22ft chawk rebuild and bracket build

[Mr Pamlico]

I picked up a 22ft c hawk for free and I am planning on rebuilding it for a work boat for my oyster farm. I would like to close in the transom and build a flotation bracket and add a jackplate. I am planning on using coosa, 1700 and epoxy. I still have close to a full roll of 1700 from my first rebuild on the sea ox. I thought about just closing in the transom and putting on a large setback jackplate but I am worried that would make the boat too heavy in the back and make the boat draft deeper. The canal I will keep the boat in is shallow so I would like the extra flotation of the bracket and to be able to run the jackplate up. Having a swim platform on the back will be a plus also as during the summer it will be easier to get out of the boat and swim to flip my cages. I was thinking I could run the stringers through the transom and into the bracket. I was looking for suggestions on the best way to do this. Should I build a mold out of melamine and build the bracket out of glass and then glue in a transom core and run the stringers to that? Would I be better off building the bracket out of coosa and then glass it to the boat? Run the stringers out and then build the bracket around them? Im sure this has been done before but I haven't been able to find much information on it. I was thinking that attaching a melamine mold to the back of the boat and making the bracket out of glass and then running the stringers into that would result in a lighter finished product than building the bracket out of coosa. I am planning on going with a 175 or 200 hp suzuki 4 stroke. I understand this is a big structural job and that the end result will be based on my craftsmanship and decisions but any insight and ideas would be greatly appreciated. Here is a few pictures of my new beauty.

[Madgar]

Unfortunately I have no input for you however I am sure some more knowledgeable individuals will come along. I think you did get a nice hull to work with though. Those C-Hawk hulls are very popular with the water-men in my area however the early models (like this one) were known to have stringer, deck, and transom rot. The skins are pretty nice but they were built quick and and they didn't encapsulate any of the wood parts. Once you get that corrected you will have a nice boat for what you are using it for. I haven't seen the 22' c-hawk with a bracket before so it should be interesting. Best of luck and looking forward to following.

[fallguy1000]

I'm never a fan of taking a proven design and modifying it. Too many things can go wrong.

[Mr Pamlico]

I understand that fallguy. I had thought about just going with a jackplate, adding stiff knees off the middle stringers and build a splash well like I did on my sea ox rebuild. I was just hoping I could get extra floatation with the bracket and have a swim platform on the back as well.

[swglenn]

You might want to check out this rebuild that mbiggerstaff did in his 28 Bertram Restoration Boat 2. He added a flotation bracket in his rebuild. He does excellent work and shows lots of pictures.

viewtopic.php?t=62291

[Fuzz]

I have done close to what you are wanting to do. Just on a different hull. You have to be careful or you will end up tail heavy. I did it on a 20 foot hull and it is a little stern heavy. Your hull is bigger and that will help. I would runn the stringers thru the transom and out to the bracket transom.

[Fuzz]

Here is my thread viewtopic.php?t=61771