1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

[bsmithbum]

Hey all, I have not been on here in a long time due to health reasons, but I am feeling better and have gotten a new project. It's a 1960's Larson. I did not get a title for it yet but when I do I can be more specific on the year and model hopefully lol. From what I have seen on here I would say probably around a 1966ish Lapline. I am planning to simply repair the necessary for this season, but will be starting a restoration over the winter. I am not really going for an original resto though, but more of a functional fishing/trolling/cruising resto. I will post some pics later tonight as I start going through it to figure out where to start. I look forward to hearing any and all input on this one as it will be my first vintage boat resto. I have never really done anything older the 1990's, but I'm very excited to start this one as I have always loved the way these old boats ride and look.

 

[bsmithbum]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

Ok so here are the Pics of what I'm starting with. I had to include the best helper a guy could ask for in the last pic. He loves working on the boat with me.

 

[Slacker411]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

I hope you have fun on your restoration. A little more info on what is "necessary" would be helpful. I like the way the boat looks though. Curious what kind of condition the deck and transom are in.

 

[bsmithbum]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

I will hopefully be removing a section of the floor tonight to check the stringer, floor, and transom condition. As far as what's nessessary I am not sure yet other then possibly replacing the lowerunit on the 1967 Johnson 60hp outboard. That is unless I can find a reasonably priced line on some thrust bearings and a few bushings that are completely destroyed. I have seen a few online new old stock ranging anywhere from $60 a piece up to $150 a piece. That just seems to high for these parts. I will post pics of what I find under the floor later tonight. Fingers crossed for good condition like the hull is haha.

 

[Slacker411]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

If you end up getting into a huge demo I highly recommend getting at least a P95 or better respirator. The dust can be harmful to your health and you probably won't want your little one around that stuff. Although it is great to have a good helper.

 

[bsmithbum]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

Well so much for just a few repairs and on the water in a month lol. As you can see from the pics, she's pretty rough. Previous owner screwed some plywood down to the rotting original floor and left it that way. I started tearing it up at the weakest point just to uncover the extent of the damage and I have seen enough to know it's time to remove the floor and go for full replacement most likley with stringers. I do have a few questions though if anyone can help. As you can see in the pics I removed a section of the original flooring to find solid but saturated foam under the entire thing. All I have seen were a few 1x6 boards across the top of the foam then the plywood is glassed on top of that. Are there stringers buried in that foam? if so what type of foam would I even use to replace what I am removing? Like I said this is my first old glass boat, but I am very comfortable with glassing and wooden repairs. Foam is a new one to me lol. The last pic in this set is one I took while aiming the camera down the bilge just to get a peek. The glassing and hull from that side look pretty good to me, But if I am wrong can someone point out the bad in it? I appreciate the assistance from any and everyone that is willing to guide me. Oh and Slacker411, I have respirators for glass demo, but I would never let my lil guy help in that dept. He has fun holing wood I'm cutting, handing tools, and just generally telling me how he wants it done lol. I will post more when I get the whole floor out, probably by this weekend at the latest.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

I'd recommend your first order of business be removing the False Deck and the rotted main deck. We could then see the stringer/foam system underneath and do a better assessment. The under deck pic really does not look all that bad.

 

[bsmithbum]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

Thanks for the reply WOG. I am working on finishing removing all decking today if the weather continues to cooperate lol. I will post progress pics later this evening.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

Well...As you know, without pics...It NEVER HAPPENED!!!!!

 

[bsmithbum]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

Yea I think I might have heard that a few times WOG lol. Well this is just an update, but not a good one unfortunately. The weather has been terrible preventing me from doin any work on the boat for the last 2 days. It looks like I might get a break this afternoon into tomorrow so I will be diggin in as soon as I can and will keep this thread updated with progress asap.

 

[bsmithbum]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

I was finally able to get back into the boat this afternoon and remove 95% of the deck. There's a small section near the bow and 2 smaller sections under the splash well that I still need to take out but will have to wait for it to stop raining again. As you can see in the pics it seems the majority of the damage is on the starboard side, while the port side is surprisingly still pretty solid minus the 2 1x6 planks that run the length of the bilge. Now that is all I see for wood any where under there. The rest is foam. There we're 2 of the planks on each side the the bilge tunnel and they were only glassed over the top about 3 inches in and all the way to the hull, and seem to be tabbed to the hull maybe? My main question before going any further is, how does this type of stringer (if that's even what it is) provide any support? I mean the wood is literally just laid on top of foam and only tabbed at the hull and really nothing else. Other then that, I still plan to remove all foam and wood and replace completely. Just need to do a little more research on what type of foam to use and how exactly to pour/spray it in. I will hopefully be doing more deconstruction this weekend. I still want to expose as much of the transom as I can, without removing the cap, just to see if there is any further damage there. This winter I will be removing the cap and replacing it anyway, as i plan to do as full of a resto as I can while the boat is in storage. Fix little scratches and gouges in the hull, buff out the entire boat to maker her shine (the paint/gelcoat seem to be in actually great shape minus a little whiteish film in places). Then I will be adding my own touches to make it my own fishing machine. Custom down rigger board, built in tackle storage, built in cooler under seats or maybe rear bench, ect, ect lol. I also read a thread on building a hardtop that also interests me a lot. Might add the to the plans if all else goes well. Well take a look at the pics and please tell me what you think, I am always open to suggestions especially from folks on here. You have never steered me wrong and for that I thank you.

