1988 Alumacraft Pro17 - needs pretty much everything

[mikejjmay]

Well here we go. I bought this boat 4 years ago or so. Motor was acting up severely, and with new kids, etc, didnt have any time for it so I sold it to a family member more interested than I was at the time.

Boat was looked at a little by a mechanic, but then parked in a field and sat. Nose wheel sunk in the dirt, ended up being parked leaning forward, and of course with the snow and rain up here slowly but surely filled with water until it reached the level of the plug (basically filled to just under the floor). Floor is squishy, and you can obviously see the greenery.

So yea - $200 later and its home with me. Title and reg was never even switched out of my name - so thats one (and the only thing) done.

So here is the game plan since its almost winter here.

1) get the motor to start. Im not using this motor on the boat (the transom needs rebuilt, and the rivers I will use this in are large and fast current, so you either need a kicker or a good 4 stroke to troll with (bow mount wont do on its own for upstream). Plus with kids, etc, i just want reliability and quiet. So yea a new (or newer) 40 or 50 will be going on. So get it running, then remove and sell it off to bank some $ for the build

2) transom out and rebuild. doubled up 3/4 ply, epoxy resin coated, etc...

3) rebuild the floor. Here is where i may need some help. Its modular to a degree, as there are seams, but its hard to tell how it goes under the console, etc. Also, can someone tell me what type of rivets there are in the photo below?

Sure I will have lots of questions as we go, so looking forward to all your help!

1 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

2 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

3 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

4 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

5 by mikejjmay, on Flickr
Transom has a unhealthy amount of flex in it

6 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

trailer will need some work. Several of the rollers rotted out and cracked, etc. Thinking of converting to bunks. Thoughts?

7 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

These are the rivets that seem to be holding all the floor panels down. Not sure if i will rivet them down again (more water intrusion it would seem) or just pressure fit them.

 

[maintenanceguy]

I would have said pop rivets but I would expect to see part of the stem in the hole in the center. It's possible the deck was thick enough that the stem broke off far enough below the deck that it can't be seen.

I would drill one or two out and see what you find. You have to remove them anyway and you can't save them.

 

[mikejjmay]

good point about having to remove them anyway. Just thought I would ask if anyone has seen these before. they are much larger and like you said, cant see the center like a traditional pop rivet. Trying to think/order ahead

 

[maintenanceguy]

You can get pop rivets with larger diameter heads. Check out the "Head Diameter" filter in the left side column here: https://www.mcmaster.com/rivets

 

[mikejjmay]

Well got another day to work on it.

Jacked up the boat a bit and replaced the bow roller that had rotted through and cracked, and the roller wheel that had disintegrated. All rolller wheels will be replaced next time the boat is in the water and there is easier access, just wanted to get this one done since it had totally rotted away. Also the tell tale had nothing coming out previously. Was worried about pump/impeller, but puller the telltale line and found it totally clogged. Runs real nice now. Todays downside - stepped in the boat in one of the storage compartments that had the worst water exposure - floor totally cracked right through. Completely rotten. Transom doesnt seem as bad as i thought though - i may get lucky there

1 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

2 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

3 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

The transom cap looks like a piece of aluminum angle put on as a band-aid for a rotten transom.

 

[mikejjmay]

yea that was my thought as well. Just trying to determine how good this motor is first. That will impact if i keep or sell it when i take it off to do the transom. Would be nice to have a quieter and more reliable modern motor, but the $ is a killer.

 

[1960 yellowboat]

Now I'm certainly no expert on anything, but you got one HELL of a nice boat for $200! That motor looks to be in good shape too. I'd keep it. 70 horse Johnson is a good motor. I'd go over it and run it. A new yamaha 90 is around $7500. In this day and age 2 strokes have limited resale value but OMC products are famous for running forever. Yank the rotten floor out and put in new and re=inforce the transom just to be on the safe side. You can get closed end pop rivets that won't allow water intrusion. That's the perfect winter project for those living in the frozen north.
And I'd definately replace the rollers with vinyl covered bunks.

