1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

[n00boater]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

The stern will stay down due to the additional equipment onboard and I’m also thinking about keeping that motor that’s in it right now, after I fix it, as the inboard motor. I’m not trying to break speed records so I think it will work for the performance I need. I might need to adjust the structure to accommodate the engine being in the center and any advice on that would be great. Thanks Woodonglass, I think U.S. Composites prices are a little cheaper, but I will have to factor in shipping price. Bomber Goober a water pump is a really good idea in case I start taking on water. If anyone has an idea of the specific type of fiberglass mat I should use please let me know as well as if you think the structure, such as the stringers, needs to be changed to help with the engine being moved.

 

[n00boater]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

I was sent this pm by Woodonglass, "How old are you? Based on my 40+ years of experience I am telling you thatYou do NOT have the ability to fix this boat. I would NOT try to repair this for anything and I KNOW how to fiberglass and have done a TON of repairs. You are wasting your time and everyone else's on the forum. You should quit. I will recommend that the Moderators close your thread because discussing this further is not conducive to Safety and Good Boating Procedures. Find another project."

I hope that you do not delete this thread. Although there are alot here telling me to quit, there have been a couple who have given me some advice. To me it is worth it as long as I get a little advice I don't mind. I also plan on updating this thread as well as the site I posted throughout the repair process. Any advice is welcome, even telling me to quit, but as I believe even if this hull were cut completely in half that it would be cheaper to piece it back together than paying for one that is already together or having someone else do the repairs for me, I plan on undertaking this project. Some who have posted on this thread may be of help and some importance throughout the repair process so I hope you do not delete it.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

Please post a list of the equipment you intend to rig this shrimp boat with once you've repaired the hull, and you're expected costs associated w/ each piece of equipment.

Since you posted the details of the boat, which you have 'purchased' for $500, according to the Lanier site:
The boat hull with no parts is $500

Which will be essentially a bare shell, requiring a complete refit of all parts & pieces, bow cleats to bilge pump. It even sounds like Lanier intends to remove the oval port hole windows in the bow. So there will be lots more work to be done once they have fully stripped the hull. Including removal of the engine you now want to attempt to convert to a true inboard by moving the engine forward:

I’m also thinking about keeping that motor that’s in it right now, after I fix it, as the inboard motor. I’m not trying to break speed records so I think it will work for the performance I need. I might need to adjust the structure to accommodate the engine being in the center and any advice on that would be great

Statements like this is what makes people think that this is tom foolery..... Further reinforced by the fact that Lanier has the SeaRay listed as TWIN I/O's, so you are making statements & plans based on information you've fabricated or imagined, that is clearly contradicted by facts easily found at Lanier's site.

If you are struggling to fund moving the boat (w/out trailer) to your aunts house, that likely does not have a fully outfitted facility for the rehab of a boat this large, with this amount of extensive damage, how do you plan to fund the restoration costs?

It is purely from a safety perspective that so many have suggested you abandon this project. That perspective is further reinforced by your general lack of knowledge about what products to use, where they should be purchased, and how the work should be done.

If you want to resto a boat, do so, but not at the risk of putting yourself & others at risk.

Until you've taken possession of the boat, and posted pix of it's entire present condition, all of the posts above & my current post, are speculative at best.

Let me make a comparison:
Just because I can drive, doesn't mean I can resto a wrecked car. Just because I've owned & repaired a derelict VW Bug (I have BTW) doesn't mean I am capable of repairing a nitro fueled alcohol funny car. Nor does it mean that just because I can drive, I'm prepared to race it after it's repaired.

Resto & boat safely...

Lanier sells LOTS of boats, perhaps you can attempt a 15' boat resto 1st, and perhaps develop some skills that might be applied to a larger project. Once you've gotten the small boat done, look for another slightly larger, more extensive project. And continue to move up as your skill set improve, and at some point, attempt a project as large as this 30' SeaRay. Maybe make the 2nd a large boat that is still capable of floating, and not nearly derelict as the SeaRay....

Do you have any idea what this SeaRay weighs when rigged? Derelict & stripped it still weighs nearly that much if it's been left uncovered & has had the bilge filled w/ water.

Nearly 10K lbs rigged, also according to the Lanier site..... Unless you can afford a large sheltered berth, year round, or you can afford dry storage, moving this boat will be costly and require a substantial tow rig.

As before:

Resto & boat safely..

