Strick, Don:Im going to build my own bracket, help

[Bigshrimpin]

Jobs are hard to come by these days, even at Wal Mart I imagine. Seriously though, thank you for the advise, but I really enjoy this kind of work. It looks like you used plywood in yours. Did you build a plywood "box" and cover it with layers of glass or did you build it in a mold/

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/album127

I used plywood for the tramson core, stringers, and swim platform core. Seems to be holding up fine. There's nothing wrong with coring with ply, but I worry a little b/c of the dampness inside the bracket all the time. Also my engine is single 363lb motor . . . which is not the same as 1100+ lbs (twin 3.0L mercs) pushing a 23ft 4000+lb hull 55 - 60mph over 3ft chop. Build it strong!!

Just make sure you don't build a stitch and glue plywood bracket and expect it to hold up.

[ROBCAR]

Great link Big!.....And although it looks straight forward, I will have to agree on the fact that it will be so much better to buy a professionally made bracket like Dons (from Hemco) than to attend to build just one, considering cost, labor, and the peace of mind knowing that your engines won't fall off in rough seas.

just my ten cents

[jaw1970]

"Just make sure you don't build a stitch and glue plywood bracket and expect it to hold up."

Thanks for the link, what do you mean by "stitch and glue"John

[Bigshrimpin]

This is part 2:
http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/seacraft_part2

I sprayed gelcoat with a duratek clear additive . . . and I don't recommend it. Within 6 months the bracket changed color from a beautiful deep red to chalky pepto-pink. I would highly recommend painting it with awlgrip or some other type of industrial 2 part coating.

Stitch and glue - http://www.pygmyboats.com/Construction.htm

[hermco]

I sprayed gelcoat with a duratek clear additive . . . and I don't recommend it. Within 6 months the bracket changed color from a beautiful deep red to chalky pepto-pink. I would highly recommend painting it with awlgrip or some other type of industrial 2 part coating.

Gelcoat patch booster and a quality gelcoat, Minicraft of Florida sells all.

[Bigshrimpin]

Gelcoat patch booster and a quality gelcoat, Minicraft of Florida sells all.

This is a perfect example of a simple (first timer) mistake. Cost me $80 for the gallon duratec, $30 gelcoat/pigment. Don't forget labor to redo the work . . . i.e. pull the engine, clean and spray the bracket again. Just one of a dozen time consuming costly first timer mistakes . . . but I would still do it all over again. You just have to know that you're not going to save a nickle doing the first time. Second time is 1/2 the price and 1/2 the time. If you are interested I can try to post a time table to make one of these. Rough guess would be 150 hours (without factoring in materials trips and screw ups).

[jaw1970]

Thank you very much Bigshrimpin and Don. I especially like hearing you would do it over again. With advise from guys like you I can avoid some of the mistakes hopefully. My main concerns over the cosmetics are strength and durability. I don't want to see my motors go to the bottom of the Pacific with my family on board.
John

[strick]

Sorry I have not replied sooner. I have been really busy and want to help but have not the time to get into all the specifics of diagrams.

Tim and Don have provided some good advice. Have you made anything out of fiberglass before? If not I'd suggest getting a little practice in before you tackle a bracket. The molds are fairly simple however the design and structural integrity are very important.

If you like tinkering around and time on the water is not a factor then go ahead and make a bracket. Make sure you take it out a bunch of times before you put the wife and kids on it

PM me and I will give you some measurements...just give me a couple days to respond as I'm not on the computer that much these days.

strick