1978 Glastron GT-150 "Baby Boomerang" Restoration - HELP!

[goosesgooses]

I bought the boat with intention of leaving it as is, imperfections and all. Easier said then done right? Late in the season a small hole began to form in the floor near the passenger seat. I pulled the seats and carpet off to find that the hole was a rather large one that will need attention. I proceeded to tear the floor out, and am currently about 75% done with that. I need help on deciding where to go from here. The stringers are completely rotted and the hull has a few patch spots that would need touching up. I'm am not sure of the condition of the transom.

Should I...

A. Put a new piece of plywood down and glass over that, ignoring the damage under need as I really would not mind the boat just being able to pull a wakeboarder for the next couple of years.

B. Replace the stingers by cutting the tops off, pulling out the wood, putting new wood in and glassing. Then replace the floor.

C. Pull the top off the boat, gut the hull completely down and replace everything.



Here is my situation.

I can dedicate about 8-12 hours a week to the project.

I have a very small un-heated garage, and I live in Nebraska, I'd like the boat to be usable next season. (I would like to be done in 28 weeks) Can I use spaceheaters around the chemicals?

I am studying mechanical engineering and have experience in epoxy floor installation, mechanic experience from the Air Force (jet, hydraulics, pneumatics, diesel, gas) but no experience in fiber glass.


Where should I go from here?

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll172/muchoband/12.jpg

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll172/muchoband/16.jpg
http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll172/muchoband/18.jpg
http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll172/muchoband/9.jpg

 

[goosesgooses]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll172/muchoband/10.jpg
Old Base plate for ski pylon
http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll172/muchoband/17.jpg

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll172/muchoband/21.jpg
rotten wood infront of the pasenger seat
http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll172/muchoband/24.jpg
more rotten wood in front of the seats
http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll172/muchoband/25.jpg
rotten stringer
http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll172/muchoband/35.jpg

 

[goosesgooses]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

water logged foam

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll172/muchoband/26.jpg

more water logged foam under the floor


http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll172/muchoband/29.jpg

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll172/muchoband/32.jpg
http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll172/muchoband/33.jpg

Limited work space!

 

[dorelse]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Huh...looks familiar.

Only you can really answer that question. BUT...IMO, that boat is a boat worth saving and doing right. If the transom is shot, and you want to keep the boat, gutting it and doing it right is your best option.

If the transom is solid, I would replace the stringers and go from there.

A couple more resources for you...iboats is (IMO) the best site for restoration info. However, you have a very popular boat from the 70's, and there are clubs for you!

http://www.classicglastron.com

http://cgoamn.com/ (Really has grown to an Upper Midwest club)

I'm redoing a '78 Glastron Carlson CVZ-18 as we speak, and I'm in IA. Since my garage is attached to the house, I can't use chemicals in the winter, too much drift into the house, and everyone gets headaches except me.

My foam looked exactly like yours!

*EDIT* Looking at the pictures...your stringers need to be replaced! Check the transom!

 

[dorelse]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

This ought to look familiar:

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Welcome to iboats goosesgooses. That's a really cool boat and I think it would be worth the effort to fix up. Definitely going to be a lot of work though. There are lots of great threads here in the restoration section to serve as your guide.

Can you do us a favor and resize your pictures? The forum-preferred size is 640x480. You can this right in photobucket with a single mouse click without having to edit your posts here on iboats at all.

Good luck with your project.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

I would go all the way and do it right. The boat is cosmetically decent and appears to have all the good bits (windshield, etc.). It's a classic 1970s boat and you'll be really proud of her when she's all brand new again. With 8-12 hours a week to spend on it, it'll go quite quickly. As long as you're smart about it, space heaters shouldn't be a problem. You really won't be spending a lot of time when you actually need it "warm". Cutting, fitting, etc. can be done in the cooler temps. Only really needs to be warm when you're curing epoxy/resin. Keep things well ventilated and if you have an open flame heater, shut it off when you've got the volatile stuff open or get an electric space heater to cover the slack when you need heat...

Should be a fun project! For motivation, check out Shareaproject.com as there are at least a couple Glastron GT-series boats that have been redone and documented there.

 

[divimon2000]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

The boats are classic and deserve to be fixed right but maybe not by you. You may want to get in the water and wakeboard more than restore a boat that will only be a marginal wakeboard boat. I'd get a boat off craigslist and be done with it based on what I'm seeing. I speak from experience and it takes 10x more time than you think. I bet the transom is weak also but it will hold up a couple years. I would also keep the classic and fix it right slowly. Stringers in a small garage in the winter with the cap on the boat? No way for me Good luck, I appreciate your work so far!

 

[goosesgooses]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Thanks for all the advise so far guys. I do want to use the boat for more than wake boarding. I am in love with this GT-150 and do not want any other boat, even if this one is a "marginal wakeboard boat" at best.

That being said, tonight I am going to set up a dust barrier zone, finish ripping out the floor and begin to take out the stringers and check the transom.

How hard is it to take the cap off? Is it just riveted on? Will I need to replace the molding?

thanks again for all your help!

 

[tinkeringwackyone]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

hey goosesgooses, welcome to the site, I too am from nebraska doing the same thing only on an 87 searay seville. wherabouts are you located. good to hear someone close by is doing the same thing. Looks like you got a great start. GO HUSKERS

 

[tinkeringwackyone]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

The cap isn't to hard to take off. around the boat is the rubber bumper, work on pulling out of the molding, this will expose either screws, rivets, or both. remove these and with a little effort the cap should come lose.

