TOPIC: restoring old fiberglass boat..

I read one needs to be careful with old fiber glassic boats that have been in the weather...

I found an old HydroVee which I think is just kool but transom is VERY gone along with interior...wondering what it takes to bring that old fiberglass back to life....

I'm no expert - still working on my first restore. (Rinkerbuilt Project)

It's a lot of work, but that one looks like it would be worth the effort.

Use the Mr Clean pads to clean that surface dirt & mold. You will be amazed how quickly it comes off without damaging the gel coat.

You will need a place where you can lift the cap (unless you want to jury-rig it like I have to), and then tear out all of the wood. Stringers will most likely require repair or replacement, but you won't really know until you remove the flooring.

Can't really see from the photos - what shape is the hull and cap in? You will probably have a 3/8" skin on that old guy - easier to work with than thinner skins on newer boats. Mine is, at least.

I tap the knowledge and experience of the guys on iboats.com for a lot of what I am doing on my boat. They've saved me enormous amounts of time and money - because I would have done everything to this point ass-backwards had I been on my own.

Oh, a great book to use as a guide is Runabout Restoration. Found it on Amazon.com Some of the info re: glass work is a bit out of date, but really a terrific resource to have at hand. Well written and funny, to boot.

Good luck with this project!

I bought an old '67 Starcraft on eBay to get the motor. The boat was in similar shape to yours- lots of algea, black mold, and stains from leaves.
I went to the Dollar-Store and bought several cans of their CHEAP oven-cleaner. I sprayed it on the gel-coat (don't worry, it won't hurt it).. and then scrubbed it with the combination yellow sponge & green Scotchbrite pads (wear some latex/vinyl gloves). It's OK to get some OC on the chrome pieces- and it does a good job removing the white film on Aluminum- just don't use the scotchbrite on the windshield. You will have to polish and then wax the aluminum- as it will turn white again quickly.

It came out bright and white again!

I removed the motor and cotrols off this one...I looked at it last year but the owner was crazy on price.....now they are wanting them gone and talking about scraping out the trailer and well Burning the hull to get ride of it....

There are two hole on top of bow area horn and radio antenea...I removed the horn already.....

Looks like where the winch straps hooks up too there was some damage there too....what I read on these Chrysler boats were they were one of the first boats manufactures to used FOAM in the hull...so guessing the inside the hul is junk....last stickered I think in '98.....

Anymore feedback or positive thoughts (or negative) please post'em..

hi matt,i wish it were closer,i really like that hull design,if you didnt want it it would make a nice next project for me.but its way too far for me anyhow,john

matt wrote:

I removed the motor and cotrols off this one...I looked at it last year but the owner was crazy on price.....now they are wanting them gone and talking about scraping out the trailer and well Burning the hull to get ride of it....

There are two hole on top of bow area horn and radio antenea...I removed the horn already.....

Looks like where the winch straps hooks up too there was some damage there too....what I read on these Chrysler boats were they were one of the first boats manufactures to used FOAM in the hull...so guessing the inside the hul is junk....last stickered I think in '98.....

Anymore feedback or positive thoughts (or negative) please post'em..

You won't know what you're dealing with until you get the cap off and remove the floor. As far as the hull ... there can only be so much foam, and the rest is glass. Glass can be repaired. Look at the project as one step at a time. Appraise one step at a time. Look at my boat ... mine is well worth it to me. Doesn't matter to me what I wind up having to do - it will be worth it to me.

I think you have a great project - you have to decide what it's worth to you in terms of effort and expense, but you could well wind up with a terrific 'new' boat at less cost than a 'new' boat. That's how I look at mine.

I am moving very slowly and carefully with my project boat. Mine will be new when I'm finished, and exactly what I want in a boat. I will also know exactly what's in it and where it is. For the next 20+ years. Can't put a price tag on that in my world.

I'm having a ball with mine. Look to the positives & enjoy the pride you'll get from working this boat back to life.

I, too, wish I were closer.

John:
I like the lines of it too...I did first time I saw it....when I went back to get the Mercs off these boats it was starting all over again...

69fabuglas:
Thanks for the helpful tips on cleaning it up.
I actually think the gel coat might be gone......
if using the ovencleaner trick would it be better to just remove all the hardware and windshield?
Did you use a pressure washer?....can one use something like simple green and Bleach?

