215 sundowner transom

[todhunter]

@Pmt133 did a great job. I spent about $10k - $11k on mine, but it was now several years ago. Another in-depth documentation thread if you want to read:

1987 Power Play XLT-185 - floors, stringers, and upholstery

Well, here I am making my first post in a boat forum, and this post is in the resto/repair section, haha. Two weeks ago, my wife and I decided to start looking at boats with the hope of picking one up by next season. Naturally, I asked my brother (who is a boat guy) to be on the lookout for...

forums.iboats.com

 

[Scott Danforth]

There is also Frisco's thread in the stickies which was done as a training/ education thread for the iBoats forums

 

[Pmt133]

Yes, Jay's is the one I read through dozens of times before I even thought of doing this. I should've linked that as well. @todhunter was immensely helpful for my project as well as his thread.

The only reason I linked mine is that its the same boat more or less. Dad did a few liberators back when he had the yard and those use the same hull as the santara. The sundowner was then based on those hulls. Those three are more or less the same. When I started gutting mine he was looking and said the construction was about what those were. His boss did all the glass work. He did the gutting. That being said, all boats are about the same.

If you have the room for it, pre tab the parts outside the boat. Its much easier.

 

[happy cruiser]

There is also Frisco's thread in the stickies which was done as a training/ education thread for the iBoats forums

I have been watching his searay video on utube, alot of good info just trying to process all of it

 

[Pmt133]

I have been watching his searay video on utube, alot of good info just trying to process all of it

Read the thread. There are a few things glossed over in the video that are properly addressed in the thread.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I have been watching his searay video on utube, alot of good info just trying to process all of it

Go to the 3rd sticky at top of forum.

Start with link 14 (Frisco's thread), then go to links 15, 18, 2, 3, 4a and 4b

 

[happy cruiser]

Finally got a bit of time to get back to teardown slow and steady is gonna be my game plan lol, foam seems to be dry so far stringers are soft about 10" from transom gonna keep chasing and see where we end up. I definitely appreciate all the info I have received so far from you all and will post progress as we go and plenty more questions I'm sure lol cheers

 

[happy cruiser]

Is this normal construction of an engine beds and would i be better doing a solid block of some hardwood for the new ones?

 

[happy cruiser]

 

[happy cruiser]

 

[Pmt133]

Laminated ply is stronger than dimensional lumber. I made mine by stacking sheets and gluing with tite bond 3 then bedding with peanut butter and glassing over with 3-4 layers of 1708.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Yes, laminated plywood is the strongest

 

[happy cruiser]

Laminated ply is stronger than dimensional lumber. I made mine by stacking sheets and gluing with tite bond 3 then bedding with peanut butter and glassing over with 3-4 layers of 1708.

The mounts were lag bolted in, wouldn't that just force the layers apart?

 

[redneck joe]

The mounts were lag bolted in, wouldn't that just force the layers apart?

Predrilling is key. Drill a very tiny hair smaller than the shaft of the lag bolt. This allows the teeth of the lag to slice into the wood and hold rather that forcing apart.

Take a 3/4 board and run a screw into the thin edge without splitting it. Do the same with a predrilled hole and you will see the difference.

 

[redneck joe]

And of course seal it properly.

 

[happy cruiser]

Finally had a chance to get back to it, quick question about the blue area of the bilge seems to be a thick layer of im guessing 1708 does this need to be removed or just sand the edges where the new stringer will meet it? It appears there are 2 strip of wood possibly that are underneath it but are not square one runs under outer edge of motor mounts other is about an inch away. Tia

 

[Scott Danforth]

You have a lot of grinding........ All that blue gets ground off

 

[TripleJGraffis]

What is the best way to make sure stringers and engine mounts go back in the same location once everthing is cut out? I think that's my biggest fear of doing a job of this nature it's not the labor or figuring out how to lay it up just making sure everything goes back were its supposed to be

Take measurements
Take pictures
Take accurate measurements
Create a detailed drawn diagram of what you are questioning, with included said measurements
Take even more accurate measurements
Make sure you are confident and proceed with dismantling,

Oh, and did I mention that you should take and log as many accurate measurements as possible?

 

[TripleJGraffis]

All that blue needs to go......WEAR PPE FROM HEAD TO TOE as well as a decent respirator!!! Cover anything up that you don't want covered in fiberglass powder. Your garage will get extremely white from grinding. Wear clothes that you are willing to throw away afterwards. Cover as much of you body as possible and tape off your wrists and ankles....This fiberglass is no joke. I did not listen to my own advice to you and regretted it severely for 2+ weeks while I waited for tiny fiberglass fragments to work their way out of my skin naturally. When that stuff makes it's way in, it hurts and itches unbearably. Showers suck, the warm water irritated your skin and causes even more itching and pain....I could go on......but I wont.....Be smart about this.

 

[Pmt133]

Yeah. Grind that clean.