1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

[BoatgoatmfgVT]

Hey you guys, my names Trevor and this is my first post on this message board. Thank you so much for accepting me; I can't wait to learn as much as i can from all of you and get to know everyone. This seems like a great forum and i'm really happy to be part of it. So without further ado i will tell you about the boat and post pictures of it.

I obtained this boat at the low price of free! It seems to be in really rough condition, as if its been worked on by generations of people that didnt know what they were doing or just didnt care at all. The outside has gouges from a circular sander all over it, dings, scrapes and it looks like someone painted it with house paint or something. The biggest problem i see is the transom, the wooden core is rotten to the point that its composted, and the outside glass of the transom is cracked in two places.

Well, heres my questions: What would be the best way to fix the cracks in the outside of the transom? Theres steel stringers, is this common? Should the stringers be running from the bow to the stearn?(Because this boats stringers dont)
If i replace the transom with plywood, how do i go about taking the cap off the transom?(The cap seems to be attached to the rest of the boat) What would be cheaper, Seacast or a plywood core transom? How should the stringers be attached to the hull? Thats all i can think of for now, now for the photos. Thank you for looking!

 

[BoatgoatmfgVT]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

Here is a photo of the steel stringers, do these seem like an original thing? Also a picture of 2 steel plates that sandwiched the the outside of the transoms fiberglass, the blue one goes on the inside and the white one goes on the outside. There was also a Ibeam that attached to the inside over the blue plate, is this a common thing or just a rednecked solution? The ibeam was more of a cbeam, flat on one side and i beam on the other.

 

[sphelps]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

Welcome Boatgoat ! So glad to see another MFG getting resurrected ! The guys here are great and can walk you thru everything that needs to be done . Check out Jon Sob's thread he has the same boat ..http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=492080
Good luck and join us on the MFG forum if you like !
Later S.P.

 

[BoatgoatmfgVT]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

Welcome Boatgoat ! So glad to see another MFG getting resurrected ! The guys here are great and can walk you thru everything that needs to be done . Check out Jon Sob's thread he has the same boat ..http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=492080
Good luck and join us on the MFG forum if you like !
Later S.P.

Thank you so much, that is exactly what i've been looking for! I couldn't find anything on my exact boat, and you found it immediately, thank you

 

[sphelps]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

Yep Jon did one unbelievably great job on his restore and so can you !

 

[BoatgoatmfgVT]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

One more thing, does it seem like those steel plates and the Cbeam are suppposed to be part of the transom? Have you guys ever seen anything like that? I guess it would make it a hell of alot stronger, but is it supposed to be like that?

 

[sphelps]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

The plates were a band aide on the transom you will not need them once the transom is installed . The c-channels are part of the structure.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

Nope, that's all "Band-Aids" someone has used over the years to reinforce a wasted transom instead of fixing it. When you fix it correctly you won't need it. Your boat is rated for about a Short Shaft 20 hp motor. The central stringer is normal. Not sure if it's steel or aluminum.

 

[BoatgoatmfgVT]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

Nope, that's all "Band-Aids" someone has used over the years to reinforce a wasted transom instead of fixing it. When you fix it correctly you won't need it. Your boat is rated for about a Short Shaft 20 hp motor. The central stringer is normal. Not sure if it's steel or aluminum.

Oh alright, that makes sense. It definitely came from the type of place that people would do half assed fix it later type of work, i'm talking a really grungy trailer park with cats everywhere and garbage all over the place. As for the motor, 20hp short shaft you say? I own a 1963 28hp Evinrude speeditwin, Would that work on this boat? i'm really hoping it will because i just spent 300 dollars on it!:facepalm: I'm pretty sure the stringers are galvanized steel, held in with bolts that are glassed right into the boat.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

That motor should be PERFECT for that little boat, IF it's a short shaft. Measure from the mounting bracket to the skeg and if it's less than 20" you should be fine.

