'84 Glastron HPV-155 Bass Boat Restoration - Help Needed

[Sonar7]

OK, I'm unemployed and budget challenged right now, and will be towing with an S-10 Blazer, so I was looking for something small that I could pick up cheap. I finally found what I was looking for, and got my 15.5 foot Glastron with running '84 Evinrude 70, working trolling motor, nice trailer in good shape, and a beautiful hull in need of some TLC ($500). The previous owner had started a floor replacement and then left her sitting in the sun and rain for 3 years. The lower floor was cut open, and the stringers are completely rotted out from just behind the seats all the way to just in front of the foreward fishing deck.

With the stringers gone, is it OK to run the boat wide open over a rough lake? The hull itself is in great shape top and bottom, and the glass looks good. Could I get away with a floor replacement by bolting "stringer joiners" between the good wood fore and aft, glassing them in and then putting the new floor in? If I was planning to keep this boat for 5 years, I'd seperate the cap and redo all the stringers the entire length of the hull, but I want to finish quickly and fish out of this one this year, and buy a newer project boat this fall and spend some time to make it great.

What I need help with is whether or not I still have structural integrity, and if not, how is the easiest/cheapest way to get it back. (Did I just say easy and cheap on a boat forum, God help me) :redface:

Here are some pics of how I found her, and what I'm looking at...the fiberglass you see next to his "newer" wood is just a shell...no wood inside throughout the open area. Thanks in advance for the help and advice.

Jason

 

[boatflipper]

Re: '84 Glastron HPV-155 Bass Boat Restoration - Help Needed

Great find you have there-should be fun.
I cant help you with the question about structural integrity....I would think the stringers simply provide support for the deck but they may be vital for hull support as well...someone on here will tell you for sure.
As for when you fix the stringers and any item for that matter-always think of the long run. I realize you want to sell the boat in a few years to upgrade so I see where you are coming from about the work and cost to properly fix the stringers, however when you plan on selling realize that you will knowingly be pushing problems onto the future owner. Now, if you make the future owner aware that there will need to be work done, IMO you are more than welcome to patch it up if that is what you feel needs to be done in your situation.

Hope this helps you out!!

 

[Sonar7]

Re: '84 Glastron HPV-155 Bass Boat Restoration - Help Needed

Thanks BoatFlipper. It may well end up that I am the guy doing the final repair next winter, the more time I spend with this little boat the more I like it. I've already done a lot of work to it like cutting/sealing new hatch covers, removing all the old wood and carpet, etc. I was probably long-winded in my original post, my two concerns right now are cost and safety. If I can SAFELY get by this summer with a make-shift floor, then I'm ready to roll until winter when I can pull out my quick fix and do the stringers and floor correctly. That is what I would do right now if I could afford it, I prefer doing things right the first time, but it isn't an option for me at the moment, and it would seriously cut into spawn fishing time. lol

Hopefully someone can definiteively speak to my safety concerns, and I do appreciate your advice. I'm pretty excited about my little project as well.

 

[osborn159]

Re: '84 Glastron HPV-155 Bass Boat Restoration - Help Needed

looks like a nice rig w/ all the water in those pics, that wood cannot b in good shape, take a screwdriver and check it out, poke at it if it crumbles or the sd goes in easily i would fix sooner than later, otherwise you may be able to postpone til next fall/winter your repairs, i am by no means an expert on the structural soundness needed to operate, but running WOT across a lake in a boat that is not at its best can in no way turn out good for you. if you do patch and use it id be very easy with it, you still need to check out the transom for soundness as well, with the bilge exposed for years id bet that is pretty soft as well,
My .02, good luck with it, it can be a fine vessel given a little time and $$$ one of which you have.
D

 

[Sonar7]

Re: '84 Glastron HPV-155 Bass Boat Restoration - Help Needed

Oh, the standing water was just from me washing the thing down about 5 minutes before the pics. It was all gone 5 minutes after the pics, it just drained a little slow with all the wood chips around (all cleaned up and dry now). The wood inside the stringers is good about 6" in from the cut out section in both directions, transom is fine, everything else is rock solid. I don't see how I could loose much integrity by bolting a new center section to the existing stringers, glassing it in, and re-flooring the thing. It's a 70 horse on a 15 footer...I figure it'll plane and cruise at about 40.

