Re: 1967 14' All American Please Help
Have a 68 Larson sport / fishing tri-hull. Had been stored under cover in barn for years when not used. Had a soft spot on floor just behind back seats. Decided to cover with piece of plywood or sheet metal. After a little close inspection found soft wood clear back under battery and gas tank. Ended up cutting rear top fiberglass section off. Left outer transom skin in-place and replaced all wood (flooring, stringers and transom). Re-glassed all wood water tight. Re-glassed fiberglass section and repainted whole top of boat to match Suburban that pulled it. Lifted the transom hight except for motor location and bench-seat back to mitigate water over the transom especially when backing in rough water. Tied the higher bench-back into the higher transom both sides of motor. Added knock down ski tower. Added fold-down ladder similar to later model Larsons to left rear. Added full bimini top. Why?
Dad bought it new in 69. We ran it many years on the Mississipi. My kids have tubed many hours behind it.
Larson did not do a great job sealing the wood under the flooring and behind the transom from water penetration. Stored inside under cover the wood had litterly turned to oatmeal consistancy as I was scooping it out. That's when the rear section came off. In spite of the condition it probably would have run another year before dropping the motor in the lake.
Advise: Use an ice pick to see how soft the wood is behind the glass. Tear a chunk off or use a hole saw around the damaged area. Keep testing moving out farther until you find hard wood. If you find soft wood, remember water runs down hill, soft wood will also. If the transom is soft, check the runners under the floor. They will be soft. Then decide if wood replacement is a project you want do. Shops will do it for you. It can be a real great father son project. It will be a real pain in the knees.
Good Luck
