We had a paste we used on the brass screws and other fittings we used, it was called Denso chromate paste, even after a few years on a fishing boat the screws would come out no problem and usually were as shiny as a new one, it was everything else around them that rotted away. The tubes and tins were labelled Densochrome
I love brave projects, and this is brave.been a productive two days. Cut out the transom and enclosed the hole.
First stage measuring and marking. I triple checked and checked again as you can't do this twice or buy another one. I marked it all out with masking tape..That took about two hours. Didn't want to be wrong.
The cut it out with a metal cutting disc in an angle grinder. Except the radius bit. Did that with a jigsaw and a metal cutting blade. Left a smidge both side at the top so it didn't just drop. Then just cut them whilst taking the weight. That all took about 15 minutes.
Yesterday I made using 12mm cheap ply templates for the openings in the transom. Today cut 18mm marine ply and fitted it all together. Lots of reinforcing bits and plenty of glue:
Then fitted the "door". Bit fiddly.Its about 1 mm high on the right. Not a problem it will all need tweaking etc when the fibre glass etc goes on. I was going to reinforce the door with 18mm marine ply. But the 18mm is reallly dense and heavy. So I will use 12mm otherwise the door will be too heavy.
And with the door closed. Will leave it all to set for a few days then put a few layers of fibreglass on it to make it water proof.
The stainless screws are all slightly recessed, so will (eventually) cover them over with gel coat.
by only removing the section that goes down to the wide step I don't think it will materially reduce the transom strength at. Other have done it before. Just below where I cut there is a wide beam across the transom and I have added more wood too. The transom proper is also extremely thick.
Right….boxing in mullions is going in the memory bank! That really has transformed it! 5 garmin screens and you’ve got a SL96 wheelhouse thereHad another couple of sessions at the boat. Sorted out the clicky hydraulic steering. Fortuntely it just needed topping up with fluid and it's now lovely and smooth and as easy to turn as a car steering wheel - which was a surprise. Cleaned up the horrible gungy bilge and it all smellls nice now. No more nasty niffs have materialised.
Boxed in the windscreen mullions, which I think has made a dramatic difference in disguising the frames and age of the boat. They need glueing, filling etc before surface finish. Going to try paint first but may use some sort of cloth. I will see what it looks like.
This is before:
This is now:
Sorted out the last few panels around the saloon, around the patio doors etc. Just little bits but take a while. It all needs covering now.
And boxed in the internal part of the opening transom door. It now shuts with a satisfying "thunk" and is aligned pretty well for now. Once its all fibreglassed etc it will no doubt need easing a bit. But the important part is the hinges are now in exactly the right position with big fat stainless screws.
Next stage is it's going back in the water and I will see what does and doesn't work properly and sort the internal plumbing before doing any painting, wrapping etc - just in case water starts spraying everywhere. I am assuming there is some frost damage somewhere.
This is the last post on the boat for a few weeks. I am being dragged off elsewhere. Don't worry It's not going on eBay.
Amazon.co.uk
I suspect 5 garmin screens would cost a fair bit more than I paid for the entire boat! I don't think an SL 96 would fit under Lendal bridge in York. Better stick with the Fairline for now.
) little spark as the contacts opened etc. Cleaned and degreased! the rotor arm (I guess they wiped that with the oily rag too). Checked spark at a spark plug from the coil ignition lead. Pop it all back to together and off she went, started immediately. Let it run for a while to warm up. Very good oil pressure, voltages and temps all correct.
Your transom door that becomes a step is very cleverWell it went back in the water this morning, down a fairly steep slip way. The bathing platform was briefly under water.......I bought this boat with out a seatrail/river run, I had seen it running with the outdrives in a barrel and it seemed OK, what could possibly go wrong? 40 years old, petrol engines and a pair of the devils egg wisks.
The boat guys pulled it alonside their big berth and left me to it. Then the dreaded moment, will it start.
Did it buggery. Both engines rotated etc but not a sniff of internal combustion. Neither engines showed any enthusiam. I had partially expected this because when I bought it I was told it had received a full service. I suspect a full service meant, given a wipe with an oily rag. To be fair they were both running albeit briefly back in October. So yesterday it was three new batteries, ( the old ones were dated 2005!) cleaned up all the big fat battery connections. I even fitted a newish posh battery charger so they were all good to go.
So:
Starboard engine : did the usual plugs out, all looked ok, distributor cap off (it's petrol). flicked the points (remember those
Port engine : did the same as the starboard engine and it ran but very badly. Kept cutting out or surging. So took the carburettor to bits, they are very simple. Float chamber, idle jet, main jet and an acceleration pump and jet. The needle valve was sticking, a bit of grit in it. Cleaned that out and It then started and ran beautifully.
Then the perilous voyage along the Ouse up to York Marina. Fortunately no problems, everything ran beautifully. Outdrives selecting gears smoothly, drives straight. All good. Engines at the right temp on arrival. No leaks. But then a problem:
I went to the marina yesterday to find my new berth and see what boats were adjacent - good idea! Except when you enter from the river entrance it all looks completely different. So I got some extra manouvering practice in as I stumbled about trying to find my spot. I have never driven a twin engined outdrive boat before but it seemed pretty similar to a shaft boat.
Anyway she is now on her new berth, absolutely filthy. I don't think it has had a proper wash in 3 or 4 years. It is moored between a very clean and shiny Sealine 330 and a very clean and shiny Sealine 390. I am afraid my tub somewhat lets the side down. It looks like some pirates have arrived. The complete mix of mooring ropes, string, bits of old shoe lace etc tying it up really didn't add much to the external appearance. Some proper 12mm navy polyester rope is on order.
So, she lives! I then checked out the toilet. It won't suck water in, no problem its old, but it will pump out the antifreeze mix. Super!
Errr no, that water ended up in the engine bay! I think the 38mm sanitary hose has split or the diverter valve to the holding tank has cracked. Doesn't matter its all coming out anyway. But good job I checked before it was used properly.......
