Seaway 23 stringer replacement

[wiggy]

Thought I'd post a pic of my progress. I've removed the rotten stringers and next week after some more grinding and cleaning I'll be adding a chop mat and 1808 before adding two 4"x10" foam stringers from Prisma. The plan then is to re-deck with more glass and coosa. I'm also converting the transom back to a outboard notch. The previous owner converted the boat to an inboard but did a really poor job so I've decided to go back to an outboard. I'm debating replacing the transom with coosa, sort of a "while-I'm-in-there" situation. I don't see a lot of rot but the idea of there being no wood left in the boat is very appealing. I'll post some more pics when I start glassing and installing the foam stringers. Compsys (the people that make Prisma) have been really great to deal with and their product seems like it will be cheaper and easier to use than Coosa stringers and only a few more dollars than marine ply when you consider the glass lay-up costs. After the glasswork is done, my winter project is to make a teak windshield in the woodshop. Anyone know if theres a bass boat windshield pattern out there? There are a few more pics in my folder if you're interested.

 

[JimRP31]

The more pics the better. I think the while your attitude is the way to go. Replacing the transom now is the way I would go.

 

[wiggy]

Poject update

Finally finished some more work on the boat. The stripers were in the Indian River Inlet down in Delaware so I'm a little behind. Got the hull cleaned out with a grinder.

Also realized the transom has to go. If you look in the outside transom pic you can see where water is weeping out of a poorly plugged hole. The boat is ironically named "A Tight Seal."

Any tips on chopping out the old transom wood would be appreciated. Looks like I'll be spending more quality time with the Fein saw. There are also two pics of the rotten balsa core I cut out of the hull.

It looks like the previous owner added them to support around the prop shaft. Although they may have been put in originally by Seaway.

 

[wiggy]

 

[jojobee]

Nice project. Are you rebuilding the house?

 

[tunaorlater]

Ironic name!

 

[CEShawn]

I hope that was named after his wife... oops

 

[wiggy]

It was a bass boat so I have a stash of teak and I'm making a new windshield over the winter.

 

[wiggy]

Sure is! I was thinking about renaming her "a tighter seal" when I'm finished.

 

[SHORT STEP]

did you buy the boat in Ct?

 

[wiggy]

I did. Are you familiar with the boat?

 

[wiggy]

Transom Cut-out on Seaway 23

Had a little time after work today so I got out the sawzall and started on the transom. I cut out the section I wouldn't need with the outboard, no sense in removing all of the core from a section I wasn't going to use.

 

[SHORT STEP]

yes I looked at it on fri but the owner said he promised you a chance as you were 6 hrs away .
it sure needed a total rebuild , the previous owner sure hacked it up
gooog luck , keep us posted
bob

 

[wiggy]

Update on the transom and stringers

I got the transom glass peeled off today. Glad I went in, it's rotten, of course. The inside came off in one piece so I can use it as a pattern. Hopefully I'll get things cleaned up tomorrow with the grinder. Its getting colder in PA and I'm installing a new thermostatically controlled heater in the garage that should help with getting my resin to cure properly. My new foam stringers arrived this week as well. I've got some patching to do and then I can core and glass the transom. Then I'll get started on the stringers. The Prisma stringers look great, the company was really good to work with, and the price when you add in the cost of glass and the simpler install make them a pretty good value. If you look in the last pic you can see where the original notch was for the outboard.

 

[wiggy]

Seaway Project Update

I made some progress on the Seaway last weekend. My family has a Christmas tree farm and gift shop and this is our busy season, so I won't make too much progress until after Christmas

I had some holes to patch, so I made a patch backing using cardboard and waxpaper.

I just duct taped the backing to the outside of the hull

I then cleaned out the holes. In this case it was an old thru-hull hole. I tried to create a nice chamfer so that there was plenty of surface area for the resin to adhere to the old glass and resin.

I then made a bunch of concentric patches from some glass cloth and chop and filled the holes.



After the holes were filled, I leveled some spots with resin and cabosil.
The first layer of mat went smoothly over the hull bottom and now I'm ready to start a layer of 1708.

After I get that finished, I'll add a layer of fresh glass and resin to the transom and stack two layers of 3/4" Coosa Bluewater 26 in before adding more glass.

After all of that, I finally get to try the Prisma foam stringers that I'm anxious to glass into place.

I still have decided what I'll use for the deck composite. Maybe a less dense Coosa in 1/2" and some more 1708 or another structural foam and glass. I'd love to find an alternative to Coosa as it's so expensive.

 

[Tunascapes]

Looks good. I don't think you are going to get a solid enough deck with 1/2" unless you do a few layers of 1708 on both sides. At that point it's probably a push on money just to do 3/4. I tried to get away with 1/2 on my 19 seaway and it was way to much flex for me.

 

[wiggy]

Coosa deck

Looks good. I don't think you are going to get a solid enough deck with 1/2" unless you do a few layers of 1708 on both sides. At that point it's probably a push on money just to do 3/4. I tried to get away with 1/2 on my 19 seaway and it was way to much flex for me.

I was afraid of that. I hate decks that feel like trampolines. I'll have to go thicker. For some reason, the prices on Coosa keep goin up and up and up, at least around the Chesapeake. Thanks for the advice, I'll break out the piggy bank and go with 3/4

 

[wiggy]

New motor and some glass on the transom

 

[joman]

The boat looks nice,what size moter did you decide to repower with?

 

[wiggy]

Its a Yamaha 115 hp four stroke. I'll have to get the right prop for it but it should do well on the 23, and get decent fuel economy