1983 Venture Magnum 17ft Bass Boat Transon Repair and Resto by a total NOOB!

Hey all, long time lurker here. Finally decided to dive in and make an account and start posting. I guess a lil about myself....Im an avid boater and skier Ive already got a 2011 Tahoe 195 deckboat and a 2012 Kawasaki 300lx so I know a few things about boating but not alot about repair so hopefully you all can guide me through my journey. I picked up a 1983 Venture Magnum bass boat today that Im wanting to restore. It came with a 84 Mercury 115 outboard with a Lazer 2 prop. The bad thing.....A tree fell on the outboard last april and crushed the transom. The good..Floors are solid, fiberglass seems solid, and it was only 150 for the outboard, boat, and trailer all with titles. Tonight Im hoping I can get it all cleaned out and hopefully remove the rivets so I can get the top cap off. Well see how it goes tho. Here are some pics tell me what you think. Josh....

Re: 1983 Venture Magnum 17ft Bass Boat Transon Repair and Resto by a total NOOB!

Got a little done today wish I could have gotten further. Took me a while to get the cap off the hull since I'm doing it by myself. Also made a stand with wheels for the merc 115 outboard. I forgot to take a pic...Well I got everything cleaned out of the hull and have gotten to the point where I can start working on the transom but I have a few questions. As you can see in the pictures there are two box like structures in the back fill with foam. What do you think will be the easiest way of getting to the transom ? Should I cut the boxes out replace transom then rebuild and re-foam the boxes ? What are the purpose of the boxes ? They're not connected to the sides of the hull. It looks to be only on the transom board and floors, so I don't think they are there for structural integrity. Some advice will be much appreciated!! Thanks.

Re: 1983 Venture Magnum 17ft Bass Boat Transon Repair and Resto by a total NOOB!

Well I went ahead and removed the boxes with foam to get to the transom. Good thing I did because it was wet on the bottom. So i decided to go ahead and rip everything up stringers and all. So here I am. I was hoping to get everything ripped out today but only managed to get to the transom and one side of the floor up. Tough stuff and it takes some time removing it all. Maybe tomorrow Ill have everything up and can start mocking up the stringers, floor, and transom.

Re: 1983 Venture Magnum 17ft Bass Boat Transon Repair and Resto by a total NOOB!

Man you don't waste any time do ya. If you don't already know this, you should take some measurements at different locations along the length of the hull before you remove any flooring or you're gonna have one heck of a time getting your deck back on. By the looks of the transom area it might be too late cause most of it is gone. At the very least you should take some inside to inside measurements of your deck and jot them down somewhere. You also need to replace the foam blocks back there cause that helps keep the big motors from sinking your boat.

Re: 1983 Venture Magnum 17ft Bass Boat Transon Repair and Resto by a total NOOB!

Thanks GoatmanJohn I had a few days off there and I know I wasn't going to be able to do anything the next few weekends. Already had plans to go down to Barkley Lake. I actually measured everything I could before I took the top cap off just to make sure I knew where everything needed to be once it goes back on. Learned that from someone elses mistake on here.. Ive got all of the foam and decking out now and started sanding down the entire inside fiberglass. Also I want to add that talc powder helps insanely well!!!! I forgot about that my first day into sanding the sides.. Even with a tyvek suit and full respirtaor on it got everywhere. Lets just say it was a fun night. This weekend I will be working on the new transom and figuring out what I want to do about the stringers. Theyre rotted only about two feet up from the transom and from there on they all looked good when I did some exploratory hole drilling. Forgot to take pictures this evening but Ill have some posted in the next few days.

Re: 1983 Venture Magnum 17ft Bass Boat Transon Repair and Resto by a total NOOB!

Wow..... That boat would have needed all of this treatment even if it was never struck by a tree.

Once you get it together it will be a nice fishing boat.

Yes lots of photos and details.

Re: 1983 Venture Magnum 17ft Bass Boat Transon Repair and Resto by a total NOOB!

