Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

[IHDiesel73L]

So over the weekend I'm letting the dog out for his morning business as usual and I happen to look over at the yard one house over from ours and happened to notice what looked like a boat under a tarp behind a shed. Long story short I asked them about it and they told me that they bought it about five years ago (it was last registered in 2006) from a friend with the intention of fixing it up and running it out on the two reservoirs in the area. I went over to look at it today and though it had a tarp over it water got into it but we pulled the drain plug and the floor looks ok, but I'm no fiberglass expert. The rest of the hull looked ok as well (it's been sitting on a trailer), but what could have happened to it from sitting all these years? Does fiberglass "rot?" I've found a little information on MFG boats, mainly that they are somewhat of a classic-I really know nothing about them. I'm hoping to get pics up soon. Basically I'm just looking for a very simple boat to take my family out on the reservoirs and the upper Delaware River-nothing fancy. Any other MFG owners around?

 

[smallboatlover]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

no fiberglass don't rot but the wood under the fiberglass does

 

[mkast]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

Basically I'm just looking for a very simple boat to take my family out on the reservoirs and the upper Delaware River-nothing fancy.

This is not the boat you want.

 

[KnightWolf]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

The boat will need to be stripped to the bones 99.9% of the time after sitting out like that. You could become a fiberglass expert by the time it is done. But unless you have a lot of spare time and loose cash it is not a project you want to start. But if like most of us on here we dont know any better.Besides it's just fun to do in a sick way.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

You "might" have ended up with a good motor and maybe a good trailer....... 14' with "unknown" issues is not a good first boat for a family unless you are only a Husband and wife team. It will be a money pit or on the rarest chance you will be okay but I have my doubts.

If you had to drain water out it is more than likely a source of parts and not ready to be a salvaged rebuilt boat.

 

[drewpster]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

That is exactely the profile you look for IF you are looking for a long term rebuild project boat. I run into this question all time and the outcome is always the same.

Myths
1. You can get in to boating cheaper if you buy an old used boat and fix it up.
2. "Everything feels solid, it should be ok."
3. The deck is rotten but the transom and stringers are good.
4. Its been sitting for five years but the engine runs fine.
5. "All I'm going to do is fix the....."
6. The wiring is perfect.

These are just a few things you hear about used boats. The truth is, old boats are a gamble and unless you are willing to take on one as a project. Unless you are a water born nutjob like me and many others, dont gamble. You are better off paying the money up front and buying a new, or like new, boat.
Of course being nutty is fun too!

 

[IHDiesel73L]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

That is exactely the profile you look for IF you are looking for a long term rebuild project boat. I run into this question all time and the outcome is always the same.

Myths
1. You can get in to boating cheaper if you buy an old used boat and fix it up.
2. "Everything feels solid, it should be ok."
3. The deck is rotten but the transom and stringers are good.
4. Its been sitting for five years but the engine runs fine.
5. "All I'm going to do is fix the....."
6. The wiring is perfect.

These are just a few things you hear about used boats. The truth is, old boats are a gamble and unless you are willing to take on one as a project. Unless you are a water born nutjob like me and many others, dont gamble. You are better off paying the money up front and buying a new, or like new, boat.
Of course being nutty is fun too!

Thanks for all of the replies. I should have been more specific in my post but it was late and I was getting tired. I am looking for a project boat and I have no plans to get it in the water this summer, or even next summer for that matter. I just thought it would be fun to restore/customize an old boat for taking the family out on the water. We live literally right between the two largest reservoirs in New Jersey that allow powerboats (restricted to 9.9 HP) and having a boat is the best way to get away from the crowds on the swimming beaches in the summer. Also, "family" right now refers to me, my wife, and the dog (70lb chocolate lab that loves to swim) but we have a little one on the way. The way I look at this I have the space to keep it out of the weather, and I can work on it a weekend here, a weekend there, etc...whenever I feel like and have the $$$/time. I have no deadline in mind for finishing it. Also, I may not be a "water born nut" ,but I'm a hardcore DIYer who has never bought anything new that he could find used/dead on the side of the road to fix up. Still, I appreciate the warnings as I'm new to this game. I was really hoping the boat was aluminum because I feel as though aluminum is a little easier to deal with in that (at least with a undecked boat) you can see all of the framework and the inside of the hull and if something is wrong other than a slightly popped rivet or bad seam, it's usually immediately apparent. I know nothing about fiberglass construction but I'm willing to learn, so where do I go to learn? Can anyone point me in the direction of a good fiberglass restoration thread on here or elsewhere? This morning I managed to find "Fiberglassics" and registered there too, seems like it could be a good resource. Anyway, I'm going to get the boat over here and up on a wooden stand in the backyard next weekend so pics should be up then. Thanks all.

 

[smallboatlover]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

hey don't worry diesel i got into the same thing you did but didn't know that it was going to a project. i was happy it turned into a project though. It's real fun restoring boats. great hobby. but what about that 9.9 restrictions? a 14' boat like that has a max hp of 50hp you might not even get on a plane with a 9.9 but 14' boat is a great first project small enough to get to know what your doing and cheap enough because of the size but also big enough for a day on the water.

 

[IHDiesel73L]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

hey don't worry diesel i got into the same thing you did but didn't know that it was going to a project. i was happy it turned into a project though. It's real fun restoring boats. great hobby. but what about that 9.9 restrictions? a 14' boat like that has a max hp of 50hp you might not even get on a plane with a 9.9 but 14' boat is a great first project small enough to get to know what your doing and cheap enough because of the size but also big enough for a day on the water.

