NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

[Mark42]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

Nice boat. I appreciate that you have no budget, and I've been trying to determine how strong the boat is.

So it has some rot of the stringers, but not too bad. But the deck (floor) is not attached to the hull, so that is removing a big part of the hull strength.

I was a little conserned about the use of a staple gun, because it could be making holes right throught the hull if accidentally applied to the fiberglass.

If you can, at least apply a 6" wide tape of glass and resin along the parimeter of the plywood attaching it to the hull. If you can glass in the bulkheads, all the better.

Just don't load the boat to its limit, and don't go jumping wakes.

 

[chillin014]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

thank you. I'll try not to jump wakes, I havent been out on this boat since I was probably 13 years old (or any boat for that matter) so I cant even remember how it performed. I'm not a "boater" I just want to take it out for a few hours every once in awhile and cruise, pull someone on a tube etc.
I screwed those braces (under the deck) to the stringers and then to each other. Then I screwed the replacement panel down into that..
the staple gun was only used in select places, I was careful about it. That thing is pretty weak anyway.
I'll be the experiment here...we'll see how my redneck repaired boat holds up, yeah?

 

[NoKlu]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

The problem with patch jobs on a Boat is the false sense of security you can get. If nothing happens the first couple times you're out,in your mind you'll start thinking,No problem,it's good. Next time a little braver and so on. One day you'll be out with a boat load of friends on a nice day not thinking about the patch and wham, it all goes bad. People could DIE. Would you be out cruising the freeways in your car knowing it has a broken frame? Not likely. That's exactly what you are doing with your Boat.

 

[chillin014]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

"wham, it all goes bad" = ??

 

[jcsercsa]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

"wham, it all goes bad" = ??

Yep and you and everyone else could be swimming If not worse !!

 

[chillin014]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

Yep and you and everyone else could be swimming If not worse !!

and what would cause that to happen?

 

[danm2a2]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

Your boat could break in half while underway if you hit a small wave, wake etc. Think skateboarding and hitting a rock with your wheels. Yeah it could be bad, maybe, maybe not. These guys are trying to help you, not preach to you. My boat isn't done yet and I have virtually no budget but work on it when I can, so I feel your pain.

 

[jcsercsa]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

MAn chillin014, I guess you havnt been boating much !! when even another boat passes you, you get his wake !! and if its a good size boat , well you get the picture !! You smack the water !! and there are times it will allmost knock your fillings out !! It can really get ruff out there !! and with the patch job you just did , Its not going to be safe !! yes you might get away with it for awhile but some day it is going to Bite you in your ,,, I take my kids out there my wife , my friends , If some thing ever happened to any of them because of some thing i did like that , I wouldnt be able to live with my self !! And now if you were to have say my daught out there and some thing like that happened !!!!!!!!!!! I would come looking for you !!

Its not that were are trying to be mean , it that we want you to be safe !! boating is a great fun !! but very dangerous out there and we want you and every one else to come back safe !! I can under stand you dont have the money to put in to this right now , but the way you did it isnt safe , useing screws in there , do you know how easy screws snap ??? and with the pressure the hull is going to put on there they will !!

Ok man just try to take it easy out there and dont get to far from shore !! John

 

[NoKlu]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

The Stringers are the frame of the boat. They spread the shock of the waves hitting the hull across the whole hull. The transom your outboard is attached to is also part of the frame[Stringers]. The motor pushes on the transom and stringers. When you hit a wave the bow wants to go in the opposite direction and because you have removed the entire midsection of the frame it could quite easily tear your hull apart. Because you used screws there is no strength in the repair you made. It needs to be fiberglassed in to give it the strength and waterproofing you need.

 

[chillin014]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

I didnt remove anything except the deck which was already rotten. When I take the boat out what characteristics will it have that suggest a weak frame?

 

[redfury]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

I didnt remove anything except the deck which was already rotten. When I take the boat out what characteristics will it have that suggest a weak frame?

Lots of creaking, and you'll feel the boat seats move when you go over waves as the hull flexes.

As long as you are aware that you did a temporary fix on the boat and you drive it exclusively, you'll make it for a season or 2 just fine. Just make sure that you keep an eye on it. If your car used oil, you can still drive it, you just have to keep an eye on the oil level.

