Va Beach v20 project
 

Well here she is fellas!!!! after spending the last 10 years in a cow pasture she finally has a future. This boat I found out started life as step lift. The cap was cut off and cuddy and 10 inch cap was put in its place.The floor is rotted and the transom is also gonna be replaced.I will still have that odd recess in the floor were the step down to the cuddy used to be. If anyone has any pictures of floor configuration from a conversion such as this please post some pics. feel free to give me all the input you think i need. thanks guys!!

Make an account on photobucket, then upload your pics to there, then insert them in your post as an [img] file and they will display nicely.
It will look something like this:

Example [img] my file [img]

yea what Destroyer said....I'm really wanting to see what it looks like.

Don't worry about the pictures your signature picture is enough for me. You still have the Albermarle? Working on a project 20v. You have the sickness.. LOL:clap::beer:

Nice pics.. if you roll over any of your pics on photobucket you'll see a pop up window with several different formats for displaying the pics.. The one on the bottom is the [img] format. click on it and it will be copied... then just paste it in your post here and it will display ... like this:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/m...EACH/WELL8.jpg

This boat has the original motor that came with the boat at least it seems that way.both boat and motor are 74's. its so funny to see a 135 hp that has a manual trim for the motor. Meaning there is no trim. You unlock the motor and drop it down to the choosen pin height. and it then has a helper type shocks that assists you to lift the motor back up to transport or store. Now thats what I consider old school. my old 25hp on my skiff and my 40 hp evinrude is set up like this, just have never seen it on a motor this size. I might keep it like that and just use that gimble bracket for my other 135hp that im gonna repower it with. I think it would be old school and make it seem like a classic. I also have a used only in freshwater seadrive bracket that a few guys on here have kinda talked my out of using (maybe). I want this boat set up light and simple kinda work boat style. This boat will mosly be used in shore striper, cheasapeake light, cheasapeake baybridge tunnel. with a total of six rods 1 cooler and 2 guys and a live well running the original dual 20 gallon saddle tanks, is a 135hp rude feasible power for this light load rate? Thanks everyone for all the help so far you are a great bunch of guys. I have the boat stripped now of consol, tanks and bench style seat and the old motor. I have a few questions for demoing the floor. question #1 Should i set my saw blade depth to barely cut out the ply wood but keeping the bottom skin and then laminate my new ply wood to the existing botom skin waterproofing my under side of my new floor? Or should i remove top skin,core and bottom skin and then glass the bottom of my new deck plywood and adhere it to the stringers then glass the top of the floor? the reason im asking is a boat guy told me that keeping the bottom skin them laminating new core to it is a method that can be used he said you just kinda scoop it out then roll out your resin to prepped bottom skin and roll resin on your precut core material then screw it to your stringers and put a bunch of bundles of shingle on top of the plywood to weigh the floor down till resin kicks. Also maybe a tip to some guys im sure its been done before but i came up with a easy way to get a rough template for your transom. I screwed my full sheet acx plywood to the out side of my transom today and pulled the plywood up tight to the transom with 3inch screws then just traced the template to the configuration of the outside of the boat. its gonna be a little big but i can fine tune it from there with a jig saw. Atleast you get your template close and saves a bunch of time measuring, Just an idea. I also went and bought a new digital camera today beacuse i will document ever step of this project because this will be my first project of this extent and want to help to show people that if they take there time and do there research that they also can rework there own boat. I will start demo this weekend so get ready for the pictures!!!

Good luck with the rebuild...you have your work cut out for you. Interesting thought leaving the bottom skin of the floor. Never heard or seen that but that doesnt mean much. The one drawback I could see is that as long as you are going through all this work I would think you would want to get a look under that floor for any fixes that might need to be done down there. With the bottom floor skin that wont be possible....

Great project, Kracker!!..gonna be a nice one when yer finished...glad to hear you got a new digital camera to document the progress and all the hard work ahead...:clap:...when you get it, set it on a low pixel setting, best for downloading for use on forums, emails and the like...

Here are some better pics. PO did a real dosey on her!!!!! terrible terrible terrible!!!! good intentions with the wrong applications. Will start demo this weekend. He used mostly resin and hardly any cloth the demo is gonna be a cinch. Any hints or tips to help me out is welcome. like places to cut floor?

new pics loaded up at the end of page 1

Kracker...was that boat converted from a cuddy???...the well in the front...I don't recall seeing that in a CC whereas it is in all the cuddys of that vintage...and the tops of the gunwales are flatter and much wider than standard CCs...I like it...gives the boat a real updated look and should be very functional one you're fishing her...
Are you gonna stay w/that motor?...I hate to add to an already full To-Do list, but rebuilding that transom as a 25"er rather than the 20"er it is now would pay off big in the future...if staying w/that motor, of course it would mean finding a 25" mid section, but IMO it'd be worth it...
Most floors I've seen removed are cut along the outside edge...is there a fuel tank under there?...

