Bass Boat - Repair or Replace?

[DHag]

Background--
1979 Champion Super-V Bass Boat, 16'10"
1978 Mercury V-150 150 HP V6
Bought used 3 years ago

Symptoms--

• Should be faster than it is. Top speed with best match 4-blade Piranha prop is about 46 mph. (Top speed has gradually dropped despite motor improvements. To me, this indicates gradually increasing weight.)
• Slower than similar bass boats to come out of the hole.
• Sometimes seems like it sits too low in the water.
• Previous heavy damage that was sloppy repair. Leaks regularly. (Automatic bilge pump could keep up, though.)

Scary incident--
Got hung up on a stump while fishing, which made the leak worse. Got too much water in it to get back to the ramp on plane. Worse yet, the bilge pump clogged up with crap (hull material?) and would not pump out. Ended up getting a tow. Soon as we got to the ramp and stopped forward motion, back end went down. Only the bow stayed above water.

When we winched it onto the trailer (backed in so far the rear of the truck was in the water), the bow eye pulled out from all the weight. Rotted underneath.

(I went through Mercury's procedure and got the motor going again. Whew!)

My suspicions--
I suspect flotation foam is waterlogged, and has been waterlogged for some time. Probably getting worse as it continued to leak. Also, while working up around the bow, pieces of foam have come out. Plus that rotted wood under the bow eye.

Some other bass-boat guys I see tell me that a Champion is one of the best, and it should be worth repairing. As far as handling and ride, I tend to agree.

I see that it basically has three compartments under the floor. One long narrow one that runs from the front live well to the transom. This is basically the bilge. Two similar compartments along the sides. There is no visible connection between these compartments, unless it is under the floor.

Questions--

1. The boat has a bumper all the way around it, just below the gunwales. Is this where the boat was assembled? Is it possible to remove this bumper strip and take the boat apart here, like a clam shell?
2. I don't see where cutting out the floor would be that easy, what with live wells and storage compartments. Is this the better option anyway?
3. I think I need to open her up, clean out all old foam. Then properly cut out the old sloppy patch and re-do it the right way. Then re-foam the whole thing for structural support and more-than-sufficient flotation.
4. Or am I really better off just looking for another hull to match my motor, which I have put a lot of work into to get running like new? If so, what is the best way to look for a motorless boat?

 

[blifsey]

Re: Bass Boat - Repair or Replace?

Tough call! You might want to run compression numbers on the engine before either tearing into existing hull or looking for another.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Bass Boat - Repair or Replace?

Boat doesn't sound serviceable or even safe...I'd be looking for a replacement.
Good Luck!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Bass Boat - Repair or Replace?

Fixing it is a large project in time and the materials aren't exactly cheap. If you really like the boat though, go for it, as you could make it better than new. There are a couple bass boat projects going on in the resto section that are definitely worth checking out.

 

[kmarine]

Re: Bass Boat - Repair or Replace?

Unless you really enjoy rebuilding and working with fiberglass I would find annother hull.
If you find annother boat with an engine you can always sell the one you have. Your boat could take about 100 to 200 hours to restore and require over $1000 in materials. replacing stringers, transom and decking require a major time commitment. When finished You still have a 30 year old boat. Right now people are dumping their boats in an effort to raise capital to save their homes and businesses. I purchased a repo for 10% of the NADA price.
These may take effort to find, but it is easier to spend 10 to 20 hours internet surfing than tearing out rotten wood.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Bass Boat - Repair or Replace?

Background--

[1]The boat has a bumper all the way around it, just below the gunwales. Is this where the boat was assembled? Is it possible to remove this bumper strip and take the boat apart here, like a clam shell?

Basically that's correct. You've probably got a rubber rubrail insert and an aluminum extrusion. You'd have to pull the insert which will expose the rivets which will need to be drilled out. BUT.... There's going to be a filler material between the transom and splashwell, that filler will prevent you from easily removing the cap from the hull until the bond is broken. You'l likely need to remove some fiberglass from the top of the transom to gain access to this area. Then, after all that you can proceed to lift the cap (top half of the boat) from the hull

[2]I don't see where cutting out the floor would be that easy, what with live wells and storage compartments. Is this the better option anyway?

Those are all part of the cap, which would be lifted off. The deck is easy to get to with the cap off. (For both of my boat rebuilds I hung the cap from the rafters in my garage).

[3]I think I need to open her up, clean out all old foam. Then properly cut out the old sloppy patch and re-do it the right way. Then re-foam the whole thing for structural support and more-than-sufficient flotation.

Yes, you've got the right idea. The entire deck would come out, then you'd do whatever stringer repair is needed, along with a likely transom replacement. Put a new deck in place and use 2 part pour foam to fill the space under the deck.

