Not sure what to do

[Greg28]

Hi everyone,
my name is Greg I'm from Berlin, CT. I've been around boats my whole life, but mostly wood ones When my parents got a cottage in NH my dad bought a fiberglass boat for the lake. It's a 16 ft Cimmaron bowrider with a 90 horse 6 cylinder Mercury outboard. The boat was in decent shape the floors were a little soft but it ran great. My dad got sick and they sold the cottage, the boat sat in their yard for almost 8 years. My kids were young and I really didn't have the time to mess with it. A few weeks ago my Mom said either take the boat or it goes to the junk yard. I've been wanting to get my kids into boats and sking and wakeboarding so I figured if it starts I will take it. After 8 years it fired right up. The boat is at my house and it's a mess transom is shot and of course the stringers are bad. I have the floors open and am in the process of getting the saturated foam out. It's going to need seats and other cosmetic stuff too. I'm on a tight budget but really want a boat. If I bought a different boat on craigslist I wouldn't want to spend more then $3000. I see some decent looking ones but for that price range they probably have issues also. I'm really not sure how much a Project like this will cost and if it's worth it for this boat. Just looking for some different opinions on this. Any input would be appreciated I am attaching some pics of the boat. Thanks!

 

[Greg28]

I meant to say I didn't want to spend more then $4000 on a different boat.

 

[kcassells]

You're halfway there with the labor/demo you've done already. Free boat, trailer, motor...Seems like a no brainer to me. Boat looks nice. Kids will love it and you'll know at the end of the project its safe, you own it and built better than factory.
Welcome aboard!
You may want to put a cradle around the hull to keep shape while the structure is coming out.

 

[mickyryan]

welcome , ill tag along and see where ya go with this resto

 

[CrazyFinn]

Yes, it's worth it. You don't seem to be afraid of the work involved - that's what scares off most people. You already have the boat, it was free, and it runs. Some 3/4" plywood, fibreglass, and a few buckets of polyester resin (and a lot of grinding and glassing), and you have a new boat (or as good as new). Also - I'm guessing the boat has at least a bit of sentimental value.

 

[sphelps]

Looks like a fun family friendly boat to me !
The motors a runner that's most your expense right there ...Use a good ext grade plywood and polyester resin to save a few bucks and you can for sure make it seaworthy again !

 

[Grub54891]

Pulling the cap makes it much easier. I did all the work up to the helm, then pulled the cap, so the hull kept it's shape. My stringers went all the way forward.Still working on paint designs.

 

[Greg28]

Thanks for the input i never really thought about using a cradle. I'm definitely not afraid of the labor but I hAve never done a project like this before so I'm more afraid of my lack of knowledge and doing something wrong. The stringers don't scare me but the transom does. I've read a lot of posts saying do it from the inside but I don't think I can with the seats in the back and the well. Is it a definitely no no to do it from the outside. It does have some sentimental value and I feel like a jerk for letting the boat get as bad as it did before working on it.

 

[kcassells]

Hey Greg,
Everyone here is on a learning curve. This forum will definitely walk you thru the " I don't know how" parts. I'm a total newb but the support here will make you finish the boat. Pics, pics, pics, measure, measure measure. Keep for your records. Try and save whatever you cut out for a template if it's feasible.
No you're not a jerk about letting the boat go. Now it's time to move on. Look into or ask more about decapping. Will make your life easier.
Cheers!

 

[Scott Danforth]

90% of the people on here in their 3rd or 4th project never did anything prior to coming here. go to the DIY stickies at the top of the page, read link 14 in its entirety, looking at every picture and watching every video. then read link 18, then 2, 3, 4a, 4b, etc.

you have to pull the cap. pull the rub rail, remove the screws, use putty knife to shear the caulk, use ratchet straps to hang from the garage rafters.

you have to build a cradle (I built one on the trailer for my avanti to keep it portable)

your going to spend about $3-4k on the restoration, however you will have a better boat than the factory, you will have the sentimental part nailed, and the smiles on your kids faces for the next 20 years will be priceless.

do be careful and use the proper PPE (that is the key)
do not be afraid to jump in head first
you will make a mistake, we will help
dont be afraid to ask questions

 

[Greg28]

Thanks everyone, it makes it a whole lot less scary knowing there are people who have done this before and are willing to help. I guess have a lot of reading to do and videos to watch. One bad part about this is I don't have a garage so I'm doing this outside, it's still warm in CT but that will change any day now. Not sure if I will get to any fiberglass this year I'm guessing it has to be a certain temp. I plan to go as far as I can this fall. One quick question I noticed the fiberglass is thin at the top part of the boat in the back on both sides, I can push on it and it moves easy, the bottom and lower parts are soild. Is this normal, I never really never noticed it before. The only other fiberglass boat I owned was a 1960 something MFG and that thing was soild everywhere. Thanks again for everyone's imput!

