Beginning my 1987 Fisherman 20 Restoration

[phatdaddy]

nice project looks like a good one to restore. if the transom is solid and just deck is soft, might want to cut out rotten deck to see how much of the stringers will be exposed, possibly address that issue and leave cap in place.

also while your on the engine, i think that vintage yamaha is the one with the shift shaft coupler that gives problem. make sure its ok before going too deep in that motor.

looking forward to the build

[Myfathersson]

Originally Posted by phatdaddy

also while your on the engine, i think that vintage yamaha is the one with the shift shaft coupler that gives problem. make sure its ok before going too deep in that motor.

I've read about shift shaft corrosion issues on the models prior to the switch to stainless steel. Is that the problem or something altogether different?

[phatdaddy]

Yeah, that s the issue. The shaft would corrode at the adjustment turnbuckle. I m not positive on the years, but i remember they had the old style decals. Maybe ferm or spare will chime in

[Myfathersson]

Gotcha. Thanks phat. I'm sure the shaft will need replacing - it looks quite thin between the cowl and the drive and sure ain't shiny like SS would be. After the little bit of further inspection this evening, I've determined the powerhead is going to have to come off anyways if I do in fact rebuild this motor - the sleeves for the 1, 3 and 4 cylinders are spun - their ports are IMHO badly out of alignment with the passages in the block. So once I get the motor off the transom middle of next month following next week's vacation up north I'll focus on the hull structure while the weather is "nice" and leave the OB for the winter - if I can get the powerhead free without mangling the drive. It's clear it saw salt for much of its life, and clearly was allowed to run hot so the outlook is grim. I'm fine with the labor of tearing it apart to see if it's possible to salvage but I'm not spending another dime on the motor (already ordered a Yamaha Service Manual though it hasn't shipped yet) until I'm positive it's a wise course. Worst case I can part out the good bits on eBay.

Cyl 1:


Cyl 3:


Cyl 4:

[Destroyer]

WELCOME TO THE SITE!!! Looks like you have the right outlook for her restoration. Too often a person will try to do the whole thing in one huge bite and get discouraged when they see how large the job is. Remember, it is possible to eat an entire elephant if you do it in several meals. The same holds true for a restoration... take small bites. Concentrate on one problem at a time, solve it completely and then move on to the next one.

Some thoughts:
The shift shaft used to be a major PITA to repair, but some enterprising engineers came up with a 2 piece fix that makes the job much easier. Look for it online.
Not liking the spun sleeves, nor the alum scuffing on #3. I think a new block or engine is in her future.
Soft decks are most often caused by the wood that's glued to the underside of the deck rotting out. Caused mostly by not properly venting the underside after usage and during storage. Ditto for the stringers. Not really hard to fix, just time consuming.
All foam, including closed cell, will, over time, absorb and become water logged. At 8.34 lbs per gallon it's amazing how many pounds it adds to the total weight of your boat. Check it carefully... Take core samples from several different places, and if it's waterlogged remove or replace it.

Good luck with the restoration and we look forward to seeing more boat porn in the coming months as the job progresses.

Welcome aboard Capt.

[Myfathersson]

Slowly plugging away. I've got all the wiring removed except for the running lights and the bilge & live well pumps. Removed the outboard yesterday and started power washing and stripping off the well worn vinyl decals today. More power washing on tap for tomorrow. Then I'll start fabricating 2x4 supports for lifting the cap off. I plan to get a half dozen guys from the office and feed them lunch one day to lift the cap up and roll it upside down. The gel coat is looking even better than I thought as I get it power washed. A number of spots where I'll have to spot repair the gel but paint might be limited to the floor itself.

Outboard off!


Outboard parked behind the Harley:


Freshly naked transom:


Transom cap removed:


Found this penciled on the back side of the aluminum transom cap:


Just before power washing started:


Side by side comparison of the dirt coming off:


Results of day 1 of power washing:

[Pipe_Dream]

Making sound progress!