1961 Arkansas Traveler Skijack-will it float?

[toddhunter]

 

[Woodonglass]

Have you core sampled the Transom? Boats of this vintage, many times have issues with not only the deck, as yours is having, but also the transom and the stringers below the deck. One of our previous members did a restoration on a boat similar to yours and he had to do a total "Gut Job" on his. http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat-...er-restoration This is an excellent source of boat restoration knowledge. You can learn a LOT if you read this from start to finish.

Before you do the repair on the deck, you might want to do some inspection below the deck to ensure that all is well down there and the transom too. The boat's substructure needs to be safe before the deck is finished.

 

[toddhunter]

I was afraid you might say that. For my purposes, which are use on a 35 acre lake with just a trolling motor, I'm inclined to take my chances on the inside. I only plan to own it a couple of years. The next owner can overhaul it. There's no doubt some water in there (I feel it through some transom holes), and likely some rot, but aside from flex between the stringers, it seems solid enough. If I seal up the small holes and the crack, I'm game to see if it floats. If that's a dangerous idea, let me know. If you have suggestions, I would appreciate them before I head back to the marine store.

 

[toddhunter]

I'm getting some push to get this puppy on the water to see if it floats, which is about all I'm looking for since I'm only planning to put a trolling motor on the front of it. (Well, I might start with one of my transom mount minn kotas.) I'm going to the store to find some sort of sealer/filler for the floor crack, and I'll fill the screw holes in the transom and deck with an epoxy filler. I may do a short term kind of repair to the crack so I don't make it too difficult for someone else to restore it. Still open to suggestions, short of a restoration. Thanks.

 

[MTboatguy]

I am sure it will float, I would take it out and then when you bring it in after a day of fishing, put the bow in the air and pull the plug and see how much water drains out of it, that will give you a good idea on how bad it is.

 

[toddhunter]

Does the drain on this go to the cavity under the floor? Or will water filter up to the bilge area?

 

[MTboatguy]

Does the drain on this go to the cavity under the floor? Or will water filter up to the bilge area?

Should be a blige plug on the back of the boat low on the transom? In a perfect world, there should not be any water under the floor! But of course, this is not a perfect world!

:lol:

 

[toddhunter]

Yes, there is a bilge plug there, but I'm wondering if internal water will flow out of it. Am I right there is only a small bilge area?

 

[MTboatguy]

Yes, there should be a small bilge area, but there could be leaks in that area that allow water under the floor, I have seen it before. All I am trying to say, is your boat should float with very little problem and then put the bow in the air and watch how much water drains out of it, that will give ya an idea of how bad the leaks are and what needs to be done to repair it. On a boat of that vintage, I would expect water as normal, but would not hesitate to use it while you figure out what you want to do with it.

 

[toddhunter]

MT, thanks for the encouragement. Can't wait.

 

[Woodonglass]

Some Bilges have two drains. Interior and Exterior. One is to let water from the bilge that gathers from the deck of the boat into the bilge and then out the drain thru the transom and out of the boat. Then some of the older vintage boats (like mine for instance) had a drain plug that you could pull to allow any water that did get below the deck to drain from below the deck into the bilge and then out the transom drain and out of the boat. Does your boat have this additional drain plug inside the bilge? A pic of your bilge area would tell the tale.

 

[toddhunter]

I sealed the floor crack with 520, and filled holes in the transom and floor with MarineRx. The latter is tricky to work with. It wanted to drip out of the holes, especially the large transom mount holes, so I put some brown tape over them. The tape welded to the material. So it looks like some significant sanding is in order. I'm inclined to use my ROS with 80 grit or so, because I know this stuff is hard. I'll post pics, but always interested in suggestions. And as for the bilge, I don't see an internal drain. The bilge continues to be wet though, with paper towels applied. This concerns me, but damn the torpedos.

 

[toddhunter]

I'm also considering a floor covering to provide a little more rigidity. Painted plywood was my first thought. My wife prefers something impervious to water, such as an interlocking mat.

 

[MTboatguy]

Those interlocking mats are not impervious to water.

 

[toddhunter]

I think something like this will lend a little rigidity and not be affected by water. Not a foam mat.
http://www.amazon.com/Interlocking-Perforated-Drain-Floor-Tile/dp/B006QQFQ5G
Also, I sanded the marineRx on the transom and went over it again. Not perfect, but it will do after I repaint.

 

[jbcurt00]

Did you use 3M 5200 to fill that crack where the decking fiberglass tabbing has torn away from the side of the hull?

What needed to be filled on the transom? W an epoxy that was runny enough to sag out of the repair site?

Rigid plastic mat squares to add some rigidity to what, the deck? A soft deck?

 

[Woodonglass]

Sooo, if this is just going to be a Trolling motor only, small lake fishing boat for you and the admiral to fish out of, how far from shore do you think you'll ever be???

 

[toddhunter]

Did you use 3M 5200 to fill that crack where the decking fiberglass tabbing has torn away from the side of the hull?
-Yes, the crack in the photo.

What needed to be filled on the transom? W an epoxy that was runny enough to sag out of the repair site?
-Small screw holes near the bottom and the motor mount holes. I used MarineRX.

Rigid plastic mat squares to add some rigidity to what, the deck? A soft deck?
-The same surface where the crack is, which flexes in some spots.

 

[toddhunter]

Woodon,
Ouch.

 

[Woodonglass]

I'm just asking because with only Trolling Motor power you don't want to get to far out. If you lose battery power getting back to shore will be an issue with that boat. They are not the easiest boats to try an Paddle back to shore.