RB78: Is working w/ Glass hard..I would love to learn but not sure if I have the paitence to do so....
I One hold back is only being rated for 65hp...supposed I could reinforce the transom...which would need replaced probably 1st thing I would tackle after cleaning it..

matt wrote:

John:
I like the lines of it too...I did first time I saw it....when I went back to get the Mercs off these boats it was starting all over again...

69fabuglas:
Thanks for the helpful tips on cleaning it up.
I actually think the gel coat might be gone......
if using the ovencleaner trick would it be better to just remove all the hardware and windshield?
Did you use a pressure washer?....can one use something like simple green and Bleach?

RB78: Is working w/ Glass hard..I would love to learn but not sure if I have the paitence to do so....
I One hold back is only being rated for 65hp...supposed I could reinforce the transom...which would need replaced probably 1st thing I would tackle after cleaning it..

I haven't gotten to the point where I am installing the new glass yet. I'm finding a lot of conflicting information re: fiberglass - poly vs. epoxy, where & when, how many layers, etc.

What I've learned about glass so far is that poly is stronger than epoxy, but more difficult to work with in terms of fumes, etc. I've heard that epoxy does/does not bond well with poly (which was used on older boats) - and it really, truly matters whether you use a waxed or unwaxed poly resin. And you need to seal it from air (wax paper from the kitchen) to get it to cure in a timely manner.

Makes your head spin.

Fiberglass work is more art than science, from what I've learned. Practice with scrap woods or materials. Experiment with varying amounts of resin to get that ideal cure time for your job ...
be
I have a gallon and a half of Elmer's unwaxed poly which I bought at Lowes. I've read that it's good for one layer of cloth. OK, I will use that to re-cap my stringers with 1708 cloth. Areas where I need more than one layer will have epoxy.

I'm still grinding and sanding. Have another day or two of that before I'm at the stage where I'm cutting a new transom and repairing my stringers.

I am really looking forward to it, though. I'll make mistakes, but that's OK. I know they can be corrected.

As for the transom ... should be at least 2" of wood attached to that fiberglass skin. Measure it - and (once the bilge area is clear to see) measure how the old transom fits against the hull, and how the entire stern attaches to the hull.

It might be capable of re-enforcing for a larger engine. Might not be.

Be careful in this regard.

RB78 wrote:

Oh, a great book to use as a guide is Runabout Restoration. Found it on Amazon.com Some of the info re: glass work is a bit out of date, but really a terrific resource to have at hand. Well written and funny, to boot.

Good luck with this project!

I went to Amazon.com
Runabout Renovation: How to Find and Fix Up an Old Fiberglass Speedboat by: Jim Anderson (Author)

Did you purchase the 3 they have listed as bought together?

matt wrote:

RB78 wrote:

Oh, a great book to use as a guide is Runabout Restoration. Found it on Amazon.com Some of the info re: glass work is a bit out of date, but really a terrific resource to have at hand. Well written and funny, to boot.

Good luck with this project!

I went to Amazon.com
Runabout Renovation: How to Find and Fix Up an Old Fiberglass Speedboat by: Jim Anderson (Author)

Did you purchase the 3 they have listed as bought together?

No, I only bought one about 6 weeks ago.

just a little fyi. epoxy resin will grip tenaciously to polyester resin but polyester will not adhere well at all to epoxy resin .

as for whether to use waxed or unwaxed resin depends on what your doing . with unwaxed resin the surface will not fully cure , leaving it tacky so that you can continue to do lay up without having to grind . waxed is for the final layer that you want to fully cure .

as for strength epoxy is stronger and more water proof . do you need it to repair a polyester built boat , in my opinion no . many like to use epoxy because of ease of use and lack of fumes . is polyester good to repair a polyester built boat , yes , does it smell yes .

keep in mind the costs are different also , with some brands of epoxy resin close to $100 a gallon with out hardener and polyester being about a third of that .

one last thought, a polyester built boat lasted many years because its built with polyester resin and in my opinion you dont need epoxy to do repairs , to me its a waste of money and if you were to repair a boat with epoxy resin then sell it to a person and not tell them and they had to effect a repair with polyester over epoxy it could be disastrous .

gil_72gt-160 wrote:

just a little fyi. epoxy resin will grip tenaciously to polyester resin but polyester will not adhere well at all to epoxy resin .

