Can a Fiberglass boat be gutted?

[Cmotitan]

1984 performance bass boat. I was wondering if the inside shell can be removed and replaced with just a floor. I originally thought about just front deck. But I need to make it a flat floor from front to back. Except for covering gas tank and batteries. Turning it into a pan fishing style boat. I know not to mess with stringers or bracing to transom. What you think. It's a semi tri-hull.

 

[chevymaher]

Best bet it to chack all the stuff you don't want to mess with before you do anything else. It is the nature of the beast.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Being a 34 year old boat, you will most likely be replacing stringers, bulkheads and transom in addition to the floor. At that point you can build anything you want

 

[sphelps]

Pics would help .. And Scott is probably right about rot . I would imagine the cap or tub has a bit of structural value to the boat but you can add strength other ways such as solid gunnel caps or hull stiffeners I would think ...

 

[Cmotitan]

I will get some pictures tomorrow. Only needing to do this to accommodate my disability. I am in need of nothing in the boat except seats, steering wheel, gas and batteries,and ice chest. Mostly catch and release these days. I just want to get on the water while I still can.

 

[Cmotitan]

P. P. E. Bass boats

Does anyone know anything about performance plus bassboats. From early 80's made out of Greenville Mississippi. Wondering if a 15' 1984 "judge" is worth messing with? I cannca find any information on them.

 

[jbcurt00]

The condition of it now is a significanrly better guage of whether its 'worth' messing w it.

its 33yrs old. The best boat ever built might be a rotted mess by now if left uncovered, bow down for several years....

its exceptionally unlikely to be a money making flip boat

doesnt mean it cant be rebuilt, safely and sufficiently to provide a good boat. May just take more time and money then you expect.


merged w your 1st topic about this boat

 

[jbcurt00]

Pix?

 

[Cmotitan]

Idk how to merge this one with my other link/post. I am going to take pictures now. One thing I did notice that top cap, inside boat is all one piece molded piece without seams.

 

[jbcurt00]

I merged the topics already..

yep, most bassboats are built that way, no seperate cap. Its all 1 molded glass shell, dropped onto/over the bottom half of the hull.

 

[Cmotitan]

I'm trytrying uploup pictures, but it want let me because my pictures are over 2 mb, and the lowest my phone will take a pipicturis 3.5.

 

[jbcurt00]

You'll have to resize them


https://forums.iboats.com/forum/forum-rules-and-guidelines/10524592-photo-tutorial-dec-2017-update

 

[Cmotitan]

Ugly, yep. But not a problem. Only $250 for boat motor and trailer.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Ya might be able to cut out, then lower the front castin' deck area,....
But,...
If ya pull everything out down to the basic hull,...
It'll be too flimsy to use as a boat,....

 

[kcassells]

Just saying...Smells like a total rehab. Which is cool cause that's what we do here. You will need to start taking things apart to see the condition of what's under the deck.
Read some of the sticky's topics and surf other projects on this forum.

 

[Cmotitan]

I m pretty sure I am going to leave the inside of the boat as is. But I have to replace front and back deck wood. I test the transom with taking out screws and bolts for everything and transom is solid. I am going to redo everything,, including paint job. Is it easier to chchan deck wood from under cap?

 

[kcassells]

You'll need to pull off the cap and replace stringers and bulkheads.
Not sure what you mean;
"I m pretty sure I am going to leave the inside of the boat as is."

 

[Cmotitan]

Inside as is, meaning the layout.

 

[Cmotitan]

Can you take the cap off without taking the motor off?

 

[oldrem]

Can you take the cap off without taking the motor off?

I don't believe you can on most boats