Kevin, I just picked up a '57 FD identified by the stamped numbers on the middle transom bracket. Mine says FD 6179 so I contacted Alumacraft and they told me the mfg. year was 1957. My ribs run for and aft not port and starboard like yours, surprised by that major change.
Very nice boat Kevin. I have a late 60s FD with the short foredeck. Mine is enclosed with a door on it. It still has the front bench and the bow cap underneath. Mine bow cleat was missing and a light is mounted in its place. I replaced the transom wood inside and out. That Aqueduct transom is a bit of fun to replace the wood on the inside. I used stainless screws in place of the rivets I had to remove to get the braces out to remove the wood. It's not as straight as yours, but it's a really nice boat. I've had it out and ran a couple different motors on it on the lake since getting it back on the water. It rides and handles really well. You're going to like it.
Yeah, I've been eyeballing that inner transom section -- been a lot of head scratching and chin rubbing about just how the heck I am supposed to get that giant piece of wood out of there!
Kevinrude To remove the inner transom board you have to remove the two upper braces in the Aqueduct by drilling out all the rivets and removing the screws through the transom. Once those are out, remove the two screws in the corner braces that screw vertically into the board and any screws that pass thru the transom into the inner board from the outside. Once the board is no longer fastened, push it down out of the transom cap to the bottom of the splashwell. That will give enough room to remove it. Thickness is very important when you put the new board in. It took some time and careful fitting to get mine to fit. Things have to be right with all those braces fitting together. If yours is original, it should have a sheet of cork gasket under both the inner and outer boards. Do not remove the corner braces to try to get the inner board out vertically without removing the braces in the Aqueduct. Your boards look a LOT better than mine did. My cork was already gone so I used silicone to seal my new boards. I need to redo my Alumacraft Flying C this winter. It has original wood, so likely has cork too. I'd like to do it as original so that may be extra "fun".
I hear what you are saying OJR. One question for you, though: why wouldn't I remove the corner braces to try to get the inner board out vertically without removing the braces in the aqueduct? It looks like if I did it this way, I wouldn't have to drill out the rivets on the two upper braces. Just curious as to why you suggest this. Thanks.
Kevinrude I did quite a lot of reading and research on replacing that inner board on the Aqueduct. Multiple places I found that the inner braces shoukd be removed and the corner braces left alone. No "good" explanations as to exactly why but I looked them over closely before I decided for myself that leaving them and removing the inner braces was in fact the best option. I did read from one source that the corner braces are quite challenging to get to fit and look as good as they did originally. My personal conclusion was that the corner braces are riveted in on a curve. The design makes driving new rivets difficult because they are tough to reach. If they are not properly riveted back in, it would compromise the structure of the corners of the hull. It would be difficult to drill out the rivets without affecting the holes. If the holes got elongated, it would not be as strong and may allow the corner joints to flex and start to leak. The inner braces are not subject to any of these challenges. Reassembly is less fussy and less likely to compromise the hull structure.
Well, this will give you some insight into my observation skills (or lack thereof). The reason I wanted to take off the corner braces is because I thought they were held in ONLY by screws. After reading your response I had a closer look and discovered that, indeed, the corner braces are also held in by rivets. So, yeah, your way is now pretty obviously the way to go. Thanks OJR!
I have a same year similar boat I m trying to remove the rotted transome. Any idea what kind of wood I would use to replace the transome boards? I thought about laminating 2 piece of 1/2 inch marine plywood and seal it. Any advice would be great.
I can't remember where I got this information, but I do recall finding out that the original wood was walnut. I a sheet of 1/4" walnut at my local lumberyard. Obviously, this is for the board on the outside of the hull.
Thanks for the info. Both the inside and outside is pretty rotted. Inside looks like 1inch thick white oak but can't be sure. Did you replace the inside board on yours?
@@publicEnima So far I have just removed them and purchased the thin board for the outside. I'm trying to figure out the best way to cut out the outside board and drill the screw holes. Like you, my outside board is pretty rotted so I can use it as a template for about 75% of it, but not all. Something else I just remembered: underneath the outside board is a layer of cork sheeting. I'm not sure if I am going to put in new cork or not. And, regarding the inside board, yes it is 1" think, so probably something that will need to be specially ordered and/or milled I would guess. Good luck!
Original transom plank is oak. You might try a local flooring or cabinet store, see if they can get you a 5/4, 4'x2' single board. Or longer & cut to lenght. Menards or other lumber store might carry them as decking. The cost was $8 per board ft a few years ago. Use marine plywood for the outer rear board. Use cork sheeting between the plywood and the aluminium! If you plan on keeping it original, and want it to last, anyway. I have a 1962 FD 14 with full fore deck, right & left consoles, front and rear bench seat backs, cable steering, remote controls, and aluminum oars. Powered by a 1969 25hp Evinrude Sportster, electric start. I'm the 2nd owner, since 1986.
The vertical post under the splash well should have a serial number stamped into it. You can email the serial number to the AlumaCraft company and they will tell you the year it was made. Good luck!
Congrats on the new ride!
Can't wait to see the finished product.
Kevin, I just picked up a '57 FD identified by the stamped numbers on the middle transom bracket. Mine says FD 6179 so I contacted Alumacraft and they told me the mfg. year was 1957. My ribs run for and aft not port and starboard like yours, surprised by that major change.
