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Powerquest 290 Transom and Stringer Project
Hey All,
I don't post much, but I read a lot. I'm in the middle of my transom and stringer replacement on my 92 Powerquest 290 Enticer I inherited from my late father, that passed away in August. He was the original owner after buying it new in 1994. The boat barely has 500 hrs on it. I have experience in fiberglass work from a trade school program I took in high school (a few decades ago) in Autobody Collision Repair and building show cars and trucks in the 2000s I'll update this thread as time passes, but I have some initial questions I could use some clarification on.
Here are some pictures to get things started. This boat was kept indoors for its entire life in a climate-controlled building until my father became very ill about eight years ago when it sat outside under the original cockpit cover that couldn't withstand the seasons and environment. The only issues this boat has ever had were the common gimble/swivel issue and now this transom rot; other than that, regular maintenance and a carb refresh & tune-up. I've been pretty lucky. Oh, I only found out about the transom because I shredded a drive coupler on the starboard side at full throttle on a poker run. After all, the flex allowed the engine misalignment. Luckily that was the only casualty. . https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...5af3581784.jpg Spent a lot of time with a buffer, and a wide variety of compounds https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...0c7de4612b.jpg Spent a lot of time with a buffer, and a wide variety of compounds https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...dbc3690b39.png The carnage https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...b22275813a.jpg The carnage https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...2b309d0132.jpg the discovery https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...1f21a25f6a.jpg Getting started on the inner skin removal https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...5863fe50b9.jpg Getting started on the inner skin removal https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...dbddd720be.jpg Well that's not good, at least i didn't have too difficult of a time getting the old core out. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...5adc000064.jpg Transom is cleaned and ready https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...5daefb3b9d.jpg Stringers are out. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...173d885248.jpg Templating for the new core. I want to thank BigSlow and my buddy Robby for their guidance. They've helped alleviate my fear of cutting into the boat and shared their experience and tips along the way. |
Big job. Way above my abilities. I had my 290 done by Bowkers in Holland MI. several years ago. Mine had rubber gaskets for the mufflers and one came loose and I believe started the whole thing. The entire transom and 3 of the 4 stringers. Keep posting progress pics.
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You need to tell Bigslow to get his **** done. I want to come up for the poker run in June. He owes me a ride.
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I just let him know lol.
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glassdave Bigslow recommended getting ahold of you to answer these questions.
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Goo luck with the fixing !
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My fiancee and I hotcoated the inside faces of the cores and then laminated them last night with CSM and vinylester resin. Then this morning I hotcoated the bonding face and put it in this afternoon. Using LBI 945 Vinylester Corebond.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...3cc63f2f5a.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...73a766d04b.jpg laminated the inner stringers while i was at it. |
Looking good
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Put boards on the back side over the exhaust holes and key holes and ran screws into the core to get it flush against the fiberglass. That compound is some serious stuff. I used woodworker's finishing wax to protect the gel coat around and beneath all the holes on the exterior, and everything just popped right off after it dried; I'm giving it a few days to cure, and then I'll go ahead and pipe in more of the corebond around the edges and gaps before doing the rest of the glasswork. Unfortunately, it's 32F outside, and my little infrared heater is doing all it can to keep the core mildly warm in the makeshift OSB shack I built around the back of the boat. I hope it warms up soon.https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...5966c146e0.jpg
Transom is in, using LBI 945 Vinylester Corebond. |
I remember the first transom I did a few years ago, did the popsicle template method as well works great lol .
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The transom is glassed in, 2 layers of 1708 tabbing between 3 layers of 1708 using vinyl ester resin. I did my best to get the air out. I noticed some discoloration in the fabric where it wasn't due to an air pocket or undersaturation, but almost like the discoloration was the fabric itself. All-in-all I am pretty pleased with how it turned out. That was a LOT more work than fixing a fiberglass body panel on a car.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...d79d7a4098.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...eaa9bfcae3.jpg |
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...f90715d2b6.jpg
Bulkhead patch Did a half lap joint, glued in https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...a9eccf587d.jpg CSM and bedding compound https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...c80082651e.jpg Dry fitting the stringers https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...2e9c67b443.jpg Stringers are in with healthy amount of bedding/bonding compound, they are rock solid |
Nice work! Keep it up!!