I'm beginning to think there ARE no structural experts out there. lol I've talked to many folks, Coast Guard Captains, friends, the owner of a local boat shop, a guy who has a huge boat yard for big ships, and many others...but the answers range from "don't even put it in the water" to "screw some plywood down and go, it's fine".

I'm good with boats, I worked in the big boat yard I mentioned for 2 years (re-fitted a 128 foot Offshore Supply Vessel, prepared several vessels for Coast Guard inspection, etc.) I restored my '68 Uniflight (38 feet w/ twin 454's) in Florida, and have worked on boats in all capacities as a treasure diver for the last 6 years. I never thought a 15 foot bass boat would stump me...and believe me I know what NEEDS to be done. But I sure thought someone could give me a definitive yes or no as to a wooden stringer providing the bulk of structural integrity on a small fiberglass boat.

I guess I'll do the best I can with what I have and take it easy. I'm not a speed freak anyways, I usually cruise just above planing speed, and most of the time I'm on trolling motor power. I'll post pics as I go, she'll be pretty when I'm finished...I just hope she's strong enough too.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: '84 Glastron HPV-155 Bass Boat Restoration - Help Needed

Ok, here's my honest, possibly not iboats approved opinion. That is a potentially very nice looking bass boat and those 3 cylinder Johnson/Evinrudes were fantastic motors. I think that rig would be well worth fixing up. It will most likely need a full cap-off, everything ground back down to the hull restoration. That being said....if you really want to fish from it this season, screw some plywood down, paint it with some porch and floor paint and go. But don't "consider it fine". Baby the thing and take it easy. Definitely don't put dime 1 into cosmetics until you're ready to tackle the whole job. After using it for a season you may come up with some more specific ideas on how you want to set it up when you rebuild. it. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Sonar7]

Re: '84 Glastron HPV-155 Bass Boat Restoration - Help Needed

I've been weighing what everyone is saying, and had just about convinced myself to tear it apart and do it right. So I started getting rid of the old wood, and found what I think is a major problem. It seems that the wood rot has gotten in between the inner and outer shell of the hull. Along the keel the hull is solid, but on the port side where all the cutting was done, the area between the outside (bottom) of the hull and the inside (or top surface) of the hull is hollow, probably about a 2ft X 2ft area. Is this even fixable, or did I buy a motor and trailer and a free trip to the scrap yard?

 

[osborn159]

Re: '84 Glastron HPV-155 Bass Boat Restoration - Help Needed

im not sure what you are trying to communicate, i get there is an inner deck and outer hull and a 2'x2' problem area, what is the problem?
it may be more work, its fiberglass its fixable, it may even be wet foam in there,no need to panic now, if you can get a pic or 2 and post it with a better discription of the problem, someone here will have a solution. i know i want to see you succed with this project, i think if anything, the expense will be what slows you, not your lack of desire, you may not fish it this year it may be next but youll have a boat that will outlast the factory work done correctly.

 

[fshngho]

Re: '84 Glastron HPV-155 Bass Boat Restoration - Help Needed

Sonar, I'm going to give you my advice, and experience. I was given a Glasstream bass boat many years ago. The main reason it was free was the streamers were shot. Since I had the time but no money, I thought I could fix it myself. I split the boat, top shell from the bottom shell, which was no fun. I cleaned out all the rotten wood and replaced the streamers with PT wood and just for fun, I ran aluminum channel down the sides of the streamers. I didn't know at the time that fiberglass does not stick to PT wood or aluminum. The short end of this story is after a year and a half of using the boat, I hit a monster wake going about 40mph. I had a 65 Suziki on her. The boat split in the center on the bottom hull. YES, the stringers are the structural support on a boat, the outer hull is only 1/8" - 3/16" thick and will flex. Actually its supposed to flex a little. Now you can run the boat as you stated, but you never know when or if you will hit a large wave/wake, nor do you know for sure if you will run aground or hit a submerged log. Safety should come first my friend. I can't tell you what to do, but I know what I would do. Good luck, Dale

 

[Sonar7]

Re: '84 Glastron HPV-155 Bass Boat Restoration - Help Needed

Thanks for the advice guys, I tend to agree somewhat with both of you. Fshgho, I know what you mean, but if I do all of the work to seperate the hull and re-run stringers, it'll be done right and I won't run ito your problems. Like Osborn said, when I get done this one will be stronger than it was when it came off the assembly line...I wouldn't bother if I wasn't going to do it that way.

