Looking for a little advice.

[JNormV163]

So Im restoring my 72 Glastron V163 in my back yard and things are going well. Needs a major complete restore. (some of you may have seen it on this forum) I spend alot of time on craigslist looking for the next best thing. Ive always wanted a mid 70's v173 bayflite and I found just that. I have some concerns. I can get the boat for around $300 with no motor (I have a great running evinrude 115 in my shed) I love my 163 but the 173 is everything Ive ever wanted in a boat. I went to check it out and bailed because of a soft spot in the floor and a bad plate silicone covered transom. But after sulking for a few days Ive decided I really want to save it.The boat was on the water until the motor went out last year. The soft spot in the floor was from water seeping through the screws on the back to back seats. Im thinking if i jump on it quick I can maybe only have to replace the transom and maybe a stringer. All the seats, gauges, dash, hull are in awesome shape. It has fresh paint and all Ill need to get is new Glastron badges that were removed. Im basically just looking for opinions. Im afraid of getting into another major restoration. Im hoping to have a quick restoration on the 173 and over time restore my 163 so I can give it to my dad whos always wanted his own boat.

Heres the ad. Doesnt show much but just so you can see.
17 ft glastron

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Looking for a little advice.

There is no quick fix but then again boating season is coming to a close so you have to look at the big picture. Do you have a enclosed area that you can work in, do you have a few grand to sink in the project, whats for sale locally when it comes to fiberglass and resin. I know in florida winters will be cool but dry so I can work outside. The resin etc I can buy with out postage so 8 to 900 in material will fix the transom/stringers/floor. I have the tools so that saves 200 bucks. If you need to buy tools and pay postage etc your material bill will be 1200-1500 for a boat that should last 20 years.
Other things to think about..
300 is that hull and trailer
is the window frame in good condition
is the trailer in good condition
do you have the controller and wiring for the 115 rude you already have

 

[JNormV163]

Re: Looking for a little advice.

Yes it comes with the trailer and its in great shape the fiberglass portion of the boat is great is just the dreaded rotten wood. My Evinrude is complete pulled it off my V163 running.

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Looking for a little advice.

Yes it comes with the trailer and its in great shape the fiberglass portion of the boat is great is just the dreaded rotten wood. My Evinrude is complete pulled it off my V163 running.

the more rotten the better as it helps the tear down and saves hours when breaking the cap free. So it may come down to if you have the cash and time to invest. At a guess I would think that the hull need about 100 hours of work (including time to build a frame to support the hull so it can be stripped)

 

[JNormV163]

Re: Looking for a little advice.

People are catastrophic on forums. Just because you blew your engine doesn't mean nothing is salvageable. If someone did a good job glassing the stringers in they should be dry and re usable. Yeah pulling a rotten deck off rotten stringers does make it easy but so is removing dry deck screws from dry stringers. Maybe my opinion is biased and a little optimistic but I'm pretty confident in this boat but then again so was I about the last one and look where that got me lol.

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Looking for a little advice.

People are catastrophic on forums. Just because you blew your engine doesn't mean nothing is salvageable. If someone did a good job glassing the stringers in they should be dry and re usable. Yeah pulling a rotten deck off rotten stringers does make it easy but so is removing dry deck screws from dry stringers. Maybe my opinion is biased and a little optimistic but I'm pretty confident in this boat but then again so was I about the last one and look where that got me lol.

sorry to sound negative but in fact im trying to be positive. The stringers are cheap as far as I am concerned and they are easy to replace so its just easier to replace them if theres a problem with the transom or foam. The Foam is one of the most expensive parts to replace. If I removed part of the floor and found no problem with the stringers or transom then I would just replace the floor but if I found a problem then its no big deal as long as I did not go in blind to the fact it could be bad it just added to the time it takes to fix the problem.
If you can not afford to do the stringers and transom then don't touch a boat that's got a soft deck because its better to have the money and not spend it then it is to cut a boat open and find that you do not have the money to complete the job.

 

[JNormV163]

Re: Looking for a little advice.

sorry to sound negative but in fact im trying to be positive. The stringers are cheap as far as I am concerned and they are easy to replace so its just easier to replace them if theres a problem with the transom or foam. The Foam is one of the most expensive parts to replace. If I removed part of the floor and found no problem with the stringers or transom then I would just replace the floor but if I found a problem then its no big deal as long as I did not go in blind to the fact it could be bad it just added to the time it takes to fix the problem.
If you can not afford to do the stringers and transom then don't touch a boat that's got a soft deck because its better to have the money and not spend it then it is to cut a boat open and find that you do not have the money to complete the job.

See this to me is being honest. You're probably pretty accurate. The main thing that gives me hope is he said the work done on the boat was done by a very credible guy here in Colorado. Why do people put these steel plates over the rotten transoms though? In my opinion they seem like they're effective and that a lot of people actually do it. Not that I'm going to ever do it cuz it just looks sloppy but the idea seems to work. I want this boat mainly because I haven't really spent any money on my 16' just a lot of man hours and tools I wanted to own anyways. Plus mine literally needs a COMPLETE restore where this one just needs wood. Its already wired for everything (bilge trim etc) where mine needs complete re wiring. Which is actually my specialty but I just don't really feel like doing it lol. Also the seats and trim look good where mine needs literally everything. I got a great motor from my 16' so if I toss it I'm not loosing at all Thanks guys.

 

[Watermann]

Re: Looking for a little advice.

To me when it comes to a boat that one describes as everything they want, then there should be no stopping you. Snap that sucker up and leave him with 4-500 bucks and that basket case 150. You know what your getting, there are no surprises and you'll have what you want.

For instance, look at me, I picked up a 1970 Starcraft Chieftain because I'm in love with tin boats and that style. Then I went out and got me a 1987 Chris Craft for a parts donor boat for the 1970 Chief. Some would say I'm off my rocker and the Chris is a way better boat to restore. They may be right but I don't give a damn about having a rotten glass boat, I want a rotten tin boat!

Next post you make should be some pics of your dream Glastron in the driveway at home!

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: Looking for a little advice.

Unlike here where we boat all year you are about to fall into a LOOOOOONG cold winter. Now you have something to do to stay out of your wifes hair and away from Honey Do Lists.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Looking for a little advice.

Glastrons of those years were known to have floors that rotted quickly. In fact, an early 70s Glastron by definition will have rotten floors if they have not been replaced. HOWEVER, that does not make the boat unusable. Also, the boat is light because while the bottom is adequate, the topsides tend to be a bit flimsy. Oh, they are serviceable, but thin. however, the hulls are sound. My V153 was hit by a car (Sort of a sideswipe as he crossed the line doing about 50) at the point of the Glastron "swoosh" It knocked the mirror off the car--easy enough to do-- but only left a small star crack in the gelcoat.

Decks usually did not have any wood supporting them; foam cross members were glassed into the underside. Sometimes, with age, the outline of the foan would print through the glass, giving the deck a rippled appearance.

Stringers were plywood and the original factory glass only came about halfway up the stringers themselves.

All in all, consider that there will be a lot more work than is apparent.

AGAIN, HOWEVER, That work will be well worth it for one of the best looking boats ever made. And, It is a very roomy 17 footer.

ME: I have a 1971 V153, A James Bond GT150, and I did have a V163 that I simply did not have the time to restore so I no longer have it. I have had my V153 out on big water and rough conditions. I trust it implicitly to get me back home, barring a tsunami. LOL