Can't access transom

[boater76]

Did you happen to find those pics? Thanks.

Ken

[DuckOfDeth]

Sorry Ken,

Reallife got in the way of me having any fun last night. I will look for the pics tonight and try to get them posted.

Duck

[boater76]

Ah no problem. I know how that goes. Thanks for getting back.

Ken

[DuckOfDeth]

Ken,
Here are a few shots of the transom. These are prior to doing any work. Stock crap motor. Stock ball & cup drive assembly. Stock on/off mechanical speed control.

I was really excited when I first got it, because it would outrun my buddies lil Nikko POS. It didn't take long before I knew that I had to make it faster.

At the time, I was corresponding with a gentleman in Sweden, on how or if I could make this 3 1/2 foot barge go any faster. He led me through the makeover, and without his earnest advice, I would have given up on the hobby altogether.

Regardless, I started by completely removing the hardware, and storing it away, forever, where it belonged, in the portable storage unit better known as...the dumpster. I felt that it had no redeeming value. I did save all of the screws, bolts, nuts , washers, and other various bits of hardware, as I have always been a pack-rat in that manner. You will probably need a screw here, or a nut there, at some time in your life.

Duck

[DuckOfDeth]

Ken,

After I removed the hardware, I basically, by standing the boat on end, traced the outline of the transom onto a "Beware of the Dog' sign, that I got at home depot. I cut out the pattern. Cleaned up both the transom and the blank, applied some PVC primer/cleaner, and then put on a nice light coat of ABS Cement on each peice.

ABS Cement is relatively quick to attach itself to any other like minded material. It won't glue well to metal. nor will it bind with wood in a satisfactory manner. However, when mated to another peice of plastic (or your wife's new tablecoth), it binds, sets, and hardens, in minutes. With this in mind, be prepared to set it in place and be ready to hold it down for a mnute or so. I used a short block of 2x4 to ensure that it was on flat and that ther were no air pockets.

I then used a Dremel-like tool, that my father purchased from the Sear's and Roebuck Company some years ago, called a Lil Crafty, to attempt to clean up the edges, with an epoxy, and to clean out the portion where the drive line would exit the hull. I used the original hole in the transom as my guide.

Duck

[boater76]

Thanks for the info. Do you have pics of the inside of yours. I already took off alot of the junk I wasnt going to use including the outdrive and micro switch and other odd and ends. Im gonna ebay the outdrive. I am putting an Octura Strut and rudder on it.

Ken

[DuckOfDeth]

Ken,

After completing the exterior transom makeover, I simply cut a rectangular piece of the sign, that I could slip into place, that would provide a little more 'beef' for the future hardware fasteners. I had to cut a few access holes to be able to get to some nuts.

The servo remained in the same location, and I was able to place the rudder off-center to the right (looking from the rear).

I had purchased the SpeedMaster's hardware set-up at OSE, including the .130 flex shaft. Using machine screws, washers, and nuts, I attached the strut to the transom. I snugged up the screws and epoxied in the stuffing tube, making sure that it was in alignment with the strut.

Duck

[DuckOfDeth]

Ken,

I then installed the rudder assembly to line up with the servo.

As for the interior, I had to get a better motor mount system to accomodate the 700. After I had the motor positioned, I slid the flex cable through and lined up the coupler. I cut the cable to length, and then soldered the end of the cable shaft, to make sure it did not collapse under the pressure of two set screws.
I used two of the original motor mount holes to mount the motor mounts on. (how many times did I say 'mount' in that sentence?)

Duck

[LJH]

Nice work....I just retrofitted a Cesa a few weeks ago. I am suprised how diffrent the knock off is from the original, though I think you are better off putting the motor where you did, I cannot get my CG right without adding weight to the bow, as my motor is all of 4" from the transom. When I did my install I used the back plate of the gearbox as reinforcment and then used some 3/32" G10 board to make another plate so that the Hardware bolts had somemore support, except for crashing the boat and having to rebuilt the transom where it cracked the stransome is very stiff. I have to say that having a SC700 and good hardware totally changed the boat, it has been totally reliable and pretty quick. I did learn something last week, when I crashed the boat. Do not use a lot of negative trim and have the strut all the way down. I was running it and it was very lose, then got hit by a little puff of breeze and the boat lost it and ended up on the beach. Cracked the transom and broke the solder joint on the rudder blade too the rudder post.

Cheers,
Jim

[SJFE]

Nice work Man..Can't wait to see some video.

[DuckOfDeth]

here's a video from after the work was complete. 14 cells and 445 prop.

Duck

http://s179.photobucket.com/albums/w290/duckofdeth/?action=view&current=CrapWagon-TheNewBeginning.flv

[boater76]

When you use a flex shaft are you suppose to use a rigid stuffing tube? If so what size tube did you use?

Ken

[DuckOfDeth]

Ken,

Not sure on the size of the stuffing tube, as it came with the hardware.

Duck

[Rex R]

methinks that if you use a teflon(tm) liner you would need a piece of 9/32 brass tube for the rigid tube, however I'm not sure of that. what I would do however is take the liner with me down to whichever store that carries 'K & S' tubing and find the size that the liner will only just fit into.
rex

[boater76]

Alright, im either going to do 1 of 2 things. Im going to cut access to the transom from the interior and put plywood in it or use something on the outside. If I used plywood should I use 1/8 or 1/4 inch? If I choose to strengthen the outside what should I use?

Ken