Question for Hermco, and other "glass masters"

tohatsu · #1 09-18-2006, 10:07 PM

Hi Folks, a question here

I'm not a professional glasser by any means, but I'm getting better, mainly keeping some of my commercial clamming buddies boats afloat. I've done a few transoms,a couple floors, even built a decent two seat pilot house with windows. So far so good.

Okay, it's pretty common to see guys take a rotten transom, fill it up, and hang a bracket on it. But, what about going the "other way?" What about a bracket boat, removing the bracket, and notching the transom for a 25 inch motor?

Here's the deal. An old timer we know and love is now pretty disabled. A friend of ours donated an older Dusky 19/20 footer to him, and it's got a bracket. With that 200 hanging out there, the boat sits awful low in the stern. In fact, if you put a guy in the back it starts to look silly.

Don asked me if we could take the Bracket off, notch the transom and hang the motor "normal". I told him I've not seen it done, but I also thought that if the transom's got enough "oomph" to support that weight hanging some 20 plus inches off it, it shouldn't take much in the way of reinforcing to make it a good "notch" boat.

I'm willing to take a good shot at it if you experienced guys think it's doable. Any suggestions, or comments?

Thanks much
Bob

FELLOW-SHIP · #2 09-19-2006, 10:22 AM

“I think” in the early days that’s how Dusky sold the 19-20 footers. You could contact Dusky and confirm that.

FellowShip

_______________________________________________

My motto: Just for the Grins

Capt Chuck · #3 09-19-2006, 10:53 AM

clamsalot

I owned a 20' Dusky in the early 70's (Before I became SeaCraft wise)

Here's a couple of original transom shots for ya before they invented the "Dusky Drive Bracket" .....

tohatsu · #4 09-19-2006, 01:07 PM

Thanks for those shots. I know they always did a notched transom, then went to the "Dusky Drive" bracket. The boat in question has the bracket and we'd like to "reverse engineer" it, taking off the bracket and notching the transom. I'm just skitterish about trying it without the blessing of a glass guru that's got a lot of transom experience under their belt!
thanks again!

FELLOW-SHIP · #5 09-19-2006, 03:12 PM

As far as the basic design of the transom other that height there shouldn’t be any differences in a transom with a bracket that a transom without a bracket. But on notched transoms there is a sump area for water where with a bracked boat no sump area in needed. You will have to add a sump and some more scuppers for the sump area. I still might call up Dusky and ask these questions to them as well.

FellowShip

_______________________________________________

My motto: Just for the Grins

tohatsu · #6 09-19-2006, 08:38 PM

Thanks Guys, I just might give it hell!

NoBones · #7 09-19-2006, 10:41 PM

Just who is that handsom fellow in that 70's photo.
Looking all lean and mean???? In that Dusky???

He he,
See ya, Ken

FELLOW-SHIP · #8 09-20-2006, 09:39 AM

I think that Capt Chuck’s stand in body double for pictures. Those who know him know it isn’t Chuck.

FellowShip

_______________________________________________

My motto: Just for the Grins

hermco · #9 09-20-2006, 08:14 PM

I am gonna jump in and say that it makes no sense to go backwards to a transom mounted motor configuration. A boat with a full transom and good drainage is much safer than a transom mounted motor boat. You state that the dude is disabled. I would not make the boat less safe,consider replacing the existing bracket with a "wide body" floatation bracket to provide some more displacement for the weight aft. An aluminum bracket is probably the cheapest. Let me know how to help.

2ntow · #10 09-21-2006, 10:05 AM

Contact D and D Marine (I am in no way affiliated with them). I just got an oversized tub bracket from them for a transom job I am doing on a Robalo 2160. They are great to work with and will make what you want; not sell you what they make. This bracket has a 48 inch wide tub, 6 ft swim platform, 30 inch setback, 2 Armstrong inspection ports, and installation kit consisting of all bolts and two 6 ft lengths of 4 inch aluminum channel. Total price was $1700, plus $167 shipping.

This would make that boat a whole lot better in the stern. I have calculated the 48 inch wide tub provides about 525 lbs of floatation, which should be more than enough to offset your current motor. This would be an easy way to fix the problem, no invasive cutting on the transom, and only a couple days of work. By the way, this is their twin engine bracket drilled for a single engine installation.

Let me know if you need any more info.

Dan