1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

[mbible]

So after getting help from many of you on other threads... I decided to start this one to sort of chronicle the adventure of rebuilding this boat and also to make it easier for those who wish to help advise me along the way. I appreciate all of your help!

Here is where I am as of present.



It's obvious that now the engine has to come out due there being no wood in the rear stringers. And the helm supports will be coming out and replacing everything from tip to stern. Hopefully the transom can be saved in time:facepalm:

thx all
Mike

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

I hope you are wearing and using all the appropriate PPE. Your work so for looks really good. If you know anybody in the wrecker/tow business they can get your motor out really quick with their truck. The first link in my signature below has some drawings and details on everything you'll be doing.

 

[mrdjflores]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

welcome aboard...
+1 to what WOG suggested

Also, read through the sticky at the beginning on this forum about how to link pictures from PhotoBucket...it will give us larger pictures without having to open each one individually

 

[rrumba]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

welcome to the "sickness"

 

[mrdjflores]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

welcome to the "sickness"

Now, that could be either a reference to Disturb's "Down With the Sickness"
or Slipknot's (Sic)ness DVD

either way is fine with me...."Oh Wah Ah Ah Ah!!!!"

 

[rrumba]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

more a reference to the "sickness" of those who make this venture of drydockdom....... but it the lyrics below do apply........

Ooh ah ah ah ah
Ooh ah ah ah ah

Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Get up, come on get down with the sickness

 

[mbible]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

welcome aboard...

Also, read through the sticky at the beginning on this forum about how to link pictures from PhotoBucket...it will give us larger pictures without having to open each one individually

Thanks, I will do that.

Yes, it's a sickness, lol.

 

[mbible]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

Update/question, we pulled the motor and found that we will need to replace all the engine bay stringers / motor mounts all the way rearward. Probably have to do the bottom half of the transom. I will de-skin and post pictures soon.

So my question is... does anyone have any advise about laying the new deck on top of the lip left over? My thought is that since our boat does not have outer stringers (just the 2 near the center) is that using the lip as an outer support for the deck would be stronger. What do you all think?

 

[mrdjflores]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

well...my first thought on replacing the "lower" part of the transom....there is no lower part....the transom is one of the most critical components of your structure....if part of it is bad, replace all of it.

with your deck out, i would go ahead and check the rest of the stringers through the boat....typically (not always) boats tend to rot from the bottom up and from the back to the front..drill some core samples in various spots of your stringers...if your drill shavings are clean and dry, your good, just fill the holes with some PB and continue...if the drill shavings are moist and/or dark....replace the stringers

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

Hi Mike,

Like the guys all said before me...welcome to the "sickness"......

Looks like you are in for the full gut and restore from what I have seen in your first four pics and your recent descriptions...

"mrdjflores" is 100% correct, there is no lower transom to replace...it is all or nothing...the lip you mentioned you left and I can see in one of your early photos, could work as you described, but you would have to grind off the top layer and up a few inches on the gunwales anyway to secure the new deck properly with PB and tabbing...it is probably best to cut it back to where you leave a reference lip to use as a measuring point for you future stringers and decking...

If you get a free photobucket account and load your pics there, then click the IMG tag and post your pics here... Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket ... makes it loads easier for us to see what you see...

Have fun
GT1M

 

[mbible]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

Thanks all, here is some photos I took tonight. Sorry, I realize I didn't give you much visual to work with.
Yep, the stringers are out (except the 8" at the very stern) at this point. Almost everything is out of the bow except some lip for now.
Please have a look and see what you think, also regarding deck placement now that you can see the lip a bit better.

thx,
Mike

 

[Alwhite00]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

I think you will need to replace the whole transom, Not sure it would be strong enough if you just did the bottom half.

LK

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

Based on your pic with arrows, I'd say the Keyhole area of the transom for sure needs to be totally replace. Once you get it out you can see if there is any further damage. If not then you won't have to replace anything else just that center section to the first ridge.

As for the deck, I'd attempt to keep it at the same level as the previous one. Leave the lip and grind it down to fresh glass, run the edge of the new deck as close to the edge of the old deck as possible and then Glass em back together.

 

[mbible]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

Thanks very much.
More cutting and grinding done today and got the gimbal ring ready to pull tomorrow.

 

[mbible]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

We pulled everything off, de-skinned some areas and here's what we found...
Going to play it safe I suppose and replace both layers of transom wood.

Was hoping to get by with woodonglass's idea but once I de-skinned that area we found that the wood is wet.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

Yeah, that's how it often is. Fiberglass hides many problems, that are often far worse then we thought (hoped :redface

Those foam filled channels (boxes) on either side of the motor mounts will likely need to be re-fab'd & re-filled w/ flotation foam. They may have added to the structural rigidity of the hull and reinforced the transom/hull bottom/hull sides connections... And were part of SeaRay's attempt to meet the USCG's flotation requirements.

You'll want to be careful when removing the glass & plywood around the keyhole, you don't want to affect it's alignment, perpendicular to the center line of the boat. And KNOW what the transom requirements are to fit your motor/outdrive assembly. You'll also want to make sure you match the final thickness thru the keyhole.

Welcome to iboats dry dock and it's associated afflictions

 

[mbible]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

Excellent advice! I'm taking all precautions and researching thoroughly for fit and specs.
I'm so appreciative to ALL of you seasoned boat builders.

Next question:
I'm not ready to begin re-construction yet but I am trying to prepare. Where I live I can expect temperatures at around high of 55 in the day - and 20's at night... I'm assuming I can't really do any fiberglass work until spring comes, correct?

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

Not unless you can set your self up a tent with either some heat lamps or a forced heat system...For fiberglassing the basic rule is to try and keep the area you are glassing at 60? for 12 hours...

 

[ormjgrouch]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

Mbible, very interested in your build, i'm still at the biggenning stage, just keep reading and reading. Learning alot from these threads.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1987 Sea Ray 197: Rebuild

Use a heat source on a fan:

From HarborFreight