as for whether to use waxed or unwaxed resin depends on what your doing . with unwaxed resin the surface will not fully cure , leaving it tacky so that you can continue to do lay up without having to grind . waxed is for the final layer that you want to fully cure .

as for strength epoxy is stronger and more water proof . do you need it to repair a polyester built boat , in my opinion no . many like to use epoxy because of ease of use and lack of fumes . is polyester good to repair a polyester built boat , yes , does it smell yes .

keep in mind the costs are different also , with some brands of epoxy resin close to $100 a gallon with out hardener and polyester being about a third of that .

one last thought, a polyester built boat lasted many years because its built with polyester resin and in my opinion you dont need epoxy to do repairs , to me its a waste of money and if you were to repair a boat with epoxy resin then sell it to a person and not tell them and they had to effect a repair with polyester over epoxy it could be disastrous .

Great info, gil. I'm still grinding and sanding, but will be getting into the glassing in the next couple of weeks. I have a gallon and a half of unwaxed poly resin I am planning to use to repair the hollow stringers and to glass in the new transom.

I've read that covering the resin with waxed paper - sealing it from air - will allow it to cure. True? I am also a rookie at using fiberglass & want to ensure I do it correctly.

sure you can use wax paper, it might be a little tricky getting a good air tight seal though . one thing i tried to do before i did any glassing was to prepare and organize everything i was going to use during the process . cut and fit the cloth, get the mixing area ready , have your spreading tools ready , etc . resin of any kind waits for no one and you have to be ready to work with it while you can or you will be just throwing money away .

starting to think about dragging this home if I can get it for a good price...owner was origianlly wanting like $325 last year..what would be a good $$ amount to get it for?....i got hte 650 Merc w/ controls fro $25...not knowing if its any good... this year she just wants them gone..trying to figure if I would be getting over my head?
or would this make a could 1st project to pratice on?.....

Windshield looks a little hazy, but other than that jump in.
Mine was $650 and I am now at about $6500 spent in 5 years.
We are on the second season of use.

It is a really fun project, just finish it if you start it.

Working with poly resin isn't too bad once you get the hang of it.
I am in NW CT and have a lot of leftover fiberglass if you need any cheap.

Read that book first.

65HP will move that boat pretty fast, certainly enough for a skier. Mine has a 65HP and will pull a skier with 5 people in the boat.

will look into a bit more....windshield actually looks like a it has a blue tint to it...

will see .transom needs replacing and would almost guess stringers too....not sure if that is what I want to attempt for a first projest...if price was right maybe.....



old boats and old Mercs !!!

This may sound painful, but if you are worried about the $325 pricetag, this boat restoration/refurbishing is not for you.
$325 is miniscule compared to what you will spend getting it done.

There is refurbished and there is restored. Go for refurbished, I did, and it still cost me nearly $7000.

Many have said, there is nothing more expensive than a free boat.
And, a boat is a hole in the water that you throw money into.
Both are very true.

I bought my old Power Cat for 200 bucks, no motor or trailer. Being a scrounger extraordinaire, I built the trailer basically for the cost of the paint, got a free motor, and swapped a bunch of stuff to get it rebuilt, ended up buying a parts motor for 125 bucks to get a good power head, and did most everything myself with help from friends and this website. I may have 2 grand in it over 4 years. Seats were the most expensive thing!

Frank

www.powercatboat.com/Group/FA_14t/FA_14t01.html

have ran across that interior is crazzzy....

think if i was to grab this...interior would be less of my worries.

still thinking about it....may try and work something out w/ owner to get.

i have motor(s)...actually i picked the motor off of it already.
its rated for a 65hp..but thinking more like an 85hp......

well just got my Runabout renovation book....been reading a little and jumping around.....

i need to see if that Boat is still even available...chrylser i pic'd earlier

Been looking for something a bit more readily useable...but thinking I may tackle this if i can get it for something I feel reasonable.

On average what have you spent redoing an old boat thats been sitting?

I have a couple merc I may try and sell this would help balance some of the uneasy feeling?

It would be my first project, but I think I once I got going it may be a hard thing to stop.

I did run across a Sidewinder LoPro today 16' and was told by th owner that my 150 would be nice on the back.
Boat is need of transom work and not sure what else...

just kickin the idea again is all.