A few months ago I purchased a new to me old 1982 Glastron HPV 165 Bass boat with what I am guessing is a 1982 Johnson 115 outboard with hydraulic tilt/trim. The boat has a few stress cracking areas in the gelcoat but nothing major in my opinion. However, the transom has me wondering if there is structural rotting taking place in between the layers of glass between the splashwell cap and the transom itself. I question this because the upper motor bracket mount bolt heads and washers appear to be sunken in. Inside of the bilge compartment the mount bolt heads and washers are not sunken in at all and the outer appearance of the glassing looks to be in near perfect condition. There doesnt seem to be any flex on the transom while powering up quickly either. A reputible local boat shop also said that the transom is in good shape. So I have a few questions to ask about this.
1. Are the sunken bolt heads and washers normal due to torque factors?
2. Are there better ways of checking the transom for rot other than drilling holes everywhere or pulling the cap?
3. Is 43 MPH by GPS a good running speed for this boat and motor?
4. Why would the maximum HP rating for this boat be at 120 HP?
5. Could this boat be re-powered with a bigger motor then the manufacturer rating(I have seen other HPV bass boats with up to 175 HP outboards) without ruining the transom?
6. If so, how much more HP would this boat put up with?
This is the first powered boat hat I have owned and so far I love it. It has been a lot of fun for us this summer and I dont want to trash it or us! Also, is anyone out there familiar with this brand of bass boat and were they manufactured with good quality standards. This boat is pretty old and in pretty darn good condition for its age, so I was wondering if this is because of good quality or just good care and lack of use? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank so much!
1. Are the sunken bolt heads and washers normal due to torque factors?
2. Are there better ways of checking the transom for rot other than drilling holes everywhere or pulling the cap?
3. Is 43 MPH by GPS a good running speed for this boat and motor?
4. Why would the maximum HP rating for this boat be at 120 HP?
5. Could this boat be re-powered with a bigger motor then the manufacturer rating(I have seen other HPV bass boats with up to 175 HP outboards) without ruining the transom?
6. If so, how much more HP would this boat put up with?
This is the first powered boat hat I have owned and so far I love it. It has been a lot of fun for us this summer and I dont want to trash it or us! Also, is anyone out there familiar with this brand of bass boat and were they manufactured with good quality standards. This boat is pretty old and in pretty darn good condition for its age, so I was wondering if this is because of good quality or just good care and lack of use? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank so much!