Full respirator is overkill with fiberglass. They're designed for chemical applications, not so much for particulates. However, the benefit would be that the glass/plastic and the rubber covers much more skin surface around your face and eyes. Tyvek is excellent for keeping particulate away from your body but I almost always add protection by taping (prefereably duct tape) the sleeves of my suit to the gloves, and I don't skimp on the tape. I repeat that process with the legs by taping to my boots. Not all Tyvek suits come with hoods, but mine always do , and I use that feature too. I've worn literally hundreds of Tyveks over 25 + yrs and I still like to rip out of them ala The Hulk. Of course, I've always had to wear them through these southern climates and around some pretty hot equipment, getting very, very, very soaked in sweat along the way (always interesting to see your feet after 12 hours of that kind of work, when you take your shoes and socks off).

Re: 1983 Venture Magnum 17ft Bass Boat Transon Repair and Resto by a total NOOB!

Thanks for the support Im glad to see some more people finally commenting on my thread haha...Bob_VT I agree with you I would have gone with something in a little bit better shape but for the money I couldn't pass it up. It was from a single owner that bought it new and used to keep a cover on it up until about five years ago. He said he put the cover on it last winter and put it up and that is when the tree fell on it. I actually have the cover too its in pretty darn good shape. Plus Ive always like the looks of these bassboats. JStrom I actually didnt mean a full resp like tank and all but a full mask repirator with 3m replacable cartidriges. I get them from work along with the tyvek suits. O yea I know exactly what you mean about your feet. I work in a manufacturing facility where heats in the summer can range anywhere from 150-350F and after a 12 hour day my feet are sloshed..As soon as I get my camera by me Ill get some new pics up here..

Re: 1983 Venture Magnum 17ft Bass Boat Transon Repair and Resto by a total NOOB!

Alright sorry its been a while since Ive posted but works been crazy and Ive only had a little time here and there to work on the ol gal. Ive got the transom cut out of two 3/4in arauca plywood. I made a cardboard template that I kept trimming down to size to get it to fit in the transom just perfect. Ive got a 1/4in gap on both sides. I wanted to keep it the same as the old transom. Once I got both pieces the size I wanted I then used PL Premium adhesive to seal the two together. I left them clamped for about three days to fully cure. I then sanded down the edges and sealed with several coats of resin and left to sit for several days. After it was no longer sticky to the touch I troweled PB on the transom and clamped everything down. Today I had a little time to get it off the trailer and to figure out a good way of flipping it over. Its actually a little heavier than I expected it to be, I'm guessing 600-800 pounds as it sits right now. I used my tractors boom pole and cherry picker to get it off the trailer. I have a feeling its going to be a little tricky to flip upside down. I'm thinking of building some supports for the top of the hull so it will not flex outwards and asking a few buddies over to help flip it tomorrow. Hopefully I can get it flipped tomorrow and start some work on the outside fiber glassing of the transom...

Re: 1983 Venture Magnum 17ft Bass Boat Transon Repair and Resto by a total NOOB!

Awesome! You probaly allready know this but, it is a good idea not to throw away all the stuff you have removed. The old stringers, keel wood and even some of the fiberglass parts you know that you will be replacing will prove to be invaluable later down the road especially if you have to sideline the project for some reason. It feels real good when you finally get to the point that you don't need them anymore and can finally dispose of them! even some samples of the flooring so that the thickness is not forgotten because it will need to be similiar again for all the parts to fit well.

Re: 1983 Venture Magnum 17ft Bass Boat Transon Repair and Resto by a total NOOB!

Thanks for the advice Spencer that would have been a great idea but I think I got ahead of myself and tossed everything I "thought" I wouldn't need. Its already coming back to haunt me. Anyways Ive made a little bit of progress since the last time Ive posted...Finally got it flipped over and started to fiberglass the outer transom/ hull in. All together there are 10 layers of CSM and fiberglass matte. I slowly layer by layer feathered the edges out so it blended into the existing hull.