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

I was sent this pm by Woodonglass, "How old are you? Based on my 40+ years of experience I am telling you thatYou do NOT have the ability to fix this boat. I would NOT try to repair this for anything and I KNOW how to fiberglass and have done a TON of repairs. You are wasting your time and everyone else's on the forum. You should quit. I will recommend that the Moderators close your thread because discussing this further is not conducive to Safety and Good Boating Procedures. Find another project."

I hope that you do not delete this thread. Although there are alot here telling me to quit, there have been a couple who have given me some advice. To me it is worth it as long as I get a little advice I don't mind. I also plan on updating this thread as well as the site I posted throughout the repair process. Any advice is welcome, even telling me to quit, but as I believe even if this hull were cut completely in half that it would be cheaper to piece it back together than paying for one that is already together or having someone else do the repairs for me, I plan on undertaking this project. Some who have posted on this thread may be of help and some importance throughout the repair process so I hope you do not delete it.

The best advice I think anyone can give you is to start reading and studying the fiberglass restoration threads in this forum if you want to fix/restore this boat.

Study and read, read and study. You'll learn what to do and what not to do. You'll learn what type of materials to use and the proper terminology for them. You'll learn what kind of tools you'll need.

... and you may also learn that this is a much BIGGER undertaking than you first thought when you bought the boat.

You can educate yourself through the documented experiences of others on this site, and I'm skeptical you'll get the kind of help you would like or need by asking questions because of the scope of this project.

I suspect you're a young man with a huge amount of ambition, but very little knowledge and even less experience... and the very best thing you could do would be to find and practice on smaller boats until you get the skills and knowledge to tackle a project of this size.

I admire your ambition and willingness to go bear hunting with a willow switch... but fear you'll pay the consequences.

 

[iCam]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

On the off chance that this is a real person needing help with his dream. We are not going to do the work for you. If your desire is as big to repair this boat as it sounds like, you would of done the same thing everyone else here has done, which is start working on it. Post some pics on what you have progressed on.

In my opinion this is how I would tackle the repairs;

#1 Get this;
Sea Ray 30' 1974
It is already 100% better than the shell you have.
#2 Do this;
Take the cap off the one you have and put it on.
#3 Get this x5;
Evercoat Foam-It Boat Foam Flotation Kit 105612 - iboats
#4 Do this;
Transfer equipment.
#5 Do this every time you go out;
File a float plan with the USCG with a return time and locations.
Bring a portable waterproof Radio, mustang suit (shrimping, you should have this already), flares and anything else you might need to survive.


This is just basic, but how much is your budget on rigging this ship for fishing? I am guessing at a minimum $10k. And you are going to trust this equipment floating on a $500 hull that has major repairs?
Are you planning on insuring this boat?
Why are you are shrimping by yourself?
Do you have the commercial IFQ licenses (or what ever they call them for what you are fishing for) for this?

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

#3 Get this x5;
Evercoat Foam-It Boat Foam Flotation Kit 105612 - iboats

That is listed as a 1Qt kit, and expands into a 1Cu Ft of flotation foam. 1Cu Ft of expanded 2lb foam will support about 65lbs +/-, at 10K lbs, N00Boater will need 150+ of the 1Qt kits, quite a bit more then 5Qt kits. The required # of 5Gal kits to support 10K will be more then $1500....

FWIW: Will a 1987 30' SeaRay 'cap' fit a 1974 hull? If they are both stripped bare hulls, what equipment is left that could be transferred from one empty engine-less hull to another empty engine-less hull?

 

[iCam]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

I forgot. To better get the idea of what you want are you picturing something like any of these?



or


Price for repair to any of these conditions vary. The last being the most expensive.

 

[iCam]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

That is listed as a 1Qt kit, and expands into a 1Cu Ft of flotation foam. 1Cu Ft of expanded 2lb foam will support about 65lbs +/-, at 10K lbs, N00Boater will need 150+ of the 1Qt kits, quite a bit more then 5Qt kits. The required # of 5Gal kits to support 10K will be more then $1500....

FWIW: Will a 1987 30' SeaRay 'cap' fit a 1974 hull? If they are both stripped bare hulls, what equipment is left that could be transferred from one empty engine-less hull to another empty engine-less hull?

I stand corrected on the amount of foam. I thought I clicked on a 5 gal bucket one.

I am sure major modifications would need to be done to the cap to fit on a 74 hull, but from the sound of it he is going to pretty much gut the cap anyway for the fishing gear he needs to put on. so the cap would be seriously modified, or re-built from scratch anyway. (my guess is even before this point in the job he would see the major expense invested prior to this he would of scrapped it).