 

[mikejjmay]

Yea i am honestly leaning toward saving/using it. Money is tight with 2 kiddos, and it seems like such a waste to not!

So some questions.

#1 - after running for like 20 mins in a barrel, i parked it over night. The next morning, this welcomed me. Right below the skeg - could see a trail running out the prop and down the skeg. It is thick (not watered down or 2 stroke discharge, black, and oil. So i assume this means the lower unit needs resealed? What is the preferred inline vendor for lower unit seals for a 1975 motor these days?


1 by mikejjmay, on Flickr



So these next ones - this is just my ignorance. I have only ever taken a cooler to fish, and know nothing about live wells, but this boat has a lot of drains and ports, etc. Im hoping someone can help me ID. The boat has two livewells on it - one up by the bow, and one right behind the drivers seat. Ill number this part for convenience of answers. Thanks in advance!


#1) Here is the port side, this through hull is in line with the font live well. It seems to run directly to that screened hole in the top left of the livewell in the second pic (the minnow bucket in the first pic is where the livewell is)? Is that right? Is this just a vent? Overflow drain? Also, in the second pick, does water just enter through that long plastic tube along the top? The drain hole in the bottom - are livewells just gravity drains and this needs a plug?

2 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

4 by mikejjmay, on Flickr


#2) This is the back port side - no clue in the world what this goes to

5 by mikejjmay, on Flickr


#3)

6 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

Showing the transom. The top left seems to be the same side as the hole in #1. Maybe this is the vent or overflowfor the rear livewell? seems awful high for an overflow

The hole below that - bottom left corner of the transom - no clue - but it is the same size as #2.

The 3 in the middle - the far right is the main drain plug. The far left is the livewell pump (cause I can see it from the inside of the boat). The middle - no clue. The through hull connects to a tube which disappears up the centerline of the boat under the floor. Could this just be a drain for the livewells?


Confused - seems like a lot of holes in the boat!!!!!



Shot of the rear livewell - just trying to figure where all these go!

8 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

 

[1960 yellowboat]

Well, here's my idea for the holes. This may sound like a simple, dumb idea but why not just hook up your garden hose and squirt water into the boat from the outside holes? That will tell you where it's going. I'm thinking that the one in the back was for a bilge pump and the others for live wells. Me, I'd rather carry an ice chest for my catch and use the live wells for storage.
Livewell's generally have a pump that brings water in and an overflow tube to let it out.
You can get everything you need for the motor at Marineengines.com.
Put in the model numger and you'll see listings for everything you need.
Also, send "Pappy" an e-mail about engine questions. He's a retired OMC mechanic and knows more about motors than anyone else here. Look for one of his posts under "motors" and click on his name to e-mail him.

 

[mikejjmay]

Great advice!

And yea, i was gonna go the garden hose route, i just have been letting this boat dry for a few weeks now after being completely soaked (the livewells were full of stagnant water) so i was hoping to avoid re-introducing any water.

Realistically, using them for storage is what i will most likely do since i just don't really feel the need for a livewell to be honest. Specially with all the invasive species checks around here, etc, they get really picky with livewells it seems

 

[1960 yellowboat]

Just a guess.
I'm not a OMC mechanic and I don't play one on T V
But if you have gearcase oil oozing out behind the prop and down the skeg, you may have a bad seal that dried out from all that sitting.
Take a break. Grab your gear and head out to the Wisconsin River with some leeches,{ no not your brother-in-law] and catch some walleyes.
Used to do quite well on the stretch below the Dells dam.

 

[thedude]

That motor looks like a gem. Keep it for sure. I'm 99% certain that oil is unburned 2 stroke especially if the motor was never run above idle (avoid the temptation to open up the throttle while running in a barrel).

I prefer to use my live well as a bait well with a small bait net. I hate to have to use a minnow bucket. The big livewell would make good storage.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[mikejjmay]

Well had this thing all wrapped up with my new $80 waterproof PVC tarp and support structure - then my father in law offered me an indoor shop over the winter to do the woodwork. So here we go - mad rush before the snow comes to get the motor off and in my garage, and then get the boat over to his shop.