Pay attention you old geezer.

This is a very cool project! The cap makes it look like a custom Carolina boat

The caps added really give it that carolina look. but the idiot po used half inch ply instead of 3/4 ply. im gonna laminate with 3/4 over existing, is that to much weight? or should i just laminate over existing 1/2 inch with 1/2 ? she also runs twin 20 gallon rear saddle tanks, is that gonna be an issue with weight in the rear? i am gonna make it a 25 inch transom. what kind of mods. do i have to do to my lower unit besides the spacer? shaft extension?how cost is in the lower unit extension?

I've got a much better idea. Just trade me that Albe even Steven for my V21 and save yourself some time. It should fit nicely in my garage.

Sorry, I'm not much help with your quesitons but had to get that off my chest.

Best of luck with your project.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/m...EACH/MOTOR.jpg Here is my power plant. A 1979 135 that has very very very very low hours. I am only the third owner of this motor, my dad was the second owner and a good friend of my dad was the first owner. My dads friend david never used this motor at all, as been decribed to me by david is that he only ran this motor 40 or 50 times. my dad owned it for 5 years and used it 4 times. I have owned it for 4 years and can say i have only used it 20 to 30 times. do the math fellas!!! how many hours are truelly on this 79' ? I painted it 3 years ago yamaha blue because i had some spray cans left over from painting my 200 yamy on my seaox.The seadrive bracket you see this motor on has only been run in fresh water since 1985. my question is should i use the bracket? should i make it 25 inch transom and find a gimble bracket with power trim tilt? or should i keep her old old school and put her on the gimble bracket that has the manual tilt? I want simple!!! i want functional!!! this motor is running 132lbs. on all cylinders. give me some advice fellas.

It would be nice to do away w/all the weight of the original bracket if you can...and you can lengthen the shaft two ways...find a spacer or a longer mid-section...either way will get the job done...:clap:

so no bracket. and build the transom to a 25 inch transom? Sounds like a winner to me. I was kinda pushing away from the bracket. I can use it to sell and fund more of my project!!or use it to sell and fund the cost of the mid section.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/m...ACH/WELL23.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/m...ACH/WELL22.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/m...ACH/WELL21.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/m...ACH/WELL20.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/m...ACH/WELL18.jpg

Demo went good today,only took me an hour to demo the floor circular saw really does a dosey on the floor and makes it it a cinch to remove, just set the depth and start cutting. As you can see in the pics I cut the floor up to the step and recess which used to be the entrance to the cuddy. What my plans are for that is to glass the step up flush and make it a storage with a drain hole with a removable hatch. I kept the other fish boxes so i can prep them and use them when I set up my new floor and glass them in. I can tell that this build is gonna be a blast!!!!! All comments and recommendations are welcome.

Nice work, Kracker...lookin' good...can't wait to see to progress on this...:clap:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/m...ACH/WELL27.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/m...ACH/WELL25.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/m...ACH/WELL26.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/m...ACH/WELL24.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/m...ACH/WELL29.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/m...ACH/WELL30.jpg[IMG]


Well I removed the old transom today.And started prepping it for replacement. I highly recommend anyone doing this kind of job to purchase the sanding disc like the one I have on my grinder, I t makes quick work for prepping the transom. I have some questions for you guys, Should I lay up some mat on the transom before i laminate the first piece of ply ? should I just roll the resin on factory skin and then laminate? Or should I thicken resin then trowel on and then laminate? I have read that all methods have been used, Im just looking for the strongest.

Is there anyway I can move this thread over to the repair section? or is it ok to keep posting here?

For my money you can leave it right here...this is GREAT!!...if this work ain't on point,I don't know what is...

Keep it up!!...gonna be fun to watch...:clap:

If I can make another suggestion...my old '74 had the single drain hole centered in the splashwell as yours does...while you are about making improvements, you might think about closing that up and putting two drain holes to each side of the motor...the 1st motor I had on that boat blocked that center location and was a constant PIA...that was the subject of my 1st post here in 2003...MacoJoe jumped my a$$ and said JUST DO IT!!...

no wonder transoms rot out in these rascals so soon if there not done right, the bilge holds water 3 or so inches deep and can not drain. so should I keep it the same height as the sump box, or should i drop the height a little so that it drains more efficiently?

