My son bought an Astro 2100CC, 21' center console with a 150 oil injected Mercury. This was in last April. Unfortunately after using it 4 times a trailer shackle broke and wiped out the trailer. Hull didn't apear to have any damage from the wreck. While in the shop he decided to have the shop check a rotted place at the very back of the deck. It wasn't but about 1' in diameter. As you all might have guessed the boat had not been maintained well and all the stringers and bulkheads were rotted out. Plywood with fiberglass covering. The rest of the deck seemed pretty solid except for where the center console was mounted.
I would love to restore the boat but not real sure whether I should tackle it. Looks like a big job and a couple of places where it is not real clear how to go ahead and replace the transom. The shop did some transom drilling and said it wasn't to bad and said he would wait on that. He also said he wasn't real sure how to get into it. Looks like there is no cap per se and would have to cut the fiverglass off it. The shop estimated $6800 for the deck and stringers with no ceiling depending on what else he found in front of the center console. Out of the question for my son to have done. I am the DIY guy so I would end up doing about 90% of any refube as I did on my 24' Landau pontoon boat I finished last September.
The boat is good looking, rides great, nice and deep for my 3 grandkids to safely ride in, and a good fishing platform. My son replaced the trailer with a new tandem axle Roadrunner (I beleive) made in the North Texas area. Has surge brakes and really nice looking. Of course he committed to that prior to finding out about the rot.
So what we have is a nice boat that is certainly a candidate for resoration, with what appears to be a good motor, trolling motor, and a brand new trailer that the manufacturer custom fit to the boat.
Three approaches I can see is restore it or part it out or find someone who would give a fair price for a restoration project. Does anyone have any WAGs on which approach would be best and prices. If we decide to get rid on it how would we go about it?
As I said before I am a dyed in the wool DIY with some experience with resins and fiberglass. I used to manufacture a woven fiberglass furniture that was super strong and long lasting. I still have some of my original pieces I made back in 1991 that has been outdoors since then and is in like new condition. While doing that in the early 90's I learned a lot from a friend of mine that owned a fiberglass boat repair place there on Toledo Bend Lake on the east side of Louisiana where we lived at the time. I also have a completely equiped wood working shop. My shop is 40'x40' so I can work indoors. No heat in winter but have large fans for the summer.
One factor I am considering is I just had an Aortic Valve replaced on 21 Jan., the day before my birthday that made me Three Quarter's of a Century old.
I am recovering very fast and plan on getting back to my shop within 6 weeks based on my surgeon's release. I had been working circles around my friends and son before the valve problem and they say that I will have a much better quality of life after healing. I believe it, I am already feeling much better after less than 2 weeks. I always do much better out working in the shop. The comments I am looking for is whether it is worth the effort and cost to do the restoration job. Just added the medical stuff for interest.
Thanks for any comments of the project viability and approach that you guys can help me with. I have attached 2 pictures, the Astro and my pontoon boat.
Jay
I would love to restore the boat but not real sure whether I should tackle it. Looks like a big job and a couple of places where it is not real clear how to go ahead and replace the transom. The shop did some transom drilling and said it wasn't to bad and said he would wait on that. He also said he wasn't real sure how to get into it. Looks like there is no cap per se and would have to cut the fiverglass off it. The shop estimated $6800 for the deck and stringers with no ceiling depending on what else he found in front of the center console. Out of the question for my son to have done. I am the DIY guy so I would end up doing about 90% of any refube as I did on my 24' Landau pontoon boat I finished last September.
The boat is good looking, rides great, nice and deep for my 3 grandkids to safely ride in, and a good fishing platform. My son replaced the trailer with a new tandem axle Roadrunner (I beleive) made in the North Texas area. Has surge brakes and really nice looking. Of course he committed to that prior to finding out about the rot.
So what we have is a nice boat that is certainly a candidate for resoration, with what appears to be a good motor, trolling motor, and a brand new trailer that the manufacturer custom fit to the boat.
Three approaches I can see is restore it or part it out or find someone who would give a fair price for a restoration project. Does anyone have any WAGs on which approach would be best and prices. If we decide to get rid on it how would we go about it?
As I said before I am a dyed in the wool DIY with some experience with resins and fiberglass. I used to manufacture a woven fiberglass furniture that was super strong and long lasting. I still have some of my original pieces I made back in 1991 that has been outdoors since then and is in like new condition. While doing that in the early 90's I learned a lot from a friend of mine that owned a fiberglass boat repair place there on Toledo Bend Lake on the east side of Louisiana where we lived at the time. I also have a completely equiped wood working shop. My shop is 40'x40' so I can work indoors. No heat in winter but have large fans for the summer.
One factor I am considering is I just had an Aortic Valve replaced on 21 Jan., the day before my birthday that made me Three Quarter's of a Century old.
I am recovering very fast and plan on getting back to my shop within 6 weeks based on my surgeon's release. I had been working circles around my friends and son before the valve problem and they say that I will have a much better quality of life after healing. I believe it, I am already feeling much better after less than 2 weeks. I always do much better out working in the shop. The comments I am looking for is whether it is worth the effort and cost to do the restoration job. Just added the medical stuff for interest. Thanks for any comments of the project viability and approach that you guys can help me with. I have attached 2 pictures, the Astro and my pontoon boat.
Jay
