We have been outgrowing my 15' starcraft for some time now and last year I saw a 16' slickcraft trihull sitting for sale on the way home. I stopped and checked it out and the boat and trailer looked to be in good shape. The price was $300 and there wasnt a motor. I thought it was a good deal and it would give my family more room to fish. I paid the guy and backed my truck up to the tonge as he lowered the trailer on the ball and I drove away. When I got home I tried to lift the tounge and couldnt. I used the wheel jack and then tried to push the tounge over toward the side of the driveway and it totally racked the wheel jack. Something was definately wrong. I tried again and couldnt budge the tounge off the ground.
So after a closer inspection I found that the drain hole in the transom is about 6 inches above the bottom of the boat. I figured then that there must be alot of water in the bottom of the boat. I pulled up the carpet and found plywood held down with drywall screws. I removed that and found a rotted deck. I removed that and found water saturated flotation foam. I removed that and found somewhat rotted stringers and also a rotting transom. I took the top off the boat so I can continue cutting out the rest of the deck and to access the transom. Then winter came so I made an aframe over the boat and tarped it for the winter.
Now I am returning to this project because it really is tight fishing more than 2 people in my old boat. I dont have a great deal of money to spend on this but I dont want to do a crappy job on it either. I have been reading on and off from this site since I first got the boat and was hoping for some advice.
I am almost to the point now to take out the old stringers and transom. I havent been able to find any marine plywood locally. Should I use 1/2" pressure treated plywood for the stringers and transom? I also read on here that I should bed the new stringers in peanut butter. What is peanut butter? Can I get by with polyester resin? I dont know if I can afford the epoxy.
Another dilema I am having is weather to use foam or not. To me it seems when faom is poured in there isnt anywhere for the water to run to the drain hole. On the other hand the bottom of the hull seems a little flimsy and maybe it needs to be that way for support. Could I just add some extra stringers or crossmembers to sure it up. I just dont want to end up with a boat full of waterlogged foam again. I'm definately moving that drain closer to the bottom of the boat.
I appreciate any tips,advice and input. Thanks!!
So after a closer inspection I found that the drain hole in the transom is about 6 inches above the bottom of the boat. I figured then that there must be alot of water in the bottom of the boat. I pulled up the carpet and found plywood held down with drywall screws. I removed that and found a rotted deck. I removed that and found water saturated flotation foam. I removed that and found somewhat rotted stringers and also a rotting transom. I took the top off the boat so I can continue cutting out the rest of the deck and to access the transom. Then winter came so I made an aframe over the boat and tarped it for the winter.
Now I am returning to this project because it really is tight fishing more than 2 people in my old boat. I dont have a great deal of money to spend on this but I dont want to do a crappy job on it either. I have been reading on and off from this site since I first got the boat and was hoping for some advice.
I am almost to the point now to take out the old stringers and transom. I havent been able to find any marine plywood locally. Should I use 1/2" pressure treated plywood for the stringers and transom? I also read on here that I should bed the new stringers in peanut butter. What is peanut butter? Can I get by with polyester resin? I dont know if I can afford the epoxy.
Another dilema I am having is weather to use foam or not. To me it seems when faom is poured in there isnt anywhere for the water to run to the drain hole. On the other hand the bottom of the hull seems a little flimsy and maybe it needs to be that way for support. Could I just add some extra stringers or crossmembers to sure it up. I just dont want to end up with a boat full of waterlogged foam again. I'm definately moving that drain closer to the bottom of the boat.
I appreciate any tips,advice and input. Thanks!!
