Reel Peachy - 1993 Stratos 280 SF - Transom Rebuild Project

[super_dork]

Sunday shenanigans!

We I've got it down to the back wall now. Now I've got to do some fine work to get everything clean, cut some stuff down smooth, remove the layer of wood on the transom wall with a sander/grinder.

I also used my shop crane (you know, since I have one!) to list the bow up as high as I could to get some better drainage. Unfortunately this thing has a tri-vee thing which makes the lowest point about a foot in from the tail. (See pics). I'm debating cutting the side decking back to that point to be sure there isn't more water holding there and that the stringer is in good shape.


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[CastingCall]

You are indeed a Wreckin' Machine!!
Curious how you're going to fix the glass on the transom where the motor punched through. Going to grind out on inside and outside, push it back out flush, then patch it back in to reinforce it?

[super_dork]

You are indeed a Wreckin' Machine!!
Curious how you're going to fix the glass on the transom where the motor punched through. Going to grind out on inside and outside, push it back out flush, then patch it back in to reinforce it?

That sound like a great idea!

Yeah now that I have access to the back side that pretty much what I'm going to do. I'm hoping to sand both sides well and Likely get some peanut butter in there to fill the seams really well. Do you recommend Jif or Skippy? ;-)

[rgsauger]

It's gotta be the smooth and creamy as the crunchy stuff can't get down in the cracks!

Man, you have made AWESOME progress!!! This is looking great and will be no problem at all to work in your new transom and tab/glass it in to the remainder of the boat. You made a good call going this way in my opinion. Now take your little Porter Cable random orbit sander with your 40 grit or so and cut the bulk of the wood off of the fiberglass back panel and also start smoothing out the cut fiberglass edges, etc. You can use my bigger one if needed, too. You'll be surprised how quickly that DA sander with 36 or 40 grit will cut the old wood. One you hit glass, stop!

On your cracked back plate, we will use epoxy and tape/glass and maybe thicken it with some of the micro balloon stuff (Cabosil, white, not brown wood flower). I have a bag of the power so no need to buy any - we'll use mine. You are going to have this beast back together before you know it!

[rgsauger]

Hey Super D, don't get any crazy ideas but...check this out! Building a Bass Boat - The DIY Forum - General Angling Topics - SEALINE - South African Angling and Boating Community

This pic showing tabbing with tape perfectly: http://gallery.bateau2.com/albums/us...H16%20057c.jpg The white lines in it are the peanut butter except that he used cabosil instead of wood flower. Cabo is white, wood flour is literally peanut butter color. Same end result.

[rgsauger]

Super D, watch this too.

This is what I was talking about securing your new transom assembly to the back glass panel and clamping it solid when we go back in with the new stuff.

[super_dork]

I was watching this guy do something similar today at work.



It's a good idea. Since I will have voids on either side where the new foam will go, we can likely just use the motor mounting holes and some clamps to get it done. I picked up some sanding disks and acetone today. May get out there for an hour tonight and see what I can do. At this rate, I need to get some fiberglass supplies ordered!

I also called Houston Hardwoods and they have 1/2" for $87 and 3/4" for $130 for a 4x8 sheet. I'm leaning towards the 3/4" so I can just get away with 1 sheet and save like $50!

I also sold 2 planes today, so I'm keeping my wife happy by not depleting my funding yet!!

[rgsauger]

Think about whether you might need some 1/2" for remaking any foam boxes or redoing any rear deck stuff, too. Or maybe one sheet of 1/2?

[super_dork]

Think about whether you might need some 1/2" for remaking any foam boxes or redoing any rear deck stuff, too. Or maybe one sheet of 1/2?

Yeah, I was thinking about that. I'm estimating that I will have about a 12" strip of scrap left on the top and side of the sheet after cutting out the transom. I was trying to figure if that would be enough or if I just wanted to get a 4x4 half sheet of 1/2"

[rgsauger]

That kid did a pretty good job on his boat. Interesting that he used liquid nails, or similar, to build transom and then to stick it in.

[super_dork]

That kid did a pretty good job on his boat. Interesting that he used liquid nails, or similar, to build transom and then to stick it in.

Looking at all the work that he did, I was kinda surprised that he used construction adhesive to bond it.

