1974 Sea Ray SRV 240 Weekender - complete rebuild, refit, and who knows what else...

CrazyFinn

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Dec 12, 2016
Messages
357
Mentioned this in my other rebuild thread (that one is getting "close" to completion - waiting for some parts, etc...) that I bought another "project".

Shortly after I got going on that rebuild (a 1969 SRV 185) in the fall, I already started thinking about looking for a bigger boat for my next project. Then, over the winter, I went to the boat show in Toronto, and both my wife and I started thinking that it would be kinda nice to have a cruiser we could go out in for more than just the day. So... as we're wandering through these brand new boats, I told her that I should just buy an old one and re-build it. My wife is amazing - she just said "OK".

Through the winter, I kept perusing the ads on Kijiji (dangerous thing to do, by the way), and got a pretty good idea of what I was looking for...

My goal was to find a "trailerable" cruiser, 24' to 27' long, mechanically complete, with a tandem trailer included. I also wanted it to be as cheap as possible. I was open to both inboards as well as inboard/outboards (Mercruiser only if I/O). Over the later part of the winter/early spring I contacted the sellers of a number of Sea Rays, Chris Craft, and even a Trojan. Looked at a couple of boats, that were supposedly "solid" boats. Yeah, sure... One was a Trojan that I was told had solid stringers and transom. When I went to look at it, discovered that a previous owner had grafted rough, untreated, unsealed 2x8 timbers to the sides of the rotten original stringers. They might have been solid, but they were soaked. I'm sure that boat weighed a few hundred pounds more than it should have!

Eventually, I saw an ad for a "complete" '74 SRV 240 - with trailer. Studied the pics, and figured out it was a Weekender. Called the guy, and got a bit more info. He admitted that the previous owner had gutted the interior, but he didn't know why - he had just bought it to use for fishing, but then decided it was too big to handle alone. He said it was otherwise ready to go. Right... I wasn't ready to buy at the time, but kept watching the ad. A month later, when I did have the cash, the ad was still up.

So, I called the guy again, and went to look at the boat with my wife (it was a 3 hour drive one way).

The trailer, although it could use some work, seemed solid enough. The tires were badly cracked. The outside of the hull looked ok. The camper top needs some of the window plastic replaced, but seems serviceable. All zippers and snaps work.

The inside of the cabin had been gutted. The cabin floor flexes - because all that is left is the top layer of glass. The cockpit floor is somewhat solid. The transom is mush.

Anyway, worked out a deal with him for considerably less than the ad price, and got him to put new tires on the trailer - with an agreement that I would pick it up the following weekend.

A week later, drove back there in my van, picked up the boat, and hauled it home after re-wiring the trailer so I would have lights. Poured rain all day... fun. Surge brakes on the trailer actually seem to work!

The boat on the way home (we stopped to grab a coffee):
240_home.JPG
 
Last edited:

CrazyFinn

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Dec 12, 2016
Messages
357
Now that the boat is my driveway, I've been able to evaluate what I bought.

Like I said, it's rotten to the core. The transom is held together by the outer skin. The swim platform (apparently teak that somebody decided to paint...) is pulling away, and standing on it causes a remarkable amount of flex.
transom.JPG



The cabin has a bit of headliner hanging from it, but is gutted otherwise (and has a couple of seats stored in it):

The wiring is a mess - but remarkably the lights still work:
rats_nest.JPG
wiring.JPG



The engine appears to have been properly winterized, and when I connected a battery, turns over quite well. It does need a lot of TLC:
engine.JPG


It's a 225 (Ford 302) with a Holley 4 barrel, driving a TRS outdrive through a Merc Trans. That TR drive is huge - and heavy. I took it off before we hauled it home - I was worried it would rip a chunk of the rotten transom out on the bumps! The oil looks good, everything turns smoothly. Hope it's all ok... The boat also has the factory Bennett trim tabs.

The camper top is better than the rest of the boat: hatch_top.JPG
 
Last edited:

CrazyFinn

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Dec 12, 2016
Messages
357
The plan - once I finish my other boat - is to strip this right to the hull. I am suspecting that once I remove the glass skin over the wood, I'll be able to suck up what's left of the wood with my shop vac. Or at least I hope so, since I plan to replace it all anyway!