All together just laying the fiberglass and sanding everything smooth it took me a total of two weeks consisting of a couple hours every night. Im sure it wouldnt have taken me so long if I wasn't somewhat of a perfectionist. Im not all the way pleased with the finish but itll do..

After all the fun was finished I started on filling all the nics and scratches over the hull. I used cabosil and resin, which worked out great. Nothing too serious on the hull just some deep scratches that looks to have come from beaching several times. Heres some pics after the scratches and nics were fill and the hull was smoothed out with 200 gritt paper.Which took forever haha...




I used Majic brand Primer from tractor supply since Im hoping to use most of my budget on carpet and possibly some new seats. I put down four coats of primer and wet sanding with a scotch brite pad in between coats. Once it cured for 48hours I then sanded with 600 gritt paper to knock down any high spots.

Re: 1983 Venture Magnum 17ft Bass Boat Transon Repair and Resto by a total NOOB!

After several days of sanding and priming I thought that there would never come a time when I would actually be painting. It finally came tho... DUN DUN DUNNNNN... For paint I also went with Majics brand from tractor supply. I went white because Im going to print out vinyl side wraps with a theme, haven't thought of the theme tho...Anyways here it is with a couple coats of white down...

After it was all said and done I put on six coats of white due to bugs loving to fly into the freshly laid paint haha..Wet sanding in between with 2000 gritt and finally putting on two coats of majics clear once it cured for a couple days in the sun...



I let it sit for four days before I attempted to flip it.. I didnt want any scratches on my fresh paint and clear..Luckily with my tractor and a cherry picker it wasn't that bad flipping it back over. Here is where shes sitting now.The paint job cost me around 250 thats including having to buy a HVLP paint gun and also a primer gun. So Im pretty happy with the outcome.






Well Im onto the floors now so hopefully I can get the cap back on before it gets too cold. Tell me what you think tho!!!!

Re: 1983 Venture Magnum 17ft Bass Boat Transon Repair and Resto by a total NOOB!

It looks awesome! I'm preparing to do the same thing myself in a couple months to an old Ranger I picked up. I'm thinking of painting the same way, glad to see how well yours turned out and can only hope mine looks as nice. Keep up the good work.

Re: 1983 Venture Magnum 17ft Bass Boat Transom Repair and Resto by a total NOOB!

Re: 1983 Venture Magnum 17ft Bass Boat Transom Repair and Resto by a total NOOB!

Thanks bdbuster, hopefully you can learn a few things from my thread and won't have to make the mistakes I've made. Youre definitely in the right place for some help tho, Ive learned a lot just from reading every ones threads.Any who made a little more progress tonight started cutting out the rear decking and flotation boxes.I tried to make them as close to original as I could. It probably would have helped if I had saved all the pieces when I tore them out, but lesson learned. I didn't have enough wood for the front decking but hopefully Ill be able to make it by lowes tomorrow after work.

Re: 1983 Venture Magnum 17ft Bass Boat Transom Repair and Resto by a total NOOB!

Re: 1983 Venture Magnum 17ft Bass Boat Transom Repair and Resto by a total NOOB!

Its been a great weekend finally got the floor completely coated in three coats of resin and tabbed in place. I used 1708 around the edges then a layer of CSM then another layer of 1708 then two layers of CSM.. WOW I used way too much resin this weekend. But Its a great feeling to finally put the cap back on. Now the fun will begin on the stern of the boat were the tree had fallen on it. I plan to pull the cap once the fiberglass is complete and carpet the floor that is exposed..Heres a shot of everything cut out and laid in place before getting a few coats to water proof it..

Couple coats of resin. Did three total on all pieces, hopefully thatll be enough...

First layer of 1708 tabbed in, then onto the CSM....

WAIT FOR IT.....





WAIT FOR IT....



BOOM

I cant believe Ive made it this far... Its crazy how great it feels to finally get the top cap back on......





My plan is to CLeco the cap in place for now and start working on the fiberglass repair on the stern. The tree had cracked several pieces and the previous owner had the great idea to cut it the last two foot section of the stern off. So its about to get interesting.....