1986 Tournament 27 projects

[DonV]

That's a bad SOB!!! The top is perfect, bringing in the rear uprights off the gunnel is the way to go!! Looks very well built, strong and very stable. As a long time trolling fisherman in my old clunker 23, I would go crazy with anything on the gunnels blocking the ability to walk around the rear of the boat with fish on. Sweet!

[strick]

Hey Ed thats one hell of a beast...I mean boat! Nice work on the engines and top re fab.

strick

[Ed]

I am going down the rabbit hole again and will be installing a new larger displacement bracket and new 250 four strokes on my 1986 27 Seacraft.

The bracket came off and she is now naked, but I am a bit unsure in my transom angle measurements.

Using the standard carpenter's square method where 1/4" equals 1 degree in transom angle, I came up with:

Port: 3.5 inches= 14 degrees
Starboard: 3.125 inches= 12.5 degrees

Using my digital angle finder against the old stainless marine bracket, I came up with 76.5", which I think equates to 13.5 degrees (am I thinking this through right)?

I then took the carpenter square and put the long end on the bracket's swim platform and the short end on the side that mounts to the transom and came up with just under 3.5 inches which would equal somewhere between 13.5 and 14 degrees ??

I need to walk away from this and clear my head. Any advice would be appreciated.

[strick]

13 1/2 sounds about right Ed...I usually use these two things to find angles...put on the bottom of the keel to measure up the transom. I would trust your digital analyzer.

Strick

[Ed]

Thanks Chuck. I got a good nights sleep and went back over to the boat today. I used a larger angle finder and confirmed the old bracket was 13.5 degrees. The actually transom varies but I guess that is to be expected for a hull that is 33 years old and will be going on its third bracket and third set of motors.

[flyingfrizzle]

Originally Posted by Ed

The actually transom varies but I guess that is to be expected for a hull that is 33 years old and will be going on its third bracket and third set of motors.

I haven't seen one yet that didn't vary somewhat. I like to use a long straightedge to try and average out the variances. Looks like what you have to measure with dose that as well. I have found that most transoms tend to bow outwards and when you mount the bracket its normally tight in the middle with slight gaps towards the outer edges...


My 27' has a crown transom with a recess for I/O's so it will be fun figuring out how to do a bracket on it when the time comes. Probably going to build the pocket out but try to do a custom bracket to match the curve of the original skin.

[Ed]

As many of you will recall, last winter I sold my twin Merc 250 EFIs and the Stainless Marine bracket and began preparing the transom for a repower. I honestly measured the transom for a new Armstrong bracket no less than 10 times. I know I drove my friends and the folks at Armstrong a bit crazy, but I know my boat better than anyone and realized I had one shot to get the bracket perfect. The original design presented had a tub that was too wide at 52 inches (bolts landed on foam filled stringers) The second variation had a tub that was 44 inches wide and would fit, but I was concerned about not enough displacement for heavier four strokes. The third and final variation was a tub that was 48 inches wide but also incorporated a 6 inch bolt flange inside (normal was 3 or 4 inch) that allowed us to move the tub bolts inside of the stringers and avoid any interference.

Next I plugged all holes with resin soaked hardwood dowels. Then ground down about 30 spots and applied several layers of 1708. Then I ground and faired until the cows came home. Next I rolled on four coats of gel coat. Then I sanded, sanded and wet sanded some more followed by several hours of buffing. The gel coat came out okay but definitely not up to my standards. Future project.

At this point, I was getting pressed for time (crazy summer in the marine industry) so I asked one of my dealers if they could take on the rest of the bracket installation and mount the twin 250 ist Honda’s.They jumped on it and had it back to me in just under a few weeks which was great!!

As you can see below the bracket fit perfectly. The greater displacement of the Armstrong wide body over the original Stainless Marine lifted the stern about two inches and the bow about an inch even with a 200lb total motor weight difference.

Attached are some pictures. I will post a video link too.

Top speed right now is 51mph at 6400 rpms with an occasional bounce off rev limiter using Honda/Solas 15.5x17 props. We need to try a pair of a Honda/Solas 15.25x18 props to get the rpms down a bit and pick up a couple of mph. I may also try my old Merc Mirage Plus 19 props.

The first thing I noticed was a big difference in noise followed by lack of a serious cloud of two stroke smoke! I did not take exact notes but I had about a 50 mile ride home and burned about 30 gallons of fuel so figure around 1.66 miles per gallon.

[Capt Chuck]

Ed
Nice work! That boat is sitting perfect at rest. Can you get an under bracket picture from your tender showing the self bails? How much fuel was on board when the picture was taken? I want to see inside & console pictures so I can endorse the Gucci award.

[ScottM]

She came out really nice Ed. Good work!

[Ed]

Originally Posted by ScottM

She came out really nice Ed. Good work!

Thanks Scott!