1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

[v8George]

Hi All,
I just sold my pristine 97 Sea Ray 175 to get into a bigger boat. In the mean time, I had an opportunity to pick up an 89 Sea Ray 210 for short money. I figured I could bang around in this boat while looking for something nicer. I knew it needed interior work, the seats are all trashed, but I didn't care since it was cheap. The floors felt soft and I could hear the fuel tank flex when I walked across it so I decided to pull up the floor. I mean, how bad could it be right?:facepalm:

I pulled the seats and carpet yesterday. Well, as with any project, before I knew it, I had all of the interior out and most of the floor torn out. The stringers are junk. I am afraid to even look at the transom or motor mounts.
This boat is set up very similar to the one in friscoboater's megathread with the multi-angle stringers. They are all black and squishy. I think the only thing holding it together is the fact that its frozen.
I am debating just slapping it together for the season and then parting it out. I am not sure if I have it in me to do a full resto.
It had some really cheesy repairs done by the prior owner which lead to water seeping in everywhere.
Every thing is soaked, even the foam looks like it's wet. I am going to rip all the foam out and see just how bad it all is.

Pics of the patient.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

Well if you want to risk it by "Slapping it together and risking it for a season" then it's your boat and your life but...I wouldn't want any of my friends or family in that boat on any water that was over their head!!!!!!

 

[glnbnz]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

Yes that looks like a lot of rot. I had a similar situation when I bought my boat. I was told that the deck was spongy in the back. I thought, I have tools, I am not afraid of a little work...well now I know. It is just amazing how you have a spot of soft floor and how far the rot actually goes!!!

Good luck with whatever you decide to do

 

[v8George]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

Well if you want to risk it by "Slapping it together and risking it for a season" then it's your boat and your life but...I wouldn't want any of my friends or family in that boat on any water that was over their head!!!!!!

Yeah, there probably is no "slapping it back together" at this point.
I am beyond that point considering how much wood I have already taken out.
A case of "what has been seen can't be unseen".
Looks like I am going to be on this forum a lot for the next few months.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

I mean, how bad could it be right?:facepalm: I pulled the seats and carpet yesterday. Well, as with any project, before I knew it, I had all of the interior out and most of the floor torn out. The stringers are junk. I am afraid to even look at the transom or motor mounts.

I had a similar situation when I bought my boat. I was told that the deck was spongy in the back. I thought, I have tools, I am not afraid of a little work...well now I know. It is just amazing how you have a spot of soft floor and how far the rot actually goes!!!

Yep, I too wasn't afraid of a little work....Um, yeah, A LOT of work, & my deck was 90% removed by hand w/ no tools, garden mulch has bigger, firmer pieces. Oh & I lucked out & have all glass, wood free stringers, so I don't have to remove, grind smooth, and reinstall them. I'm still not done w/ demo & it's been awhile. Mine has some special challenges that way over compensate for not having to replace the stringers.

I agree w/ Wood, esp passing it along in less then good & safe condition, even knowing that you'd be upfront & tell the next owner. They may do some more 'half'~faux repairs & pass it along again. If you must, part it out, but save what you think you'll need & start selling it off now. Keep looking for the next 1 & hope to get it and into water ready condition, before the end of the season. Almost done, tends to be a huge motivator to getting them finished. Esp after the season starts.

Welcome to dry dock: May your stay be shorter then you expect, cost less then you expect, hurt less then you expect, and turn out better then you expect. Hey, 1, 2 or 3 out of 4 ain't bad either!

 

[oops!]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

lol.....welcome aboard !

 

[v8George]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

I agree w/ Wood, esp passing it along in less then good & safe condition, even knowing that you'd be upfront & tell the next owner. They may do some more 'half'~faux repairs & pass it along again. If you must, part it out, but save what you think you'll need & start selling it off now.

If I was able to get by with minor work (which I know I can't, just wishful thinking) I wouldn't pass it along like that.
I'd yank the drivetrain and sell the motor, outdrive and trailer.
My other boat was never stored in water and always covered so I guess I was just shocked how rotted out everything was.
I am crossing my fingers that the transom and motor mounts escaped the rot monster.
I guess my original post should have said. "how screwed am I?" lol
You know how when you know something is bad and you just hope someone else will say that it's not that bad? I guess that was part of my original thought process.
I am just having flashbacks to a bathroom remodel I did on an old house where a simple vanity replacement somehow spiraled into me looking down into the basement through the joists.
After tearing out the walls, ceiling, subfloor, plumbing , wiring, tub and toilet I finally got to solid wood.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

Well then:

Here at the iBoats, dry dock, all is not lost, and 'It's not that bad!' compared to how bad it could be... I reserve the right to recall that statement when the motor turns out to be seized. It could always be worse...............

