Help.. New to me Glasscraft, lots of water below decks

Paterson00

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Nov 7, 2012
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51
I just bought this and would like to know more about it so I can research the probelms it has. Could anyone tell me more about it? I know its a glasscraft bowrider but thats it, I dont know the age etc. How do I find out.

Many thanks

Paul

5737gde_20.jpg
 
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jbcurt00

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Re: What boat is this?

Re: What boat is this?

USCG or Glasscraft label on the transom, consoles, under the dash or near the throttle?

Title/Registration from the seller? (depending on where you're located this can be a problem)

It's got an OB, you can start by figuring out what year the motor is, sometimes it's the same or very close to the year the boat was made....

Knowing it's length, transom beam (width), and maximum beam (often the width across the helm seats) can help after you get some info about Glasscrafts models, and their specs...

welcome.gif
 

Paterson00

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Nov 7, 2012
Messages
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Re: What boat is this?

Re: What boat is this?

USCG or Glasscraft label on the transom, consoles, under the dash or near the throttle?

Title/Registration from the seller? (depending on where you're located this can be a problem)

It's got an OB, you can start by figuring out what year the motor is, sometimes it's the same or very close to the year the boat was made....

Knowing it's length, transom beam (width), and maximum beam (often the width across the helm seats) can help after you get some info about Glasscrafts models, and their specs...

welcome.gif

Hey thanks for the reply. I had a look through the paperwork and found out a lot of information there which I didnt realise was there.

I am located in Australia just south of Perth and only recently moved here so decided I wanted a boat to play around with. Where I live there are a lot of waterways to go on, lakes and rivers etc. I would have been happy with something smaller like a tinny just to go and have a play around with but my fantastic wife said that if we are going to get a boat we may as well get something that we can enjoy with our friends so after looking around I decided that a bowrider was the obvious way to go. I didnt see any in my price range then two came along at the same time so I quickly bought the second, better one. I may have moved too fast with little experience, we'll see.

Thanks for your warm welcome. Follow my activity to see the questions I have regarding my concearns and repairs.
 

mark1961

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Apr 30, 2007
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Re: What boat is this?

Re: What boat is this?

Not sure it will help much.....there is a Glasscraft boats located at 34 King St Bayswater WA.....has to be the manufacturer of that vessel, something to keep in mind anyway.
 

jbcurt00

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Re: What boat is this?

Re: What boat is this?

Well having the Admiral on board, whatever your choice, is a step in the right direction.

BTW: Pix Pix Pix can't post too many pix

Have a great weekend.......
 

Paterson00

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Messages
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Re: What boat is this?

Re: What boat is this?

Well having the Admiral on board, whatever your choice, is a step in the right direction.

BTW: Pix Pix Pix can't post too many pix

Have a great weekend.......

So the work I have carried out so far is removing the not needed wiring that has been left on there for ages and old GPS units that dont work and also the mounts that have been sitting there rusting for years making it look a mess. I removed the big aerial from the windscreen and will be mounting it on the bow where the old GPS dome has been removed from, a far more sensible place for it. I have started to clean everything up as it is a grubby boat and apart from maintenance on the engine etc is has had no love put into it. I want to carpet the boat and upgrade the seat covers to something more modern and family friendly. Before all that though, I have a couple of concearns...

Remember that I said I bought this with no experience or knowledge, well here are my concearns. Firstly, I noticed that after the first time I took the boat out on the water after I purchased it and brought it home there was a fair amount of water coming from out of the bung hole. This definatly wasnt the case when I took it out for the test drive so I am hoping I didnt put the bungs in properly rather than it being something else more serious, secondly, in between the captains chair and the one next to it there is a lowered section which I have seen used on the same model as a wet storage area. It has a couple of cracks in the floor of that area and a small amount of water comes into the well from inside the hull (my assumtion is this is where it is coming from). The floor in this area is a little spongy in a small area in a couple of places. Nothing huge but a little soft none the less.

I am going to take the boat to a repair and service centre when I get paid again in a month and have the whole thing checked over, the engine serviced and compression checked etc. ( the engine is a 70 hp two stroke Johnson from 1991) I have spoken to the repair shop about the damaged area and he seems to think it is no big issue.

Here is a video of the boat that I made to show friends. I'll upload another less embarrasing video at another time but this will get us started..

 

Slip Away

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Re: What boat is this?

Re: What boat is this?

Looks like a Glasscraft that was made in New Zealand. Quite a few of them still running around down under.
 

Paterson00

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Messages
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Re: What boat is this?

Re: What boat is this?

Made in 1980 according to the old insurance papers with 1991 Johnson 70 hp on a 1972 re furbished trailer
 

a1964rn

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Oct 18, 2012
Messages
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Re: What boat is this?

Re: What boat is this?

The water coming into the lowered floor sounds a little concerning, especially with the soft spot. Have you checked the underside of the hull for cracks, repairs, etc?
 

Paterson00

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Nov 7, 2012
Messages
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Re: What boat is this?

Re: What boat is this?

The water coming into the lowered floor sounds a little concerning, especially with the soft spot. Have you checked the underside of the hull for cracks, repairs, etc?

I have. I havent found anything abvious yet. I will do a video of the boat in a bit more detail when I get a minute. Am I right in thinking that the boat will be a fibreglass hull with wood across the beam of the boat and a main "spine" through the middle also made of wood? If there is water sitting in the hull this will cause the wood to rot right?
 

jbcurt00

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Re: What boat is this?

Re: What boat is this?

I have. I havent found anything abvious yet. I will do a video of the boat in a bit more detail when I get a minute. Am I right in thinking that the boat will be a fibreglass hull with wood across the beam of the boat and a main "spine" through the middle also made of wood? If there is water sitting in the hull this will cause the wood to rot right?

It is likely to have wood stringers running fore & aft (transom to bow) that have been wrapped in fiberglass & fiberglassed to the hull. It may have longitudinal bulkheads running post to starboard (left & right across the hull) that compartmentalize the areas below decks (hull) also wrapped & attached w/ fiberglass.

But many boat manufacturers used hollow fiberglass or foam filled fiberglass stringers that are both wood-free. Still other are completely foam filled:
chainSawWhaler585x389.jpg


A 1980 boat is 32+ years old. So if there is wood below decks, it has likely gotten wet & are highly likely to be rotting, a soft deck is often 1 of 3 indicators of needing to take a good look below decks. A soft transom & hull cracks are the other 2.

You need to carefully inspect everything before you put this boat back in service. You do not want this to happen ever, but definitely not while away from the ramp & surrounded by water.....
attachment.jpg
 

Paterson00

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Nov 7, 2012
Messages
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Re: What boat is this?

Re: What boat is this?

Thanks for the info. I will have a good look around and a good going over with a knocking knuckle listening to the hull for sounds of things which sound off. I took a load of pics this morning. I could not get my video camera going in any format, phone or otherwise so there are a lot of pics instead, maybe too many but somebody may spot something that I have missed so apart from boring some people it can't hurt. so here goes in no particular order...

looks like I may have to add these pics in a few posts for some reason

DSC_1245.jpgDSC_1246.jpgDSC_1257.jpgDSC_1258.jpgDSC_1259.jpg
 
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