88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

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vincechig1975

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I bought this thing for family days and well found a soft spot in the right rear of it by the motor and when I lifted the carpeting, I found rot, not
only there but in the rest of the boat as well. I am hoping that possibly some of you folks can give me some sound advise and after seeing the vids of deck and boat rebuilding on youtube that maybe we can put our heads together and get this project off the ground and moving rather fast as the new boating season will be here and I would like to have this thing back out on the water by this coming season. Please email me and send me info and advise where possible. I am preparing to remove the engine this weekend. I removed the outdrive yesterday, but the rest of it may take a weekend, time wise to do, and doing this by myself, disassembly and assembly so I am taking pics as I go so I have reference points and points of interest to look at, and have recorded progress of where I am at for yas. If there are any techniques for strengthening of the hull and
redesigning I am interested as well. HPIM1881.jpgHPIM1885.jpgHPIM1886.jpgHPIM1891.jpgHPIM1899.jpg
 

oops!

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Re: 88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

welcome to iboats...

let me say that you are not the first person to buy a bot and find rot.

there are many many deck replacement threads on this forum.....that is why we call the restoration section the dry dock.

lets see some overall shots of the boat.....and as far as re designing, what do you want in a boat dictates the type of the re design.

again.....welcome aboard

cheers
oops
 

vincechig1975

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Re: 88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

Thanks for the welcome aboard, and maybe in the next day I should be able to get some more photos loaded for yas to see. I had to get the thing winterized really quick as we are expecting quite a bit of snow here, and covered her up plus I drained the tank, and ran the blower for a few hours to remove any fumes and then put in a small heater I purchased that is for marine use only, low wattage but yet enough to keep the rest of it well above freezing inside the hull, I also put a large heating blanket on the underside of the hull as heat rises it would aid in the prevention of the water logged foam and wood from freezing and cracking the hull, then I wrapped it in plastic. Total time about 9 hours of work and I saw the snow flakes falling and thank God I was finished and had everything hooked up, and functioning the way I want it to. So maybe I will have to just wait til early spring to start workin on this as the holidays are coming and the family comes before my project. I will however take more photos of my work as I go and keep up the good work on the extention as that is amazing.
 

sqbtr

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Re: 88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

Yas, I thought you all said younz:D Welcome and good luck
 

vincechig1975

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Re: 88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

My wife, all mighty 5'2" of her , wants me to turn this into an open bow, hmmmmmm, any ideas on where to begin......?
 

Bondo

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Re: 88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

My wife, all mighty 5'2" of her , wants me to turn this into an open bow, hmmmmmm, any ideas on where to begin......?

Ayuh,.... Patch up this barge, 'n SELL it come spring....

Then go buy yerselves a Bow Rider, with anything But a 470 motor, or OMC Stringer drive....

Yer staring into a Bottomless Moneypit....
 

zopperman

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Jun 22, 2011
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Re: 88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

My wife, all mighty 5'2" of her , wants me to turn this into an open bow, hmmmmmm, any ideas on where to begin......?

:eek:

I'm with bondo... Buy a bowrider... but i'd get an outboard ;)

chances are, you have some stringer and transom rot too...
 

ezmobee

Supreme Mariner
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23,767
Re: 88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

Unfortunately I agree with the last two. This boat is not a particularly worthwhile project.
 

vincechig1975

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Re: 88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

Are there any issues associated with the 470 engine? If so let me know ok. We thought we were making a good purchase until I found the soft spot, however I don't mind doing a rebuild, I just want to make darn sure I do it right the first time. I also might have convinced my wife to just go with what we have now. She says it has potential.... guess that means it's ok to go with what we have and make it a rebuild. Thanks for the advise.
 

zopperman

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Re: 88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

Well, doing a deck/transom/stringers job would be a heck of a lot easier than doing an open bow conversion.
 

vincechig1975

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88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

new photos....
 

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vincechig1975

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Re: 88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

I followed that link, I had no clue there could be such problems with these things, would another engine work in it's place?
 

vincechig1975

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Re: 88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

I have spoken with the wife about it and she want to keep it, so if another engine can be installed in it's place then great lead me to it, lol
 

Bondo

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Re: 88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

I have spoken with the wife about it and she want to keep it, so if another engine can be installed in it's place then great lead me to it, lol

Ayuh,.... The amount of money needed to replace that motor, with, say a 4.3l V6 Chevy,....

Would buy you a runnin' bowrider with a 4.3l V6 Chevy/ Alpha drive....

Please refer to my previous post, 'n review it,...
Do ya wanta Go Boatin',..??
or learn to be a boat mechanic/ hull tech in yer free time,..??
 

ezmobee

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Re: 88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

Money pit.
 

vincechig1975

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Re: 88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

Well, to be honest I am not really sure, I will have to talk to my wife and see if she would go for it, buying another boat that is. ai do have a question though, this one has a alpha one gen II drive on it already would a 4.3 work in it's place? I am assuming I would have to change the mounting to accommodate the new engine but what about the differences in weight and how would that affect the performance of the craft. I am up for all suggestions and open to all comments. So please "i am all ears".
 

vincechig1975

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Re: 88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

I am beginning to agree but I am open to suggestion.
 

Bondo

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Re: 88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

ai do have a question though, this one has a alpha one gen II drive on it already
Ayuh,... Got a picture,....

I'd sooner think it's an Alpha 1, as the swap in Really involved,...
More so than the motor...
 

vincechig1975

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Re: 88 Cobia Cuddy 3.7 liter, BOAT DECK TOTAL REPLACEMENT

it is an alpha 1 gen2 , removing engine tomorrow morning then beginning the rest of the inspections and start of the cutting out and cleaning process. I would like to find a 4.3 to put in the 3.7l's place and see what results I would get from that engine. The chevy's seem to be and easier rebuild and the parts seem to be a bit more readily available locally than not .
 
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