First project ?'s about painting/gel coating, etc

[glockbwb]

Hi just bought my first boat this week it's a fiberglass 1967 sportcraft eagle 16ft 7". It's a project boat I bought for 300.00 of ebay the engine runs and it has a new floor, carpet and interior. Not sure if I jumped the gun and if it was a good deal or not ?

But the out side of the boat is very faded and the paint on the bottom all globbed up looking. I want to sand it down and repaint it or gel coat it. I don't want to spend alot but don't want to half fast it also don't really care to much aboat color. I noticed theirs gel coats, bottom paint, and top paints. Can I just get a white gel coat and leave it at that ? or does it need painted then gel coated ?

their is alot of stress cracks on the upper part of the boat around just aboat every mounted object what would be the best way to seal or repair these before painting ?

is it possible for me to open up the front of the boat wheir the cubby hole is to put a floor in and a chair for fishing or will this take away from the structure of the boat and make it to weak ?

I also checked under the carpet and checked the new floor because it just seems alittle week chairs rock back and forth I cannot tell if it has marine grade plywood or not because the wood is saturated in water from rain we had yesterday is this normal ?

Should i pull it up and check stringers, foam, etc ?

should I loose the indoor out door carpet and wrap the wood with fiberglass or even replace wood and cover with fiberglass ?

Also is their anything that maybe I should check for or inspect before starting this project or during ?It was inspected by the ODNR and inproved berfore I bout it but don't know if that means much ?

I know this is alot of ?'s I just don't want to invest a bunch of time and money if people with expeareance fill it's a lost cause? I added a couple of pictures thinking it may help unfortunetly boat looks even worse than pictures.
Thanks !

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: First project ?'s about painting/gel coating, etc

Hi just bought my first boat this week it has a new floor, carpet and interior. Not sure if I jumped the gun and if it was a good deal or not ?

New floor?

I also checked under the carpet and checked the new floor because it just seems alittle week chairs rock back and forth I cannot tell if it has marine grade plywood or not because the wood is saturated in water from rain we had yesterday is this normal ?

NO!

Should i pull it up and check stringers, foam, etc ?

YES

should I loose the indoor out door carpet and wrap the wood with fiberglass or even replace wood and cover with fiberglass ?

YES after you check below the floor.

Also is their anything that maybe I should check for or inspect before starting this project or during ?

your check book tools, time and lot's of reading/learning.

I know this is alot of ?'s I just don't want to invest a bunch of time and money if people with expeareance fill it's a lost cause?

If you feel adament about the project it will not be a lost cause. However, when you're done you will still have a 1967 Sportcraft, albeit a seaworthy one if you do it right. There's a multitude of things to consider before you commence and commit.

 

[glockbwb]

Re: First project ?'s about painting/gel coating, etc

Thank you !
I really do want to take on the project the only thing stopping me besides all the knowlege is like you said no matter what I do it will still be a 1967 sportcraft. I don't know but I figure the fiberglass has to loose strength over the years espeacally 40 and I just don't know enough to know if it may be a waste of money or if it is possible to make it last another 40 years.

I looked under the floor this morning and stringers seen solid but no foam and plywood is junk. I've read several articles on this forum and think I need to add foam but question is how much will I need and what wieght should I go with?