might buy a boat

I'm looking at a 20' 1998 Neptune SunBird. Typical white plastic/fiberglass looking hull.

It has some scratches mostly along the deck area where it may have scraped branches or dock things. I guess its regular ware and tear. Some I would consider as gouges. How can I repair these or fill them?

How are cosmetic scratches fixed if there is such a thing as "cosmetic" when dealing below the water line? I haven't seen any but I haven't looked that hard yet.

How would a I check the hull skin for deterioration or cracks? What form would it take in a boat of this age? Just point me to a source or if you don't mind a few words on this matter. Is there a powder to rub over the surface that might reveal them or is that unneeded?

Re: might buy a boat

I'd be more concerned with the mechanical condition first - then worry about the cosmetics. However , this stuff is pretty much all you'll need to repair any gouges, nicks, etc. on your hull - above and below the waterline: http://www.marinetex.com/
You can go here http://www.spectrumcolor.com/default_main.asp to patch you existing gel coat. But they will send you the color as it was manufactured. The "fade factor" will not come with it. There are several companies that sell gel coat repair kits ( do a Google search ) that will allow you to match it yourself, i.e. add colorant, etc to match what you have. It is not a five minute fix.

Re: might buy a boat

gcboat said:

I'd be more concerned with the mechanical condition first - then worry about the cosmetics. However , this stuff is pretty much all you'll need to repair any gouges, nicks, etc. on your hull - above and below the waterline: http://www.marinetex.com/
You can go here http://www.spectrumcolor.com/default_main.asp to patch you existing gel coat. But they will send you the color as it was manufactured. The "fade factor" will not come with it. There are several companies that sell gel coat repair kits ( do a Google search ) that will allow you to match it yourself, i.e. add colorant, etc to match what you have. It is not a five minute fix.

Click to expand...

Thanx for the help. It was very helpful and good points.

I am concerned with the mechanical stuff but not sure what order of priority to make of a list if I could make a list! I can't wait to get out on the water. But I've a lot of stuff to do to get myself ready in addition to the boat. I have a post over on the motor repair side of this forum. If you want to add to my questions there. I bought a compression tester to take over to it tomorrow and check that out. The motor is a 115hp and that seems plenty for this craft. I do like a bit of speed and power to ski if we wanted.

It is not a "cuddy" style like I would want but a Bimini split-windshield fishing style. Perhaps there are remodeling or alteration ideas I could look at somewhere if that is practical? I really don't have any idea.

Any idea how much basic insurance should be for something like this?

Re: might buy a boat

gcboat has it nailed with the Marine Tex. Every boater should have some in their garage whether you need it or not. A bit pricy but worth every penny.

On the insurance - best bet is to call the company that has your homeowners & get a quote. A tip - ask about getting a $1,000,000.00 liability umbrella for everything you have. I did and it allowed me to decrease the liability on my individual policies to the point that the umbrella didn't cost a dime. More coverage at less cost. Hmmmmm!