87 Tracker Pro16 from repair to restoration

So, guys please bear with me, first time boat owner, first restoration. Slow going as summer time is here and I'm working 12=16 hour days...I bought what I was told was a good solid boat only to find out I didn't know what to look for, but it is what it is, and its mine now.
When I picked her up she was a little passed 1/2 full of water....good new, the out side was dry, I'll call that "passed the check". Drained it out and towed it home. Then spend the next few days day thinking what a fool I am for buying it, soft, rotted decks, and a transom wood falling off by the hand fulls. So after asking in the boat house forum about the transom and getting pointed in the right direction to repair it I find myself here, I pulled the original 1987 murcury 35 hp off,( its heavier than it looks) and removed the front and rear decks, only to find the wires are chewed up, the foam is completely saturated, and mice have been calling it home for a while...I'm fixing to start cutting the rear corners off to get the rotted transom wood out, before I start, any one that's done this, how did you deal with the splash shield drain hole that right behind where the motor mounts? mines welded on both sides. And how many of those rivers need to come out...I dont want to remove any I dont need to....thanks for any help,
Roy

Good foundation to build on. Does the motor run?

Maybe post some close up pics of the transom you are asking about.

Not sure about the motor yet, was told in ran when it was parked under a tree 10 years ago..
Looks clean under the cover, no sign of over heating, plugs look fairly clean, nice gray color...carb looks to be clean...
Closer look at the transom, red circles are what I'm pretty sure need to come out, blue ones I'm not too sure, yellow will be welded closed, and green is that drain hole that's welded on both sides...thanks for any help here,
Roy

RoyEttinger said:

Not sure about the motor yet, was told in ran when it was parked under a tree 10 years ago..
Looks clean under the cover, no sign of over heating, plugs look fairly clean, nice gray color...carb looks to be clean...
Closer look at the transom, red circles are what I'm pretty sure need to come out, blue ones I'm not too sure, yellow will be welded closed, and green is that drain hole that's welded on both sides...thanks for any help here,
Roy

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Looks like you got a good build in your hands...i just did my transom in my 87 tx17, all the blue holes get drilled EXCEPT on the bottom where the rivets are double stacked. Leave the bottom ones in they hold a bracket in place that the transom sits in. Only reason to take those out would be to reseal/replace. All of the red get drilled. The drain on mine wasn't welded i guess i got lucky lol but that needs to come out too. Also if i ever do another bass tracker transom i think this would be the easiest route...do all of the drilling from the outside..center punch all the rivets and drill them from the outside. Once the head comes off use a small punch and punch them through to where they fall on the inside of the boat. I struggled a bit because i cut drilled both sides of the rivets and then the center was still in the wood/partly in brackets...lots of prying to get it to come free. If i can be any help let me know, i pretty much have pics of the whole process. Good Luck

Made a little progress today....thanks for the river guide 502ss, but driving the rivets all the way through didn't work so well, I guess because of the lack of wood left in there...but it's out as is most of the carpet and wet foam, still some left I gotta get to yet... then a good cleaning should get me close to going back together....I know I cut a little to deep on the sides...but my welder says dont worry he can fix it....lol...I'm sure for a price....oh well live and learn....

Would have got more done, but the co-owner and life time fishing buddy wanted some time at the river away from the boat...

RoyEttinger said:

Would have got more done, but the co-owner and life time fishing buddy wanted some time at the river away from the boat...

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Looks like the co-owner has the right idea!! Way to keep Em fishing!


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