Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

[Joe_the_boatman]

Just picked up this boat yesterday (traded for a riding lawn mower I paid $25 for). It's my first boat! ... floor is rock solid fiberglass, the '85 60HP Mercury's been rebuilt, and it's on a galvanized trailer, so hopefully the hull's OK because everything else is.

I think (hope) someone painted white on the hull and this isn't some type of bigger problem with the fiberglass. Wife and I plan on repainting it (interior and exterior) white with a blue accent.

Can (should) this be painted over, or do we need to remove this layer? Sand it? Paint remover? There are a few areas that need fiberglass work, also.

 

[redfury]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

looks like the keel is in rough shape. I'd probably start stripping that down and seeing what is underneath that paint to figure out what is really wrong with it.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

All that nasty paint needs to be removed, start sanding scraping, pressure washing, whatever it takes to remove it.
If you don't, the new paint will look about the same as what's there now very soon.

 

[Joe_the_boatman]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

Yeah, that keel's the worst part on the whole boat. I planned on 'glassing over that (after it's sanded down and all). I have an air sander - looks like I'll get some use out of it.

Any ideas on how I can prop the boat on its side? I'm thinking a few 2X4's (vertical) between the trailer and hull would be pretty flimsy. Maybe I'll have to fabricate something.....

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

take the motor off. side the boat off the trailer, then you can roll it up and prop it. you could also remove the windshield, and steering wheel. and with some help roll it completely over to work block is, to work the bottom. and sides.

 

[redfury]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

Which would be ideal if you can manage. I've split my boat into the two halves ( top and bottom ) and am wondering how I'm going to get the bottom upside down since the sides are now very flimsy without the cap on the boat. It's easier to lay glass when you have gravity working for you vs. against.

 

[Joe_the_boatman]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

I agree - getting the outboard off is the first hurdle (for me). It's just me and the wife here, and I'm guessing that motor is 250 lbs. Luckily, I don't have any holes to patch, just a lot of sanding and some reinforcement.

I would imagine seperating the top and bottom would be a lot more tricky, though.

 

[iwombat]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

About that engine. . . .

1) Make yourself an engine stand - preferably one with wheels. I use an automotive type made for big-blocks and attach a mini-transom to the stand's mounting brackets.

2) See if your motor has a lifting-ring built-in. Some do, some don't. You'll need to buy/borrow/or fabricate something like that.

3) Rent or borrow an engine hoist. Lift the motor, get the boat out of the way, and put the engine stand underneath. Lower the motor.


This can easily be a one-man operation with the proper devices.

 

[Joe_the_boatman]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

Yeah - didn't think of that; sounds like it'd definitely work. I think I'm going to try to repaint it 1/2 hull at a time by propping it somehow and leaving it on the trailer (and keep the engine on). I'd have to buy an engine stand and lift, since I don't have either right now.

 

[reload]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

Keep us posted on this. That hull looks pretty nasty to me but what do I know, I have never worked on fiberglassing anything. The way that sucker looks I would think it leaked like a sive.

 

[Joe_the_boatman]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

I plan on working on this all this week (and weekend). Sanding comes before the 'glass work though, so it all depends on how long that takes, plus I have to get it propped up, and buy materials.

Previous owner said he had it out a few times before he parked it and all was well, for what it's worth. The blue gel coat looks good everywhere - it's the lower white (paint?) that is in real bad shape. The keel's bad too though - it's actually showing cloth - that's about the only spot that needs repair. I'll take some progress pictures when I work on it.

On the upper half, I plan on sanding down (quickly) all the spider cracks and filling them before I repaint, as well as filling in a bunch of drilled holes. A previous owner must've liked to install switches for everything.

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

Looks like a bad Bondo job. Water intrusion maybe...???
You'll have to take it out/off. Chipping maybe faster then sanding for primary removal, if indeed that is bondo. Got an air chisel?
Have a safe rebuild, wear dust protection when sanding that stuff.

 

[Joe_the_boatman]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

First of all - this all appears cosmetic - no soft spots anywhere, and no holes that I can tell (of course, I haven't had it in the water yet, either). I DID get the engine running, and it ran pretty good, which makes me think the last owner had it out within the last few years.

There's a small amount of some type of filler - maybe about the size of 3 quarters (you know - $.25). All the cracking is the gelcoat. It's pretty thick, and very hard, which is why I think it's gelcoat and not paint (now). All the cracking is right at the waterline, as if this boat sat in water for years and that somehow caused all the cracking.