Just got one mine is 10157 and it was a 1959.
Very nice boat Kevin. I have a late 60s FD with the short foredeck. Mine is enclosed with a door on it. It still has the front bench and the bow cap underneath. Mine bow cleat was missing and a light is mounted in its place. I replaced the transom wood inside and out. That Aqueduct transom is a bit of fun to replace the wood on the inside. I used stainless screws in place of the rivets I had to remove to get the braces out to remove the wood. It's not as straight as yours, but it's a really nice boat. I've had it out and ran a couple different motors on it on the lake since getting it back on the water. It rides and handles really well. You're going to like it.
Yeah, I've been eyeballing that inner transom section -- been a lot of head scratching and chin rubbing about just how the heck I am supposed to get that giant piece of wood out of there!
Kevinrude To remove the inner transom board you have to remove the two upper braces in the Aqueduct by drilling out all the rivets and removing the screws through the transom. Once those are out, remove the two screws in the corner braces that screw vertically into the board and any screws that pass thru the transom into the inner board from the outside. Once the board is no longer fastened, push it down out of the transom cap to the bottom of the splashwell. That will give enough room to remove it. Thickness is very important when you put the new board in. It took some time and careful fitting to get mine to fit. Things have to be right with all those braces fitting together. If yours is original, it should have a sheet of cork gasket under both the inner and outer boards. Do not remove the corner braces to try to get the inner board out vertically without removing the braces in the Aqueduct. Your boards look a LOT better than mine did. My cork was already gone so I used silicone to seal my new boards. I need to redo my Alumacraft Flying C this winter. It has original wood, so likely has cork too. I'd like to do it as original so that may be extra "fun".
I hear what you are saying OJR. One question for you, though: why wouldn't I remove the corner braces to try to get the inner board out vertically without removing the braces in the aqueduct? It looks like if I did it this way, I wouldn't have to drill out the rivets on the two upper braces. Just curious as to why you suggest this. Thanks.
Kevinrude I did quite a lot of reading and research on replacing that inner board on the Aqueduct. Multiple places I found that the inner braces shoukd be removed and the corner braces left alone. No "good" explanations as to exactly why but I looked them over closely before I decided for myself that leaving them and removing the inner braces was in fact the best option. I did read from one source that the corner braces are quite challenging to get to fit and look as good as they did originally. My personal conclusion was that the corner braces are riveted in on a curve. The design makes driving new rivets difficult because they are tough to reach. If they are not properly riveted back in, it would compromise the structure of the corners of the hull. It would be difficult to drill out the rivets without affecting the holes. If the holes got elongated, it would not be as strong and may allow the corner joints to flex and start to leak. The inner braces are not subject to any of these challenges. Reassembly is less fussy and less likely to compromise the hull structure.
Well, this will give you some insight into my observation skills (or lack thereof). The reason I wanted to take off the corner braces is because I thought they were held in ONLY by screws. After reading your response I had a closer look and discovered that, indeed, the corner braces are also held in by rivets. So, yeah, your way is now pretty obviously the way to go. Thanks OJR!
Just got a 55 FD today. Pretty stoked to fix it up. It's roached.
I have one just like it but I can't find the numbers. Can help me locate them ?
I have a same year similar boat I m trying to remove the rotted transome. Any idea what kind of wood I would use to replace the transome boards? I thought about laminating 2 piece of 1/2 inch marine plywood and seal it. Any advice would be great.
I can't remember where I got this information, but I do recall finding out that the original wood was walnut. I a sheet of 1/4" walnut at my local lumberyard. Obviously, this is for the board on the outside of the hull.
Thanks for the info. Both the inside and outside is pretty rotted. Inside looks like 1inch thick white oak but can't be sure. Did you replace the inside board on yours?
@@publicEnima So far I have just removed them and purchased the thin board for the outside. I'm trying to figure out the best way to cut out the outside board and drill the screw holes. Like you, my outside board is pretty rotted so I can use it as a template for about 75% of it, but not all. Something else I just remembered: underneath the outside board is a layer of cork sheeting. I'm not sure if I am going to put in new cork or not. And, regarding the inside board, yes it is 1" think, so probably something that will need to be specially ordered and/or milled I would guess. Good luck!
Original transom plank is oak. You might try a local flooring or cabinet store, see if they can get you a 5/4, 4'x2' single board. Or longer & cut to lenght. Menards or other lumber store might carry them as decking. The cost was $8 per board ft a few years ago. Use marine plywood for the outer rear board. Use cork sheeting between the plywood and the aluminium!
If you plan on keeping it original, and want it to last, anyway.
I have a 1962 FD 14 with full fore deck, right & left consoles, front and rear bench seat backs, cable steering, remote controls, and aluminum oars.
Powered by a 1969 25hp Evinrude Sportster, electric start.
I'm the 2nd owner, since 1986.
jusy bought a fd, dont know the year... but its old. comes with a 1979 15 hp evinrude... i wanna polish it up and make t purrty
The vertical post under the splash well should have a serial number stamped into it. You can email the serial number to the AlumaCraft company and they will tell you the year it was made. Good luck!
What is the weight capacity
I believe mine is a 1956 deep c with no windshield
Anybody ever told you that you sound like Ron Swanson?