Free Boat Resto? Yeah, until you get it home!

[Intermediate Mariner]

Hello All,
I am starting a thread for my "free" boat restoration. Yes I did get the boat for free... BUT that where 'free' ends! Although it was a junker, the hole where you pour your money into was completely functional!

It is a 60ish Red Fish. I have seen the fiberglassics site but he's missing a couple pages. It is either a Baylap, Inland or Shark without the fins. If anyone knows the model I would love to know. I will post another thread when I hash through the specs (it is 16' LOA, 16" transom height, 66" transom width).

I've dumped about a grand so far... but hey, I figure that a boat with a rebuilt motor and new wood is ok for $1500 I guess (not including my time of course). Someone here said "boat buikding hurts - yes it does!

When I got it, she had a 35hp Gale Buccaneer. Turned out the motor was locked up but before I had a chance to tear into the motor someone stole it from my driveway (and left 2 good motos behind).. thanks for the free disposal!

The transom was bad and after cutting an inspection hole in the floor, I noticed the balsa core was COMPLETELY water-logged, I scooped it all out with a shovel but failed to take a photo of the heap of balsa that was like a boatload of soaked sponges.

 

[Intermediate Mariner]

Re: Free Boat Resto? Yeah, until you get it home!

Oh and here was the junko trailer. I re-wired it, painted it and replaced the rollers (used the yellow stoltz ones.. sound a great deal from someone on ebay. The rear roller I got was $50 msrp and got it for $5 - finally a deal!

 

[Intermediate Mariner]

Re: Free Boat Resto? Yeah, until you get it home!

Here's a couple photos of trailer. Replaced bunk boards and guide boards too. Used some outdoor turf.. hope it doesnt scratch.

 

[charlie Noble]

Re: Free Boat Resto? Yeah, until you get it home!

Boy I hope you are trying to be funny! There are lots of reasons to buy a
boat to fix up. I trust from the number of posts that you have that you
knew what you were in for before you brought it home, and the word
RESTORATION has no part in it that would make you think it was free.
Good luck though cause when you are done - like the commecial says
the experience was PRICELESS!

 

[Intermediate Mariner]

Re: Free Boat Resto? Yeah, until you get it home!

hey Charlie,
Thanks for the post. Yes I added some humor.
Honestly though, when I got it I did not initially plan a complete restoration - it just ended up that that way. I originally planned a windshield and a tuneup!! After I got it home I noticed the floor was pretty soft... also noticed motor beginning to push through fiberglass on transom. This was like March of 2009... I said "be ready June 1st" and that quickly became "be ready June 1st 2010"... and now July 1st!

Also everytime I do an order its a $100 or more and a tiny box with orings etc arrives!

The experience has been WELL worth it though. I highly recommend anyone wanting to learn to undertake a small boat first that way it's not too daunting.

 

[Intermediate Mariner]

Re: Free Boat Resto? Yeah, until you get it home!

Update: I got photos of just about everything except the tear-down and the hull recoat.

Last year while I was working the trailer I had it flipped upside-down and used Interlux YBB449 Epoxy Bottomkote. This was my first wakeup call, I about pooped myelf when it was $200 bucks a gallon!!! Pros: this paint it EXTREMELY durable, you can't make a dent, very strong. Cons: Fades VERY VERY quickly from red to almost pink!

 

[Intermediate Mariner]

Re: Free Boat Resto? Yeah, until you get it home!

I had a couple cracks and the corner of the stern under the transom. I followed them and ended up with several holes.

At this point I had absolutely no knowledge of fiberglass repair and had never worked with it (although I did at least know to prep with acetone from boat paint guy). I used the general purpose cloth and attached from outside and then built it up heavy from inside. Hope this repair holds for the future.