Lee's Monaco utility build

[Aussie]

Hi,

I have built the Belle Isle and on the transom I went with the same as the bottom and sides 1/2” all over, actually ended up about 14mm

Hope this helps

Your frames look great!

[denbrlr]

Aussie,

Thank you. It is nice to reach this milestone.

A question I have for you and others is how did you do the multiple layers of ply on the transom? The first layer can be a single piece but how about the additional layer(s) before the final/finish lam layer? Did you use strips for the additional layer(s) of ply? I think this would be necessary because it seems like it would be hard to epoxy a single second sheet of ply onto the first and get a good epoxy connection between the two layers.

Lee

[Captnick]

Hi Lee - She’s looking great! On mine I went with a 9mm (3/8”) single sheet, for a little extra beef. My plan, if I ever get this project going again, is to cover it with 1/4 or 5/16 inch solid mohog planks, then a bright finish. The shape of the transom makes it unnecessary (but still ok) to use the cold molding method, as you don’t have compound curves to contend with, like you do everywhere else on the vessel!
Nick

[sscobra]

Lee, on my Monaco, I first attached a 12mm thick layer of plywood with silicon bronze nails into every frame member of the transom, than added an additional piece of 4mm on top of that. I covered the entire 12mm piece of ply with epoxy, then stapled the 4mm piece onto it with composite staples. After the epoxy dried, I sanded any proud head of the staples flush with the surface of the plywood. When it came time to put the Mahogany layers on the hull I covered the transom with 1/4" thick Mahogany strips, the same width as I used on the sides and deck. Skip

[denbrlr]

Nick/Skip,

Thank you.

Lee

[Aussie]

Lee,

When I done the transom on the Belle I went first layer 4mm, second layer full size sheet again with 4 mm and then the final layer planked in my timber at 6mm.

Just have someone there to assist with getting the epoxy on there quick and position and fasten. I used steel staples through small squares of ply to hold in place and worked from the centre out to the sides.

May be a photo under my build thread Aussie Belle.

Jamie

[denbrlr]

Jamie,

Thank you.

Lee

[denbrlr]

I am preparing to put on the transom plywood. The pieces are rough cut and I applied my first coat of CPES on the back of the transom frame.

Lee

[Aussie]

Looking good Lee,

The Monaco transom is so simple compared to the Belle Isle.

The Belle has a full piece ply with a strengthening strip around the frame, it then has a series of cambered pieces to
create the curve of the transom, the camber in the centre of the transom is around the 5 1/2" to bend that plywood around.

My father is building a Rivera and I was amazed at how much room there is and clean for future access.

I did space frame my ply but wished I had of cut out the holes a bit larger to get access. (Exhaust, fuel vent, ski tow).

Cant wait to see that first layer on.

[mrintense]

Nice work as usual Lee. Very clean construction.

[denbrlr]

Carl,

Thank you. I'm excited to be moving on to the next phase (i.e. cold molding).

Aussie,

Thank you as well. I am surprised how different the transom is on the Belle Isle. The second coat of CPES is on the transom so my next step is the attach the first layer of ply. I am looking forward to getting the first ply layer on too

Lee

[denbrlr]

The first layer of ply is on the transom. I still have trimming to do but it is on I also coated the outer side of the transom ply and the bottom of the boat with the first coat of CPES. That is strong smelling stuff and has solvents in it so I definitely have been using my respirator.

Lee

[Bill Edmundson]

Lee

Get a big fan too!

Bill

[denbrlr]

Bill,

Good idea. The weather has been warmer lately so I have been able to open both garage doors to vent out. This works well because CPES evaporates quickly.

Last night I realized I almost forgot to cut the athwartship limbers I plan to put them around frame 6 (along with bilge pumps) since this will be the lowest point of the Monaco while in the water. I was also planning to put them at the transom and also put drain plugs in at the transom as well for when the boat is on the trailer or possible on the boat lift. However, I have read where some people didn't install transom drain plugs or put arthwartship limbers at the transom. For those that didn't, how do things work when you winterize your motor? What do you do with the water drained from the motor? Do you let the bilge pump take care of it? Please let me know. Thank you.

Lee

[Rich Coey]

I put my drain, bilge pump and a limber through the keel just behind frame 6. For the arthwartship limbers on the battens, I put them at the lowest point while the boat is at rest in the water. This is not at frame 6 for most of the battens because of the way the bottom is shaped. While the boat is upside down, level it with the waterline and measure from the floor to the highest point on each batten and put a limber there.
No drains in my transom, Some water in the bilge may make it back there during acceleration but it doesn't stay there. On the trailer I cannot jack the front up enough to get water back to the transom so I see no use for plugs there.
When I winterize my engine I have valves on each side of the block, I drain the water into a pan, measure how much came out then put that much antifreeze back in through a plug at the top next to the thermostat.

Rich