How can I make the hull stronger?

[Zac]

I have a boat from around 1970, it has a 65hp mercury engine. The problem is that when I am <br />out on the lake going full speed I hit some wake and when the hull comes down it smacks<br />the water very hard. Once I hit the water pretty hard and it cracked the hull. I repaired it with<br />fiberglass putty and the fiberglass patch stuff but I don't want it to happen again so what <br />could I do to be able to hit waves at full speed without destroying the hull.<br /><br />P.S. I would rather do it myself so I could save money.

 

[DJ]

Re: How can I make the hull stronger?

Zac,<br /><br />You can help hull flexing by removing the floor and glassing in additional stringers. On the other hand, your stringers may be rotted or broken.<br /><br />Also, your hull may not be of the best design for wave bashing. Slow down.

 

[Zac]

Re: How can I make the hull stronger?

Last time I had the floor up I didn't know what stringers where but know that I do I can rember <br />that they are very rotten. I am going to replace the rotten stringers and add a few new ones.<br />Will this be enough or should I go ahead and replace the transome while I am down there.<br /><br />Thanks for the advice,<br /> Zac

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: How can I make the hull stronger?

Rotten = Cancer. It spreads unless you kill it. If the transom is soft absolutely repair it or one day the motor and transom will fall away from the boat. If the stringers are rotten replace them too. Yes you can add stringers and braces for added support. Right now, knowing your stringers are rotten you are living on the edge.<br /><br />Bob

 

[oldboat1]

Re: How can I make the hull stronger?

Unless you have a particular attachment to that hull, you might consider looking around for a replacement. There are a lot of them out there, and some are available for the hauling. Once the motor is gone, '70s glass hulls have very little market value. You know what to look for now in the way of good hull structure.

 

[Zac]

Re: How can I make the hull stronger?

If I were to buy a hull in fairly good condition (doesn't matter what year) for a 65 hp mercury engine what is the cheapest I could get one for. I only spent 250 for the whole boat motor and all. <br /><br />P.S. I want the hull to be able to go fast and hold 4 to 5 people.

 

[ebbtide176]

Re: How can I make the hull stronger?

have you gotten a BoatTrader magazine? sometimes there are boats listed with 'motor needs repair' for a few hundred. better yet, go over to the nearest lake, and run by the boat repair shops/junkyards and ask for any possible cheapo hulls. <br />you know, be columbo- keep 1 eye on the road, the other scanning for clues -you might see one behind an old abandoned barn and get lucky

 

[blifsey]

Re: How can I make the hull stronger?

What's amazing, is before we got our boat last year, I never saw (noticed?) boats around. Now they are everywhere!!! Behind houses, in garages, going down the road (behind tow vehicles of course). And I'm floored by the number out in yards for sale. I guess I just didn't pay attention before.<br /><br />Zac, also look in any "Penny Pincher" type sales magazines you have in your neck of the woods.<br /><br />BL...

 

[oldboat1]

Re: How can I make the hull stronger?

Ebbtide and BL are right on target. Not only can you find free or cheap hulls once you start looking, you can have your pick. Walk away from folks who think they have a classic (In fairness, they might have one -- but it's probably not what you are after this time.) There were a lot of tri-hulls or cathedral hulls made in the '70s. They are not popular now, and are probably your best finds. (good hulls, stable). Wrap-around windshields are hard to replace, and fairly expensive (the curved windshields on '50s and '60s models) -- but there are a lot of walk-throughs out there. It's a lot of fun, and you might save a really good one from the chainsaw and the dumpster.

 

[nnosker]

Re: How can I make the hull stronger?

All i can say is that I hope you can swim. That must drop down pretty hard. Might want to carry a set of dry clothes on shore.<br /><br />Maybe you should use the 65 mph duct tape. Red Green will set ya up.