After that, new transom, new stringers, new floor. All new electrical. New plumbing - complete with hot and cold water and a shower (it originally came with an enclosed head that contained a "porta potty" type toilet, but no shower or sink in the head). Small galley (stove, sink, fridge) will go in the cabin, along with a v-berth, plus a grill/food prep area up in the cockpit area. I've already done some measuring and have figured out what I can fit where.

Started my shopping for parts - and have a shower sump, water pump, and a few other bits and pieces already purchased/ordered.

The goal is to end up with a somewhat modernized cruiser stuffed into a "classic" hull - with enough space for the two of us.

The fact that somebody already gutted the interior is a bonus. They already did some of my work for me!

First - gotta get the smaller boat finished and get out to enjoy it...
 
Last edited:

CrazyFinn

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Dec 12, 2016
Messages
357
In case I had any doubts about the condition of the transom, found this in the boat this week:

mushroom.JPG

The cabin is looking a bit rough - this is what is left of the berth:
berth.JPG

Haven't had time to work on either boat - was away for over a week on vacation, and then had to head out of town for a family funeral this week.

Hopefully, I can get something done next week!
 
Last edited:

Corjen1

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Aug 24, 2013
Messages
1,237
Sorry man, but thats a great pix of the mushroom growing out of the wood!!!
 

kcassells

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Oct 16, 2012
Messages
8,576
Well sure enough you have your work cut out for you. Save the shroom, dry it out and add it to your beer or peanut butter. You will need it. Can't wait to see you go at it!
Nice boar Finn. Jumping on board.
 

sheboyganjohn

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 2, 2005
Messages
753
I need to tag along on this one. If you have any questions about this build ask. I have way too much time inside one of these. And be glad they stripped the interior. If it had the same as the previous year, it was all white fake fur. Ugly and holds dust like mad.
 

sheboyganjohn

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 2, 2005
Messages
753
And they must have had a special on that paint/ stain that is on the swim platform. Mine looks like it was the same color, except it a lot more flaked off.
 

CrazyFinn

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Dec 12, 2016
Messages
357
I need to tag along on this one. If you have any questions about this build ask. I have way too much time inside one of these. And be glad they stripped the interior. If it had the same as the previous year, it was all white fake fur. Ugly and holds dust like mad.


There are some remnants of that white fuzz still hanging in the cabin. Haven't done a thing to the boat yet, but my father has already been re-building the trailer. The frame was solid enough, but the suspension components were pretty well rusted and seized. The axles are back under the trailer, so it should once again be movable.

Between vacation, a family funeral, and crazy busy returning to work, it's hard to get any boat work done - and I need to get my other boat going first (although I have managed some progress on that one).
 

CrazyFinn

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Dec 12, 2016
Messages
357
Despite my being way too busy - and very slow progress on my other boat (as I mentioned in my other thread), there HAS been a little bit of initial progress on this boat. Mainly because my dad (retired and lives upstairs in our house) gets bored and finds something to do...

He pulled the suspension and part of the frame apart on the trailer and completely re-built anything that was rusted (and parts of it were pretty rough).
trailer_rebuild.JPG


The trailer is back together now, and ready to move (still needs new wiring and bearings, but I'll do that in a year or two when the boat is ready).
trailer_together.JPG


I did remove the camper top, thoroughly cleaned it, my wife sewed up some loose stitching, and I waterproofed it before putting it back on. Took this shot of the cockpit while I had the top off: cockpit_overhead.JPG
 

CrazyFinn

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Dec 12, 2016
Messages
357
Also - again because my dad needs something to do - he decided to tackle the portlights on the boat. Some previous owner had screwed sheets of plexiglass (painted black on the inside) over both pairs of portlights, right over the frames and all, with about 1/2" thick caulking of unknown origin. Not sure what they were hoping to accomplish, because it sure didn't keep the water out! You can see the black panels in the photo in my first post.

I unscrewed the plexiglass, and the original glass windows were there, with very deteriorated white plastic frames. This is the view from the head compartment:

head_window.JPG

Not a chance that we could rescue the frames. So... I decided to do something different. Will see how it works!

My dad removed the glass and frame assembly. I took a walk to the nearby plastics place, and scored a partial sheet of lightly tinted Lexan (for free).

