TOPIC: Volksboat project

Good Afternoon all,
I have recently acquired my father's old Volksboat with a 1957 Johnson 18hp Seahorse. I looking to restore this boat with Mercury Mark 30.
This would be my first boat project but i'm not afraid to get my hands dirty to restore my father's back to its original glory. My first question is where do I start? The motor I want to use is about 35 pounds heavier than the old Johnson. Would I need to reinforce the transom to compensate for the extra weight? It definitely needs to be repainted, and the white paint on the hull is chipping away. Any help to point me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

First thing I would do is make good and sure the transom is good. Light tapping with a small hammer all throughout the transom should just make solid noise. If not solid, you may need a new transom. Where are you located? Maybe someone knowledgeable about such matters could come over and give you some advice. If the transom is good, there shouldn't be a problem with the 30 unless the boat is rated for something less.

Best of luck to you!

I'm about 25 minutes south of Chicago. The transom feels solid, has a little flex though when I was tugging on the motor a little bit. The boat is rated up to a 25 hp motor.

Basically, the transom should not flex. Hmm.

That is not a project. It is an undertaking. That transom should not "flex" it should be rock solid.
Strip and gut the boat so you have nothing but an empty shell. Remove all the trim where the upper and lower sections are connected and then separate the two. Flip them both upside down and then peel off that stuff on the transom and replace it with 1 1/2" of treated plywood epoxied together with glass mat. Address any issues that show up in weak areas. When you get that bottom flipped upside down it's easy to make strong repairs where needed.

"Treated" plywood?!? No, no, no, if you mean pressure treated plywood! It's full of moisture.

Use only twp pieces of marine plywood (generally 3/4 inch stuff) glassed together well on a flat surface before installation. Usually after I buy marine plywood, I let it age a few days (or weeks) in a very dry place before doing anything with it.

Otherwise, excellent advice and should be followed.

Best of luck.

Wow thanks for the advice! So should the marine plywood cover the whole surface area of the stern or just a small square where the motor mounted to?

drill 1/8hole from inside of transom,,just in a short distance, ,see if it is dark or light, dark it is rotten,,bo sense doing it with out a transom its easy one to do,, keep in mind with out treated it lasted for over 50 years, ,and now itwill get better care for next 50.,, good luck,wefco has rub rail. Bill

I dunno Bill. Drilling a small hole from the inside might just crumble the entire transom
From those pictures it looks like a someone already tried to put a patch on it and the crack on the outside is enough proof for me that the entire piece needs replacement.
A little cut and paste here:

Marine Plywood
The woods most commonly used for marine grade are western larch and Douglas fir because they are strong and have fewer voids or knots, where moisture can accumulate.
Treated Plywood
Treated plywood is made of softer wood than its marine counterpart to allow better absorption of the chemicals used to protect it from mold and fungi.
The chemicals may leach over time into the surrounding area. This can be lessened by application of a sealer of varnish or paint.
Because voids and gaps are tolerated in treated plywood, it can delaminate or warp when exposed to the weather.

The Glues
Interior-grade plywoods are bonded with urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins. The curing is done with a cold method. The addition of melamine to the urea resin prolongs the life of the contact.
Marine-grade plywood is bonded with long-lasting, waterproof phenol-formaldehyde glues. The curing is done under high heat and pressure.

But how big should the plywood be on the inside? Port to Starboard? I don't want to add extra weight if I don't have too.

That's why I suggested you separate the two parts so you can really get in there and do a complete job. If you plan on putting a larger motor on it you will need a stronger transom than what I see in your pics. I would go entire length, port to starboard. Another suggestion if you don't want to do the entire transom and just a motor section you should run two gussets from the transom to the hull floor. If you plan on pulling a ski or tube you will need the strength.

Sounds like a plan, split in half,new transom, two gussets for added support. I don't plan on pulling any skiers or tubes. Just some high speed fun.

good article

After a year and month i finally found a 1957 mercury mark 30 in a aircraft hanger for $250. Not sure of the running condition. Been sitting for a 10 years. Still need a fuel tank and throttle controls.. Are all controls universal or do I need to find a vintage throttle control? What's the best way to get this old engine ready for the water?

So might want to put some penetrating oil in each cylinder and let it sit for a day then try to turn it over by hand. the oil will help to make sure you don't scratch the cylinder walls if you turn it over dry. Then do a compression check to make sure it's close between all the cylinders. If that looks good then put some gas in it and see if it will fire up. Did it come with the wiring harness? I'm not sure on the throttle controls, check on the Merc forum.

Bob

No harness, should I repaint the motor. That paint is pretty faded, would repainting and new decals affect the value of the motor?

mattonfire81 wrote: No harness, should I repaint the motor. That paint is pretty faded, would repainting and new decals affect the value of the motor?

if you did a bad job repainting the motor i think it would effect the value vs it being original and faded.

I also did and finished my volksboat this year as well