 

[J JACKSON]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

think of it like a unibody car by not glassing in the floor you have compromised the strength of the frame not to mention the possible stringer problems

 

[chillin014]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

Lots of creaking, and you'll feel the boat seats move when you go over waves as the hull flexes.

As long as you are aware that you did a temporary fix on the boat and you drive it exclusively, you'll make it for a season or 2 just fine. Just make sure that you keep an eye on it. If your car used oil, you can still drive it, you just have to keep an eye on the oil level.

thank you. THIS is the rational outlook I was looking for. Perfect analogy as well. Automobiles are my passion and I know for a fact some people get by perfectly fine on some really sketchy set-ups.

I'll keep yall updated. I plan to take it out in 2 weeks.
thanks everyone.

 

[redfury]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

thank you. THIS is the rational outlook I was looking for. Perfect analogy as well. Automobiles are my passion and I know for a fact some people get by perfectly fine on some really sketchy set-ups.

I'll keep yall updated. I plan to take it out in 2 weeks.
thanks everyone.

Meh, all I did was tell you what you wanted to hear

Realistically, the other guys are right, and we all look out for each others safety.

Also, IMHO, there is no such thing as a temporary fix. Rarely do people "patch it up and I'll fix it right when I get the time", because that time never comes. The only temporary fix is the one that just barely gets you home and has to be addressed immediately ( like putting oil in a car that just blew it all out the front seal, just so it would have some oil in it so you could drive it the last couple of miles home ).

So, I do not advocate temporary fixes, nor do I allow myself to fall into that trap anymore.

That being said, you seem to at least conscious enough of what is going on with the boat to not just "rip it and grip it" when you get it out on the water. You have to promise yourself that you won't take any chances, because the moment you get to over exuberant is when the hull cracks open and you sink your boat. Wear your PDF's on that boat, no exceptions. That is the piece of advice I'd prefer that you listen to if you don't listen to anything else suggested in this thread.

I'm sure you'll be fine on the boat, but none of us are going to sign off on it as is. Hopefully we won't be reading further into this thread how the hull developed major stress damage as a result of this. Tis a nice boat as it sits....I'd rather have that to fix up than what I'm knee deep into! Don't wreck another mans dream!

 

[chillin014]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

Meh, all I did was tell you what you wanted to hear

hahaha thats true. I'm careful, and conscientious. I dont see myself getting wreckless or anything like that. This boat being free was a blessing, but the second it became my primary project it became a burden. I just want to get on a lake with a friend, or two, or three and cruise around, have a good time. As it is, I'm already risking that its been a wasted effort because I'm not sure how much I'll enjoy it.
Its fun to restore things, that is something I'm passionate about. But the boat represents something purely leisure to me. Kind of like how someone can drive a car and they say its simply their mode of transportation, and automobiles will never be that for me. So I get where some of you gurus are coming from, but I cant share that CARE for the boat.

It will be on my mind though while I'm out there..(unfortunately).

 

[redfury]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

Well, we've planted the seeds in the back of your head. I think that was the main goal.

 

[redone4x4]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

okay, i just read this whole thing start to finish...its been 2 weeks, did you take it out yet?

 

[chillin014]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

hey, thanks for asking. Yes I took the boat out a few weeks ago and everything went pretty good actually! I was mostly worried about the motor since I rebuilt the lower-end and struggled with it but it gave me no problems what-so-ever. The boat felt kind of sluggish which I think is primarily due to the worn prop which I am working on replacing. I'm told not to expect much more than 30 mph out of it but I think the best part is just chilling on the lake anyway to be honest.
I pushed the boat a little bit to see if anything felt unstable and I didnt have any problems. Actually, the boat didnt feel like it had enough power to pose any problems really. based on my limited experience.
I also noticed that quite a bit of water managed to get in below deck which I wasnt too comfortable with but had been meaning to ask about on here. I could see it coming all the way up to the front which is where I left open a sort of ghetto-hatch to view what was goin on down there (temporary). I guess there are a few pin holes somewhere?

 

[proshadetree]

Re: NO Budget Newbie replacing deck...some of it. (pics)

With the boat on a trailer water hose the hole you left open and see where they are then marine tex them up hope I spelled that right.