May have just 'inherited' a deckboat...

[jigngrub]

I didn't realize you were including the price of a motor in your $2,000.

I'm just wondering the cost that others have spent to replace their floor and stringers. Seems like every time someone on here posts that they are looking at a boat or are getting a boat, everyone is like....Oh gosh, you better make sure the stringers are ok or else!!!! Realistically, it isn't that huge of a job and if you are careful with where you buy your supplies, it isn't all that expensive. So, a "free boat" + the cost to put new stringers in yourself can still = an inexpensive way onto the water plus a new found hobby.

When you restore a boat, you get a like new boat for a small fraction of the cost of a new boat.

With that being said, boat restoration is pretty expensive and you can eat up $2K in a hurry... without a motor!

Polyester resin ranges between $25-$60 per gallon depending on where and how much you buy.

1708 biaxial cloth is $6.50-$9 a yard depending on how much and where you buy it.

Plywood is $50-$100 a sheet.

... and the money doesn't stop there. You'll need to buy tool and expendables (brushes, rollers, sand paper, saw blades and stuff like that). Personal protective equipment. Most restorations require painting and all the supplies that go with it. Carpet and other finishes are expensive too.... and the list goes on. If you go with epoxy resin, the price doubles.

Just as a for instance, we have a member in the resto forum that has used 42 gallons of polyester resin on his bass boat resto and he doesn't even have the deck in yet. That's $1050 in resin alone, while this is excessive (I think he's drinking it) 20-25 gallons for a 18-20 bow rider is common.

But even at $2-$4K for a resto, you still get a heck of a deal... just go look at new boat prices.

Edited to add:
Any f'glass boat over 10 yrs. old that hasn't been kept garaged or religiously covered is a candidate for rot regardless of outside appearances.

Take a look at this 15 yr. old boat:
http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat...nature-deck-and-stringer-restoration?t=510077
Looks sweet on the outside, but look through the thread and see what the guts looked like when it was opened up.

... and you can bet your sweet bippy that if an older f'glass boat looks weathered on the outside, the guts will be even worse.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Wasn't specifically counting an engine BUT there is nothing a out buying a rotten hull with a bad motor..... It can be very expensive and WILL be very labor intensive.

 

[Cptkid570]

Jigngrub - Great answer. I think that is what the thread owner was looking for. He hasn't been on in a bit. I wonder if he got the boat.

 

[KDMatt]

I'm still here!

I did, indeed, take possession of the boat. I had some issues with my tow vehicle for a couple of weeks, but all is right with the world now.

The boat's been up at a marine shop for a few weeks getting a motor put on it. I know that's a little premature, but I found a deal on a Yammy and I didn't want to pass it up. At that point that does mean I am pretty committed to restoring this thing, especially now that it's at my house and I can access it at my leisure. Before I do anything else, I think I'm going to rip up the deck and see what's what. I started poking around in the ski-locker and while two of the walls seem (so far) pretty solid, the third wall was delaminated and rotten -- I was literally able to rip out giant chunks of it -- this in and of itself I feel warrants a very thorough investigation of the rest of the structure. I have a hunch I'll find some rotten sections down in the middle.

So I guess step one is going to be pulling out the seats and peeling up the carpet, then unscrewing the floor.

Perhaps at this point it would be prudent to start a thread in the restoration section as I take more pictures and move forward.

Are there stickies down there with basic stringer repair/floor replacement info? Perhaps someone could suggest some really good books to help me get started?

Thanks again, guys.