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

Hi there OP .. I was asked to take a look at your thread.

Due to personal reasons .. I will not comment other than this. .. No Good glass guy would ever touch your project. Period. There are good reasons why.

Nuff said here ..

YD.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

Thanks YD, Maybe hearing it from a PRO will prove the futility of his project.

 

[StevenT]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.



Perhaps you might consider several cans of Flex-Seal for your project. It seems to have worked well for the row boat repair pictured above.

 

[26aftcab454]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

I think this was just a joke by someone with extra time on their hands.
It would be like me starting a tread of wanting to buy a pontoon with rotten furniture and no motor hoping to power it by paddle wheel driven buy a steam engine I could make from a old BBQ smoker.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

I was sent this pm by Woodonglass, "How old are you? Based on my 40+ years of experience I am telling you thatYou do NOT have the ability to fix this boat. I would NOT try to repair this for anything and I KNOW how to fiberglass and have done a TON of repairs. You are wasting your time and everyone else's on the forum. You should quit. I will recommend that the Moderators close your thread because discussing this further is not conducive to Safety and Good Boating Procedures. Find another project."

I hope that you do not delete this thread. Although there are alot here telling me to quit, there have been a couple who have given me some advice. To me it is worth it as long as I get a little advice I don't mind. I also plan on updating this thread as well as the site I posted throughout the repair process. Any advice is welcome, even telling me to quit, but as I believe even if this hull were cut completely in half that it would be cheaper to piece it back together than paying for one that is already together or having someone else do the repairs for me, I plan on undertaking this project. Some who have posted on this thread may be of help and some importance throughout the repair process so I hope you do not delete it.

I know of a few deleted threads mate .. one would be Mine when I considered leaving the forum ( few saw that one ) ..

The reason for this is that some poster would thread something that is too obsurbed to even think about a reply ( like your case ).

There is a reason why A LOT or members here are telling you to Quit .. a few members might suggest something else. .. but We hope you understand that your project is 1. not worth it .. 2. dangerous if you dont complete the repair correctly.

Sure .. we can give you a step by step guide on How to fix .. but there is no reason that you would follow such steps concluding your repair safely. ..

You have not been up to date on your own thread ..

I dont feel inclined to post a help post. . Its not my fault though. ..

YD and Iboats crew members .

I think this was just a joke by someone with extra time on their hands.
It would be like me starting a tread of wanting to buy a pontoon with rotten furniture and no motor hoping to power it by paddle wheel driven buy a steam engine I could make from a old BBQ smoker.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

Oh my goodness, I just bumped into this thread. And read it.

I think I need to go wash my eyes out with soap or something.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

Oh my goodness, I just bumped into this thread. And read it.

I think I need to go wash my eyes out with soap or something.

Standard eye wash will not solve the what has been seen, can not be unseen conundrum............

Implementation of even the most rigorous glass boatwork protective gear protocols is equally ineffective....

Sorry Jas, no amount of metal boatwork will remove the scarring.....

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

New product just came on the market for such things:

 

[Teamster]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

It'll be ok if he puts a tiller steer arm on it, then he'll just look like your average tiller boat owner and no one will say a word.:laugh:

Ouch,.........................That hurt,...............lmao,..

 

[Teamster]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

Oh my goodness, I just bumped into this thread. And read it.

I think I need to go wash my eyes out with soap or something.

I was dumb enough to ask for a link too it,........................................................

Man I'm stupid,.................lol

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

Ok, I had some muratic acid handy in the shop - it hurt a little but I'm ok now.

Since I can't figure out if this thread is fake or a legit search for help, I'll offer help and stop being a punk.

Ok noob, stop moving forward on this project. Every minute you put into it, every dollar you spend, is wasted. The real bummer is you paid actual money for this boat. See, it was a liability to the boat yard. Not only did they not have to pay to have it disposed, they got you to buy it and remove it. Yikes! In the end you'll probably need to pay them again to dispose of it - double wammy! Ouch.

Here, if you are looking for a big cruiser type boat, buy something like this:

Sea Ray 34' twin engine Cruiser

It'll be waaaaaayyyyy cheaper and wayyyyyyyy easier to get on the water.

Seriously, you need to rid of that boat today, immediately, sooner the better.

All the best!

 

[JDA1975]

Re: 1987 Searay sundance major hull repair advice needed.

It has been quite some time for me, since I sat here and read a thread all the way through....sadly enough I still cannot decide if this was just some joke or not....needless to say is there any way I can easily get my 45 minutes back?