The plan is to fabricate hardwood "frames" that we will bond to the inside of the hull, and then carefully cut a piece of lexan to fit just inside the opening (glued in place), carefully caulk the gap that is left, and then mask it when I paint the hull - to effectively create flush mounted windows with no visible frame on the outside. That's the plan anyway... I'm planning to paint the hull either a very dark blue or charcoal grey, so the flush mounted tinted windows should almost blend in. Theoretically anyway...

This is how it looks now, with nothing in the holes:
window_holes.JPG
 

CrazyFinn

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Dec 12, 2016
Messages
357
I have been doing a lot of scouring eBay and Kijiji for deals on components for this boat (something I can accomplish when things are slow at work, but I can't leave - kinda like today). I already have a big Rubbermaid bin in the basement that I have been filling with bits and pieces - electrical switches, bilge pumps, water pump (for onboard water supply), sump for the shower, small sink for the head, LED lighting for the interior. I even have a brand new toilet for the boat. Still need to find waste and water tanks... I want to have all of the "bits" ready before I start to do the major reconstruction - so I can plan what will fit where!
 

CrazyFinn

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Dec 12, 2016
Messages
357
Any recent progress?


I got my other boat splashed last month, and my dad has been working on replacing the portlights on this boat with flush mounted Lexan (just to keep the water out for now), but I haven't had any time to do anything on it.

At this point, I am hoping to get the engine pulled by the end of the month so I can work on it over the winter in the garage. I figure if I can get the engine ready, trim pump and rams tested/cleaned/rebuilt as necessary, and the trim tab system working on the bench over the winter, that would be a good start.

The boat itself will have to wait until spring - it won't fit in the garage, and there is no way I can get the old rotten stuff out and get anything glassed before it gets too cold, so I won't even start on that until after winter.

If I have time, I might cut into the floor enough to pull the gas tank - but we'll see what happens.
 

hvymtl939

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 6, 2017
Messages
495
I got my other boat splashed last month, and my dad has been working on replacing the portlights on this boat with flush mounted Lexan (just to keep the water out for now), but I haven't had any time to do anything on it.

At this point, I am hoping to get the engine pulled by the end of the month so I can work on it over the winter in the garage. I figure if I can get the engine ready, trim pump and rams tested/cleaned/rebuilt as necessary, and the trim tab system working on the bench over the winter, that would be a good start.

The boat itself will have to wait until spring - it won't fit in the garage, and there is no way I can get the old rotten stuff out and get anything glassed before it gets too cold, so I won't even start on that until after winter.

If I have time, I might cut into the floor enough to pull the gas tank - but we'll see what happens.

Can't wait to see more. Good luck!
 

PCUK

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 22, 2011
Messages
82
Apparently being a nutter is international! I'm doing pretty much the same thing with a 1978 Reinell V-204 here in the UK. Bare hull rebuild including new engine and drive. I'll post some pics if anyone is interested.
 

CrazyFinn

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Dec 12, 2016
Messages
357
Apparently being a nutter is international! I'm doing pretty much the same thing with a 1978 Reinell V-204 here in the UK. Bare hull rebuild including new engine and drive. I'll post some pics if anyone is interested.

Would love to see some pics. Have you started your own thread outlining your rebuild? If you haven?t, start one.

We all love to see inspirational photos, and at the same time get some affirmation that we?re not the only people doing this.
 

PCUK

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 22, 2011
Messages
82
I'll start a new thread so as not to hijack yours! Cheers, Peter
 

PCUK

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 22, 2011
Messages
82
The idea of the flush fit portlights sounds very clever, I'm looking forward to seeing how they look. I bought a selection of end of production portlights for the Reinell from a dealer who handles all kinds of kit but If I hadn't I think I would have tried your method. Cheap and classy just what us DIYers strive for!
Cheers,
Peter
 

CrazyFinn

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Dec 12, 2016
Messages
357
And so it begins again... My other boat is essentially ?done?, other than a few little things, and is put away for winter storage in a garage at the cottage...
I now need to get this bigger boat out of my driveway and around the other side of the house before we get more snow. First, I want to get the engine pulled and the swim platform off of the boat.

My engine hoist is not nearly tall enough, so yesterday I went out and bought 1 ton chain falls and some PT lumber to build a gantry. Got most of the parts for that built yesterday. Planning to assemble it today and lift the engine out - that?s the plan anyway!
 
Top