 

[BoatgoatmfgVT]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

Okay so whats the first step to fixing this transom? I'm pretty sure that i'm going to have to remove the inner skin to the transom, right?
How far from the inside should i cut the transom, like an inch or right to the ends? Also, theres 2 tears in the transoms outter skin, does this need to be repaired before removing the inner skin?

 

[BoatgoatmfgVT]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

Here is the two tears in the transoms outer skin The smaller tear is the left side and the larger is the right side. The third photo shows the tears from further away, they are circled in blue and red.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

Nothing to worry about. we will fix those when you get ready to install the new core.

 

[BoatgoatmfgVT]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

So what would the first step be?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

First step is either remove the top cap of the boat or cut the gunwales about a foot in front of the transom and remove that portion of the top. Cut the inner transom wall out and then grind and sand all of the wood off of the outer skin of the t boat. You will then make a pattern to fabricate the new inner core of the transom. take a LOT of measurements of the boat as it sits right now

 

[sphelps]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

Trevor , Don't forget to get you a good quality respirator for the grinding and cutting on the fiberglass. The stuff is really bad for your lungs. Eye protection too ! Also as WOG said you can cut the gunwhales in front of the transom to gain access and glass it back in later or you can loosen the cap by cutting or chipping away the white looking stuff under the rub rail all the way to a few feet from the dash . It will loosen up enough to ease the cap up off the back to get to the transom. Then when the transom is done drop it back in place and tab it back to thehull from the inside. Then when you flip the boat to paint the hull you can fill the gap back in with some pb ..Really the only thing you would gain by not cutting the cap is not haveing to fair in that section for paint. Is the cap fastened firmly to the hull? Some times the stuff under there starts to crack and the hull will rattle against the cap. It would probably take less time just cutting the cap like Wood said..
OK thats enough rambling on and on from me .:facepalm:
Later S.P.

 

[Jon Sob]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

Hey guys ..... that cap has no rivets or screws it is just held on by whatever that white stuff is under the cap. I just cut mine near the transom to avoid removing and replacing all of that stuff. That white stuff was in good shape all the way around my cap except where I worked it away from the hull to remove the ends.

 

[Jon Sob]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

Sorry .... I thought that was the same year as mine but it seems a bit different so I edited this post.

 

[BoatgoatmfgVT]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

Trevor , Don't forget to get you a good quality respirator for the grinding and cutting on the fiberglass. The stuff is really bad for your lungs. Eye protection too ! Also as WOG said you can cut the gunwhales in front of the transom to gain access and glass it back in later or you can loosen the cap by cutting or chipping away the white looking stuff under the rub rail all the way to a few feet from the dash . It will loosen up enough to ease the cap up off the back to get to the transom. Then when the transom is done drop it back in place and tab it back to thehull from the inside. Then when you flip the boat to paint the hull you can fill the gap back in with some pb ..Really the only thing you would gain by not cutting the cap is not haveing to fair in that section for paint. Is the cap fastened firmly to the hull? Some times the stuff under there starts to crack and the hull will rattle against the cap. It would probably take less time just cutting the cap like Wood said..
OK thats enough rambling on and on from me .:facepalm:
Later S.P.

I'll take all the rambling you can throw at me! It all helps. I'll definitely take your advice on the respirator and eye protection. Tomorrow i'm going into town to get supplys, what would you recommend i buy other then proper PPE? I have an angle grinder for cutting the glass(if thats what i should use), What type of sander and paper should i use?
When i go to remove the inner transom skin, how far from the edges do i cut?

 

[sphelps]

Re: 1960's 13' MFG carefree Rebuild (complete noob, i know nothing about this!)

For cutting the skin I use a 4 1/2 " angle grinder with a thin metal cut off wheel and I think you should cut it as close as you can to the sides of the hull. For grinding / cleaning the inside of the skin you can use the grinder with either a heavy grit 6" disk with a backer pad or a 4 1/2" flap disk I think you call it.