really well for my Sea Ox. I used a 3" hole saw and cut the scuppers out on the side of the hull. Then I inserted threaded PVC. When it gets rough you can screw in caps into the scuppers to keep water at bay.

[dirtwheelsfl]

looks good. now comes the fun part. fairing

[Curious]

Getting closer:

[gran398]

Oh boy...that is pretty work

Thanks for the pics, keep 'em coming!

[gran398]

In regard to your scupper woes. I owned a commercial model Sea Ox before my current sport model. It had the same set up as your Aquasport. The little scupper holes were in the stern. What I did was glass over the stern scuppers and relocated them to the sides. When you build that well, put the new scuppers where the end of the well wall meets the hull. They will be about three feet forward from the stern depending where you have the front of your well. That will get your scuppers way up above the waterline instead of sitting way below the waterline as they were in the stern. Worked really well for my Sea Ox. I used a 3" hole saw and cut the scuppers out on the side of the hull. Then I inserted threaded PVC. When it gets rough you can screw in caps into the scuppers to keep water at bay.

OT...Off-Topic

SeaOx, your boat was made here in NC. Seamark boats just rebuilt one here from the hull skin up. Should you need input as to the stringer schedule, please don't hesitate to PM.

Curious...your fairing job is deluxe...thanks!

[Curious]

Gran, thanks for the encouragement.  Just for the record, that is not my fairing job, that is my brother's handiwork.  Some folks just seem to find their niche and his is body work or in this case fiberglass work.  I asked him if there was anything I could do to help out and he wont let me do anything.  He's pretty much an artist who knows what the final result needs to look like.  All I would do with my lack of experience is get in there and screw it up if I tried to help!  I'll get some pics of another transom job he did recently and post them here.  Smooth, even and structurally solid.

I'm getting pretty pysched now, I can't wait for the end result!