 

[bsmithbum]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

One last thing, I have removed all the rotten wood planks from the starboard side and I left all wood in place as I found it on the port side just for reference. Starboard pics are all foam.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

Have you drilled into your stringers yet? How wide are they" They Might be hollow or foam filled.

 

[bsmithbum]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

I did not drilled into them however on the starboard side with the wood removed I can kind of see into the stringer and they seem hollow with maybe a small amount of foam near the hull.

Also the are about 5 3/4 - 6 inches deep and 2 inches across. One last thing, I have some questions about the 1967 Johnson 60 hp on there as well. Would I be better off starting a thread in that section, or try adding here?

 

[bsmithbum]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

Well just a quick update. I have not been able to do much with the boat. Weather has been cold and rainy and I already turned the heat off in the garage so gotta wait for it to warm up a little.

I kind of got bored and had some ideas running through my head about a possible hard top on this old boat for the long days on the water trolling. I attached a pic if anyone is interested in seeing my failed attempt at using windows paint

Doing that drawing did bring a concern to mind though if anyone has any input it would be appreciated. By building this top, will it possibly make the boat to top heavy? She's only 16 ft, but I really like the hard top idea versus a bimini or similar.

I'm not decided if I want to try my hand at foam and fiberglass construction, or if I want to stick with something I am a lot more familiar with, that being wood. Obviously I will still make it as light as possible, and it will also be removable.

I spend a lot of hours at a time on Lake Michigan in contests, and just trolling for leisure, and the Bimini tops just don't offer the coverage I like. Nothing wrong with them, just not my personal preference.

Well I will post again when I have a decent update and as always I will post pics of what I have done.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

Post your motor questions in the Motor forum. Your windshield is prolly worth more than your boat!!!! If you decide to build the Hard Top you could sell the windshield for enuf to pay for the materials to make the hard top!!!!! The link for making your seats is in my signature line below.

 

[bsmithbum]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

Thank you for the reply Woodonglass. I have read through all the link in your signature actually:happy: I gotta tell ya, after seeing your BF project I sure am glad to have you in my corner for advice with this project, and rest assured I do read and really try to absorb everything that is posted here, and it is very much appreciated.

As for my windshield, I only wish I could sell it. It has a big crack down the starboard side. This is actually one of the reasons I am considering the hardtop.

As for my seats, I have just recently started searching and looking at different threads, and I really like the way you have it laid out in your's.

One question is still kind of holding me up on the hardtop idea though. Would this make this small of a boat "top heavy"? As much as I know I would enjoy the benefits it would provide, It wouldn't be fun if every breeze made me feel like I was going to capsize:embarassed:

If you or anyone has any opinion on that, Or info on maybe a sort of stream lined design, I would love to hear from you.

Hopefully I will be back in the boat to finish de construction tomorrow. The weather man is calling for sun and 76 degrees. I will post progress with pics then.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

Depends on how Tall the hard top is. IF you make it tall enuf for you to stand up then Yeah, it could act as a "Sail" in windy conditions. If you made the windshields "Pop Outs" and put some Sliding windows in the sides or some type of openings that would allow wind to pass thru that would help. With some Thought on design, you could prolly make it work.

 

[bsmithbum]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

Well I got a little time today to work in the boat with the beautiful 78 degree weather.

I removed just a small section of the foam and cut out a small section of the glass stringer to inspect. Will the glass stringer be OK and just need to re foam? or do I need to cut the glass out and build new?





Now I am starting to think maybe I might be in over my head. The fact that the foam is structural and that it used that much foam puts me into very unfamiliar territory. I am wondering if I have what it takes to rebuild those stringers, and I have no clue about the foam.

If you look back in the first few pics of this thread, where I showed the wood on top of the foam, How in the world does it get there if I have to re install the deck before pouring the foam?. There is nothing there to attach it to prior to the foam.

My next issue is simply experience. I do have some glass experience and am fairly comfortable with it. However I have NEVER built anything structural with it, and have no clue what to do different.

I am by no means throwing in the towel yet lol. Heck I still have to look at the transom, and that too will take me to unfamiliar territory yet again. I have done transom repairs in the past, but never had a boat that I had to remove the ENTIRE cap to access it.

I did see and read a thread where someone did one like mine, but again I don't know if I have it in me to do it and get it back together again properly.

Well I will get back at it tomorrow hopefully I will get majority of the foam and the rest of the decking removed. More pics then as well.

 

[coolbri70]

Re: 1960's Larson Repairs/Restoration

I reused my stringers and replaced the foam, I replaced the 1x10s and tabbed them in then poured foam underneath. nice looking boat