1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Questions about boat repairs with our resins and fiberglass: hull patches, transoms and stringers, foam, rot etc.
t_mcgarry
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1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by t_mcgarry »

Hi, Tom here from Detroit. I purchased a 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman last December. ( Special K IV ) I bought it below asking price knowing it would need some repairs. I noted the old water-line on the hull was higher then the hull striping. 🤔I figured the transom was wet? How wet I didn’t know! I had to repower her and found a 2001 Johnson Ocean Pro from a dealer. Perfect fit. Well after some other repairs and upgrades ( new VHF radio, and GPS unit) I was ready for a shake down cruise. We launched at a public ramp on Lake St Clair without incident. Except the stern was sitting way to low! I had lake water coming in through the scuppers and had about two inches in the motor well.I think that’s what it’s called. Anyway, we hauled her back out and after 24 hours of research and contemplation I decided to do a transom rebuild. 😳I’ve had a conversation with a technician at Boatbuilder Central and feel confident to tackle this and look forward to working with a great team.

Had the motor removed by the same business that put it on. He gave 30 days of free storage.

Next I was able to unroofed the transom. I found the culprit. Wet rooted wood. Wish me luck!
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Fuzz
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by Fuzz »

Keep posting we will do our best to help :D
30 days is not a lot of time for what you have to do. also make sure and check the stringers. GW are noted for having rotted transoms and stringers.

TomW1
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by TomW1 »

You will definitely need to check the stringers when you pull the deck up to get to the bottom of the transom. They are almost always rotted if the transom is. Sorry to be the bearer of bad new.
As Fuzz said keep us posted and ask questions if you need help, lots of experience here. Also take a look in this section, there are many transom rebuilds here, including GW's. That will give you an idea on what it takes and how long.

Best wishes on your rebuild, love the GW boats.

Tom
Restored Mirror Dinghy, Bought OD18 built by CL, Westlawn School of Yacht Design courses. LT US Navy 1970-1978

t_mcgarry
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by t_mcgarry »

Hi, thanks for the replies. I’ll definitely check the stringers. I worked on the boat yesterday. I spent the afternoon removing hardware, the fuel hoses, and everything I could in the battery compartment. GW put a fuse bar on the interior starboard transom. Weird place? I’ll get a better look later. I removed my kicker bracket and noted the transom moving when I pulled it off. Pretty unstable. I then peeled back the rub rails on the transom. Removed the old and new transducers from the shell. I still need to remove the hatch in the motor well.

I’d like to work from the inside and try to keep the exterior transom shell. My next step will be crucial. 😳 Making my cuts to remove the rotten wood. I’ve been reviewing old threads and videos and I’d like to cut out a shell if I can? So to minimize the glass repair after rebuilding the transom and stringers. I may as well plan on both. Somebody talk me out of this? I said the same thing before I bought my 13 week yellow lab. Max. 😂 Anyway, I marked a picture on my tentative plans to make my cuts? I’ll take all the advise I can get. It’s raining today so I hope to to hear some feedback. These are my recent pictures. Thanks, Tom
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Jeff
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by Jeff »

Good looking pup!!!! Nice progress as well!!! Jeff

fallguy1000
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by fallguy1000 »

Your marks look about right to me. And, inside only, so you'll be hogging off plywood from the inside. But it looks pretty rotten to me, so it might not be too bad.

The tricky bit is whether to keep stringers...you won't know until you get there.

One thing to be real careful about is putting a 2x8 or something across the top of the boat 3' from the transom, so she doesn't open when all cutout. It is a good place to set a beer. And yeah, you might need to repair some screw holes if you have to on the gunwhale.
My boat build is here -------->

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Fuzz
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by Fuzz »

If I were doing it I would not make any cuts in the hatch gutters. I would go for flat spots if I could. It would make putting it back together much easier.

t_mcgarry
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by t_mcgarry »

Thanks for the advise guys. I’ll be following it. Should I use additional 2x8’s spaced evenly towards the bow for support? I also read you should shore up the hull at the stern for additional support? The boat yard has some shoring blocks I can use for the hull. Anything else before I open this can of sardines Is much appreciated. Thanks, Tom

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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by VT_Jeff »

Tom,

Somewhat off-topic: could a saturated transom alone account for the extra draft you're seeing? I don't know the PPI or DWL of that boat but it feels to me like the space in the transom couldn't hold enough water to change the draft much, I could me completely wrong. I've been a bit obsessed with draft and weight recently so this jumped out at me.

Jeff
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by Cowbro »

My $.02 if you haven't already, i would go in through the hatches in the floor and hole saw some samples from the stringers working from the transom forward to make sure they are solid. I would hate to hack out the last ~18" of the liner and then find out you have to take out another section to fix the stringers, that would essentially double to repair work when you have to drop the liner pieces back in. Right?

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