My $40 project boat

[BWR1953]

Yup, I got this 1979 North American boat just 2 weeks ago for the equivalent of forty bucks! The asking price was $100, but I traded an old personal item that I had that I'd only paid $40 for a few years ago.

SCORE! LOL!

The plan is to do a thorough cleaning followed by mounting the single 115HP Mercury outboard with 20" shaft. I want to get the boat usable while doing the restoration. Being retired, I have lots of free time but not lots of money, so the whole project could take awhile. Maybe. Heh heh.

The cabin and side wood will need to be replaced because it's ugly and starting to go... still sound for the time being though. But, some of the trim items may be okay with a cleanup, stain and refinishing. I'm also thinking that I'd rather paint the aluminum rub rail trim rather than trying to polish it out, but I'm open to suggestions on that.

Later on I'll add another 115HP Merc and have twins hanging on the back. In order to get the 20" shaft motors mounted, I'll notch the transom per the animated diagram below.

Meanwhile, I've already purchased a 75 gallon fuel tank and dropped it into the hatch. Fits nicely and I'll get it secured later. Still have cleaning to do down there.

From what I can tell thus far, I MAY be able to avoid having to do a paint job on the hull other than the anti-fouling bottom paint. I cleaned a couple of test spots and I'm hopeful that I can restore the gloss to the gel coat.

This is a busy time of year for me. Time to get the ol' garden going and I have a lot of work to do with that as well. But, once the garden plot is set, then I can devote more time to my boating projects.

-BWR

 

[lowkee]

Re: My $40 project boat

If your photo editing is as adept as your boat repair, it'll be on the water in no time! Congrats on the deal.

 

[thatguy]

Re: My $40 project boat

that is a bad *** looking boat! SWEET DEAL! I really like the high bow!

Good luck with your project! With a little time and some elbow grease that boat will be awesome. The twins will make that a nice boat!

Tom

 

[ylop]

Re: My $40 project boat

who ever said old boats were ugly, she has great lines, beautiful if i may say so wish it was mine, good luck with the build.
paul

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: My $40 project boat

looks self bailing, but i still like a splash well, it needs twins, how big is it?

 

[lowkee]

Re: My $40 project boat

it needs twins, how big is it?

Hahah, Tas, that should be your tagline.

 

[BWR1953]

Re: My $40 project boat

looks self bailing, but i still like a splash well, it needs twins, how big is it?

The boat is 22' 8" LOA with a 90" beam. The cockpit sole is 12' 2" by 84" with no seats installed.

I don't see any scuppers other than the standard bilge drain hole in the back. Was wondering if it would be beneficial to add some at the transom. Whaddya think?

-BWR

 

[fishrdan]

Re: My $40 project boat

Nice looking project boat, can't wait to see the progress.

Check out this thread, he's doing something similar;

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=271420&highlight=scarab

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: My $40 project boat

Sorry for drooling over that North American...
Like I said, love the lines.

I thought my 200 bux was a steal...(not so much as I get deeper into her!)

I'll give ya 50 bucks, as is..whaddaya say???????

LOL

Best of luck, I have an I/O, but will be checking the OB forums and this forum to see how great my.. I mean your boat is doing!!!!

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: My $40 project boat

my mistake, i thought the 2 brown marks were scuppers on the transom. without a splash well i would want some type of drainage system. made build a splash well, marked in red.

 

[oops!]

Re: My $40 project boat

love the lines.....

it looks like they took a ninteen and added the bow hull lift...then changed the cap....

really classic.

have you got a chance to look over the stringers yet?....
and yup.....if you can find a set of twins for cheap...;even at 23'.that vessel looks as it needs them !

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: My $40 project boat

Nice catch...good work with the photo animation, too.

 

[BWR1953]

Re: My $40 project boat

my mistake, i thought the 2 brown marks were scuppers on the transom. without a splash well i would want some type of drainage system. made build a splash well, marked in red.

TD - I'm sorry, but I don't understand your post and don't see anything red in the pic you attached. Can you please clarify? Thanks.

Here's a view aft from inside the cockpit. The "mini-splashwell" at the back is 4" x 38" x 2.75" deep.

oops! - No, I haven't had a chance to check the stringers. Can't see a way to do so without destroying the cockpit sole.

CK - And $50 for this beauty ain't makin' it buddy! LOL!!

-BWR

 

[BWR1953]

Re: My $40 project boat

Nice catch...good work with the photo animation, too.

Thanks. I have an engineering background and by nature will do projects on paper before I start tearing things apart. Even my garden! LOL

-BWR

 

[BWR1953]

Re: My $40 project boat

Well, I dunno fellas.

I just went out and thumped the aft port underside of the boat and it's definitely loose from the stern to about 1/2 way up the bottom of the boat moving forward. Stuck my camera under the access hatch and it's clear that the portside stringer is delaminated. Looks like some redneck tried to "fix" it with bondo or something. Yuk.

That means that in order to do it right... I have to tear open the cockpit sole and rip the guts outta the boat. Not what I really wanted to do. I have no experience in such things. I'd hoped to get it on the water sooner. Doggone it anyway.

The starboard side seems tight.

-BWR

 

[BWR1953]

Re: My $40 project boat

Okay, I went back out with my rubber mallet and started thumping all under the hull. On the port quarter I heard something fall down into the bilge.

Arrrrggghhh! LOL

Okay, so as I see it right now, I need to completely disassemble the boat and get down to the interior of the hull so that I can replace the stringers.

The top cap (don't know the correct term) looks relatively simple to remove. Just unscrew everything and pull it off. The liner also looks to be the same, except up in the front at the anchor locker. That looks to be glassed together. Bummer.

Dunno... maybe I should start on the small boat first... use it as a training experience. LOL

-BWR

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: My $40 project boat

In post 15, I dont know what I am looking at. What is that in the pictures? Is it a stringer? It looks like something below the deck but its hard to tell what it is. I see there is a big crack there that should not be there. If its the stringer and thats a bunch of bondo that someone tried to repair it with then it will have to be grinded off and done right. That is if the wood under there is good and not rotten. If when you grind all that junk off and see that the wood is ok, then you will have to glass over it. It seems to me like you are lucky and the wood is going to be ok. So if thats the case, I would do the repair right so you dont have to mess with it again.

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: My $40 project boat

Ok we were posting at the same time. If you have to replace the stringers thats going to be a big job. There are plenty of us that have done it before and can help you. I think its worth it for the boat that you have there. Its up to you though. I would start slow and not have too manny projects going on at one time. If you just finish one thing at a time it goes so much smoother and you are now mentally tired from keeping all the stuff in your head. I like that boat and i think you should do it. Seperating the cap sometimes is a little more difficult than you think. It might be easy but all the ones that i have done I always ran into a hitch along the way. Just something to keep in mind. Good luck!!!

 

[BWR1953]

Re: My $40 project boat

Thanks Drew.

Yes, I want to keep the big boat and will have to do the stringer repairs correctly in order to feel secure on the water. Doing so will obviously take a lot more time than I'd hoped. The boat is just too nice looking to give up so early in the game.

Since the big boat project is going to be so involved, I have some issues to address and some decisions to make. I suppose I should start another thread about that.

-BWR

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: My $40 project boat

i don't like excess water in my boat, a splash well is basically a box inside the transom, higher than the transom, to catch water, and drain it back outside thru a hole/s thru the transom.