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As I felt the end was near and I could wrap up the rebuilding part of this project phase, I came across some splitting in the exposed part of my outer stringers. I decided to drill into some areas and see how far the moisture has wicked up through. It turns out that the rear portion of the stringers was the good part and that there was significant rot and mold up to the bulkhead,
I figured I might as well cut them out and rebuild them while the engines are out and I have the materials. When I managed to get the stringers out, I noticed that the manufacturer didn't bevel the bottom of the stringers; they simply glued 2 pieces of 1/2" plywood together of different heights, sort of a staggered cut. In addition, the only part bedded to the hull was the rear of the stringer for about 3 inches. Does this seem right to you? Why didn't they build these boats with encapsulated sections to avoid the moisture wicking through all the lumber? I can only assume it's a cost-based decision, and building it in sections would take too much time and money to pull off. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...4ab8851f8f.jpg As you can see, there was no contact from the bottom of the stringer to the hull itself. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...721ae11c95.jpg This was the only part of the stringer bedded to the hull. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...40b59f73b7.jpg "staggered cut" https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...c1798f35b7.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...b6b1cf0765.jpg The only bedding of the stringer to the hull |
They gutted my 290 at the time. Sometime between my 1995 and 1999 they switched over to a single stringer in the middle. Cost cutting is what I was told. I don't know if this is too late for you or not, but Bowkers installed a flat panel between the two center stringers instead of down in between. This has been VERY nice while working to reinstall the engines. Nice surface to stand on. Just FYI.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...8f31483ec0.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...5ce061dd54.jpg |
Originally Posted by PQ290Enticer
(Post 4864141)
They gutted my 290 at the time. Sometime between my 1995 and 1999 they switched over to a single stringer in the middle. Cost cutting is what I was told. I don't know if this is too late for you or not, but Bowkers installed a flat panel between the two center stringers instead of down in between. This has been VERY nice while working to reinstall the engines. Nice surface to stand on. Just FYI.
can you post a pic of your outer stringers as well when they did those? A before & after if you have it |
That does help, thank you.
Did you not have to replace the outer stingers as well? |
New outer stringers are in, plywood tops are in, tabbed, glassed, and a base coat of gel coat to cure it all as well as fill in low spots and print through.
Also, drilled the motor mount holes and drain holes, sealed with resin, then gelcoat https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...fd9b70b846.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...6c6425628d.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...7cbaca7d23.jpg |
Originally Posted by Speed0verdose
(Post 4864334)
That does help, thank you.
Did you not have to replace the outer stingers as well? |
All holes are drilled in the transom, and the keyholes are cut. I used gel coat to seal the exposed wood so I can hopefully avoid this fiasco again.
A quick coat of gel coat as a "filler" primer to sand before rolling and tipping the last coat. Then I'll be using Awlgrip to paint the compartment. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...2558372fee.jpg Thankfully a local boat shop let me borrow their outdrive fixture so I could drill the holes correctly. |
2nd coat, gelcoat doesn't cover as well as i thought it would
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...a8c2387674.jpg |
What is the concern with Gel coverage if you are finishing with AwlGrip?
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Originally Posted by scarabman
(Post 4867120)
What is the concern with Gel coverage if you are finishing with AwlGrip?
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Got it. Is the Coors Light bottle where you keep the catalyst?:grinser010:
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I wish Coors Light were a catalyst, I seem to go through both equally, but the Coors Light has a better price point.
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Originally Posted by Speed0verdose
(Post 4867066)
2nd coat, gelcoat doesn't cover as well as i thought it would
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...a8c2387674.jpg |
I changed gears and decided to use TotalBoat Total Bilge. I just didn't have the time to properly go through the steps needed for AwlGrip before the shop needed me to bring it in to reinstall the engines before the Kuttawa Cannonball Run.
So...... It's done https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...0e2ded60cf.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...9198ce0fd7.jpg |
That looks great! Mine looked extremely clean too.....for a while. Now trashed. Hard to keep clean especially after all the leaks I've had. Luckily in the 290 you really can't see much except the center section.
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I spent a long time wiring and plumbing the compartment.
Every screw that went into the transom, stringer, or bulkhead was coated with Life Caulk. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...4a855743b7.jpg |
Looks great. Nice work
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