To your point Osborn, I did find that it's just foam between the hull glass, so I'm less worried about that, in fact all that happened was the glass delaminated from the foam due to moisture as you said. To better explain my problem, forget stringers, floors, tops and bottoms and lets just talk literal hull...the hull is cut foam surrounded by glass on both sides...the lower side (contacts the water) and the "upper" side which is under the floor and stringers. Between these two sides of glass, there is a hollow spot that flexes with a slight push from either side, 2x2. Hopefully that gives a better explanation of what is going on.

What am I going to do you may ask...well... My plan is to finish the carpet, floor, electronics, and seating which are already paid for. Fish small lakes VERY slowly, like idle to the spot, and spend all day on trolling motor power. Then when it gets cold this fall, I'll bust into it and make it right, or scrap it and buy another boat (surely I'll have gainful employment by then LOL). I mostly fish small lakes anyways, that's about all we have close to here anyways. I'll keep a dry bag onboard for my Humminbird 997C SI and cell phone just in case. I'm a strong swimmer too, which I'm hoping doesn't come in handy...I'm kidding.

With the money I had, I bought everything except the stuff to fix the hull, so with a week of hard work I can have a really nice fishing deck (rated at 2 knots ) but actually that will suit me just fine for right now. Put the restoration part of this thread on hold until winter, but I will post pics of the finished cockpit and fishing decks since I already have what I need to do them. I know, not what you guys would do, but it will accomplish my needs (within my means) for now, and give me something to look forward to and plan for the winter months.

Thanks for everything so far, I'll keep you posted and if things change financially for me, we may go back to plan A. Pics soon.

Jason

 

[fshngho]

Re: '84 Glastron HPV-155 Bass Boat Restoration - Help Needed

Sonar, I ran into my problems because I'm an idiot and didn't know what I was doing. I am sure you will be fine and I can't blame you for wanting to be on the water, I'm the same way. Please do supply us with pics of your cabin, and of coarse, pics of the fish you catch too!
Dale

 

[osborn159]

Re: '84 Glastron HPV-155 Bass Boat Restoration - Help Needed

sonar, that sounds like a good option, for where you are right now, in the mean time when shes not on the water, read as much on this forum on restoring, start with the how tos and other info at the top and then read a couple fiberglass resto threads, oops's thread is full of more info than anyone should ever need in a liftime but its looooong, he does have it cataloged.
good luck with her, good fishing,
D

 

[Sonar7]

Re: '84 Glastron HPV-155 Bass Boat Restoration - Help Needed

Thanks for pointing me to Oops' thead Osborn, it may be long, but I bet I read it two or 3 times before I start on the hull. FshngHo, I was hazardously close to "being an idiot" myself...thank God I found iBoats before I went to the lake. I'll be spending most of today on the boat, so I'll post some progress pics later.

Thanks you guys and iBoats, now I'll live to fish another year.

Jason

 

[Sonar7]

Re: '84 Glastron HPV-155 Bass Boat Restoration - Help Needed

The lord works in mysterious ways. I got a call from my local boat dealer here today, I had been looking at a 1992 Cajun bass boat in a lot better shape than my current project, but still in need of seats, batteries, and everything else I bought for this one. It had a 92 Yamaha 90HP on it, and today a guy offered what he was asking for the whole boat for the motor alone. They are going to pull the motor and he told me I could have the boat and trailer if I would come pick it up when they are done removing the old motor.

My uncle has a 15 horse and trolling motor, and was about to spend $500 for a john boat to put it on, so I made a deal to sell this "go slow boat" to him (for what I bought it for). He gets a much nicer hull and fishing deck for the same price he was going to spend on the john boat, I recoupe my funds and get a new hull for my Evinrude and trolling motor, plus $500 for new seats and carpet for it. A little work is all I'll be out, and everyone will be happy.

So, here are some pics of the boat I'm now restoring for my Uncle, and I'll start a new thread for my Cajun when it arrives. Life is good!

Got the old carpet out and new carpet installed on the bow



Got all the wood cut and sealed for the new hatch covers and trailer steps. Will get them all carpeted and installed this weekend.