1967 Glassmaster Runabout

[wsu_liston]

Ok, well I guess its time to finally start my thread for the restoration on my 1967 14' Glassmaster Runabout. I bought the boat back in May and have been slowly working on it and reading up on iboats. Part of the reason I've decided to finally start my thread is that I have a questions for the gurus of iboats (I'll get to this later) and secondly because there is not enough talk about Glassmaster boats. Any way back to babbling about my boat... The boat came to me through the wonderful world of Craigslist and the previous owner thought he had a complete "gem" of a boat as he was asking $1400 for it, as is, I was able to talk him down to $800.

 

[wsu_liston]

Re: 1967 Glassmaster Runabout

So, before I bought the boat I had done some reading here in the Restoration forum and thought I knew what I was getting myself into. I knew when I bought the boat that the floor needed to be replaced and thought that the transom and stringer were still in good shape. So that's the path that I went down... at first.

So the old floor came out and the new 3/4" marine plywood went in. As it was great weather in North Carolina at this time I decided to throw the seats in it and put it on the lake. Yes, I know there was much else that needed to be done on the boat, but I couldn't resist putting it in the water and testing the motor. Especially since it is also a 1967 Johnson 40hp Super Sea Horse. This is when I found out that the motor didn't run quite as well as I had hoped. A carb rebuild later and it was running fairly well.

 

[wsu_liston]

Re: 1967 Glassmaster Runabout

So that's pretty much where I've gotten to. Now we fast forward to fstorm08's thread on his Glassmaster, which I've been following since he started. Reading this thread on virtually the same boat made me start to second guess my decision to keep the original transom. I realized that there was a steel plate mounted on the transom (a little "aftermarket" add to the OEM build) and a crack in the fiberglass. So I've decided before I got any further with fiberglass, gel-cote, and carpet that I needed to replace the transom. So today I started to work on separating the top and bottom of the hull, and now we get the the part where I could use some help making a decision.
In fstorm08's thread when he took the cap/splashwell off he cut only the back section and plans to fiberglass the two sections back together once finished. I'm looking for some thoughts as to doing this or continuing to separate the entire cap from the hull. I can see up sides and down sides of both directions, just wanted to hear others thoughts as well. Thanks in advance.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1967 Glassmaster Runabout

I prefer removing the entire cap. You dont' have to but it is not that hard to do and saves having to glass it back together. The metal plate on a transom is a dead giveaway on a bad transom. I was very lucky with mine in that it was a barn find and the transom was perfect. FYI your last pics did not post.

 

[wsu_liston]

Re: 1967 Glassmaster Runabout

Thanks woodonglass, thats the route I was leaning to as well. Todays plan will be to fully remove the cap and start tear down of the transom.
New pictures to come, and re-uploads of the other pictures.

 

[wsu_liston]

Re: 1967 Glassmaster Runabout

Finally got the back half of the cap free, not sure how I'm going to get up in the bow to get the cut loose as its a small space for a 6'3" guy to access. So far a 4" grinder has been working great with some help from a chisel for the corners. The problem is the bow is too tight for the grinder to get in and is almost impossible to reach with the chisel. Any suggestions?

 

[fstorm08]

Re: 1967 Glassmaster Runabout

Finally got the back half of the cap free, not sure how I'm going to get up in the bow to get the cut loose as its a small space for a 6'3" guy to access. So far a 4" grinder has been working great with some help from a chisel for the corners. The problem is the bow is too tight for the grinder to get in and is almost impossible to reach with the chisel. Any suggestions?

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Hey there WSU. More than likely the shelf in the front has rotted wood under the glass too (mine did). I cut mine out and will give you more room to get up under there and work. Also the deck under that self was rotted as well on my 68.

Careful around the edges as to not cut through the hull.

 

[fstorm08]

Re: 1967 Glassmaster Runabout

WSU - I also have used a couple of these along with a hammer quite a bit on the boat too:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200283524_200283524

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need anything.

Ryan

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1967 Glassmaster Runabout

A multi-Tool with a Half Moon blade should be a great tool for removing that cap.

http://www.harborfreight.com/oscillating-multifunction-tool-accessories.html

 

[wsu_liston]

Re: 1967 Glassmaster Runabout

Ryan, thanks for the tips. The flat bar its a good idea, I'll have to give that a try. I'm hoping to leave all the front shelf intact. When I had the deck out the wood up front seemed to be in good shape.

 

[fstorm08]

Re: 1967 Glassmaster Runabout

I have been using 2 that I think I got for $5 years back but looks like they come in 15" and 21" lengths. The 21" may be better as to give you a longer reach in that tight space.

http://hammernet.com/vaughan/pages/products/professional-curved-claw-hammers/superbar.php

If you do use it, you just want to be mindful of how hard you hit it with the hammer as you only want to go through the layer of glass that is over the seam.

 

[fstorm08]

Re: 1967 Glassmaster Runabout

A multi-Tool with a Half Moon blade should be a great tool for removing that cap.

http://www.harborfreight.com/oscillating-multifunction-tool-accessories.html

This would work too if you can reach the work area ok.

 

[wsu_liston]

Re: 1967 Glassmaster Runabout

Enjoyed my day off work today by working on the boat today. Was able to get the cap removed, ended up just slowly working up the bow with a chisel and hammer. It was a pain but worked. Then off came the fiberglass covering the old transom. It isn't in horrid shape but I'm definitely glad that it's being replaced. This weekend's plan is to get the the transom wood removed and ready for new wood.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1967 Glassmaster Runabout

Wow!!! Have you core sampled your stringers. I have to say, for a boat of this vintage, they look pretty darn good to me. Looks can be deceiving though. Transom looks pretty good to. If it is not soft in any spots, Heck you might resin coat it and glass it in and be done. She sure looks good to me.!!!!

 

[kfa4303]

Re: 1967 Glassmaster Runabout

ditto. the stringers look great and the transom looks good too. glad you're making progress. thanks for the updates.

 

[wsu_liston]

Re: 1967 Glassmaster Runabout

Wow!!! Have you core sampled your stringers. I have to say, for a boat of this vintage, they look pretty darn good to me. Looks can be deceiving though. Transom looks pretty good to. If it is not soft in any spots, Heck you might resin coat it and glass it in and be done. She sure looks good to me.!!!!

Thanks! I'm quite pleased with the condition as well, although the wood in the transom will be replaced. Currently there are a few soft spots on the top edge and it is wet, but I am happily surprised by the condition. I will take a look at the stringers when I get the transom out, but I am anticipating they are in good shape. More updates to come as progress continues.

 

[fstorm08]

Re: 1967 Glassmaster Runabout

Thanks! I'm quite pleased with the condition as well, although the wood in the transom will be replaced. Currently there are a few soft spots on the top edge and it is wet, but I am happily surprised by the condition. I will take a look at the stringers when I get the transom out, but I am anticipating they are in good shape. More updates to come as progress continues.

Yeah... transom is not bad at all.

As for the stringers, look for any glass work with dry spots and drill some test holes. This was where the shoddy glass work had allowed water in on mine and started the rotting process.

If it wasn't for this, I think my stringers would have been fine but could not in good conscious leave partially good stringers in there seeing the transom and deck will be new. I just did not see the sense in only replacing the bad sections on the stringers.