I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

[Bama7474]

This is my first post here, though I've been reading about many of ya'lls projects, it's time for me to start mine...I received a salvage boat from a friend of mine and all I know right now is that it's a Renken 20 foot cuddy cabin made for an outboard not sure what year, was told '80 something?! This boat has nothing on it and was completely striped down to the fiberglass, even in the cabin...The hull and topside structure looks great a perfect shell...I'm going over to my friends house today to get photos to see if ya'll can help me find out what year it is...I've never had my own boat but have served on US Navy ships for 15 years and now I'm a chief so it's time for me to refurbish my own boat.

***I'm looking for info on what to do first if you had just a shell***

Thanks!

 

[zach103]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

first check the deck, stringers and transom. if its already stripped down it will be easier to fix those three before you do anything else.. you wanna look for soft spots and rot.

and welcome to iboats

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

Model Year (HIN) is not important but you can go
here and shed some light on the matter.
You will find your HIN on the starboard top quarter of your transom.
Welcome to iBoats.. good info and the best people here.
Familarize your self with the boat termonology
Post some pics of your project and you will get better responses to you inquiries. Is the floor (sole) gone? are the stringers still there?
You can do a search here on iBoats forum. Most everything has been answered at on time or another.

 

[Bama7474]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

Thanks for the reply's...there is no deck and there are no stringers just the bottom of the hull...it was stripped out pretty clean...believe the transom is in good shape...I will post some pic's tonight.

Thanks

 

[i386]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

Ain't no such thing as a free boat haha. Sounds like you're looking forward to fixing it up though. That's the right attitude to have because you're in for a lot of work.

Start by posting some pics of your boat so everyone here can get an idea of what you're working with. There's plenty to read here and everyone will be glad to help you with questions and advice from start to finish.

Welcome aboard Chief!

 

[ne7800]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

Before thriowing out lots of "what you should do", tell us what sort of budget you have in mind. (Sometimes, a free boat is worth exactlly what you paid for it.)

agreed unless you are really looking forward to the project it might be cheeper to just buy a decent running boat, but if a project is what you want then it sounds like you got a nice challenging one

 

[Bama7474]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

My budget starting out is $10,000.00, I know that's not a lot, especially since I still have to buy an engine! My first car was just a shell and my father gave it to me to teach me about appriciation...this is kind of the same thing, I really want to sail in something that my hands put together...I'm very excited about getting her ship shape and ready to go to sea.

 

[zach103]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

very doable.. take a look at the HUGE PROJECT thread.. hes doin a 30ft on a 9k budget. and hes getting twin outboards

 

[Bama7474]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

very doable.. take a look at the HUGE PROJECT thread.. hes doin a 30ft on a 9k budget. and hes getting twin outboards

I just priced a 115hp Yamaha rebuilt for 6k...Does he have the engines already? If not I guess I'm going to have to ask hime where he's shopping...thanks.

 

[zach103]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

yah i believe he already got them. look around on craigslist. everyone here will help you out..

 

[jcsercsa]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

My budget starting out is $10,000.00, I know that's not a lot, especially since I still have to buy an engine! My first car was just a shell and my father gave it to me to teach me about appriciation...this is kind of the same thing, I really want to sail in something that my hands put together...I'm very excited about getting her ship shape and ready to go to sea.

OHH Man there is nothing like it when you get it done and put it in the water !!!!!!!! it feels like you just had a new kid !! [ they cost about the same ] !! hahha

This is doable , 5 or 6 grand for a motor[ if you dont go to big ] not new but a good used one , new are 18,000 plus !! heck i know a guy that is getting a used racing motor for half of that 5000 and that is a I/O !!!! 1000 to 15 hundred for glass resin , and 200 hours and you will be done !!!

Can you get some pics posted ??? John

 

[Bama7474]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

I just got back from the boat her are the pics...please everyone take a look and respond. Thanks

 

[jcsercsa]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

HAy La Miranda , pic 4 dont look to bad , She dont look as bad as mine was !! looks like all the stringers and transom is all glassed !! how are they ??? did you take samples from them yet ??

She will be a great ride when your all done !! John

 

[Bama7474]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

Had to figure out my pic converter...these are better quality!

 

[Bama7474]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

HAy La Miranda , pic 4 dont look to bad , She dont look as bad as mine was !! looks like all the stringers and transom is all glassed !! how are they ??? did you take samples from them yet ??

She will be a great ride when your all done !! John

Pic 4 shows the majority of the damage...If you look at the board connecting to the center line stringers those where not glassed and needs to be replaced...but the rest is solid...I think I might have got lucky with this boat!

 

[maxum247]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

My budget starting out is $10,000.00, I know that's not a lot, especially since I still have to buy an engine! My first car was just a shell and my father gave it to me to teach me about appriciation...this is kind of the same thing, I really want to sail in something that my hands put together...I'm very excited about getting her ship shape and ready to go to sea.

I remodeled my 20' maxum cuddy to a bowrider a few years ago and now am converting it to a center console. I've done the deck twice you might say, two thirds of the deck during the first remodel to a bowrider and the aft one third of the deck during the current remodel to a center console. I'm at about $3500 to date, of course my boat came with a running engine of sorts when given to me a few years ago and I already had some of the lumber to work with and what I didn't have I recycled here and there and the rest I purchased from the lumber yard.
Forgot to mention that about $600 of that went into the outboard over time replacing parts that went bad from the engine setting over the years.
The remodel work on this boat has literally been done $10 and $15 here and there over time.
I appreciate what I have worked for and accomplished during the remodeling process and had some fun working on it along the way.

 

[txnavysailor]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

welcome aboard chief! i think a crypto tech should be able to handle some fiberglass and wood. is she going to be haze grey when finished? lol

i too am restoring a renken, mines a 19 foot i/o

MM2 Chasteen, Jonathan USN

 

[Bama7474]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

I'd like to get her in the water by this summer...I figure I can do the deck before i lose the 80 degree weather down here in Alabama and once it starts getting cooler I can fix some cosmetic stuff...the boat had no HIN plate on the aft end...I saw where it used to be! I'm working on getting the title turned over to me from the state of Florida (this was a salvaged boat)...I hope that goes smooth!

 

[oops!]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

search core sample

 

[Bama7474]

Re: I just got a free Renken! Need advice please

welcome aboard chief! i think a crypto tech should be able to handle some fiberglass and wood. is she going to be haze grey when finished? lol

i too am restoring a renken, mines a 19 foot i/o

MM2 Chasteen, Jonathan USN

I do have to repaint it once it's done...should be able to get some paint from the boys, huh!