1990 tracker pro deep vee transom and floor restoration

[Lockndam25]

After finishing the thunderbolt 180 with a new 3.0 mercruiser and having a blast on the river last summer I decided to take on a fishing boat, I have to say I love tin boats the floor came right up and the transom is almost out in one weekend.

Some of the transom is so swollen in the center and the outsides are dry rotten corn flakes, any ideas on a trick to get it out in one piece, I tried pulling it out from the sides and it breaks easy the center is some what solid and swollen tried putting a screw into it and attaching a strap to lift with and it's not moving at all, my last thought was attaching a ratchet strap to a trust in the garage and lifting out that way.

 

[Johnny]

the longest 5/16" lag screws you can find and more pulling power.
maybe a strap loop on each bolt where you can get a 2x4 through it and a 4x4
across the boat to pry up on with the 2x4s - one person on each 2x4
and try to wiggle walk it straight up.

 

[Lockndam25]

Thanks Johnny I will try that tomorrow, every project has hurdles to jump but we will get there if we keep running

 

[dearl]

As Johnny stated got a good grip on the wood, pull on it real good, double check and make sure you didn't miss a screw or through bolt. Use a dead blow or rubber mallet to smack the out side transom skin, not to hard. couple a good blows is usually enough to make the transom wood start moving. It will come out, just needs a little convincing.

 

[Lockndam25]

It was like pulling out a wet graham cracker out of your pocket but it's out now, and the fun begins.

I want to say it's awesome to have a form like this.

 

[Johnny]

so - did you get it all out ???
what was your technique?

and I can visibly picture the wet graham cracker !!!
make a cardboard template and your new panel
should slide right back in the way it came out.

 

[Lockndam25]

Thanks Jonny I use a 2x4 and a big screw wrapped the strap around it and pick the boat up off the floor, after bouncing it for a few it popped out the sides broke so I will have to use some card board to make a templet as you mentioned. I have all the epoxy I need to do this left over from a glass boat I did last year. glass boats can be a pain. glad I got me a nice tin boat to work on now.

 

[Lockndam25]

Transom glued screw and tattooed, I put 3 coats of epoxy on it, took longer than I thought it would.

 

[Lockndam25]

Cleaning up the splash well, found some old stripper it works ok.

 

[Lockndam25]

Just need a full day to install the transom, get time to work on it can be my biggest challenge, while waiting for the transom epoxy to dry I started working on the splash well, if it's leaking more caulk is not the answer I had to scrape off 4 different kinds of caulk. I think someone used liquid nails on it too.

Tracker had put some foam above the floor under the splash well in the corners, why? And do I need to put it back I was wanting to have the extra space for a second battery to run lights for bow fishing.

 

[Johnny]

good job !! it looks like your transom wood panel will fit ok.
after you get your wood panel in and the splashwell figured out,
come back with some photos if you are unsure of what to seal it with.

 

[Lockndam25]

Jonny do you think Tracker put that foam above the floor just to keep the noise down or a little floatation it was in the back corners above the floor and was hard to remove because of the knee braces, I really don't want to put it back unless it's needed, Thanks for all the help you give to the members on this form, David

 

[Lockndam25]

Sorry I have not posted in a while, Funny how life sometimes get in the way of projects that need attending to. anyway I wrapped the carpet under the plywood so it gave it a clean look, now that the transom is done and the floors I'm moving on the motor, never heard it run, got the boat so cheep that I didn't care if it did, but I got about 110 psi on the compression test. And the VRO was bypassed by the pre owner.

 

[Lockndam25]

Can't get the photos to be right side up ?

 

[Fire1386]

Try reducing the size of the pics to see if they place correctly. I have found that has worked for me in the past..... I don't remember right off what size I took them down too,,sorry.

 

[Lockndam25]

Lets see if this works

 

[Lockndam25]

Sorry I have not posted in a while, Funny how life sometimes get in the way of projects that need attending to. anyway I wrapped the carpet under the plywood so it gave it a clean look, now that the transom is done and the floors I'm moving on the motor, never heard it run, got the boat so cheep that I didn't care if it did, but I got about 110 psi on the compression test. And the VRO was bypassed by the pre owner.

 

[Lockndam25]

I got the outboard running great used it all summer, the only thing is the new fuel tank has a one way air valve and keeps pressure on the tank and it’s causing a flooding issue, I think if I cut the plastic so air can escape it wouldn’t flood my carburetors.

 

[LDUBS]

A fuel demand valve like the one shown below should solve your tank pressure problem. It is installed in your fuel line between the tank and the bulb. Just google "fuel demand valve".

 

[Lockndam25]

Thanks for the good information I will have to give it a try