1973-74 larson shark 1550

[Robert J Powell]

Well this is my project I put off for years. I got it from a friend who supposedly got it from original owners wife who passed away. Last in water around 93-94. Tore into the floor when I was 16 stringers need replaced so I stopped. 11 years later... I am finally getting round to it as I have the money and time to do it. Yes I know I won't get my money back out of it but it's a good project for me and my son and gives me something else to do than always working on my kenworth or peterbilt. Big learning curve to do everything but I think I can do it.

I have a shelter logic garage coming so I can pull it home and start too work on it. It's -30 In Minnesota still so can't do much till it's warmer. I am trying to figure out what all I need to order

Also switching over to different seats than the lounge ones that original came with it as well as trying to figure out where to put a live well in it. Any advice is much appreciated

 

[Robert J Powell]

Well boat is finally at home. Replaced the tires for the road, bent then drop down wheel on the pole pulling it out was in 8 inches deep froze. Hull is amazing no cracks or holes. Next time I'm home I'll have a temp shed over It and heat so floor is coming up next time I'm home

Question about this is having a bunk stile trailer better than rollers? Seems this is sitting to one side more.??

 

[JASinIL2006]

Wow, you have quite a project on your hands! Is that a tilt trailer? I can't tell much about how the boat is sitting on it, to be honest.

 

[Robert J Powell]

Wow, you have quite a project on your hands! Is that a tilt trailer? I can't tell much about how the boat is sitting on it, to be honest.

It is a older EZ loader trailer. Has good wide rollers on it.

 

[TankerDan]

Well boat is finally at home. Replaced the tires for the road, bent then drop down wheel on the pole pulling it out was in 8 inches deep froze. Hull is amazing no cracks or holes. Next time I'm home I'll have a temp shed over It and heat so floor is coming up next time I'm home

Question about this is having a bunk stile trailer better than rollers? Seems this is sitting to one side more.??
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The question of rollers or bunks is in my opinion personal preference. I've had both and perfer bunk. I like that bunks have more contact with the hull. Here in Western Wa. We have a lot of salt water and I've seen many rollers seize and not roll. On the other hand I've tried to launch at a slightly lower tide then I should have and had a hell of a time getting the boat off a bunk trailer, the someone with a roller trailer comes up and pushes his boat off the trailer with one hand

 

[mickyryan]

prefer bunks here as well just feels safer on bottom of boat and boat stays put on the road with proper straps of course

 

[Robert J Powell]

Well cleared most of the snow out still lot of frozen down leaves and ice. This is as far as I got it 11 years ago lol. Front cooler is what I would like to add fiberglass up for a livewell a bit as it's got a drain anyways. There was a ski locker in the middle of the boat. I was wondering if anyone ever changed floors in a shark? Are they usually capped off like these? I can't tell if it's wood or fiberglass foam filled section. The transom and one of the back of the ski cubby is rotted so cap will be coming off soon as I can somehow build frame around it.... Someone re gelled the boat to be white instead of blue. Other question is what's the difference between marine paint and gel coat? I'm never going to be sitting in salt water either. I'm in Minnesota. Also noticed cap isn't sitting right all the way in the front corner. Also engine has great compression starter works turns over. Going to call time outboard and see what a lower unit costs and a carb. Have cowling for the top not the lower unit cowling.

The joys of trucking cleaned it a little and back to work I go again. Hoping it warms up some more so I can pressure wash inside and see what's going on

 

[Robert J Powell]

Yes I'm very aware this looks like what most people would call a headache and a nightmare lmao

 

[Robert J Powell]

Okay I need some help. This is straight wood up top (found out there was two floors on top of each other) started demo and idk what the hell going on. I don't have stringers going along way it seems. Straight wood not plywood is what is ok top. Nothing on the sides where you think there would be wood as a stringer. It is a 15 foot tri haul? Idk I'm at a loss and confused from every I'm reading

 

[Robert J Powell]

 

[Robert J Powell]

That's where there was 1/2 inch board going to the edge of the boat there not fiberglassed or epoxy just plywood from edge of the boat to the middle edge of the fiberglass in the middle. Best picture I have. Still confused on what's best way to put floor back together. Need some advice

 

[mickyryan]

get it all cleaned out first then we can advise

 

[JASinIL2006]

And maybe step back 6-10’ and take some more pics.

 

[Robert J Powell]

Sorry was in rush this morning. Already headed out trucking already. I have no stringer system way it seems. Someone on FB said maybe there built like Boston walers? It's 15.5 foot boat. Not sure what's best route. I'm not going use the ski cubby that was in there from before.

 

[mickyryan]

looks pretty easy to fix you just bring wood flat across then a piece down to the floor making that side then refill with the foam

 

[Robert J Powell]

Thank goodness for Amazon lol I'll have most of the material except wood before I'm home. Going to run two stringers where the fiberglass comes from middle of the boat and cap off with wood all the way to the front and all the way to the back. Pour foam through holes I plan to cut then Completely fiberglass it in with 1708. For pedestal seats I'm wanting I'm planning on putting a separate square price of wood on top of the flooring where I want my seat pedestal at after fiberglass peanut butter and cover it with chop strand just as a sacrificial piece of wood so I'm not screwing into the floor making holes.


Two questions I need some help with

1 do you need to bed the new stringers in I've heard both on the forums and FB saying don't do it and saying do it? Both seem to have sturdy boats either way?

2. Better to peanut butter There floor to the stringers or screw down?

Cap will be coming off when I'm home this time as well as rest of the foam and transom if I can make enough time. It's amazing the wife helps and kids want to too... (Looking at a international 656, gotta stop cabover leaking air as well as watch 3 little ones) if anyone thinks I need anything else comment. I'm fairly green at fiberglass and boat fixing

 

[Robert J Powell]

This is what someone else did on one of the FB groups. Planning on doing the same two stringers underneath there trihull. Wood over the top foam and completely cover everything in fiberglass. I don't think he fiberglassed stringers is that still going to last? I got two gallons of 2 part foam coming as well

 

[Robert J Powell]

Well it's been a busy Day and half... Cap finally off took long time to chip bondo from the transom connecting it to the top of the hull...
Going to need to buy new aluminum rub rail. Going to put marine plywood where it connects the hull and top as well when I'm done...