 

[bass or bass ?]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Maybe my restoration experience will help you.

I've been where you are . I bought a boat that looked really nice and was told was in excelent condition. Before ever getting it in the water I spent $2000 to have the motor completely overhauled. The motor is a 1967 Evinrude Starflite 80. Runs like a champ now . After a few fishing trips on the lakes around here I noticed an ever worsening crunching sound under foot in 2 areas of the deck. The boat is a 1977 Glastron Sportster, 16'. I pulled up the carpet in those areas expecting to replace a little plywood and be done with it. WRONG. The plywood was so rotten I could just rip out chunks with my hands. My mechanic told me to replace the deck and stringers. Never tackled a job anything like this before, but at this point I was commited. I cut out the fiberglass all around the inside perimeter with pnuematic cutting tool and removed all plywood. I left the old stringers in place (1 down the keel, 1 on either side 1/2 way between keel and side of hull) as they weren't totally rotted out. The original stringers were pine, and plywood deck was 1/2" plywood. I bought red oak to make new stringers and 3/4" marine grade plywood for new deck. After cutting and shaping stringers to fit in place I treated all the new wood to waterproof it before installation. Mixed fiberglass resin, then diluted it 50% with acetone to allow it to penetrate into the new wood, and treated the old stringers as well .I applied 4 coats to completely seal and coat wood. Pulled out all the old open cell foam from the hull (it was all waterlogged and weighed a ton ), bought twice as much new foam, closed cell to prevent waterlogging. Installed the foam, and bolted new stringers to old ones, sandwiching the old ones with new on either side, Useing stainless steel bolts. Screwed down new decking with brass screws. Applied new fiberglass cloth and resin to seal down new deck and form it to the hull. Bought new high quality outdoor carpeting and glued it to the new deck, using a roller to get it smooth and even. Then installed new high end pedestal seats fron Cabela's to replace the original back to back lounge seats. Since then I have also added a new bimini top, Minkota Edge 50# thrust trolling motor, marine band radio, Serius satellite radio, Eagle 320c depth/fish finder, compass, submersible fishing lights, dual batteries on a 1/both/off switch, fishing rod storage tubes for 8 rods, motorcycle headlights for night time operation, interior cabin lights on both sides of boat, and a solar battery charger to keep batteries full charged at all times. I did all the work myself (except the motor overhaul ) over a period of about 5 months last winter. I love the end result . I get constant compliments on the boat , it looks brand new , and runs like it too. It was a lot of work, but for me it was well worth it. Don't hesitate to ask me for any advise or help you would need should you decide to rebuild your "good bones" boat. Happy fishing.

Allen



~N.A.F.C.~B.A.S.S.~BoatU.S.~N.R.A.~A.M.A.~

 

[goosesgooses]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

tinkeringwackyone,

I am from Lincoln, I live near the sunken gardens. How about yourself? What have you done on your project so far?

Good news on baby boomerang, NO TRANSOM ROT! (that i have noticed so far) The wood around the stringers was a bit wet, but not rotten like the stringers were. I'll post pictures later tonight.

Back to the garage!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 Restoration - HELP!

Looks like a great project.

Be careful using space heaters around grinding and chemicals..... you can cause a flash fire or dust explosion!

Please re-size those photos

 

[goosesgooses]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 "Baby Boomerang" Restoration - HELP!

bob_VT,

Currently it is 43 degrees outside and I am sweating working in the garage. I don't think I'll be using space heaters unless I feel the need to warm the garage up before I begin work.

I'll re-size the pictures soon!

 

[tinkeringwackyone]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 "Baby Boomerang" Restoration - HELP!

i'm out here in Brady, just 25 miles east of north platte on i-80. Its cold here, we still have snow on the ground from yesterdays storm. Football game just got over, lost 26-6 to anselmo-merna.

I have just gotten the carpet out and am starting tearing out the floor. I will be redoing the whole thing as part of the transom is rotten as well. I have pics on photobucket. look for tinkeringwackyone for the pics. I need to set up a shortcut link to here.
My project is going a little slower than I hoped I have been cutting wood the last month for heat, plus I have a back problem in which I go in for surgery on the 2nd of Nov. to have fixed. That will lay me off for about 6 weeks. Keep us updated

 

[BobsGlasstream]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 "Baby Boomerang" Restoration - HELP!

goosesgooses,
Nice looking boat.
If you truly love the boat, then take your time and do it right. We have all been there, or are currently there, like me. I have the same problem as you with time. I only get to work on mine every couple weeks. So stay with it and at the end you will have a boat better then when it was new and the one you love. Keep at it and keep us posted.
Have a great day.
Bob

 

[goosesgooses]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 "Baby Boomerang" Restoration - HELP!

Tonight's progress: 5 hours of work

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 "Baby Boomerang" Restoration - HELP!

In for a penny....in for a pound! I would plan on the transom too. If you are investing this much in the off season I would do it all. You are lucky to have a "man cave" (garage ) to work in...... I have pure cold mother nature here in VT.

Your later pictures are perfect Next time you are in photo bucket just resize your other photos.

 

[goosesgooses]

Re: 1978 Glastron GT-150 "Baby Boomerang" Restoration - HELP!

I'm guessing it is a bad Idea to trailer the boat (about 2 miles) with out stringers and a cap correct?