Replaceing deck and transom on 88 Mach 1

[produceguy]

I bought this boat for the family last year in April and I have had nothing but problems with it since.
Things I've done consist of replaceing impeller, lower shift cable,carpet from Lowes,rewired the dash and put in all new toggels and fuse holders,installed a radio and a cb, blue neon lights for night time,new bellows,new u-joints,made a custom bench and redone some upolstere.
Between then and now I have found this forum and the great advice and knowlege you guys and gals have to offer and its all for free, how great is that.Only wish I would of found ya'll sooner.
I know now I've done some things wrong like the carpet and cb and not useing all stainless stapels but thats all fixable.
I have read numerous threads on replaceing stringers,decks and transoms so now I feel Like the next step for me is to fix the soft spots in my deck. I hope along the way someone can give me some advice on this matter just please remember that 6 months ago I didn't even know what a stringer was. So,today I started and this is what I found.

 

[produceguy]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Here's some pics of where I drilled into the stringers.The stringers are hollow,I think they're all fiberglass. Is that even possible?
Pics of where I checked the foam to see if it was wet. I went down about 3 inches and it was dry.
I'll have to check transom tomorow.

 

[proshadetree]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Have you checked your transom? When you get your floors out you can check stringers. My baylinner had good stringers and a bad transom. I tried checking but it was only at the bottom center.

 

[produceguy]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

proshadetree, When you check the transom do you drill a hole all the way thru the glass? It might sound stupid but that's what I planned on doing.
I was thinking of drilling 3 holes around the plug area.

 

[proshadetree]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Go inside if you can drill through the inner skin as low as possible. Seal with resin

 

[oops!]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

.....woah.......nope.....when you check a transom........here is what you do....

you have an i/o motor....(inboard/outoboard) that means the transom is 2 ins thick.........take a drill bit......and place tape around the shaft of the bit at 1 3/4 inches from the tip.
this will give you a depth gauge (crude...but it works....just dont drill up to the tape.....rot will be all thru the wood if its there at all....so dont worry about the last 1/4 inch of wood next to the hull skin)

from the inside of the transom......drill holes up to your tape.....drill one near your garboard drain....and below any place where there is screw in the transom. that means toe hooks.,....speedo.....any place someone has drilled onto the transom....take a core sample from under that spot..
any hole that you drill....fill and seal with 3m 5200.

now....lets take a look at the wood shavings that come off your drill bit.......are they wet?....did the drill bit just go thru the layer of fiberglass (on the inside of the hull) and then punch thru thin air to the hull? look for coloring of the wood as well as wet. if its rot....it must come out.

now....as far as your stringers.....yes...they can be foam stringers.
what the manufacturer has done is just use the foam as a shape to glass over....the actual glass is the stringer.

now ....your choices with foam stringers are

1. rip them out and replace with wood.
2. leave them alone and fix around them.
3. add more glass over them for insurance.

personally i would choose to leave them alone....(if in fact they are foam and not wood that is rotten to nothing.) if they aint broke.....dont fix em.

remember......we tend to over think things....so just because you get it in your mind to rip out the transom, stringers and foam......if they are good....why do it?

 

[produceguy]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Thanks oops, That's great news on the stringers and the foam.
Great directions on the transom also. I'm really reluctant to do the transom but I have to.
I'll post pics of what I find in the transom.
I think the transom is shot because all the rot and moister is all around the motor area. I'll find out soon enough.
What scares me the most is if I have to pull the motor and pop the top.I've never pulled a motor before.

 

[oops!]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

pulling a motor in a boat is very easy......take lots of pics and write lots of note for each thing/system you dissassemble.

as far as the transom.....that is an i/o....so you might not have to pull the cap....once the deck is out....there should be room to get in there and remove the old transom

 

[produceguy]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

I checked the transom today and I drilled my hole about 6 to 7inches away from the plug. Found that very little shaveings came out but the shaveing that did come out looked like compost.
I drilled a second hole on the port side under a hole that looked as if a screw had been their at one time. Dry shaveings their.
It's hard to tell from the pics

 

[produceguy]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Looks like transom is coming out.
I dissasembled everything hooked to the motor(I THINK).Took lots of pics and labeled everything.
Motor mount bolts were loose and so was a gas line,thank goodness I did this. That gas line could of been a bad situation.
Now I just have to wait intell I can find a cherry picker to pull the motor.
Do I need to take off the gimbal ring before removing motor?

oops, their seems to be enough room in their to tear out the old transom.
How will I apply enough pressure from the inside (without clamps) to bond the new transom to the outer skin?

 

[produceguy]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

I bought these cutters thinking they would cut the fiberglass on the deck but I geuss glass is stronger than steel because they will not cut through it.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Do I need to take off the gimbal ring before removing motor?

Nope,... Pull the Drive, then the Motor, then the transom assembley...

How will I apply enough pressure from the inside (without clamps) to bond the new transom to the outer skin?

Screws,... Lot's, 'n lot's of Screws, from the outside, In...
Fill all the screw holes after they've been pulled...

I bought these cutters thinking they would cut the fiberglass on the deck

Ayuh,... Ya can't beat a 4, 1/2" angle grinder for That job....

 

[produceguy]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Thanks Bond-o.
I've pulled the drive, next I'll pull the motor. I'm on the right track then.

That's what I was thinking to bond the transom back on.
Could I build a support in the boat and lay two hydralic jacks on their sides with the support to hold the jacks in place and apply pressure that way?
I'm kind of conserned about drilling holes in the new transom. I geuss if I seal it up good, it'll be ok,but I'll see where the srew holes were on the outer skin.
Am I over thinking this?

Will I need to remove the gas tank if I use a grinder on the glass? Kinda a stupid question but if I don't need to remove it that'll be ok with me. Less work.
Thanks for your help guys.

 

[produceguy]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

I went to autozone today and they have a fiberglass resin, can I use this on my transom? I think I read on a post that the resin the box stores carry is no good on a transom.
What is the diffrence in fiberglass resin and poly resin?

Wow, I just read the stickey on top of the forum about glass and resin. Thanks guys :redface:

 

[produceguy]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Well, I went to lowe's today and got me a 4 1/2 grinder for 29.99 and some extra grinding blades and a chain to pull the motor for the same price. Picked up my safety gear as well.
I can't wait to get that motor pulled so I can get to work. Is that weird?
I decided it is best to pull the gas tank before I start.
I might have to just rent a hoist because I can't seem to find anyone that has one. Don't want to buy one because this is the only time I'll use it.Oh well, I geuss for now I'll just have to focus on the job I get paid to do. DARN IT!!!

 

[Bondo]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

I'm kind of conserned about drilling holes in the new transom. I geuss if I seal it up good, it'll be ok,but I'll see where the srew holes were on the outer skin.

Ayuh,... After the screws are pulled out, go back with peanutbuttered resin, 'n pack 'em full....
It's like awhole bunch of resin formed rivets so to speak...

Another way is buildin' a 2x4 clamp, through-bolted through the cut-out hole....

If ya do it with jacks, be careful not to distort it with too much pressure...

Most Inportantly,... Be Sure to end up at 2"s, True, 'n Parallel, anywhere the transom assembley sets...

 

[produceguy]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Another way is buildin' a 2x4 clamp, through-bolted through the cut-out hole....

Great ideal, Thanks again

 

[produceguy]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Yes, finally got the motor out!!

 

[produceguy]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

I did find some issues.
Need new flappers for Y pipe.

Not sure what you call this but I need a new one.

Can someone tell me what this is?

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

Re: Replaceing deck on 88 Mack 1

For some reason your pictures are not clickable to make them bigger. I really cannot see what I am looking at.