I found putty next to the factory skin on my 1983. I did the putty and transom clamps on mine. I used matt on hatches where the skin was laid out on a work table and the core and skin were perfectly flat and it worked great. The transom is anything but flat on the Wellcraft so putty is easier IMO. Both ways will work. Laying glass in the corners of the transom where you still have a little of the inner skin (due to the floor being in the way and such) will prove very difficult. Putty could be easily troweled into tough spots, fabric can be used to laminate the plywood together for the core. I made a three piece transom out of core material because my transom had such a curvature. The wings were laid first and the overlapping center core was clamped in place last. Putty was oozing out around the perimiter everywhere. Put the gloves on and wiped the excess with my finger (like it was caulk) to form a radius on all the transitions (filleting). After it kicked it made laying the inside skin a breeze. I did the same across the top of the core because I made the 83 a full transom where the core stopped a few inches from the top of the transom. You need to add quality fiberglass to the places you intend to extend the transom height. Fairly critical because you are going to be hanging the motor from that area.
Single scarf ========\ \________________/ /===============

BEST Double scarf ======> >=============< <==============
Double scarf requires work inside the hull before adding core.

Google scarf joint for a better visual. The stringers look gone at the stern, what about the rest of them?

Im replacing the stringers also. they have been removed and are being set up as we speak

You are fast. Looks like destruction and prep are not a problem for you. Great thread. Great pictures.

The only hole I see in the pics is the drain hole for the SPLASHWELL...on second look, I don't even see a bilge drain hole...that should be no more than an inch or less above bottom of bilge...

Is pouring w/Arjay a consideration on the stringers?...not an encouragement to go so, just a question...

I plan on putting in a bildge drain plug. do i need a splash well plug? im doing a traditional stringer system. ridge i guess im gonna cut the sides back and then glass them in when i do my progresive lap around the sides.

Well that kind of what I've been tryin' to say...that hole is the splashwell drain...water gets in and has to drain back out...except it's blocked by the motor bracket and doesn't work well...needs one on each side of the motor...no, ya don't wanna plug 'em


I don't see a bilge drain hole in your pics...should be in center about 1"or so from bottom of bilge...

Ordered 18 yards of 1708,4 gallons of polyester resin from a friends uncle in moyock,nc yesterday. just been doing a bunch prep work. Do I need to grind back all the gellcoat were my tie in points are gonna be? Thats alot of grinding and sanding. I guess my question is can you glass over roughed up gel coat? or does all of it have to come off? I read on other forums that glassing over gelcoat will depreciate the strength of the bond to the surface.

The word of today is "ITCHY"!!!!!! More prep work today. I read these post over and over and the phrase that sticks in my head is "prep work is key to a sucessfull project" I have decided to go with a 25" transom and im buying a spacer for my 20" lower end. my old lady bought me a seperate clothes hamper for my boat working clothes, she went to work the other morning itching her butt off after washing her clothes with some that i worked on the boat with. LOL!!!!! SHE WAS BENT!!! Will post some pics of my work today later

One word... Tyvec. Buy yourself some Tyvec work suits. They are disposable jumpsuits that cover all your clothes and keep the glass dust off of you. They are cheap priced compared to a bent wife. (Hell, anything is cheap compared to a bent wife) They cost about $4 each, less in bulk. But seriously they really are good protection, especially when doing glass work. Just wear them, then use them again if still good, or just throw them away... end of problem.

More transom prep. Is it ok to add some 1708 to the inside of the skin on the transom to thicken the skin before i glue my first sheet of ply? I had to grind a good bit of "dry" unsaturated chop strand to get down to a good surface for adhesion purposes. I have read the factory thickness of the outer skin should be about a 3/16 to a 1/4 of an inch.

I have 2 tyvec suits in the garage and didnt even think about them. I used them to paint my motorcycle frame. Thats perfect destroyer!!! mine even have hoods to keep that crap off my neck!!!

rub your arms and neck down heavy with baby powder before you start grinding, I don't know what it does, but it sure prevents itching from glass

when i work with glass i use a barrier cream then dust with baby powder tyvek is wonderful also, when finished wash with cold water.

When you work your pores open to allow your skin to sweat and cool your body. The glass fibers get into them and cause the itch. Baby powder fills your pores. It prevents the majority of the glass particles from getting caught in them, which in turn prevents you from itching.

(Long, long ago, I worked as an insulation installer and had that explained to me by a "veteran" installer. I quit that job after a month...):head:

Ok so im ready to build my transom. I have searched and searched and read thread after thread about a lay up schedule for my transom. Can someone please talk me into a schedule for glass and resin for my outboard 25" transom. I have read so many different ways of tackling this transom and what kind of glass and what ounce to use. Im using polyester and im looking to do either a old school layup or use a new school layup with 1708. I want simple and functional. guys thank you so much in advanced.