[super_dork]

I did about an hour and a half of cutting, grinding and sanding tonight. It probably would have been faster if I had gotten the right size attachments for my 4" grinder - I got 4 1/2 and they wouldn't work. Anyway, I made do with what I had. I used a then metal cutting disc to clean up some of the tab joints before it broke and I went back to the Rockwell tool. Honestly, the grinder with a cutting disc was AMAZING, but it's seriously scary how easily you could have a hole in the hull. Using the multi-tool is great because it's slower and gives you more time to plan and execute your cuts. Then I pulled out a regular grinding disc and went nuts! I tried 40 grit on my orbital but it was just too slow. The grinder wasn't perfect but it did a nice job on the back skin. Then I used the knotted wire cup attachment to do some of the smoothing out where the grinder left high spots or seams. When I got to the cracks in the transom, I decided to grind them down until all of the separated pieces were gone. I feel like this will give me the ability to ensure I get it patched up solid instead of having some delaminated pieces sandwiched between new fiberglass.

Anyway, after sweating like mad in the Tyvek suit (BUY SOME OF THESE!! THEY ROCK!!) I looked up to see what my entire garage is covered in a layer of dust. CRAP! I didn't have much choice. I have to work at night after the kids go to bed and don't want to spend my weekends working during the day, so I'll just have to clean up after I'm done.

It's not obvious in the pics how sanded everything because of the dust, but I feel like I made good progress. I'm going to start cleaning everything next to see what still needs to be done.


Oh and I think I need some goggles! Safety glasses just don't cut it.


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[rgsauger]

hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!! you're an animal!!!!!! Remember what I said about putting a big-ass box fan behind you when you started grinding??? you see why now? lol

Looking GREAT and the worst is over. The building back up process is kinda fun. I have a big shop vac if you need it. Just holler.

[Team Ardent]

Great job. I redid a 1997 Nitro 800 lxs transom last year and this brings back memories. Just keep going and you'll be one happy dude after it's done looking back at how you did it all by yourself. Great pride in a project like this.

[super_dork]

Thanks for all of the encouragement guys!

Well tonight I did a bunch more grinding and sanding. I'm gonna have to get in there with my blower when this is all over with just to clear out the dust. EVERYTHING in my garage is covered in dust. Oh well. I can't sand at night on the driveway so I'll just have to deal with it. Im going to try to pick up some foam at Lowes tomorrow and see if I can start making a template for the new transom. Then I'm hoping to head to Houston Hardwoods over the weekend to pick up some marine plywood. I still need to order fiberglass and resin, so I may be on hold until I get what I need. I'm gonna go broke with this stupid boat!!!

Either this is really coming along well, or I'm in for a big surprise somewhere along the way!!

Anyway, no pictures today.

[rgsauger]

They close at noon on saturday. 5 minutes after and the parking lot is empty!

Grinding fiberglass builds character.

[super_dork]

Bought some supplies today and did some more grinding.

5 yds of 1708
3 yds of chopped mat
Cabosil
5 gal polyester resin
4" bias tape
3/4" plywood (I've decided to use cabinet grade ply instead of maring grade)
Other misc stuff

I picked it all up at Johnson Fiberglass in southeast Houston.


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The boat is looking happy!

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At this point I'm going to have to make a punch list of tasks in the order I want to do them. I think I'm pretty much done sanding on the transom itself but will need to do some more on the float boxes and other areas. I'm also thinking about whether I'm gonna put a sheet of glass over the outside and if I do, I'll have to sand more back there I guess. Anyway, I'm reading up and watching videos on ways to do fiberglass. Most likely I will start repairing the inside crack next before I cut the transom to ensure I have a good fit.

[super_dork]

I decided to try the fiberglass out after all. I just couldn't wait! I taped the back to give me a surface to work with then used the mat and tore it to the shape I needed. I cleaned the surface then wet it with resin then added the glass.

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[CastingCall]

Fiberglass cloth gives strength across spans - mat and chopped strand is good for filler (to bulk up a laminate). Be sure to use cloth in alternating layers with mat to add strength. Also alternate the direction of the cloth weave.
It's looking great so far! Keep up the good work!

[super_dork]

Yeah my plan is to add at least 1 maybe 2 layers of cloth over the mat then gonna add a layer of cloth over the whole inside area where the wood will contact the transom.