Thanks for the encouragement The 9.9 restriction stinks, but as long as the boat moves us around I don't care really-I see lots of 16' aluminum v-hulls out there that move along at a decent speed. I talked to my marine mechanic buddy and he said he could hook me up with a 15 HP carb and a good prop that will give me a little more power for when the weather turns bad and we need to hightail it back to shore in a hurry. Otherwise all we'll be doing is puttering around looking for good fishing spots or just a quiet beach to relax, picnic, and enjoy the day on. It's not like we'll be trying to pull a tuber or waterskier. I wouldn't go out on the river without a larger motor though. The plate says the boat can handle up to 40 HP so I think I'll start with the 9.9 for the reservoirs and keep a lookout for a good used 35 or 40.

 

[drewpster]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

AhhhhHaaa! I knew it, you are a nutcase. Welcome to the world of boat restoration. Ever been really itchy...all over...

 

[smallboatlover]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

lmao drew he is. you should move along good on the water with that mabey on a plane even.

 

[IHDiesel73L]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

lmao drew he is. ya if there a 9.9 restriction you could just get a 9.9hp cover and put it on the 15hp but some 9.9hp and 15hp are the same. you should move along good on the water with that mabey on a plane even.

I think if I do it I'll go the carb swap route on an actual 9.9. Around here the park rangers are wise to the old "9.9-cover-on-a-15" trick and will check the numbers when you're on the ramp. I just posted in the prop forum to get an idea of what I can do to get the most out of it.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

iboats does not condone breaking any rules or laws. My apologies to the original poster.

 

[rickryder]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

Welcome to iboats! Where abouts in NJ I'm in Franklin off 23..... Let me know if I can be of any help with your resto.

 

[Fisherball]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

http://forums.iboats.com/MFG This will bring you to the MFG forum. Alot of those old MFG's have fiberglass stringers without wood so the only thing that can rot is the deck. A relatively easy fix.

MFG came into existence to build bodies for early Corvettes, when Chevy figured out they could make them in house MFG expanded their boat making division.

Molded
Fiber
Glass
MFG

 

[IHDiesel73L]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

Welcome to iboats! Where abouts in NJ I'm in Franklin off 23..... Let me know if I can be of any help with your resto.

I'm in Northwest Hunterdon (ironically very close to another Franklin ) Just off of 31. I'm building this boat for Round Valley and Spruce Run. I know there is another guy who posts here who lives the next town over (Clinton) too-maybe we'll have to do an iboat outing on Round Valley one day!

http://forums.iboats.com/MFG This will bring you to the MFG forum. Alot of those old MFG's have fiberglass stringers without wood so the only thing that can rot is the deck. A relatively easy fix.

Wow that would be great if that were the case-I've been on the MFG forums here and I've posted a little over at Fiberglassics, but I haven't been able to find out what kind of construction was used with the Carefree yet. The deck in the boat now is not wood-it's fiberglass-is there any easy way to tell what's under there?

 

[rickryder]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

I'm in Northwest Hunterdon (ironically very close to another Franklin ) Just off of 31. I'm building this boat for Round Valley and Spruce Run. I know there is another guy who posts here who lives the next town over (Clinton) too-maybe we'll have to do an iboat outing on Round Valley one day!

I think fish and game may have a problem if I drop the Four Winns in Round Valley
I would have to disconnect 7 plug wires

Then again my buddy has a 14' v-hull we could use for a trip

Theres no wood under the glass on the deck? Can you post pics of it?

 

[IHDiesel73L]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

I think fish and game may have a problem if I drop the Four Winns in Round Valley
I would have to disconnect 7 plug wires

Then again my buddy has a 14' v-hull we could use for a trip

LOL...

Theres no wood under the glass on the deck? Can you post pics of it?

Ok, I think I'm confusing terminology here. When I think "deck" I'm thinking of what my feet are touching when I'm standing in the boat-the fiberglass floor-am I using that properly? All I can see is that fiberglass surface-I have no idea what is under it. Here is a pic of a Carefree that's basically identical to mine when it was new:

http://www.fiberglassics.com/wiki/images/e/ed/Mfgb73015.jpg

The deck on mine is exactly the same-plain, all glass (except its gray), etc...but again I have no idea what is underneath. I'm hoping that there is no wood under there because the boat was not properly covered and had a lot of water in it.

 

[Seadog70]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

Hey another Jersey guy here, im starting a project but mine will be much easier, 12foot aluminum,,, ,,, good luck with your build,, post some pics up,,,, stupid question but do they have title as in NJ its a PIA to register a boat without all the proper paperwork,,,

 

[rickryder]

Re: Free to me 14' MFG Carefree-now what?

Ok the deck is probably plywood with fiberglass on top of it... I would say it has stringers holding the deck off the hull and flotation foam between the stringers...

If you want to know the conditions under the deck you will have to take some core samples of the deck,foam and transom.
Near the back of the deck find a place thats near the center and take a hole saw 2-2 1/2" and drill into the deck just through the plywood..... make sure your in a deep part on the hull not near the sides....you don't want to drill the hull! should be foam in there....

Take a piece of pipe and twist it into the foam and pull out a core... check it for water....after that we can go to checking the transom...