Repower or throw in the towel?

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

So now you have $5,000 - $5,300 plus your time into a $3,500 boat, at best. Find a wet transom or stringer and the boat will not be worth the paper the title is written on.

he already DID find a wet transom

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

Kick it ot the curb. You like a boat that can take chop and good for coastal as well as lake, so get one made for coastal boating and enjoy it at both places. And move up to an outboard.

Only the lake boaters here say keep it--and not all of them.

And maybe you can keep the trailer and salvage part of the "investment." Sorry you already have $3500 in it; that makes it hard to walk away, and too bad these issues didn't appear earlier. from what I've learned here, it's the nature of that type boat--but not other types.

 

[Watermann]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

Ok, we've talked about her behind her back long enough... Show us some pics of the ole gal!!!

 

[sailor26]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

thats funny. I'll see what I have to post when I get home from the office later.

 

[geneseo1911]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

WOAH!

Speaking as a guy who JUST finished replacing the transom in a 1982 cobalt 19BR, I wouldn't be so hasty to trash it. Cobalt built these boats very well, as one would expect. My transom rotted because a PO screwed a transducer in and didn't seal it properly. Cobalt encapsulated every piece of wood separately, so a rotten transom does not necessarily mean bad floor and stringers. In fact, the main stringers end near the front of the engine bay. I just cut out the rearmost 2' of floor to do mine. I won't say it was fun, but it wasn't as bad as a full gut. I did it in 1 month, working every night and weekend, and spent a little under $1K, no expense spared.

You have to pull the engine anyway, so I'd pop it out and start drilling test holes. If the rot is confined to the transom, but the deck and stringers are ok, I'd re-do it. Oh wait, I did!

So with a new transom and engine, you'll have a new boat for 1/10 the price of an actual new one. Leaves lots of money for accessories. When I found my rot, I had some of the same thoughts, but I really love this hull, and I don't have the budget to buy a new-enough boat to be certain it isn't rotted. I've seen many boats on here less than 10 years old that are rotten. You almost have to buy brand new, or at least new enough to have wood free construction, to be confident you won't be right back here in a couple years. Look at what happened to Friscoboater....he should have known better and still bought the rotten Sea Ray.

My boat is 30 years old, and I know it is good to go for at least another 30. It's a good feeling.

 

[sailor26]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

You make some good points. I can't afford a new enough boat to avoid the possiblity of what I now have. Fixing this does at least give me a known. The transom thing sounds like a can of worms though. To do test holes I presume you use something like a forstner bit from the inside in several locations. Do you then use a moisture meter or simply a ice pick or something like that?
I agree, Cobalt makes a rugged boat.

 

[geneseo1911]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

I actually used a 2" holesaw. You have to be careful where you stick it and how deep you go, but it gives a nice core sample, and when you drill through the stringers, you have a nice access hole to assess the foam behind. Save the plugs and glue them back in later.

 

[geneseo1911]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

BTW, I just finished up my rebuild thread...I had been putting it off. Here's the link: http://forums.iboats.com/boat-restoration-building-hull-repair/1982-cobalt-19br-dry-dock-613216.html

Another thing...I'm assuming you have a v-8. If you have an inline engine, that might change my vote a bit. I was comparing my boat to what it would have cost me to buy a new or slightly used 19-20' BR with a 350. My boat MIGHT sell for what I have in it, but I'd have to find the right buyer who can appreciate the new transom and the absence of any leakage (all hypothetical of course, I plan to keep this one at least until the kids are grown and gone 20+ years). I also have a very nice original interior (which has a good layout) and good looking (albeit brown) exterior. Gelcoat and interior can be more expensive than glass and engine work if they aren't in good shape. You obviously have to consider the whole package as well as what you are willing to live with. I'm willing to live with a dated color and hull shape if it is in good condition.

 

[sailor26]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

You make good points. I don't think I want to get into the transom however. I did myself in breathing lacquer for 20 years in my wood shop. Your boat looks terrific. thanks for posting.

 

[sailor26]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

Yes, I have a 305. Ran terrific until I threw a rod or something. My interior needs to be replaced. The hull below the waterline isn't pretty but it doesn't seem to leak. I rewired it and put in all new gauges last summer.

Is the plywood core laminated between the outer and inner fiberglass? Is it necessary to do the whole thing or could it just be replaced to the good wood?

 

[geneseo1911]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

Yeah...if the interior is shot, that makes it harder. Of course, you could look at it as an opportunity to build back the interior you want.... If the interior is bad though, it's possible (likely?) the boat sat outside uncovered, which increases the odds of rotten deck and stringers exponentially. My boat was stored indoors all its life (I'm the fourth owner and I personally know the previous two) , so I don't know what effect the weather would have on one. Again, only exploratory surgery will tell for certain. And a 350 goes back in just as easy as a 305....

The plywood in my transom was very well adhered, but with the air hammer it came off pretty well. I don't know about replacing just the bad part. My thinking was that if I was going to the trouble to tear out 25%, 100% wasn't THAT much more work. I think some guys have done patch jobs, but they are a minority and have very localized damage. The trouble is the rot spores are present in the solid looking wood surrounding the obvious rot, and if you don't get them all, they can start the whole process again.

It's a lot of work and its not for everyone.

