Dude, I got a free boat!

[1946Zephyr]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

Yes, I get that the floors are bad. I fully understand what I'm getting into here. I took a few samples from the transom. All appear dry and in good shape. I get that I need floors. I'm really trying to get the engine dialed in here first. Please help me here.

Well, we are helping you here. taking a boat that's riddled with hidden dry rot can lead to a disasterous afternoon on the water. It's almost like towing a travel trailor down the road and having it crumble to pieces on you at 60mph, down the freeway. Not a pretty sight.
If money is no object, then why not buy a nicer boat and transfere the motor and hardware to it. Spending time fixing a wreck, will cut into your fun time a bit much.

 

[Swimaway]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

Well, we are helping you here. taking a boat that's riddled with hidden dry rot can lead to a disasterous afternoon on the water. It's almost like towing a travel trailor down the road and having it crumble to pieces on you at 60mph, down the freeway. Not a pretty sight.
If money is no object, then why not buy a nicer boat and transfere the motor and hardware to it. Spending time fixing a wreck, will cut into your fun time a bit much.

You are right, and I appreciate the help, that's why I'm posting here. There is a wealth of information that I really appreciate on this forum. I went through this same thing with the chevelle, and if I remember correctly, someone gave me the same advice; why not take the motor and get a new car. Well the chevelle was given to me for a very good price, not free, but might as well been. Why didn't I take the advice and save myself over 20,000 in repairs and improvements? I like the car.

So, I'm taking the same approach to this boat as I did the car. I'm going to get it running right and take it out to figure out what's going with it. What do I like about it, what don't I like about it; this way when I overhaul it, I have a baseline and a goal. So why not gut the boat and ditch the hull? I like the boat.

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

Well, a boat is so much different of a matter than a car. When it comes to the water, all control is left at the shoreline. The water is a totally different world, than the street. If your car breaks, you just coast to the shoulder and call a tow truck. You have a 140 horses attached to a boat with dry rot. That motor can quickly and easily snap the *** end off that boat, like you breaking a pencil in your fingers. Besides that, that boat will never have near the classic value, that your Malibu SS has. It's a nice looking boat, but you would be better off puting that motor and hardware on a nice aluminum Duckworth, or Alumaweld. If you like good classic boats, then find a 1955 Crestliner and hang a 1955 Big Twin on it or a FeatherCraft. Modern day boats, won't ever have any value, except to those who enjoy them. The greatest day of any boater's life, is the day he buys the boat and the day he sells it. LOL

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

The chevelle and the boat are both super nice. I sold my '68 chevelle that I restored and wished I would have kept it. That boat has really nice lines and I like the stripes as well. I personally would like the motor with original style colors rather than the solid black, but it still looks nice and I'm an OMC fan.
There are quite a few total boat restorations on the the resto forum and one in particular that is similar to your boat that might be interesting reads.

 

[nwcove]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

Before the frame off... Seal Beach car show. Ignore the dude with the camera boom.. I wish I had the kind of money he had to blow on photography

nice car!! love the "arrest me red" paint!! i say go for the boat resto, but as mentioned.....make sure the transom is as strong as it was the day the boat left the factory! (......or your screen name may become true!)

 

[Swimaway]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

So, today..... I ripped out most of the floor....

Yeah rear third was just trashed. Appears to have a single stringer with 2 supporting fiberglass "channels" Looks like only part of the floor is wood, then it blends into fiberglass of the hull. How the heck do I remove this waterlogged foam?

 

[kfa4303]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

elbow grease :/ Lots of folks use shovels, hack saws, cutting wheels, crow bars, etc....No real art to it. Ya just gotta remove it without damaging the hull.

 

[Swimaway]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

Son of a biscuit! Center stringer is soggy. Help! Im lost now. My transom better be ok or this boat is hitting craigslist

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

See? I told ya. Take the motor, wiring, and controls out of that bugger and put them on a nice Alumaweld or Duckworth, and you'll be a much happier man. Trust me on this.

On boats with 40hp and less, you can get away with dry rot, but on a boat with a big motor like that, it's a bit spooky. Even my old aluminum boats are getting half the power they were rated for, because of thier age.

 

[Swimaway]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

I'm not giving up yet. Let's see how bad this is. I cannot buy a metal boat. It's against the skiier in me

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

Ahhh that's good. I love your attitude. I'm not one to give up either. It is a damned nice looking boat and can see why you want to not give up. I am a big fan of those Malibu SS's by the way.

 

[emoney]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

Recheck your "samples" on the transom because the odds of a rotted stringer and rear 1/3 of the floor being wet and NOT the transom are probably pretty slim. You can remove the old Speedo pickup that's mounted on the bottom of the outside of the transom and see what that looks like on the end of the screws. If it's mushy, darkish or even wet and soggy (obviously), then you've got the exact same rot in the transom that you havfe in the floor. These guys weren't being "negative', btw, just being "safe". Taking an old boat out without knowing what you have would've been equivalant to using the Chevelle, the day you picked it up, on a 2,000 mile family vacation (not really logical). Good luck, and everything's fixable, btw, it's just that nothing's "free".

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

Typically, I mess around with the 14 - 15' boats and with those, if the floor and transomes are less than perfect, then I'll put a motor that's half the size of the rating. I.E, boats rated for 40hp, will get an 18, if the floor and transome are aged and dryrotted and it won't be pulling anymore skis or planing accross the water. Just a nice easy cruise on the lake.

 

[Swimaway]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

sampled again. not wet, not mush, not dark. Looks a lot like plywood

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

Oh good. You might get lucky with this one.

 

[Swimaway]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

So, the floors are now done. Stringer replaced...

Problem....

It was only after my floor was secured that I realized I didn't put on the ski pylon... So.. how do I attach this (http://www.iboats.com/Swivl-Eze-Ski-Pylon/dm/view_id.486470) to the floor. I guess I could always pull the floor back up and add another layer of 1/2" ply laminated with glass and resin. Put the bolts through that with large washers.

Any other suggestions? The one that was on there before scared the heck out of me the support bars were strong, but the floor would flex with when pulled on...

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

I would just skip it and use hooks on the transome, to pull skiers. No sense pulling the floor back apart, now that you got it back together.

 

[Swimaway]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

As much as I would like to settle with that, I just can't do it. I really want this on there. If it means I've gotta do everything over again, that's what has to happen. So, what should I do to get the pylon secured? Like I said, I just don't want the floor bending like it did before, scared the heck out of me.

 

[Swimaway]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

Well the floor is done again. If that pole comes out its taking the floor with it

 

[bonzoscott]

Re: Dude, I got a free boat!

Is the Ski Pole Pylon the tripod type? If so and you replaced the floor, you could just place another piece of plywood between the floor and the pylon mount with at least 8 screws. I did that for ten years. However, it depends on the weight of the skier. I am 180-195 lbs. probably wouldn't work with 250+.