69 Woodson Tri-hull with 68 Johnson 55hp

[Hab]

So, 12 years ago I was given a small 14' aluminum boat by my loving Admiral. I used the boat a ton and caught fish all over the state with it. About 7 years ago, life changed and the boat was stored for awhile. I got it back out 3 years ago and started to run trot lines locally. One beautiful September day i was out with my dad, son, and daughter setting a trot line not to far from the boat ramp and on the way back we did a little exploring in the next cove. before we knew it a very large power boat screamed around us at high speed creating a fairly large wake for a full 180 degrees ahead of us. Well there was just too much weight in the boat and she was swamped. I managed to get everyone and the boat back to shore, thank goodness for life jackets. Lost some gear and a ton of pride over that one. I decided it was time for a larger boat. Knowing nothing really about fiberglass boats i grabbed the closest cheapest one i could find and started to look at what it would take to get it running.

Dad had an older Tri-Hull that had been sitting for the past 20 years so, that's where i started. I cant say for sure what brand it is the back tag says the "Fiber Glass Boat Corporation" and the badges say "Woodson" and "Cathedral Hull".

I ripped most of the deck of last summer, and drilled the transom and stringer "as a test". What wood is left in the stringers doesn't put up any resistance after the drill bit gets through the glass. I can get wood off the bit when drilling into the transom but it is wet even up towards the top.

Figuring im in for a complete rebuild or cut and haul job i started to prepare. i built some temporary supports out of angle and 2"x4" and added them to the trailer. next i drilled off the "Gazillion reevits" and attempted to pop the cap loose. The splash-well was glued to the transom with some sort of hardened glue/glass something. It took a chisel and BFH to knock it all loose and get it separated.

So here it sits, still in the demolition stages. Im waiting on a team of nephews to come help me move the cap off. After that ill start digging out the transom and stringers.

One last note, Ive read a number of these rebuilds and hear you guys cuss the factory for the quality of the glassing, i thought surely you guys are just being overly critical, till i saw it first hand. I cant believe this boat has held together. there is so much dry roving and pools of cracked resin everywhere.

P.S. working on the pho-toes.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Welcome aboard

the thing with fiberglass boats, you dont want the cheapest. you want the most expensive one you can afford. after you consider the cost and time of a restoration.

yes, fiberglass boats are literally thrown together as cheaply as possible to make a profit for the company.

here is some light reading

https://forums.iboats.com/forum/boa...52-perspective-of-fiberglass-boat-design-life

 

[Hab]

Funny you should say that. I originally thought cheap and greasy for my first rodeo might be best. I know this old tri-hull will never be the 65 mustang of boats, but its a boat. I thought if i could live through this restore, id be much more knowledgeable and choosy about the boat i actually purchase. My cost at this point is Time.

 

[Hab]

Ha.... I finally have appeased the gods of photography and administration. For your viewing pleasure.

 

[Hab]

A few more of the wretched condition i am starting with,


I get the feeling its just not worth it. Oh well, wont be my last big mistake.

 

[Scott Danforth]

assume $2000-$2500 just to refurb the hull

then about $2k for interior

then you can move on to the motor

 

[JASinIL2006]

Unless you really love that boat and/or want the challenge, I would think that for the money alone you'll spend on the 'glassing, interior work and motor, you could probably get a boat that works now and doesn't require much work. Might cost a bit more to get something nice, but Scott's estimate could actually be low, depending on what kinds of tools and PPE you have (or don't have).

 

[Hab]

Yes...... $4500 does seem like alot to fix a pile of garbage. Well...... at least i didn't have to buy the pile. on with the demo at least.

 

[chevymaher]

Yes...... $4500 does seem like alot to fix a pile of garbage. Well...... at least i didn't have to buy the pile. on with the demo at least.

I am with you. I got a free trailer and had to build the boat.

 

[Hab]

I am with you. I got a free trailer and had to build the boat.

Egg-zactly.

 

[Scott Danforth]

just so youre aware........tri-hulls have no resale value, so if you continue down this path, you will be hard-pressed find a buyer, even if the boat looks new.

 

[chevymaher]

Ha.... I finally have appeased the gods of photography and administration. For your viewing pleasure.

Now that was funny.

 

[Hab]

just so youre aware........tri-hulls have no resale value, so if you continue down this path, you will be hard-pressed find a buyer, even if the boat looks new.

Awe Dang........, you mean there is no market for the bone jarring, teeth shattering, wave-slapping engineering awesomeness that is and always will be the greatest hull design known to man. Wait till i tell you about my motor.

 

[gm280]

Let me throw my .01 cent's worth in here. I too have a tri-hull boat. And yes it was pretty much the same as yours. However, I looked at it as a challenge project. I mean I bought the boat, motor and trailer for ~$600 dollars. And all it needed was the trailer rebuilt, the engine rebuilt and the boat rebuilt. Yes I know I was lucky. to find such a GEM! :facepalm:
Some times you win, some times you don't.

I stated all that to say, if you like the boat and don't want to throw tons of money all at once into another boat, it can be rebuilt along the way as money and time permits. And once YOU rebuilt it, it will be better and stronger then new. And you can reconfigure it however YOU like.

So before scrapping it or giving up on it, think about what you want and if you want to buy another boat that will absolutely need work as well. Unless you buy NEW, every USED boat has it's issues. If the used boat was perfect, the owner wouldn't be selling it, unless they want a larger boat, or no boat at all. JMHO

 

[Scott Danforth]

GM..... a new trihull is just as bad on the water as they were 40 years ago.

 

[kcassells]

I LOVED my ole tri-hull going 40 mph and cutting thru a wave. That pounding was crazy cool when it landed off the wave!

 

[oldrem]

Great stability as a fishing platform

 

[gm280]

GM..... a new trihull is just as bad on the water as they were 40 years ago.

SD please don't take my comment as trying to defend tri-hulls. What I was trying to say was, if he likes the boat, reconfigure it however he likes. OR he can buy a different boat to his liking. However, every USED boat will need work to get it running like you want it.

The only reason I own a project tri-hull boat is because at the time, I wanted a boat, any boat that I could go fishing with. And I jumped head first into the project I am still working on. I will admit, I got the entire package and thought I'd have this ready in a few months. That was years ago now. So it has become more of a hobby project now.

It could have just as easily been a "V" hull or even a flat bottom boat. I really didn't care... I just wanted anything to go fishing.

Oh, I haven't wet a hook in a few years now... So much for a few months thinking.

 

[Hab]

Early update, i was shooting for a weekly update, but got some extra help yesterday. Managed to get the cap moved off the boat with the help of my Brother in law and my nephew, great bunch of guys. Ill get a stand fabbed up for the cap and try cutting the inner transom glass and removing the remainder of the deck.

For my first question to the community, is it better to remove the transom and stringers all at once or replace them piece by piece. My sensible side says to complete the transom repair first then stringers, one at a time then deck. Seems like most threads i have read, you guys just gut the whole dang thing and start figuring it from there.

 

[kcassells]

Get to choppin! No other way go at it and get it over with. You have a cradle in place so have at it. After all out you make a plan of attack with out stepping on/around the ole crapola.