1972 Surfrider Tri hull

[Ron Regan]

I have a 72 surfrider 15" tri hull boat that has too many trips to the shore of the river.I live in Hickory N.C. and a long way from any ocean. Its all Rivers and lakes around here. Anyway my boat has a worn place about 2 feet long in the bottom V of the hull. All of the floor was rotted out and also the stringers were gone so I have gutted the entire boat and flipped it over to repair the bottom.Someone has used bondo body filler on the bottom in which I have removed to find a large gap that needs to be repaired. I figure it has to be polyester resin.They are not too many places around to buy resin but did find a place close by that sells it by the gallon.I need to know the proper way to repair the boat and what mat to use and maybe a few steps to get me started in the right direction.I have a question about the transom. I have to make another one. Do I have to glass each peice of plywood together or laminate 3 pieces of plywood with glue then glass on both sides.I have a little experience in glass. I have worked at molded plastics and operated a chopper gun but all the itching I could'nt handle it. Any information will be appreciated.<br /><br />Thanks<br />

 

[22WRF]

Re: 1972 Surfrider Tri hull

My thoughts for what it's worth.<br />You have a hull that is not worth more than a couple hundred $ in servicable condition. Resin, mat, woven roven are expensive. Now add in the wood for stringers and transom. You looking at puting $500+ in a $200 boat. when you get done you will still have a $200 boat and lots of time and and labor invested.<br /><br />Junk it, find another solid hull and then put some $ in it.

 

[93bronco]

Re: 1972 Surfrider Tri hull

if it your first project go for it. look for the posts on the "skankey beast" by jasonj hes finishing up rite now.<br />im tossing up doing a trihull myself.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: 1972 Surfrider Tri hull

LCM-8, don't give advice like that. It is counter-productive and not what this message board is for. Maybe he wants to rebuild THIS boat. Maybe, like a lot of us, he doesn't have a ton of cash, but can afford to rebuild this boat over time. Maybe he wants to individualize this boat to suit his personal needs. Yeah, you could say he should just save the money he will spend on this rebuild and just get another boat, but guess what, cheap boats always have problems. He could spend the next several months sifting through crap to find a decent hull, just to find out that he has to put a new floor in it anyway. He is better off rebuilding this boat, he will know for sure the condition of it. Anybody knows that a boat can seem sound, and still have a ton of problems brewing. Crawling around tapping things and poking things doesn't tell you squat when the rot is brewing but hasn't become bad enough to detect. A boat can pass all those spiffy tests and be unusable in a few short years. I was faced with the same dilemma, and decided to rebuild my boat, and its final worth is irrelevant. If I get even a few years of use out of it, it pays for itself. People don't rebuild boats to make money, only a fool thinks he can rebuild a boat and profit. They rebuild them so they have a boat, they can't afford the new boats, or in my case, just have to have a project. Instead of just taking the weak route and telling him to junk it, try giving some actual information that answers his questions. <br /><br />Konron, read all my posts about Project Skanky Beast. It details the rebuilding of a 16.5 foot tri-hull and converting it to a center console multi-purpose rig. I'll answer any further questions you have. You also can go to USComposites.com and order all the resin and mat and other supplies you'll need. If you buy the resin in bulk amounts it is less expensive. You'll pay about $17 a gallon verses the 30 to 40 dollars a gallon locally. I live in a small town and drove to nearby city and bought my resin from a place that rebuilds boats, so that is another option. Anyway, good luck....

 

[chunkytrout]

Re: 1972 Surfrider Tri hull

Very well said! I grow tired of people like that with that " screw it attitude". I too own a Tri-hull (1971 Glasstron V176) and have put many hours into it. The profit I get is on the water every time she goes on plane. Money for me is a tight subject but I have two hands and some knowledge and built a boat to suit my needs. Sure I'd love a brand new 20ft deep V with all the bells and whistles but personally, I don't feel it's worth going into debt for 6 years to have it. Good luck with your boat, learn, experiment, and enjoy!<br /><br />chunky

 

[Ron Regan]

Re: 1972 Surfrider Tri hull

Thanks for the support guys.This might be a $200 dollar boat but I give $2000 for the boat from a local dealer called Foothills Marine in Morganton,N.C,I bought the boat for my 16 year old son who loves to fish. I looked at the boat inside and out and it looked to be in good shape.It came with a trailer and 50 hp force motor.After I got the boat home I removed the seats and ripped out the carpet to find a piece of 3/4" plywood.I removed the plywood to find the floor missing plus the stringers.I called the dealer to take the boat back and he told me to sue him.I then called the att. generals office and he told me that there were no lemon laws on a boat that I could take him to small claims court.I have decided to keep the boat and my son and I restore it.I don't mind the time and labor.I just restored a 66 ford truck that has taken me 3 years and $7000 dollars and just traded it for a nice $25000 dollar 1 ton duoley to pull the boat.While restoring my 66 truck I stayed logged on to a restoration forum in which taught me some valuable information, some tricks and shortcuts that I knew nothing about so there are a lot of people uses these forums and appreciate the info they receive.I am a plant manager of a manufacturing plant that builds storage vaults so any type of plywood or lumber will not be a problem I need to know what kind of plywood to use[furniture grade or CDX.Can I use oak for stringers or is it to heavy.I have to top off and the stringers ready to be replaced and glassed.Jason I looked at your stringers and noticed you used plywood.My boat has only 3 stringers 2 are 2x4s and 1 is a 1x8 in the middle with no foam.Should I put foam back in.we use some furniture grade plywood at work that is 96"x50"x1/2".Can I use this for the floor.Any information will be appreciated.

