1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

[Navigator_Victory]

I bought a 1972 Gulf Coast Sailboat thinking I might restore it.....after much thought and consideration I think I am going to take this boat down a different road and I am sure I will catch some heat for this but, I would like to make a fishing/camping boat out of it.

Is it possible?

What all do I need to consider?

I would like to remove the keel for more room will that be an issue?

I have the following parts to sell where should I post them ? Rudder is in Great Condition Main sail and Jib are in great shape Mast has a broken spreader boom center keel...

I would like to remove all of the back seats and make it open.....possibly adding a seat or two latter.

The entire floor is rotted and needs to come out regardless of what I do. I also would plan on a 5 or 10 hp motor for this boat......I was thinking it would kewl to use a trolling motor and install solar panels for charging the battery but, not sure $$$$ if that would realistic and if a trolling motor would have enough power??? but those choices are on down the line.....lots of fiberglass work ahead....not to mention gutting the boat

Thoughts?

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

Few more pics

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

Bumping this back the top are there any opinions ?

My biggest concern is removing the keel and if that will cause any issues beside plugging the hole.

Has anyone else done something like this ?

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

Since the boat was designed to float with the keel for stability...I'd be concerned that it might be a bit tipsy without it.

I like the idea, hopefully someone with more knowledge of sailboat hulls will stop by.

A solar panel would be ok for keeping a trolling motor battery topped off, but would not recharge a low battery in a reasonable amount of time. This would be a function of how large the photovoltaic panels are though.

Folks do use small chargers on quads to keep the battery topped off.

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

what if I add smart tabs that should help stability under way....http://www.iboats.com/Smart-Tabs-Tr...1563135--**********.247833040--view_id.167020

Maybe I should just ask that one question in the sailboat forum....YIKES

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

Well I tried to upload pics to photobucket and had some issues with multiple pics....well the floor is out and I think I am going to keep half of the keel....just enough down and some weight in the bottom for stability....although I did see someone else post pontoons on the side of their boat for stability...hmmmm good thing I live in Texas....I can probably get away with it....anyhow for anyone who cares the floor is out and the stingers are all rotten.....question do I put back the tiney 1 inch stingers? I was thinking about using 2x4 for the floor and put them every place a stinger was....or all these stingers at all ??
Lots of learning to do

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

If you turned it into a trimaran it would have excellent stability and weight capacity

Not so easy to store, launch, trailer or maneuver though. It would be interesting to see as well. Like Kevin Costner's rig in Waterworld.

It looks like you have 4 stringers in addition to the keel. I'm no fiberglass expert but I believe that 2x4s would make a stout stringer. Especially once it's got poly or epoxy resin and glass on it.

What is the depth of the bottom of the keel from the waterline if you cut it in half? What is it now?

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

Draft is 38" I believe when dropped....hard finding any information on this boat......I found another thread where "" I am a c22 owner, my pin failed, keel went to bottom of lake, boat immediately rolled over with mast pointing straight down. Not something you want take a chance with. """" this was in another forum so that gives me a scare of the potential.....so teenage son is going onboard first ......probably cut and test cut and test and see how it goes.....boat seems plenty wide on the bottom but, the shape of the hull in my opinion is like a canoe and they are topsy but,,,,you do not fall out if you do not lean to far....

 

[jonesg]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

Bumping this back the top are there any opinions ?

My biggest concern is removing the keel and if that will cause any issues beside plugging the hole.

Has anyone else done something like this ?

The keel is to counterbalance the sail.
It should be ok to remove it as long as you lose the sail too.
It will need a transom for anything more than a trolling motor.
Solar cells might keep a battery topped up but not deep charge a deep discharge battery for an elec motor.

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

Updates:

I have the floor completely removed will be removing stingers sometime next week.....

I have decided I am going to remove half of the keel and put it in the water and see how it feels......more than likely I am going to leave at least some of the keel for some stability......will know more after I test it and see what it does....bigger concern is if water will come in from the keel once I cut and it is below the water line.....again water test with lifejacket and rope to drag it out if necessary....

