Repairing (not restoring) the 14' Superglas

[brainula]

Well, it's the same story you've seen a hundred times. The rotten 1964 runabout for sale with a working 1964 EV 40 Big Twin and a serviceable trailer, all for $300. The buyer sets off on a new rehab adventure and the seller is happy to finally be able to look out the window and not see the eyesore in their yard.

 

[brainula]

Re: Repairing (not restoring) the 14' Superglas

I knew it had some ice in it (you know, Wisconsin and all) but because the sellers were helpful in attaching this iceburg to my vehicle, it wasn't until I got home that I realized it was too heavy for me to get off the trailer hitch. After levering it off with a 4 x 4 post I was already having second thoughts. Looking back I estimate the tongue weight was probably about 500 lbs. NOT GOOD.

 

[brainula]

Re: Repairing (not restoring) the 14' Superglas

The first thing I did was (since I couldn't do anything outdoors) remove the broken windshield and devised a plan to get it back in service. Notice that I didn't say "fix". Since the crack, or rather split was conveniently straight down the middle I simply put an aluminum channel across the top to get it back in alignment and covered the crack with a strip of aluminum front and back.View attachment 187567

 

[brainula]

Re: Repairing (not restoring) the 14' Superglas





Anytime there was a break in the weather I started picking apart the floor to see what I was up against.
The original floor had been replaced with a sheet of plywood. For some reason (good for demolition) the tabbing and glass skin across this floor just peeled off with simple hand tools and bare hands. I figure either 1. because it was submerged under water and ice for 2 years, 2. The plywood and/or the hull weren't prepared to take the resin properly or 3. The resin itself was cheapo and didn't bond well to the original hull or the plywood.

 

[brainula]

Re: Repairing (not restoring) the 14' Superglas

The transom was also so soft it came apart without breaking out the power tools. Looking back I was lucky that it was so cold when I brought this boat home with a 200lb outboard hanging off the back. I think the only thing giving the transom any strength was the ice.

 

[GWPSR]

Re: Repairing (not restoring) the 14' Superglas

It's amazing how many of us can be "in the same boat" metaphorically speaking. You got a boat-shaped wheelbarrow full of mulch for $300, and a free trailer and motor. That's a decent deal all day.

The good news is, you now get to give your boat brand new bones, and make her as good, if not much better, than new.

And yes, thank goodness for the ice. It kept the water from sloshing out on the way home

 

[brainula]

Re: Repairing (not restoring) the 14' Superglas

SO now that I have made my way to the forward bulkhead (which appears to be in good shape) should I drill a couple of holes near the bottom or cut the triangular deck off of it to see how the bow foam is doing?
I hate to compromise the compartment if it is ok. Yes that is ice between the stringers.

 

[GWPSR]

Re: Repairing (not restoring) the 14' Superglas

At this point, you're probably better off waiting for temps to get high enough for a few days to ensure that anything frozen has thawed. You may see water leaking out of that area and answer your own question.

That said, it looks like every other piece of wood in that hull will end up being replaced, so you may want to wager whether that small area is likely to have escaped the same fate as the rest of the craft. There's plenty of work to do aft of that area though, so no rush on deciding that specific item either.

When you remove the forward end of the old stringer, you may get a better view of what lies ahead/above it.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Repairing (not restoring) the 14' Superglas

Call it whatever you want, your repairs are going to be the same as a restoration.:faint2:

Buying a boat cheap like this is the best way to buy an older fiberglass boat. The majority of your money will go to making the boat new again and you'll end up with a like new boat for a small fraction of the cost of a new one.

I'd go ahead and rip everything out and be done with it, the odds of something actually being good and seaworthy in the boat are very slim.