Need Advice

[Kracker Jack]

Like schools said grind the gell coat off to see what your dealing with.dont grind to deep into the glass,just feather the grinder to get rid of the gellcoat and then asess . I have numerous spots on my bottom that the previous owner repaired that im grinding all down and repairing over just to give me a sense of knowing the repair was done correctly.

send us some more pics of the damaged area before and after you grind it down. any soft spots on the floor? Gellcoat cracks in the cockpit or on the bottom that could give us the assumption that the stringers are flexing due to rot? Not trying to be negative but my transom seem pretty solid but when i cut into her she was SHOT!!! So do a couple test pilot holes with a small drill bit to see what consistency the material is being drilled out is, meaning long dry wood shavings are a good sign and "dirt" or wet material means theres rot.remove some screws and see if any water weeps out of the holes.

[Brettnrs423]

Originally Posted by Kracker Jack

Like schools said grind the gell coat off to see what your dealing with.dont grind to deep into the glass,just feather the grinder to get rid of the gellcoat and then asess . I have numerous spots on my bottom that the previous owner repaired that im grinding all down and repairing over just to give me a sense of knowing the repair was done correctly.

send us some more pics of the damaged area before and after you grind it down. any soft spots on the floor? Gellcoat cracks in the cockpit or on the bottom that could give us the assumption that the stringers are flexing due to rot? Not trying to be negative but my transom seem pretty solid but when i cut into her she was SHOT!!! So do a couple test pilot holes with a small drill bit to see what consistency the material is being drilled out is, meaning long dry wood shavings are a good sign and "dirt" or wet material means theres rot.remove some screws and see if any water weeps out of the holes.

Thanks ill give that a try this weekend and take some pics. I dont have any structural cracks on the deck, gunwales, or bow area and no soft spots in the floor. As I had mentioned I do have two structural cracks around the bottom of the cuddy door but thats all i know of. When you say to drill are you talking into the transom or stringers or both?

[Kracker Jack]

Do some drill tests in the transom. Drill small holes they don't have to big holes. You fill them with thickened resin after your probe test. I've walked boats in the past flat footed with flip flops and the sole felt fine but then ive kicked my flops off and walked on my heals and found some soft spots.

[ssiredfish]

PLEASE do not buy an ETEC!!!! I have a few buddies with them and they are in the shop all the time for various things. Hell you cant even clean the fuel injectors on em!!!!!

I have a Yamaha 4-stroke and a dealer that does scratch and dents if you want his info. I got a brand new 07 150hp yammy 4-stroke with full warranty shipped to my door for 9k all because the cowling had some scratches on it. Your fuel econ will go up, they are easy to work on and rarely break down.

Good luck with your project!!!

[jasoncooperpcola]

Brett, I have to agree with Ssirefish. I was not going to say anything. But a very good friend of mine just repowered his Simmons Seaskiff with a 60. He has owned it for eight months and it spent five in the shop. Now how does Evinrude keep you on the water longer? His would start missing and sometimes die completely. Towed in twice. Once was the first trip out. Yes the fuel efficiency is outstanding. But they are still working bugs out. The last shop replaced the ECM and if that did not work he would be getting anotger motor. I think they finally got it fixed.
If you can afford it go with an Optimax. They seem to have gotten their bugs worked out and hardly no complaints.