New owner!! Have a few questions!

[PhilBrame]

What's up fellas? Name is Phillip and I live near Charlotte Nc. I was scrolling around facebook a few months ago and come across a deal. Guy was selling an 81 18ft wellcraft fisherman. I drove up too a look and agreed on 600 bucks. The boat over all is in good shape but I bought the boat as a project and know will take some time/ money. The floor has some soft spots and some cosmetic stuff. Sooo having said that, my plan is to turn this bad boy into a hunt/fish machine. I want to do a hull restore. I have read a few threads on other sites about the transom being a bit shallow and wet so here is my question... 1)Does raising the transom to a 25 inch make a big difference? 2)With me redoing the transom would what are some of the pros and cons of sea cast to wood? I would love to do corsa board but not in the budget. 3) With me wanting to raise the transom can I shorten up the splash well to provide a little more space in the rear for decoys, people ect. 4) What things should I consider if I decide to move the console? I plan on removing the old and making one. I considered moving it to the side but I am not sure. I know this is alot and I really appreciate the time to answer my barrage of questions. I am in love with this boat and want to do it justice!!!!

[steplift20]

Welcome Phil to the site, I'm sorry I can't help you with this but I think if you repost this question on the repair section I'm sure you will get replys Congrats on the wellcraft I'm sure you are going to make it yours and loving it

[randlemanboater]

Congrats on the "new" boat and welcome to the site.

I am assuming that the boat has a 20 inch transom, my V20 does too and I have run it for 10+ years in lakes and the sea and never had any problems with water coming into the boat over the transom. That being said, if you are going to run the boat in saltwater, an extra 5 inches of transom puts your powerhead that much farther from the brine.

[Striper80]

I had an 89 18 sport, which was the same hull but lower model. It was the best riding boat that I owned. That said if you’re redoing the transom, and plan on seappythe engine, I’d raise the transom. I took quite a few waves over my stern. Good luck with your project and welcome. There’s a great group of guys here, that are always wiling to help.

P.S. we love pictures.

[PhilBrame]

Thank you for the replies. I need to get a photo bucket account to post a few pics. I will keep yall posted!

[phatdaddy]

imgur instead of photobucket, it;s free.

20 t0 25 shouldn't make any difference on performance, just allows more water in when coming off plane,(probably reason for large splashwell)

do you have a motor on it or will u get what you need when done?

[Destroyer]

HI and welcome to the site. Good to have you aboard.

As Phatdaddy has said, Photobucket is now charging for use of their site. Use Imgur instead. Works better and it's free.
As far as the height goes, it's inconsequential for performance, but the higher height of the 25" will keep more water out of your engine and boat. It's the main reason manufacturers switched to the 25" and even the 30" transoms.
As far as the transom goes I personally prefer the pourable type. If you want to replace the transom with a new wood core you'll have to cut out the inside fiberglass skin for access. (NEVER CUT THE OUTER SKIN) With the pourable you just need to remove the old wood between the inner and outer skins. (chainsaw and a long flat skinny piece of metal with a "L" bend on the end will become your best friends) Much easier and no problems with trying to get the proper curves in the new wood, etc. Plus, you'll never have to worry about the transom rotting ever again. Yes, pourable will probably cost a little more, but it's a small price for the peace of mind.
As far as the floor goes, that can be caused by rotted stringers or rotted wood under the deck. (or both) It will involve removing the deck to accurately determine the cause. The fix is straight forward in both cases. Just remove the rot and replace with new wood. (Use pressure treated or marine grade.

[PhilBrame]

Thanks for the tips! Phatdaddy, it does have a 85 Johnson seahorse on it but it needs more work than it is worth in my eyes. I want to got to at least a 150 hp. It will be used as a duck hunting rig so I need plenty of go when hauling buddies and gear.
Destroyer, I appreciate the input. Where the floor is weak is where there are no stringers. I think the plywood backing under the floor has given up to years of use and exposure. I plan on pulling the cap off and fixing any issues. Looks like I will have to budget for a pour able transom material.

So seacast vs others that have been suggested?

[jrisapirate]

Spent a lot of time with my roommate on Lake Norman when I was down at ECU. Love it out there.

[Destroyer]

If you remove the wood under the deck, when you replace the wood DO NOT use a single sheet. The best fix is to glue irregular rectangular pieces next to each other, (like a jigsaw puzzle) to the underside of that deck, then fiberglass a thin sheet of cloth over the whole thing to seal it from water. (The idea is to not have any long, straight seams. That will make a weak spot at the seam when being walked on from above).