 

[Grub54891]

Sounds normal for the sides to be thinner. This is why you either build a cradle, or good supports for it before de-capping. It needs to hold it's shape when you are repairing the inside. Like I said before, I left the cap on till the areas from the helm to transom were all glassed in properly. Then removed the cap and finished the forward area. Also make sure the bottom stay's flat solid also. I laid my hull on a 2x6 all along the keel, then supported the hull on both sided to hold it's shape, measuring from the floor up to marked areas throughout the entire process, if anything moved before the next glassing session, it was corrected then glassed.

 

[Woodonglass]

Can you do the transom from the outside...YES Is it the best way or the recommended way...NO! You don't HAVE to remove the entire Cap to get to the transom. You can cut the gunwhales about 18" in front of the splasy well and just remove that portion. Reglassing the "Seam" is a very easy process and you won't be able to see the repair once you're done. Removing, Building and replacing the transom is one of the easiest parts of the restoration. Stringers are harder IMHO. Deck is easy. You'll get the absolute Best Advice you can get on this forum. Read the Sticky Section as recommended and then take lots of pics and ask questions. Unless you have crippled arms and hands, you can make her better than NEW. Even if you do have crippled appendages, the guys on here will figure a way around that and still get your boat back on the water. Heck you can even do the upholstery on the seats if you want to try it. Several of us have done it with Great results.

Welcome Aboard!!!

 

[kcassells]

Make a frame then tarp it. I've worked on this in the dead of winter with a heater. That stuff is nothing but 1" pvc, some fittings and 2x4's. Very generic but works great to let you protect your work.

Yard does not look like that anymore!! Wifey would kill me.

You can doit!!!

 

[Greg28]

Thanks you guys are definitely boosting my confidence! Removing the back section of the cap would work great there is on my two stringers in the boat and there is really nothing in the way of them up front. Will try to get the motor off next weekend.

 

[Grub54891]

As you can see in this pic, the stringers ran under the helm forward, this is why I removed the cap after doing the rest. Yours look to be there also, but your middle deck is gone from the opening.
You might find it easier to do as I did.
Anyway, good luck and looking forward to the restoration!

 

[Scott Danforth]

I would remove the cap in its entirety, however that is me.

without a garage, i would build a frame with 2x4's and 2x6's and sort of do a hybrid of what kcassells did, however use the frame to lift the whole cap up

 

[Greg28]

Wow definitely Building that tarp kcassells, and my yard is already starting to look like that.

 

[Redtruck12]

Welcome aboard Greg
im in a similar situation with a sentimental ol boat 74 17 foot Duo Vagabond, a lot like my grandfather used to have.
i am about 10 months ahead of you and previous to that had no boat building/ repair experience. Guys here have been awesome guiding and directing on what to do and how to do it.
im currently finished the complete transom and near completion of stringers (final tabbing) info and experience on here has been invaluable.
i live in a similar climate (Southern Ontario Canada)
i spent this weekend preparing for the weather to change, I picked up a temporary shelter / garage in a box and spent the weekend re arranging things, assembling it etc. In my driveway so I can continue thru the winter month once they arrive.
best of luck with your project.

 

[Redtruck12]

Welcome aboard Greg
im in a similar situation with a sentimental ol boat 74 17 foot Duo Vagabond, a lot like my grandfather used to have.
i am about 10 months ahead of you and previous to that had no boat building/ repair experience. Guys here have been awesome guiding and directing on what to do and how to do it.
im currently finished the complete transom and near completion of stringers (final tabbing) info and experience on here has been invaluable.
i live in a similar climate (Southern Ontario Canada)
i spent this weekend preparing for the weather to change, I picked up a temporary shelter / garage in a box and spent the weekend re arranging things, assembling it etc. In my driveway so I can continue thru the winter month once they arrive.
best of luck with your project.