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Pro Vee Race Boat Plans
Page Eight
Motorboard

I made some changes to the Pro Vee's transom in the middle of the 2008 racing season. The picture at right shows how it was originally built, with the motorboard set back from the transom.

To alleviate a porpoising and chinewalking problem, I moved the motorboard forward so that it is tucked right up against the transom.

As a result, the original construction photos in this section will not precisely resemble the plans, but the basic structure is the same.

These 3/4" x 3" reinforcements help to tie the motorboard to the coaming. Use hardwood or softwood, as you prefer. I used yellow poplar, which is technically a hardwood but is a relatively soft one.

Unlike what is shown in the photo, carry these reinforcements all the way to the aft edge of the coamings.

The motorboard is laminated from plywood to a thickness of 1.5" to 1.75". The width is 17.5" -- or whatever fits between the coamings on your boat, as built. Motorboard height is about 18 inches. It extends from bottom of that part of the coaming that extends aft of the transom to a point about 1/4" above the coaming.

(See the "Construction" drawing.)

The upper corners are notched to fit around the 3/4" x 3" reinforcements

The lower part of the motorboard is beveled to fit tight against the transom.

I started my bevel by cutting as deeply as I could with my tablesaw. Then I rough-cut the rest with a handsaw. I completed and fine-fit the bevel with handplanes.

Two 3/4" x 1.5" cleats located behind the motorboard complete the structure.

The motorboard is fastened with epoxy and several screws. Pay particular attention to the beveled joint where the motorboard fits up against the transom. Use plenty of thickened epoxy here, and pull it all together with screws. I used three screws through the thin bottom edge of the motorboard and screwed into the transom. I also drove three screws through the upper edge of the transom and into the motorboard. You can leave these screws in place, or remove them when the epoxy cures.

I also drove six screws through the coamings into each edges of the motorboard, including four 3" screws (two on each side) which run through the reinforcements. These screws I left in place.

The cleats need only be clamped in place.

The view from inside.

Here I added a couple of cleats to the inside coaming/motorboard corner (shown here being held in place with thin pieces of wood).

The finished product, again.

I rounded off the upper and lower corners of the coaming/cleats/reinforcements. Do as you see fit.

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