1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Questions about boat repairs with our resins and fiberglass: hull patches, transoms and stringers, foam, rot etc.
TomW1
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by TomW1 »

Agree with Fallguy you need to take the sole out to get the bottom of the transom. I would take it back 3-4' so you have plenty of room to work. That way you can also can properly check the stringers and other hull parts.

Tom
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Fuzz
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by Fuzz »

Removing a transom is brain dead work but it is hard, brutal work. If you can do it yourself it is not too bad cost wise. But if you are going to pay someone to do the work I would say the hull is not worth it. If you pay for transom and stringers then there is no way it is worth it. I would not be surprised if you would have 10k in replacing transom and stringers. Once you know how bad things are and how much of the work you can do then you will have a good idea of what to do.

fallguy1000
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by fallguy1000 »

TomW1 wrote: Wed Jul 14, 2021 11:50 pm Agree with Fallguy you need to take the sole out to get the bottom of the transom. I would take it back 3-4' so you have plenty of room to work. That way you can also can properly check the stringers and other hull parts.

Tom
He already said the stringers are wet, so 3-4 feet may not be enough, but would be a start to check on the hull construction.

I think stringer and transom and sole repair will cost about ...

Say ....2000 in core materials for coosa bluewater..and nida or a bit less if supplied locally, 24# minimum core density, but 26 is best, same for stringers, but you can also glass the hell out of rotten ones and let the wood go to mush except the weight problem gets worse here, so they gotta go..

Probably going to need about 10 gallons of epoxy, call it a grand and about a grand in glass and about 200 in aerosil, another 300 for consumables, gloves, paper towels, plastic...say $3000 with paint...

I think the job comes in more like 5k. Not to argue with David, but economic reality is important. The number is probably somewhere between with new hatches, pumps, perhaps fuel tank, who knows... If you can find one of these in good shape for 5 grand, it means no work. If you can sell it for 5 grand, it means break even, if you can sell it for 10 grand, you gotta figure motor and electronics and trailer into it all. Boats have a maximum value. At some point, you can add all the money you want, but it doesn't make the boat more valuable.

My Skoota is no different. I can put 200k into it, but it'd probably never return that in the marketplace. It isn't a molded boat and many buyers won't understand why all the lines are not super perfection. But it does look pretty good. I have another issue. The amenities are small for a boat this large as a result of making it demountable. So, that limits the boats value.
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t_mcgarry
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by t_mcgarry »

I have access to the hull below the stern hatch. Between the stringers where a drilled the holes. Only a bilge pump there. I’ll let you know. Thanks
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Fuzz
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by Fuzz »

I am not disagreeing with Fallguy and have no idea of the cost per hour a glass man might charge in your area. I do know how long it took me to do transom and stringer work a couple of year ago. And my job was much easier than this one. I just want to make sure you understand that if you are paying to have this job done the cost can quickly exceed the value of the boat. If you are doing the work and just buying materials that is a different deal.

fallguy1000
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by fallguy1000 »

Fuzz wrote: Thu Jul 15, 2021 1:32 pm I am not disagreeing with Fallguy and have no idea of the cost per hour a glass man might charge in your area. I do know how long it took me to do transom and stringer work a couple of year ago. And my job was much easier than this one. I just want to make sure you understand that if you are paying to have this job done the cost can quickly exceed the value of the boat. If you are doing the work and just buying materials that is a different deal.
Oh, I figured about 5k in materials. If you can get it all done for 10k by someone else; they'd probably use an ester.

No argument...none.
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t_mcgarry
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by t_mcgarry »

Thanks guys, I went down and took out a sample like Fallguy suggested. I went through the bilge hatch the same one for the stringers. Sounded it out with a pair of wood gavels. Sounded crisp and sharp. Rapped on the stringers and forward bulkhead and they were dull . I stepped on the area and didn’t feel any softness or give. I couldn’t resist and used an oscillating saw to start my inch square cut out. I got down to about 3/8 inch deep after several stops to vacuum. I didn’t want to go deeper. I was getting nervous. I had measured the glass in the transom and it was just under 1/2 inch. So I took a large screw driver a popped off the top of the cut. It was still matt underneath. I made one more cut and decided to quit. After vacuuming the cut I could see day light in one corner. Oh well. But I don’t understand why I didn’t hit the coor? I hope the pictures help. Hope I’m in the right spot?😳🤔 The hull looks good in that area?
I appreciate everyone’s opinion. Here’s where I stand so everyone is clear. I do plan on doing the work myself , I’m 63, retired, able . I hope? and crazy enough to learn this. I don’t want to hire the job out. I did that in the nineties and it’s expensive and not worth the money. As someone said a boat is only worth so much. I bought the boat for 2800.00 and the repower cost 3200.00 installed. 6000.00 into it and another 5000.00 in materials. That’s doable. This will be a ton of work and with a lot of guidance it might turn out good? But first I need to make some cuts to find out more I think? More opinions please. Thanks Tom
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fallguy1000
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by fallguy1000 »

Good news.

The boat is solid frp.

Wish you hadn't cut in so far, but we can help you fix that. Pretty sure I said only cut if it feels loose. Pay close attention..the work ain't hard, but the devil is in the details.

Did that chop strand seem damp after you cut into it some? Hoping no.

To fix, you'll grind it to a feather edge about 3" all around the cut, then glass it back with epoxy and some knitteds. You'll want to use some 1708 and since you are say 3/8" deep, you need to add all that back. Wetted 1708 is 0.050" per layer. For 0.375", you'll need 7 layers of glass each about a half inch smaller. The first layer will just fill the cutaway and if your hole is about 7" around, then each piece will be about an inch bigger in diameter. It is difficult to do this work void free, so you ought to mix up a bit of resin with fumed silica added. You won't need much, maybe like 1 ounce epoxy and 2 volumetric ounces of cabosil(neither is a weight). Butter that into the area like thin butter on toast, then lay in the patches. If you get a bubble, take the patch off and add some thickened resin.

Dry lay it all first to make sure the pieces lay in there decent enough. The last piece needs to go about 2" past the grind, so maybe about a 9" round patch?

Anyhow, it'll be a good get ur feet wet project.

Almost all fiberglass work is done largest piece first, Not here, you want the smallest piece in the hole first,,
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fallguy1000
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by fallguy1000 »

Sometimes patching this is easier with torn csm. You could also use that..don't cut it, tear each piece progressively larger..

I forgot to mention in the other post, after each piece, you might want to butter a little of the resin mix on the edges of each piece. That is what a pro would do...then no air can entrain..
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VT_Jeff
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Re: 1983 Grady White 19’ Fisherman transom rebuild

Post by VT_Jeff »

fallguy1000 wrote: Fri Jul 16, 2021 12:34 am Good news.

The boat is solid frp.
So what the duece is sinking it, wet transom and stringers?
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