I saw another post where someone attached pontoons to the side of the hull and that might be a possiblity.....some PVC pipe sealed at either end and place just above or right at the water line......maybe run half the hull....and I saw a tritoon at a boat show and it had a triangle looking attachment I thought might help also if stabilitty is an issue but,,,,I am getting ahead of myself......will also need to figure out how to attach to the hull...

THANK YOU to Friscoboater for helping me find fiberglass etc......Good to find a contact for supplies

New Question the boat is 18x6 give or take......although I probably do not need to I would like to run a couple layers fibertlass on the bottom...in a few places it is not soft but very flexible as best I can tell the hull is all fiberglass and very thin it appears it has no wood in it but, I am not certain of this just based on how thin it seems,,,,,

I am concerned if I hit a log or rock while fishing I might knock a hole in the hull ? I assume it is ok to beef it up from the inside instead of the outside>>>? the outside was painted and looks good which is why I do not want to add fiberglass to the outside.

I have seached and if there is a way to cacluate material can someone point me in that direction? I want to put two layers on bottom of hull and probably a layer on bottom and two layers on top of the floor.....how much material will I need to purchase? cover 18x6 area...?

Thank You for help and thoughts etc...

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

Anyone have any thoughts on the above questions? Stingers are out talk about rotted out wood....pitiful
Next I am going to cut down the keel to about half of what it is and bolt it in place.....take it out the lake and see what happens before I dump a bunch of time and effort into materials.....although I am fairly certain my idea is going to work.....still not sure what affect removing most of the keel will have....most people seem to think it will not be an issue.....but near as I can tell no one here has done this before???

BTW I used a hammer and chisel to take stingers out and that worked very well......

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

Update....Keel is a Major pain in the arse to try and remove.....I will have to lift the boat a little over four feet to get it to drop enough to come out....spent half a day trying to manuver and block it up which did not work then I remembered an A frame I have out at the barn and a come along......hopefully this afternoon I will get it out.....I was going to leave half of it in place.....and after attempting to cut the keel I have decided to remove the entire keel....not sure what it is made of steel or lead or what but, it is extremely hard to cut.....after about five minutes I mnaged to get through about three inches of it......

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

Getting the keel out is a challenge yet....attempted to unscrew the pin that holds it in and can not get it removed.....sawz all this weekend will fix that problem.
Transom was totally shot got all of that removed yesterday

Broke my first tool.....

One thing for sure I am glad I read up some before starting this so I at least have an idea this is going to take a few months instead of a few weeks......after seeing some here that are on their second year in a restore....oooo my but, of course theirs is bigger than mine.....ummmm their restore that is :facepalm:

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

Did I mention getting the keel out of a sailboat is a major pain......well it is still a pain after quite a few more hours of trying to remove it......I could really use a hoist which would make the job much easier I am sure but,,,,since I have no hoist.....and no $$$$ I am making do for now....got all of the transom removed and I am ready to start sanding as soon as I get the ()#*$_)@ keel out....best I can tell the thing has to weigh well over 150lbs.....I am wondering what it is made of someone had mentioned lead.....wonder if that has any value at the scrap yard? anyhow here are a couple pics making progress but, very sloooow progress

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

Day by Day Step by Step slowly I turned----hmmm no that is from a movie.....The KEEL is OUTA THERE.....had to winch it out as it was much heavier than I thought....thinking more in the 250-300lb range....one heavy chunk of steel which, will be headed to recycle to help fund this project.....now the BIG question I am going to try and take it out and see what the stability is like before I go any further....at issue is the HUGE hole in the floor where the keel once was.....I should have cut up higher as I think I am below water level and water may gush in.....worst case I will figure out a temp patch just so I can test out the stability......as wide as the bottom is I do not think I am going to have any problem at all....here are the pics of the beast being removed from the belly.....errr that might be another movie