Mine looked like it had been dragged out into a Nebraska corn field & left uncovered for 20+/- years. Regularly filling w/ water & freezing solid for the winter...Just plain worked...

 

[PaJon]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

At this point I would really check the transom. If it's ok and you're removing the foam, the stringers aren't that bad. I've restored three boats and found if the deck is bad, the stringers are too. Me personally, I wouldn't scab it together for another season, not worth the risk.

 

[v8George]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

Where is the transom most likely to be rotted? Around the gimbal housing?

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

Around any and all through holes in the transom: Ladder, kicker motor bracket, transom rings for strapping it down to the trailer, tow eyes for skiing, bilge drain holes. Through holes on the back portions of the cap: wood trim, lights, step pads, along a piano hinge for the motor hatch, through hull exhaust, bilge vent holes. Bottom of the transom along the engine bilge, and the deck at the transom.

Anywhere water can get & sit basically across the entire stern & transom... The harder to probe w/ an awl, the more likely water will sit if it gets there.

 

[v8George]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

So, let's say I get really lucky and the motor mounts and transom are solid.
My next steps should be:

1. Finish removing the floors.
2. Remove the old foam.
3. Measure all the dimensions, take lots of pictures.
4. Drain and remove the fuel tank.
5. Remove the stringers.

Is it possible to do this without pulling the motor?

 

[Struc]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

Take a look at my demolition thread in my signature. It should look very familiar.

The engine removal is the least of your problems. Getting the engine out is REALLY easy as long as you have *some* way of lifting it out. Worst case, you can pull the trailer out from under it and put it on stands, and then a normal car cherry picker is good enough to get it out (rent one or can buy at Harbor Freight for like $150).

I would doubt the motor mounts are OK, and would guess the transom is AT LEAST wet, if not rotted. On my parts boat, I pushed a screwdriver right through the fiberglass shell at the top of the transom. Pretty much no wood was left. The bottom part was still in tact, but soaked.

Good luck and welcome!

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

Man that looks familiar! The way the stringer system is in that boat, you will most likely have to pull the engine. The stringers wick the moisture all the way back to the transom. Yours being a 17 footer will make it easier.

 

[v8George]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

Man that looks familiar! The way the stringer system is in that boat, you will most likely have to pull the engine. The stringers wick the moisture all the way back to the transom. Yours being a 17 footer will make it easier.

I was afraid of that, but after reading your whole thread start to finish, I can see that is the path I'll be taking. It's a 21 footer and has a very similar design to your boat with the exception of the front floor being fiberglass. I have an engine hoist but I don't know if I can get the height I need with it even if I pull the trailer wheels off. Your thread is both depressing and inspiring but I learned a lot from it already and I only watched half the videos.

Some more pics from day two.


Interior out.

Good portion of the floor up, you are looking at the foam. See that weird shaped cut out in the walk through? That is where the prior owner used a saw to cut out some weird shaped section and dropped some plywood in like a puzzle piece, custom!

My new best friend. Makita grinder with a cut off wheel, goggles, head phones and a big respirator.
Just need to make sure I don't slice through the hull.

This fuel vent channel looks like it contributed to the failure as well.

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

Ohhh I thought it was a 17 footer. Yep you are going to be doing the same thing. To be honest, I actually enjoyed it, and I think once you are over the horror, you will to. I see the fuel vent line going through the hull there. That is the main point where water gets in. I routed mine to the back and put in a new vent.

 

[v8George]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

FOAM REMOVAL.

Went out for a few hours today to rip out foam. It was soaked, and frozen. Its insane how much is in there. Way more time consuming thatn I thought it would be. Mainly used the chisel and a small handsaw. I also used the machete and prybar.

Tools of the trade.

Before.

Wow, the foam is deep.

Rotted boxwork

More rot.

 

[v8George]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

Moving right along. The stringer in the upper part of the pic is a floater. It's a 2" piece of plywood stapled to a 4" piece in an L. It sits a full 1" off the bottom of the hull and is not attached to anything. I believe it was pre-assembled to the floor prior to installation. Not sure how I am going to replicate it.

Prior repair with poorly installed foam.

Game face.

Getting ready to cut out the edge of the old deck.

Done for the day.

 

[vincechig1975]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

My wife just asked me if this was our boat.....I asked her why she was asking....she said cause it looks like ours. Wow this is the PITA part of the work. The rest should fall into place, and look nice when your done, good luck. This gives me inspiration to complete our Cobia

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: 1989 Sea Ray 210, looks like it's going to be a big project.

Wow... you made great progress. You can see the water staining on the ill where water was sitting. Mine was the same way. My foam looked the same way in the picture above where you thought it was a prior repair. I believe it is where water got in and froze, pushing the foam out of the way. Over a few winters of that, you get a big hole.

When are you pulling the motor?