wanted

[Franco]

HEY OZ, THEY ARE LIKE 20 MILES NORTH OF ME !

[redfordguy]

blue runner,
if you lived closer to connecticut the boat would be sold.

[reelapeelin]

redguy...make the trip, Man...CT to NC...piece o' CAKE!!... ;) ;D ;D

Franco...if we ever DO go into the boat-buildin' business, we'll be talkin' w/those fine folks!! 8)

My input on stringers..... I bought a '78 three years ago (the old style with the twin saddle tanks). The transom was a little "springy" that is, when I put some weight on the prop I could see flex in the transom. So, I went to a resin/filler supplier (near Atlanta) got their version of seacast filler (chopped glass fibers, mineral dust and a foaming agent. The finished product has a density of oak. I cut the top edge off dug and vacum'd out all the old wood (some was like a dry pulp) and then noticed the stringer "slots" at the bottom were also full of "dust". I called Wellcraft and was told by a guy that the wood was pretty much just a form for the glass. The glass is still there. I drilled a 1/4" hole through the back, filled the stringer slots with exp p.u. foam, trimmed, then spaced, clamped the transom and filled it with my resin mix. I have had daylight between me and the waves! It's solid as a rock. The bow will lift off the trailer with enough weight on the back of the motor. (Why "re-glass" the stringers if the glass is still there?) (Note, I think in the later years, they used less glass/resin and the stringers may be more important). The only thing I wish I'd have done is to remove more of the sludge/pulp from the two middle stringers because if I get a lot of water in the bottom the water finds a way to get in the port side stringer and get a little heavier before it drys out. If anybody would like a few pics I documented the process.
Best of luck,
Trollercoaster ;D

[msbhammer]

Troller,
Love to see those pics !!. Hook us up !! ;D ;D

[reelapeelin]

Pictures??...did you say pictures...heck yeah, we wanna see 'em... 8)...

[macojoe]

PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HELL YES!!!!!!!!

[regidog]

Would love to see pics. I will be doing the same soon so right now checking out the options. If i don,t need to recreate the fiberglass on the stringers, man will that save time!!!

OK, here's some pictures! (I guess this is the way to post pictures?) http://s66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Trollercoaster/
[IMG]

I also threw in a few extra. The pic of #6 cyl that I was told was "low" on compression. (It was ZERO - #1 was low. Also, the seat, (new upholstry) that I left and used some 3/8 eyebolts and teenuts along with some ss hooks on a cam lock tie down, around to the back and it makes an effective "wave stopper" when things get rough. Finally, I'm real pleased at the new stickers! With them and a wax job it really looks great!
To get a little increased height in the center of the transom, I used two sheets of 1/2" plywood, C-clamped to the transom and covered w/.006" PE film so it wouldn't stick. I cut a 2 x 8 with the angles on it and forced it down into the mix, when almost hard (15 minutes) I removed the plywood, cut 2 x 8 and trimmed the edges and covered all with some .060 x 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 alum angle from front and back overlaped and sealed with 5200. I then put a jack plate on, moving the engine back 4" so it wouldn't hit the front of the splash well or the seat back when tilted up.
Hope these help (even though they loaded in reverse). I'll be glad to answer any questions.

Trollercoaster :P

[Blu_Lunch]

We need your password........