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

Other boat and chores have been consuming time but, in the meantime I have a new issue. I attached a couple hand drawn pics to give you an idea of what I am looking at. The bottom of the hull is shaped in such a way that water stands in the middle of the boat unless I radically tip it to get the water out.......there is no way I will be able to keep it totally dry while in the water because of the angle it would take to drain.....so I am thinking I build the floor just above this low spot so my foam does not get wet. I am assuming foam being wet for a couple of days would be a bad thing. I am thinking about sandwiching the foam between the plywood....thoughts....not to worried about water sitting for a few days on the hull just want to make sure my foam stays reasonably dry.

 

[emoney]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

I'm not sure about your water issue, but I just found your thread and though I'd weigh in a little. I'm not the most seasoned of sailors, but I do put the sail up occassionally. This type of conversion has been done to sailboats before, but, I think there's quite a bit of mental engineering that takes place. The chines, etc. on your boat were all poured with a keel in mind. Obviously, in your case, it's a drop down keel, meaning not permanently attached to the bottom, so I would assume that means it would track a LITTLE better. However, I'd make sure that thing isn't going to "roll" on you every time you encounter even the slightest wave. The fact that water comes straight to the center (which isn't that odd), is an example of this being a sailboat exclusive design. Just wanted to weigh in, since you've had questions unanswered. The advice, "you'll need a transom for anything more than a trolling motor" is to let you know there's nothing in the stern of that boat to hang any size motor too. Have you thought about how you're going to power it? They say that ANYTHING is possible, with enough time and enough money, but wouldn't it have been cheaper to buy (or even get one free) an old pleasure boat to accomplish your goal?

Also, IF I were doing this (not sure I would be, but that's ok too), I'd put 5 stringers in this thing following the factory "ridges", and then I'd think you would need to fabricate a keel all the way under the bottom, otherwise it's going to be a very large canoe. That means, take the entire drop down mechanism out and chuck it.

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

Emoney.....after thoughts...... might have been better to get a pleasure boat and convert but,,,,,the sailboat has a sleek kewl look to it.....and it is different.....I plan on rebuilding the transom and will probably hang a 5hp or a trolling motor have not yet decided.....not planning on speed.....just a place to camp and fish......the rolling part is a big concern and I will have to address that on the water but,,,,I have some ideas...one of which is to attached 2" tubes at the water line.....like a pontoon boat but, I think it will keep the roll minimized.....hoping I do not have to do this but,,,,,an option......I do plan on replacing the stingers exactly from where I removed them....they were rotted as was all of the flooring so it all had to come out....

 

[emoney]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

I know that some sailboats will roll without the keel, plain and simple. As a matter of fact, there's a thread over in the "Sailboat" section here at iboats that talks about this happening with boat out in california. The people that die were using a "rental sailboat" and didn't fill the water ballast keel and it rolled pretty soon after they got away from the dock, I think. Now, on the other hand, I've seen people take the mast down on a sailboat and even one that built a sold cabin on the deck to go with his small cabin below. Then they power it with a little OB. The key though is, they keep the keel attached. Is it too late to the use the keel this came with?

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: 1972 Gulf Coast 18 Project From sailboat to fishing/camping boat

The Keel is history.....heavy sun of a gun to ...... here is my plan if the boat wants to roll in the waves keep in mind I will be on a lake with a shore within swimming distance plus on a boat like this I will always have a life vest on....
I actually thought about adding the tubes for extra buoyancy if she did capsize I figure two ten foot sealed tubes could hold up a good bit of weight in the water.....so far I am break even on the boat.....in other words it is free.....I still have a few parts for sale..mast and beam (probably go to salvage) jib and main sail and rudder....I am hoping to get enough out of those to pay for my fiberglass.....so....with any luck the boat will be totally free not counting my time of course but,,,,,wife can not complain if there is no money going in....