Advice on a Project Boat?

Question

I picked up this 17 foot early 60’s fiberglass boat from a local salvage yard as a project boat! After looking at it since I got it home I am wondering if I got myself in too much of a project!

http://www.vintageibm.net/boat

1st off as seen in the photo’s ”yard 1-3” the boat spent 6 years with the trailer tongue in the dirt. Bow facing down allowing all the water to collect and freeze inside the bow! In photo F1 all-around that area is frozen solid (You can tell by knocking on the hull). Also photo’s F1 F2 and F4 are “flaws” on the outside of the hull. What are those anything? Big problems? The spot in photo F1 appears to be soft to the touch soft fiber glass again hard to tell from the frozen water in there!

And on the inside of the boat photo F3 there is a pretty good sized hole in floor most likely from the boat spending time with the bow pointed down! Elsewhere the floor is there but soft in some places!

So I am asking everyone’s advice is this boat worth fixing?

Answer 1

looks like a good find to me. definitely a good amount of work to do on it. I have to tell you the boat looks like it has a lot of character.

I see why you would want to restore it. with the skills needed and some advise I think your going to have the coolest boat on the lake!

good luck. great find....

Answer 2

I always say, any boat is worth saving,, use fiberglass cloth and resin for repairs. Do most strengthening on the inside, try not to disturb the outside very much

Answer 3

If you are handy with working with fiberglass - then it looks like the majority of your repairs are quite do-able if you spend a lttle time to make it sea-worthy again (water-tight).

As you can see what the issues are - your choices are:

1) Get advice and experience from someone already well -versed in fiberglass repair.  It really isn't that difficult to do this type of repair provided you know what you are doing and have the materials readily available - from what I can see the damage is largely cosmetic and not all that structural.  I would go ahead and repair this myself if I were you - once you get some advice and materials.  It is not that difficult - just time consuming.  The satisfaction of a worthy repair done yourself is priceless...

2) Pay for someone to professionally repair your boat.  The difference will be you'll get a professional job done on it (but with a professional price).  

In the end it all comes down to your skill set and how much effort & money you want to put into it - Good Luck!

Answer 4

You've definitely got your hands full.If you do all the work your self and aren't in a big hurry I'd say it is worth fixing.You need to talk with someone that is experienced in working with fiberglass repair.A local body shop or marina perhaps.As far as the transom, from the pictures it looks solid.You can have someone help by raising up and down on the lower unit of the motor while you look to see if there is any movement in the transom.

Answer 5

doesn't look too bad, a ot of work but for a project it is okay, besides fiberglassing is cheap it is the labor that costs, get a book or two on how to and take your time and follow the dirctions you should be okay, anyone could fiberglass, just making if look perfect is the hard part, but you jusdt need it water tight so practice on this boat..good luck