So just thought - maybe, some how, ill just get lucky, since the transom doesnt run all the way to the bottom in the back (about 5 inches off the bottom of the boat) maybe it didnt get totally water logged when this boat was sitting. Best way to tell aside from motor bolts? Pull out a splashwell drain. So here we go

2 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

Alright, not terrible, feels pretty solid. A little damp,. but nothing gushing out.

1 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

ok a little brown maybe. Lets get something sharper then my finger - like a flat head, and give a little push

3 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

ok so the side caved in....hmm not gonna get lucky on this one i spose.


4 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

 

[mikejjmay]

So motor has to come off - so how to lift. Spend $45 dollars on an eye bolt? No way - got lots laying around.

grade 8 hardware

1 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

1/4" steel plate, all welded galvanized 1/2" eye bolt rated for 2300lbs

2 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

This should work. Motor only weights like 250 i believe

3 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

And there we go

4 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

Old man leant me his engine hoist, so that will work. Just needed a stand. had to go crawl around under the deck - knew i had a bunch of 2x6 left from when i built that thing.

Cost = $0

5 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

 

[thedude]

Nice progress. You could take the lower unit off if you need to replace the water pump and reduce some weight for moving it around. Watch your toes and fingers!

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[mikejjmay]

Alright so motor is off. All in all - not too bad. The steering nut was stuck fast on the shaft (sounds like a common problem) but nothing some heat didnt solve.

1 by mikejjmay, on Flickr


This one shows a pretty good pic of the thick heavy aluminum they used along the transom top as a bandaid. I think I will re-use this (after re-doing the transom of course). I dont think anyone ever said i have TOO much outboard support. Will just need to add the correct thickness to the lower engine bolts as well so that the upper and lower is flush to the transom the same amount.

2 by mikejjmay, on Flickr


Cap off. The OEM transom cap is one of the "bend over" type, so it will need to be bent to remove the transom.
3 by mikejjmay, on Flickr


Ugh, the transom goes all the way under the top rail, which I spose will now need be be un-riveted and lifted at least in the rear to get enough clearance to remove the transom, and to get at the U bolts in there. In addition, trying to figure out how this splashwell is mounted is tricky

4 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

Removed the front deck. Several generations of mouse nest and dead mice in there (skeletons all the way to very fresh). Smelled like a urinal full of mouse pee. All the pour in foam was fully saturated. All the drains along the keel from the front to the back were completely covered by the factory pour in expanding foam, so each section was essentially is own little watertight bulkhead. So the manufacturer foam plugged the manufacturer drain holes. Brilliant.

6 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

7 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

8 by mikejjmay, on Flickr

 

[Pector55]

My old Alumacraft only had 1 livewell and 2 holes.
Livewell intake pump (not counting as a hole) - was bottom center next to drain plug and ran a 3/4" hose to the livewell.
Larger overflow with 1.5" hose out to back, below transom.
Port side had smaller, 1/2" hole for the bilge.

 

[Vader809]

It's nice to have a place to work in out of the cold. I'm jealous :wink:. My boat is a Crestliner 16',without anything to attach the flooring to. Just about every video I watch, it's the same thing flooring to within a few inches of the gun wale. I like a lower level. Not a Bassboat. Good luck with your rehab.

 

[mikejjmay]

Yea I am honestly unsure how I am going to do the layout. If i decide to remove the live wells, i could very easily expand the "lower" floor space in the midsection of the boat. This would be beneficial for family days on the water (4 year old and 1 year old). The live-wells have to come out either way to remove the soaked foam under them, so I spose that will have to wait and be a judgment call when that time comes.

They tucked everything under the rear deck under the splashwell (like the deck extends all the way to the transom and covers the bilge pump, etc) so to even get at those things you have to remove the entire rear casting deck, etc. Don't know who thought of this plan - i mean its not uncommon for a bilge pump to burn out. Cant imagine having to remove the whole deck and floor to replace. That will definitely be rectified, with a larger cutout near the transom for ease of access.