 

[93bronco]

Re: 1972 Surfrider Tri hull

im sorry to here your misfortune. it happened to me with my 120 motor, and than to find out the boats inboard tank leaks after you put in more than 10 gals. honest people are really hard to find these days.<br />but hey - they is nothing more important than the self gratification feeling you get when its all done.<br />not to mention if its a father & son project.<br />im doing mine by myself so its taking longer, and you can rest assured that when its done those so called friends will be the first in line to ride but not to help. good luck

 

[jomac]

Re: 1972 Surfrider Tri hull

I second that thought guys There's pride in a job well done even if it cost you more than someone else thinks it's worth, Besides after you rebuild it you know what you've got!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JasonJ]

Re: 1972 Surfrider Tri hull

Konron, thats too bad about the boat, and it just reinforces my belief system that fueled my earlier response to LCM-8. I knew my boat was shot when I got it, I was originally just getting it for the motor, and realized it could be a better boat for my needs than the boat I already had. Despite my comments that you never profit on a boat, I did get $100 more for my old boat than I put into it, and it was a restored 1963 Pacific Mariner 17 ft runabout with a 1963 85 horse Merc. It was a good boat and it worked well, but I wanted something more "fishable".<br /><br />I did use 3/4 ACX for my stringers, six in all. I used 1/2 inch ACX for the floor, and for the transom I used a layer of 3/4 ACX and a layer of 5/8 ACX with a layer of heavily resined mat in between and screwed together with stainless screws. I forgot how many screws I have used so far, but it has been hundreds. You will also want to decide if you want to use polyester resin or epoxy. Epoxy is the better bet, but it is dramatically more expensive. Poly gets the job done but it requires a respirator to use. Neither epoxy or polyester resin waterproofs wood, so you will need to cover the floor with paint or carpet or whatever. As far as foam goes, you should calculate the cubic feet under the floor. The total cubic feet under the floor, when foamed, should displace enough water to roughly equal the weight of the boat and its passengers. A cubic foot of water weighs about 65 pounds, but you have to factor the weight of the foam, so use 62 pounds per cubic foot. If your under floor volume doesn't at least come close, it isn't worth spending the time and money foaming, although foam does add some structure. Also, when you are done with the boat, make sure it is stored properly, under overhead cover or something ventilated. Leaving it in the rain and snow is what killed it in the first place. Good luck.....

 

[22WRF]

Re: 1972 Surfrider Tri hull

For you puddle boater's that disagree with my advice.<br />First of all it's always sad to hear when a limited experienced boat buyer get s ripped off by an unscrupulous dealer or any seller of boat.<br />I see that with the investment made he doesn't have a lot of options at this point.<br /><br />A Marine Surveyor could have prevented this purchase.<br /><br />Since my advice is not appreciated by some of backyard builder's I'll just keep my advice for this forum to myself from now on.<br /><br />It's your money not mine.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: 1972 Surfrider Tri hull

LCM, its not that your advice isn't appreciated, it is. I am quite sure you have helped plenty of people. I posted the reply I posted because he wasn't asking whether he should rebuild the boat or not, he was asking for information so he COULD rebuild the boat. I do agree that these projects are not for everyone. In my mind, in order to take on an extreme challenge like this (and it is extreme), you have to love to get dirty, do mind numbing repetative work, and enjoy spending money on it in order to get an end result that is barely worth the money invested. I am this sort of person. I have rebuilt too many cars and trucks to want to discuss, and never made any money, ever. I just like to do this sort of thing.<br /><br />Now, a person who lacks mechanical and fabrication skills should do exactly what you said, get it surveyed and run like hell if it isn't up to standard. Konron got into a very unfortunate situation, and his choice is to cut his losses and walk or fix the boat. I think we all agree that in his case he needs to just dive in and fix it, he has nothing to lose at this point.<br /><br />In summary, your input is valued and necessary, but this is the Project Boat forum, all our boats should have been junked but we are too stubborn to do that. Take care...

 

[93bronco]

Re: 1972 Surfrider Tri hull

too many high dollar boats, with low dollar boaters. <br /> bringing negelected or left for dead boats back to life for their own satisfaction and needs.<br />and saving $$$$$!! sounds like a plan to me.

 

[93bronco]

Re: 1972 Surfrider Tri hull

" A PUDDLE BOATER " what an insult!!<br /> <br /> just because some of use out there cant afford the high dollar boat to go out 10 to 100 miles offshore, doesnt make us any less of a boater.<br />-<br />so what if we like to stay in lakes and rivers to enjoy ourselves. <they get just as nasty><br />its the calm feeling of being out on the water, along with the knowledge that i put my hard work into the boat im in.<br />its that feeling of accomplishment that cant be measured in $$$, and makes any project worth while.<br />-

 

[JasonB]

Re: 1972 Surfrider Tri hull

When working on a project boat like a tri-hull (my biggest project is a '76 Tri-hull that I have posted on this forum), one thing to remember is that you don't do it with the expectation of ever getting the money out of it. You do it for the challenge and enjoyment of it. You will get dirty, you will get your hair and fingers glued together by resin, you will itch from the dust, you will curse corroded fastners,a nd you will learn to hate the smell of acetone.<br /><br />It isn't without reward. If repaired/restored properly, you will have a boat that stood up to 30 years of use at factory spec. Usually, you will find that you rebuilt it stronger than the factory. You will also enjoy being able to stand at the ramp, leaning with your elbow on the boat, beaming with pride, when someone comments on how good the boat looks.