Help and Comments Please - 1985 Stratos - basketcase or workable restoration ?

[appleo]

I am being offered a free boat. 1985 stratos 375v. I inspected the boat today. Hull bottom appears undamaged. Transom appears strong. Topside is a mess and appears left out in weather for years. FLoor held my 250 lbs and appeared solid..however i dont know whats underneath or how the boat is constructed. Compartment doors are mess and need replaced. They appear to have been a thin skin of fibergalss over wood

Prior engine is gone...cracked head.....controls are still in place. Wheel turns. Wiring not rotted.

The gelcoat is not cracked..however it does not shine. It appears satin like or flat

I need some advce from those who may have had a stratos or restored boats..

I am a Mechanical Engineer and can do most projects. I dont want to do alot of fiberglass work. Tell me your experiences and thoughts please..

It currently sets on a good trailer. The trailer is not free

 

[NYBo]

Re: Help and Comments Please - 1985 Stratos - basketcase or workable restoration ?

Ah, the old, "buy a trailer, get a free boat," deal.

I believe there is no wood in the sole ("deck") of these, so the hull may be completely sound. If you have the time, patience, and money, this could be a nice project. If you can find a motor that will mate to the current controls you can save some money (and time).

But the question of the hour: How much for the trailer?

 

[appleo]

Re: Help and Comments Please - 1985 Stratos - basketcase or workable restoration ?

Yar I was waiting for that Seller wants 750.....i figger 600 will close the deal......

I have mariner 90 that will work nicely on this boat

Hopefully someone else has rebuilt a stratos and will have some photos or tips

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Help and Comments Please - 1985 Stratos - basketcase or workable restoration ?

$600 is TOO much IMHO for a trailer & a shell........

Unless this is the 1 boat you've always wanted............ But the lackluster gelcoat and pix you posted don't really work w/ your:

I am being offered a free boat.

I dont want to do alot of fiberglass work.

Those ^^^ statements normally don't work out very well........

Esp when combined w/ this pix:

If there's any wood below deck, &/or foam, you'll likely have quite a bit of glassing to do and you're looking at quite a bit of demo too

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Help and Comments Please - 1985 Stratos - basketcase or workable restoration ?

View attachment 185606I am being offered a free boat.

I am a Mechanical Engineer and can do most projects. I dont want to do alot of fiberglass work. Tell me your experiences and thoughts please..

It currently sets on a good trailer. The trailer is not free

If this is the boat of your dreams, nothing will discourage you. If it isn't, free and "I dont want to do alot of fiberglass work" don't go together.

Looking at the pics, you are buying a trailer (I have no idea if it's worth the money, no real pics) and hauling the sellers trash away. Look at the steering wheel. I have never seen a wheel with that much rust on it. And I've prowled through some boat boneyards with boats that have been there for decades.

So the question is, are you in the market for a trailer or a boat/trailer? I think you have better ways to spend your money. All of this is strictly my personal opinion. If the trailer was a couple of hundred, go for it , strip what's good off the boat and head to the dump.

 

[appleo]

Re: Help and Comments Please - 1985 Stratos - basketcase or workable restoration ?

Yes I considered that too...Trailer is good with new 205/75/14 tires and electric brakes.

I didnt see to many piece parts salvageable on the boat ...expect for the power tilt trim unit that was hidden in one of the storage boxes

The old evinrude scout tolling motor proll yworks but is a small one

my thought was if the floor was not rotted i could clean this up and repalce the hatches, install new seats , install an engine and give it a go

if floor needs to come out and stringers replaced then too much for me at this time

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Help and Comments Please - 1985 Stratos - basketcase or workable restoration ?

appleo that trailer could easily be worth the $600.00 depending on where you are located. I have a pretty good idea of what they are worth in my area because I've been looking for some time.

Thoughts are correct and I agree that "IF" you can get away w/o a lot of glass work then it may be worth the time and expense. I have picked up 2 different boats that were engineless and so far both have worked out well.

 

[westexasrepublic]

Re: Help and Comments Please - 1985 Stratos - basketcase or workable restoration ?



Yours seems too far gone to come back, but thats also what I was told so.......but mine did come with a working outboard. Also that "solid" deck that held you, its not, and that transom that holds the motor that weighs more than you, is not solid either.

 

[appleo]

Re: Help and Comments Please - 1985 Stratos - basketcase or workable restoration ?

interstring///So it appers you cut out the old wood stringers? and filled with the DYNACASt stuff? the pvc was a novel idea for wiring or for drainage?

Got any external gel coat before and after?

did you lay any sheets of fiberglass inside the hull to re-ereinforce?

how much dollars youthink you spent for the materialls to restore the hull, floor , carpet?

 

[Pmccraney]

Re: Help and Comments Please - 1985 Stratos - basketcase or workable restoration ?

A couple of thoughts for you:

One, I would read this thread -- http://forums.iboats.com/boat-restoration-building-hull-repair/love-necessity-pride-521706.html -- start to finish. Its a bass boat similar to yours. The owner is doing a great job and working hard/diligently and he is in his second year and has had to do A LOT of fiberglass work.

Two, the metal flake gel coat can be tricky to restore. Sometimes you can buff it out - See Friscoboaters Glastron Carlson thread.

I don't know much about how this particular boat is built, but if you have wooden stringers, deck and transom, I would bet that they are rotten and and your flotation foam is fully saturated.

Its good that you have workable power/controls for this boat (that's a huge plus) and the trailer sounds like its in good shape too -- that is two expensive items that you can check off the list. However, by the time you buy the correct exterior-grade plywood, re do the entire interior structure, repaint/re-gel (or gel coat buff), new electrical, new steering system, gauges, electrical, new fuel tank/system (probably), new seats/vinyl, floor covering (vinyl, gel coat, carpet, etc.. if you wish), new batteries, new livewell/bilge pumps/pluming, new flotation foam, various supplies, tools and sundries (grinder pads, sandpaper, safety equipment, rollers), fiberglass materials, resin, etc... (you are starting to get the picture), you are probably looking at a couple grand, minimum...

Hope this helps.

Thanks,.
Patrick