TOPIC: Owens Runabout advise neeeded

Hi

After about two years I am getting back to restoring my runabout. Having replaced the floor bearers, floor and transom I refitted the deck about a year ago.

Now having time to get back to the project I need some advise.

In hindsight I'm not sure I did a good job fitting the deck. The problem is there is a gap between the motor well and the transom.

Do I need to remove the deck again and bond the motor well to the transom?

Also the original seats were missing when I bought the boat. I have been thinking of buying these:



However, having sat in the boat and taken some measurements it appears the seat base needs to be only about 7" high. Does anyone have pictures of original Owens seats, or their dimensions.

Many thanks

Everything looks fine to me. The gap at the back of the splashwell doesn't look too big from the photo - what maybe 1/8" to 3/16" perhaps? Is the deck just riveted to the hull, or did you bond it with something ? If it's been bonded - forget trying to remove it. if it's only riveted, drill out the rivets at the back of the boat along the transom top. If you have your engine already chosen - then drill the holes for mounting it to the transom now. You can get some 1&1/8 plywood and cut a piece to fit inside the splashwell tub, and cut one to fit against the back of the transom. Using the motor mount holes - drill through the wood pieces you have cut. Pass some large carriage bolts through the holes and put washers and nuts on them. These can be tightened to pull the splashwell into position. Bonding the splashwell to the trasnom will be the challenge. If you can, get some people to help you tilt the boat up so the bow us skyward. Lean it against a large tree, or building, or if you have the luxury a hoist or gantry. This will make putting fiberglass behind the splashwell possible. It won't be an easy job. I would use alternating layers of mat and roving - cut the pieces to fit the void. You will have to get creative. Once the stuff has been put into the gap - push bolts through the motor mount holes ( you will need to pierce the fiberglass with a knife to get the bots through ) put the plywood on front and back - tighten the crap out of it. Hopefully this top will pull into place and the resin and glass will bond the two together

I see what Bruce is saying but do you have any pictures of the area before you separated it? If the bow topside is tight to the hull in front it can only mean that somehow the transom was pushed out a smidgeon. An easy fix would be to follow Bruce's method and then put a strip of wood attached to the transom and the splashwell on the underside. I would install a 2x2 strip under the splashwell using flexglue and screws and then glass over that, when that sets up make two gussets to attach to the underside of the well and the transom and then glass them also. Now you have everything attached and bonded together probably stronger than factory. Some cosmetic peanut butter or filler on the outside and you're good to go.