For grins, I decided to try to remove it. First the paint scraper. No good.

Next, I tried the air sander w/ 80 grit paper. No good (but it did smooth the spider cracks on the upper hull nicely - that comes later though).

Next came the air chisel. This did take off the chipped gelcoat, but took the inner (blue) layer with it. Very messy - I had all the chips sticking to my sweaty skin (it was 100 deg F here in Atlanta today) and in my hair. The first 2 pictures show the result after the air chisel and sanding - about 15 minutes worth. Now we're down to the fiberglass mat in this area.

It doesn't make sense to me to do this to the whole hull (removing the gelcoat), and it would take me weeks to finish, as well.


I've been doing a lot of reading - here and other places.

My plan:
Prop the boat on it's side, on the trailer, scrape the bottom, and keep an eye out for loose chips.
Acetone to remove any wax.
Use some fiberglass filler ("Duraglass" is one name) that won't absorb water and fill in the chips.
Sand smooth. Prime. Paint.

I'm either going to use Val-Spar hull paint (polyurethane - about $50/gal), Rustoleum Marine paint, or something from Sherwin-Williams (either their marine line or aircraft line). Just have to find the materials.

I have multiple paint guns, and a big compressor. I think I'm going to try the foam roller route first - use the guns if I have to.

As for the damaged keel, I'm thinking of using a Keel Guard once it's all painted.

I know this won't be "perfect" but remember, this was a free boat, and it's also serving as a learning project for me.


Any thoughts?

 

[Marcq]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

Don't do it, I have never seen a hull in that shape, scrap it, at least you have the trailer and motor, and you can find a cheap hull somewhere that will cost you a lot less then fixing that hull. Doing a new floor is a lot easier then redoing a complete hull

IMHO,

Marc..

 

[45Auto]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

You definitely don't want to take the gel coat off down to the glass then rebuild it. Way too much work for about any boat, much less a basically free one!

You might want to try renting an industrial belt sander with a 20 or 40 grit belt on it. Way more agressive than the air sander. Sand the bottom down to the gelcoat (switch to finer belts as you get close) then stop. Re-glass all the exposed cloth to reseal it, then apply some decent paint as you said. Assuming everything else works, that ought to get you started into some decent boating and you can fix everything else as you go.

Good Luck!

 

[barts5oh]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

Please excuse me for being a little too forward and blunt. Do yourself a favor and junk the boat. The engine alone is worth saving as is the trailer too. Here in Long Island, NY, our local town dump(s) have boats in far better condition sitting in them awaiting their doom in the landfill. You can get a boat locally that needs a motor with far less work needed and you will be on the water rather than getting discouraged with all the work needed on your boat. Your's is a tri-hull, really only good for a lake or river. The boat looks to be about 15', if it is, the motor may be too much power (and weight) for it. Years ago I bought a 16' Glaspar, it took more time to rebuild it than I actually used it.

 

[WaterWitch2]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

What condition is the rest of the boat in?

 

[Joe_the_boatman]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

Everyone - thanks for your input. This being my first boat... it helps to hear from others with more experience and from different perspectives.

As for the condition of the rest of it, it's pretty good! The floor is solid and has the factory fiberglass on it (no "ski locker" or any other way for water to get beneath the floor... of course, no way for it to get out either though...), the transom's solid, the seats were junk (and will be replaced if I keep it). What else is there? Good controls (newer), and I plan on replacing all the wiring. Windshield's in good shape.

I had big hopes for this thing - didn't think the bottom side would be an issue, and thought all it needed was a paint job.

I'm not above scrapping it though - the objective is to get on the water w/ the least amount of money, not restore some family heirloom. Problem is, I've looked around for the past couple years and doubt I could get another hull super cheap (or free), and in better condition than this one.

Total spent on this project, to date, is about $19 (new fuel hoses and 2 solenoids).

 

[Joe_the_boatman]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

The boat looks to be about 15', if it is, the motor may be too much power (and weight) for it.

60 hp is too much? I would think that'd be about right for the size - maybe push it around 30-35mph?

I believe it is a 15-16' (guess I'll have to measure it sometime).

 

[WaterWitch2]

Re: Take a look at my hull (pictures) - what needs to be done here?

I would rather do fiberglass repair anyday over deck and transom repair myself.