89 Bayliner Capri 1700 deck repair

[thimsllib]

Hi all, I plan on tackling my first deck repair this coming spring and was hoping you could all give me some advice. I bought this boat/motor/trailer for $500 and the motor is in good running condition (after some tuning and clean up and the trailer is fine). The boat itself has been neglected and left uncovered beneath a tree for years. Not surprisingly the floor has a hole right where the left foot of the driver would be if standing up while steering. My goal is to clean this boat up and use it for a few years before upgrading. Therefore I do not want to put alot of money and/or time into it.

Having said that, I'd like to repair the section of floor that is destroyed (between the helms in the walkway to the bow), without doing an entire deck replacement (the rest of the deck is actually strong). I do not want to replace the stringers nor do I want to replace the transom, however, having read alot of these posts, it looks like I should expect to find alot of ROT underneath. Considering I am only looking for something to cruise around the bay in for the next 2 years or so, can I get away with just replacing the damaged section of floor?

Also, considering the replacement is right between the helms, can this be done without removing the helms? I appreciate any helpo you can offer and sorry so long... Thanks.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 89 Bayliner Capri 1700 deck repair

Having said that, I'd like to repair the section of floor that is destroyed (between the helms in the walkway to the bow), without doing an entire deck replacement (the rest of the deck is actually strong). I do not want to replace the stringers nor do I want to replace the transom, however, having read alot of these posts, it looks like I should expect to find alot of ROT underneath. Considering I am only looking for something to cruise around the bay in for the next 2 years or so, can I get away with just replacing the damaged section of floor?

Ayuh,... I suspect that you have a Rotten tub too....

Maybe you can get a few hours out of it,...
If the transom doesn't fall Off drumping the motor into the drink...

 

[thimsllib]

Re: 89 Bayliner Capri 1700 deck repair

Do you honestly think the transom could fall off? Have you ever seen or heard of this happening? My grandfather had an aluminum boat for 35 years with an unfiberglassed wooden transom. When he finally scrapped the boat, it was in as bad a condition as you can imagine, but that transom stayed on right to the end without so much as a leak. After several motor swaps. This transom is glassed, so realistically, is the transom really going to fall completely off?

I had it out for about 10 hours this summer, testing and tuning the motor and the hull structure/rigidity seemed fine. Handled fine. No leaks. Bilge stayed dry unless it rained.

For argument sake... let's say the transom is fine. Can I replace only the section of floor I described above without removing the helms? If I find the transom is FUBAR... I'd obviously rethink this approach, but let's say it's fine for now. Thanks.

 

[flyer4ever]

Re: 89 Bayliner Capri 1700 deck repair

You won't find any arguments here,just advice. You can do whatever you like, It's your boat. These folks wont tell you how to cut corners because if something went terribly wrong,no one would want that on their shoulders. Good luck! and be safe with yourself and family.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: 89 Bayliner Capri 1700 deck repair

Realistically, it's unlikely that the motor will drop off the transom. But I have heard of it happening, and it does instantly sink the boat (more or less.. floatation foam helps).

You'll want to keep the possibility in mind if you're taking anyone on the boat who couldn't swim out of trouble, or swim long enough to get to shore or safety, or if you boat somewhere the boat will get beat up or the water will be dangerous, like a river or very cold water.

If you have really bad luck the transom could fail while on plane, which could result in drive train parts or outboards flying out and hurting someone, or the boat being driven sideways and capsizing at high speed.

If the transom is unsound then there's a finite probability it'll fail catastrophically. It may be small or big depending on the boat's condition, and also depending on how well the original builder put the thing together... some boats do need the wood in the transom strong, the glass is only there for sealing. In others, the glass is all the strength, and the wood is just a form.

So what we're saying here is that you're gambling. Be aware of it, and you can still choose to go on the water if you want. Just remember you can't walk to a gas station if the boat breaks down.

What folks here will generally tell you is no, you can't "get by" with just minimal repairs and expect to have no trouble. Unless you fix everything you can find that's wrong with the boat, you're dealing with unknown problems that can spring up and hurt you, so we recommend taking the time to check for and fix issues.

If you only want to repair part of the problem that's up to you, but most people here won't agree it's "enough". Most of us have known someone in our town or state who died while operating a perfectly functional boat, so it's hard to recommend someone use a potentially broken one because he doesn't want to take the time to fix it correctly....

Erik

 

[thimsllib]

Re: 89 Bayliner Capri 1700 deck repair

Thanks all for your advice and concern.

 

[boatflipper]

Re: 89 Bayliner Capri 1700 deck repair

Honestly to answer your question, we would need to know what HP motor you are operating and the extent of the rot troughout the boat.
I am a bit of a newbie at this so im not trying to give you advise cause i dont know for myself but-i really dont think your transom and motor are going to fall off. however- remember there is a first for everything!
Good luck with whatever route you choose!