Thread: 1996 Blazer VL100 Restoration to Crappie Chaser

Awesome

The cap is ready to install but the original transom core height was too low for comfort. As seen in the pictures behind the splash well the dark horizontal area had no fill along the upper line above the lighter area.



Right above where the upper mounting bolts passed thru little glass remained above the holes between the layers. You have to look close the holes are drilled already.



I put a scratch in the well left by the 1708 used in the transom replacement and filled with strips of roving till right below where the cap rivets were located.



All the transom replacements I did where a void was left I pumped full of thickened epoxy. To date I have not seen one of my transom jobs back. Now a super strong solid fiberglass cap is on top of the laminated transom core. Tomorrow I will run a grinder over to remove the burrs and get ready to drop the cap back on.

Originally Posted by rojoguio

That's all one needs, a place to play, a hoist, and a Lazy-Boy! Oh and maybe a fridge, but I'm sure there's one there somewhere!

Originally Posted by Slab

That's all one needs, a place to play, a hoist, and a Lazy-Boy! Oh and maybe a fridge, but I'm sure there's one there somewhere!

Dont forget the necessary Crappie.Com decals!

I'm jealous of the corner desk space and area. I need a place like that, recliner would be optional.

Originally Posted by Slab

That's all one needs, a place to play, a hoist, and a Lazy-Boy! Oh and maybe a fridge, but I'm sure there's one there somewhere!

Yes this in the first shop before the metal shop was added on. The chair was waiting for pick up, it was my wife's. I was way too big for it if I leaned back the chair went over backwards. SuperDave I make all my jigheads in that corner. Quite a bit of production (in spurts) happens there. Lately between my projects, Wifey projects, and friends projects, and or course fishing not much as happened there in a few months. As far as Refrigerators, there are 2, one for drinks and sausage casings (MRE's in the freezer section) and one for Automotive Refinish Paint Catalyst. 2 Freezers too, a big food storage freezer and a smaller one for making block ice and keeping the fish head bucket. I don't know what y'all do with your fish heads but I use a rectangle shaped Cat Littler bucked sprayed with a bit of Pam non-stick. All the heads are thrown in till garbage day when I dump the heads in the can right before they guys run picking up. Works great.

While final fitting the cap I realized way to much gap exists between the splash well and transom. I keep 1/4in Fiberglass board for structural reinforcement in custom trolling motor installations. I laminate the board together first, then epoxy to the boat's deck. Afterwards I can drill & tap threads for the trolling motor install. Works magic.



Anyway here are a few pictures showing another correction to the original manufacture so the finished gap will be less than 1/32in. Some of the original thickened polyester resin remained on the splash well side, I just missed how thick it was. A 60 degree 150 weights the same as the Yamaha 115 2 stroke, I want this solid so if I get a "Wild Hair" for a change no doubt will remain as to if the transom can take the punishment.

So the cap went on without a hitch, all the original screw holes were used but 1/3 of Starboard side from the Bow back didn't align straight. I'm scratching my head as to why. All the rest aligned right up. Port side seam is very wavy compared to Starboard side. My mahogany strips are holding the hull straight but the cap skin is not. I'm thinking I will pump it with 4200 in a loosened state then tighten each screw using a straight edge to square it best it can be squared. Afterwards I will have to allow it to completely dry. Once when putting a Hells Bay cap back on I used a epoxy cartridge which worked out well, may do that here. This cap will never come back off, any repairs to be made in the future will be surgical.



Also positioning the Motorguide Quick Release Trolling Motor Mount on the Port side. Theirs is a universal mount, I have a Minn Kota ULTREX with a universal base already on it sitting in the shop for Spider Rigging. These Quick Releases are not very forgiving if your deck is not perfectly level. In another post I show working the deck on my other Blazer to create a solid installation mounting platform. Plus a transom mount trolling motor mount will be added on the Starboard side for precision single poling Crappie. I don't want the foot control unit in the way of swing fish. My other Blazer VL100 is already rigged this way (I'm left handed) so Starboard side gets the hand control.



I was talked into leaving the Rod Box by P-Nut a member on this site, he was correct in his position and so I'm very glad I didn't remove it. All my 5.5ft Ugly Stiks will fit easily inside. The clearance is tight though between the Center Console and Rod Box, something discussed at length, can't turn my foot around in the gap. I will be tig welding up a Sissy Bar for walking around the Console, a 68in beam, aggressive V-Hull will be tippy walking around the console. I've fabricated numerous bars for Fly Fishing Technical Skiffs, only difference is the size of my windshield.



Two Toning the Bilge area is helping it to "Pop". The Rigging tube position worked out very well too.



Finally a picture of the Void still needing to be filled with thickened Epoxy. I'm out of Extra Slow Hardener and Black Lighting Gloves, both are needed here to reduce the curing heat and policing up the excess epoxy.