[4]Or am I really better off just looking for another hull to match my motor, which I have put a lot of work into to get running like new? If so, what is the best way to look for a motorless boat?

As others have pointed out it's a LOT of work. For some dumb a#$ reason I enjoy it, but it's not for everyone. Unless you enjoy itching from fiberglass dust, getting royally p'd off at your mistakes, etc. it's probably better just to get a "new" boat. I was able to rebuild a 15 ft fish-n-ski for around $700 in 6 weeks, and my 19 ft 1979 Checkmate took around 10 months and I gave up on counting the money I poured into that - I'll never recoup what it cost but it's a unique (and fast) boat which I've always wanted and don't ever plan to sell.

 

[DHag]

Re: Bass Boat - Repair or Replace?

Tough call! You might want to run compression numbers on the engine before either tearing into existing hull or looking for another.

The first thing I did with the motor was to check the compression, and it was about 115 +/- 3 psi on all six cylinders. Saw a water leak shooting out from under a head cover, so I pulled the covers and the heads, de-carboned it, and installed new head and cover gaskets, plus new thermostats, which were shot.

Other work has been to straighten the prop shaft, all new seals in the bottom end, rebuild the carbs, and new ignition boxes.

The motor now runs like new. Being a life-long mechanic, I've never had trouble making motors run.

 

[DHag]

Re: Bass Boat - Repair or Replace?

As others have pointed out it's a LOT of work. For some dumb a#$ reason I enjoy it, but it's not for everyone. Unless you enjoy itching from fiberglass dust, getting royally p'd off at your mistakes, etc. it's probably better just to get a "new" boat. I was able to rebuild a 15 ft fish-n-ski for around $700 in 6 weeks, and my 19 ft 1979 Checkmate took around 10 months and I gave up on counting the money I poured into that - I'll never recoup what it cost but it's a unique (and fast) boat which I've always wanted and don't ever plan to sell.

Like I answered "blifsey," mechanics are not a problem. Body work on a car, not a problem. But I have to admit I'm not looking forward to working on a fiberglas hull to that extent. I'd rather be fishin' than repairing.

 

[proshadetree]

Re: Bass Boat - Repair or Replace?

The only good thing about repairing this hull is you will know it. It might be a bit heavier than when it was new if you overbuild it. You will know your wood is new your glass work is stable and the pride of running that boat will be priceless. The reconditioned hull if done right will last as long or longer than a new hull.When you buy a used boat you have no ideal whats going on under there. I have seen 10 year old boats rotten as sin. It comes down to piece of mind or wonder if this boat has wet foam.

 

[DHag]

Re: Bass Boat - Repair or Replace?

Well, OK.... It's decided. After reading all your pros and cons, I digested the great post at http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=234392. (I love that thread, since "Oops" tells all the mistakes as well as the successes.) Then I considered the costs of repair vs. replacement, and the possibility of a new set of problems with a used replacement.

Once I finish the present project stage on my Firebird, the cap is coming off. I'll clean it out, repair/replace any rot I find, and rebuild all fiberglass damage "the right way."

It may mean that it won't be on the water in time for spring fishing, but that just means my Bass Baby will get more use than normal, and I'll have to pursue a long-ignored goal of exploring some of the small lakes around me. Not a big loss, with the pay-off of having a like-new classic Champion when I'm done. Plus, the new seats and carpets I've already put into this boat won't have been a waste.

Thanks, everybody, for the input! I really appreciate it.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Bass Boat - Repair or Replace?

Welcome to the club (maybe we should call it the "Ship of Fools"). For the first boat I rebuilt I really had a lot of questions(though I'd had a lot of fiberglass experience) and the iboats restoration forum was a savior. On my second boat I was pretty much on cruise control. One suggestion is to take a lot of photos before pulling anything apart, and measure everything so you can reconstruct it properly (example - after the cap is off measure width of the deck every 6 inches so you can rebuilt it properly). If you can possibly get the forward face of the transom off in one piece that'll be a great template for your new one.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Bass Boat - Repair or Replace?

In your place, I'd likely make the same call. Rebuilding your hull will give you confidence in your hull knowing you put it together correctly. Any replacement hull won't do that. Also, you will know your boat, inside and out. Good luck with the rebuild. Keep us posted with your progress.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Bass Boat - Repair or Replace?

I hate to admit it, but doing restoration work has been almost as much fun as boating. Good luck, and be sure to start a restoration thread with lots of pictures.

 

[jcupo6]

Re: Bass Boat - Repair or Replace?

I hate to admit it, but doing restoration work has been almost as much fun as boating. Good luck, and be sure to start a restoration thread with lots of pictures.

I agree with this 100 percent! I just wish I had an endless supply of cash so I can do everything I want to!