My weekend is full.

From I can tell, the boat "lived" in saltwater, unmaintained, up until I purchased from a dealer a couple of years ago.
 
Yep! I buy boats from Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Detroit, Clevland, Kentucky, All over the place.
 
Man. You have a project for sure. Now that you're in this deep I'll wish you luck. Keep the progress pics coming.
 
A little more grinding. (By-the-way, I hate using a 4" angle grinder with a masonry cutting wheel. It makes tons of smokes and debris. Has anyone came up with a better solution?)



 
Get one of those oscillating cutters and use a diamond edged blade. I cut the back off my swim platform last year with one. They are slower than a rotating angle grinder, but there is almost no dust and no smoke. I did my platform in my basement with the family home and, aside from the noise, they didn't have any idea. I used a shop vac as I went to pick up what little debris was being generated. It took me about a half hour to completley remove the outer skin of the platform, including going around the inserts where the teak goes. Also, since they aren't spinning, you can get very close into corners and tight places without fear of the tool jumping and getting away from you and doing damage. For a big job, get a few blades, glass is a tough material to cut. Harbor Freight has the tools as well as Lowes etc.

Keep the pics coming as you progress. Having essentially the same boat, I may one day be in your shoes, (hope not!). So I will be watching your progress closely. Great work so far, good luck.

BTW, did you pull the gas tanks? I figure if I ever have to pull my engines, I'm going to pull the tanks and at least check them if not replace them due to age and lack of ability to check the bottom and back.
 
Just purchased my new Harbor tools, oscillating cutter (with a half moon diamond blade) Cant wait to try it.

No, I am not planning on pulling the tanks. The areas around the tanks look fine. (or I'm in denile)

I will, however, remove the tops of the engine mounts, remove what is surely wet wood, and replace the stringers from there back to the transom.
 
A couple Questions for you transom rebuilders, especially those with twins:

(*Note the BLACK lines)
Should I remove the stringers up to, at least the PVC drain holes, that more-than-likely, are rotted, to have a way to insert the new (large) piece or ply for the new transom?
and
(*Note the GREEN lines)
When I removed the rest of the transom(still in tact in this picture), the very bottom of the plywood of the transom has some kind of (Brittle after 24 years) caulk, seperating the plywood from the bottom of the fiberglass.
I suppose it's some kind of shock absorber to keep the transom/hull joint from cracking. What do I use here?


I suppose this discussion should be moved to the Fiberglass modifications section.

 
I think you will find that you will have to open up the stringers a little farther in order to insert a new piece of wood. I would start small and only work as far as you have to, no sense in increasing the scope of this repair if you don't have to. A few test holes drilled at intervals will help you determine the extent of the damaged area.

As to the 'filler' I think they used a type of epoxy bedding compound between the hull and stringers, transom etc. I had this on my old '82 and it was as hard as stone. I used thickened epoxy to bed my new stringers on that boat.
West System has a good pamphlet on these kinds of repairs, its a good reference.
Keep up the good work.
 
New wood, dry fitted, prep'd and now drying. (long weekend, huh?)







Good Squish all around!
 
West Epoxy all the way. First to waterproof, unthickened, and then thickened with 403 micro fibers to laminate.
 
Looks great! I just went through the dame thing with my '76 sundancer 24. But my stringers were gone foam was soaked. After replacing all the wood up to mid cabin I am on the put back together mode. On todays list is put the cabin back together.
 
Stilll going......





I just removed the lower 2x4 to gain access to the stringers for measurement



 
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