Newby to rebuilding boats.

Hey guys, I've been reading quite a few posts for about a year now and was wondering if anyone has remodeled/rebuilt a 1975 Cobalt 17ft Tri-hull boat with the 165hp i/o Mercruiser motor?
I got the boat from an uncle and had used the boat about a dozen times in the last couple of years. It does about 38-39 mph on the GPS with 6 adults in the boat. Is that normal. It has a 19 pitch 3-bladed aluminum prop.
Just tore into it to replace the rotted out deck and was confused by the lack of wood stringers and no flotation foam. The boat looks original under the deck and actually is in pretty good shape for being almost as old as myself.
I'm just looking for someone with a ton more experience than me to tell me everything will be alright and just keep going. Thanks.

Re: Newby to rebuilding boats.

welcome to iboats. pictures would help. i have 2 tons of experience.

you can up load to a free service like photobucket.com then you choose the pictures you want( clik the little box at the bottom left of the picture) scrool to the bottom of the page, clik generate html, it will take you to the next page, scroll down to thumb nails clik on that and copy, then insert it into your post.

also if you are planing on posting pictures, you can use the Blue post reply or the go advanced, manage attachments, there you can upload , directly from your computer. besure you pictures have been resized to fit the format.

Re: Newby to rebuilding boats.

yup welcome......

post away. were waiting......

Re: Newby to rebuilding boats.

with the 165hp i/o Mercruiser motor?

Click to expand...

Ayuh,...... I Hope that's the I-6, 165hp,+ Not the I-4, 165hp motor....

Re: Newby to rebuilding boats.

Thanks guys. Bond-o it is the I-6 165hp motor. Seems to require very little upkeep, just the normal maintaining. Has worked just fine for pulling the kids on tubes and the wife on a knee board.
Pictures are on the way.
Thanks again.