I need Transom/engine advice

[Dhiggs77]

Greetings all, I have found myself in a predicament. I have been working on my 1979 26’ reinell Flybridge for about 5 months now. I’m down to the bare bones just going through everything, doing things right. My transom is toast, it needs to be replaced. I have my engine pulled and I’m taking the bell housing/gimbal/inner transom plate off to prep the transom to be torn out. My first question is, what is the best strategy to tear out all the old transom wood? Secondly, rebuilding a transom from scratch to fit the outdrive seems like A LOT of work and I’m debating if switching to an outboard set up would be easier after the transom rebuild. Luckily I have a rebuilt 1969 Chevy 350 V8 L88 corvette engine with numbers matching that will fetch a pretty penny to give me a budget to get an outboard. The way I see it I have 3 options, I can sell the engine and get an outboard set up, sell the engine get a v6 that is more efficient, or I can just keep the engine. What would be best from your view? If I were to go with a v6, any recommendations on a good small block? Also anyone looking to sell a 200hp+ 4s outboard in good shape PM me. Anyone interested in that 69 vette engine PM me. Cheers all.

 

[Capt.C.Delany]

If it were me... fix the transom, drop the motor back in. So unless this is your dream boat, save your vette motor for something else. You will never come close on the return for the amount money time and effort for a bracket. Just my .02, to each their own.

 

[mike mitchell]

Are you doing the deck and stringers at the same ? If you go with outboards are you going to put them on a bracket or notch the transom? How far upside down are you going to be when the boat is done? I don't really need an answer to the last question, just something for you to think about.

 

[Dhiggs77]

yes, deck and stringers are removed. Just finished glassing up the new deck pieces.
I have no idea on how I would mount the outboard.

 

[mike mitchell]

There is some build photos on the forum of the stringers running through the transom the support the all glass outboard bracket. Good luck with the build.

 

[swami 805]

Me, if I'm going thru all that work I'd build it the way I'd want it. It's a huge investment in time and $, get what you want.

 

[Hismosa]

Sell vette engine. Sell boat. Buy a boat with less headaches and enjoy it

 

[40Grit]

Just finished one yesterday.

 

[fishgrappler]

There's 2 ways to tear out the transom wood, that I know of. 1) From the outside - cut outer skin off (leave a couple inches around the perimeter for tabbing. Pros - much easier access. Cons - refinishing the cutout. You might need to use multiple pieces of new wood to shimmy it past the tabbing. 2) from the inside - same as from the outside but you don't need to leave the tabbing. Pros - doesn't have to look pretty. Should be able to use a single sheet of wood. Cons - tight working space.

Either way, cut a crosshatch pattern into the wood and chisel away. Or use an oscillating multitool.

Actually, there is a 3rd way that uses a chainsaw. But I think this method is for replacing the transom wood with "seacast".

Good luck.

 

[tbev]

Shoot me a pm with your email and we can chat, I just did what you need to on a 1970 Skipjack Flybridge 24, it turned out great but there's a lot to it. He's my before and after.