 

[Watermann]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

Many people have under took the transom replacement and or complete restorations on their old glasser and there are many threads here showing exactly how it's done. In my opinion many of the boats were way less worthy of a 2nd chance at life. Like old fugly tri-hulls that are gang green colored and their value fluctuate by how much fuel they have on board. End result is they have a boat they know every inch of and can reply on it to be safe and sound for decades to come.

 

[geneseo1911]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

Many people have under took the transom replacement and or complete restorations on their old glasser and there are many threads here showing exactly how it's done. In my opinion many of the boats were way less worthy of a 2nd chance at life. Like old fugly tri-hulls that are gang green colored and their value fluctuate by how much fuel they have on board. End result is they have a boat they know every inch of and can reply on it to be safe and sound for decades to come.

This sums up my feelings better than I could have put it. I can't really understand going to that time, expense, and pain to end up with a 4 cylinder Bayliner, (not picking on Bayliners, they've made some pretty boats, but their rep as a cheap brand hurts their value) that can't get on plane with an adult on a tube. A Cobalt with its almost overuse of teak, and v-8 power is still a cool and useable boat. SOMEBODY ought to rebuild that thing even if the OP decides it won't be him.

 

[sailor26]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?



Here are a couple pictures. The cushions were all chewed up by a squirrel when I bought it. I took all the bow cushions out and have new back boards ready to upholster (seen in 2nd picture). The console was done last summer when I rewired it. The carpet all cleaned up pretty good.

There have been some good points made about working thru all this and knowing what I have when it's done. I don't mind picking away at cosmetic stuff but not being able to use it because of mechanical issues is not any fun. I live in the mid coastal Maine area, we have some good boat workers here. I might be able to find someone qualified to do the transom for a reasonable price.

Kind of depressing though. I looked on CL and saw some pretty nice looking Cobalts for under 5k. all fresh water, beautiful upholstery, etc. I'll have over 5k in this if I just fix the motor.




QUOTE=geneseo1911;4348768]Yeah...if the interior is shot, that makes it harder. Of course, you could look at it as an opportunity to build back the interior you want.... If the interior is bad though, it's possible (likely?) the boat sat outside uncovered, which increases the odds of rotten deck and stringers exponentially. My boat was stored indoors all its life (I'm the fourth owner and I personally know the previous two) , so I don't know what effect the weather would have on one. Again, only exploratory surgery will tell for certain. And a 350 goes back in just as easy as a 305....

The plywood in my transom was very well adhered, but with the air hammer it came off pretty well. I don't know about replacing just the bad part. My thinking was that if I was going to the trouble to tear out 25%, 100% wasn't THAT much more work. I think some guys have done patch jobs, but they are a minority and have very localized damage. The trouble is the rot spores are present in the solid looking wood surrounding the obvious rot, and if you don't get them all, they can start the whole process again.

It's a lot of work and its not for everyone.[/QUOTE]

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

Adios to that boat. Chances are you'll be opening a can of worms with the transom.

There are few people that have the fiberglass and woodworking skills to take on a 140 hour, nasty, sticky job of redoing the rear end.

With EbayMotors.com, boats are often worth more being parted out than they are being sold on the junk market for peanuts. Just the outdrive can be worth $1k. Heads, starters, carbs and all the electrical parts are worth something to someone with proper marketing. Good used trailers are also worth $1K.

 

[Watermann]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

She doesn't look so bad, not even red headed!

It sounds like your leaning towards junking her out. Just remember those nice upholstered 5k boats will be on borrowed time as I'm sure most of them are 90's boats that are nearing 20 years old. That's the reason the owners are selling them, while they can.

If your wanting a different style, size or make of boat to use for some time and later on restore it, then I would make the jump too.

 

[greenbush future]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

What ever you decide to replace her with, should be well inspected because a 10 year old boat may be just as wet and just as rotted as yours may be. I would take samples of your transom by drilling with a 1/4 inch drill taped off to ensure you don't go through to the outer skin. You want good clean dry wood shavings. Then check your stringers and with all that information you can decide what is best. You don't really know what you have on your boat to repair except a bad block. Get the facts then decide.

Just remember newer means nothing!! there are a ton of abused boats that unsuspecting buyers need to steer clear of. Many of us here know we wont get our investment back, but we do know we have a safe boat to use as long as we want, because we did it right. It's not always just about the $$, no boat I know of appreciates, they all lose some value.

 

[matt167]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

You could buy a $500 truck with a 305 or 350, pull the motor, junk the truck, and come out almost free for an engine swap. Just swap your marine electronics, carb, manifolds ect... on and you have a boat to use while you look or decide to restore. It does look like a pretty nice boat.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

You could buy a $500 truck with a 305 or 350, pull the motor, junk the truck, and come out almost free for an engine swap. Just swap your marine electronics, carb, manifolds ect... on and you have a boat to use while you look or decide to restore. It does look like a pretty nice boat.

also swap the merc cam if it's usable, consider keeping the heads as they MAY be better and add stainless head gaskets and brass freeze plugs

 

[sailor26]

Re: Repower or throw in the towel?

It sounds like there are a lot of boats out there floating around with wet ply in the transoms. Just how dangerous is this? How wet is too wet? The outdrive bolts directly to the motor so no real strain on the transom from the drive providing the stringers are good?
I am no rush to make a decision. Trying to take all this in.