72 Chrysler (To Save or Not)

[Bass Runner]

I'm a newby here, going to try to save this 72 16' Bass Runner, the floor, transom, cross members, and stringers are rotted and it has 3 small cracks in the beam under the bow, also has a hole and crack about 8" long in the left sponson from a hungry stump. I am now tearing it down, do you guys think this boat can be saved and will I be able to save the floatation foam or will it have to be replaced? Also is the top of the boat held on with screws or rivits. Thanks for any help

 

[JasonJ]

Re: 72 Chrysler (To Save or Not)

Anything can be saved with enough effort, time and money. The beauty of rebuilding your own boat is that you can set it up exactly the way you want it, and you have no doubt about its condition when you are complete. Yeah, you can go and buy another used boat, but its a gamble every time as to wether there is rot and how far along it is. A boat can seem okay but be a rotted mess in another year. My boat was worse off, and I saved it, so there is no reason you can't. The foam will probably be ruined, don't waste your time, just put new foam in. Get the god 2 part foam, don't used home products, they are not intended for marine use. The good 2 part foams are spendy, but they are far and away a superior product, and resist water saturation very well compared to the old foams. Good luck....

 

[Bass Runner]

Re: 72 Chrysler (To Save or Not)

About how much is the foam and where do you get it? I got the top off today and all of the wood is gone, do you have any itea what size plywood they use for the stringer? These are in such bad shape I can't even tell what the thickness is. Looks like I didn't save much money with this used boat. Thanks for the reply.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: 72 Chrysler (To Save or Not)

Go to uscomposites.com, that is where I got my foam from. I used 16 cubic feet of 4lb foam.

 

[Bass Runner]

Re: 72 Chrysler (To Save or Not)

I will try the web site for foam, what is your boat, bass, fish&ski, pleasure. I have never seen a silverline.

 

[Bass Runner]

Re: 72 Chrysler (To Save or Not)

My chrysler is reg. as a 16' but from front to rear it measures 17'2", wierd.