1964 Glasspar Seafair Sedan - minor restore w/questions.

[Thirsty Endgrain]

Hi all, first post here. This place is a wonderful wealth of information and I'm enjoying reading about everyone's adventures! TIA to everyone. This is my first boat, I just wanted an inexpensive, rewarding, and time-efficient way to get out on the water and hang, whale-watch, go fishing etc soooooo I bought a boat. Reasonable right?

Cost 2k, which in hindsight was too much, but not a horrible deal. Hull is solid, floor and transom were recently replaced. Wiring needs to be redone, but that's no big deal, I'm fairly competent at that. Wood needs help, but I'm a carpenter, so that part's ok too. One thing I know little about though are outboards. Or gas engines at all. I know diesels pretty well, so engines and mech stuff is accessible, but I barely know the first thing about carbs and jets and spark plugs and distributors and 2 strokes and outboard water cooling systems and on and on. I've found answers to many of my questions already through searching, but I know I'll have many and will want to document my process here.

Also wondering how many others out there have these boats and would appreciate any collaboration/advice!

She has a 1977 Johnson Stinger 75hp outboard, and a Johnson 8hp outboard.

The main engine I couldn't get to start, which led me to learning what the heck a kill switch is Turns out mine was missing a key piece (I think, still unsure about this?). Pic attached of remote throttle assembly (or whatever it's called) and perhaps someone can tell me if the little red stub is the kill switch. I bought a universal one, it has four contacts, and the old one has three. Will take some probing to determine the correct retrofitting procedure I think, unless someone has some info for me?

Also maybe that's better posted in the electrical section?

Will keep the first post here "short," hope to learn a lot here and appreciate anyone's time they take to comment!

 

[Thirsty Endgrain]

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[kcassells]

You should probably have your motor questions moved to the outboat forum.

 

[BWR1953]

Welcome! :wave:

Nice old boat! I had a 1966 version a couple of decades back. It had a 75HP Chrysler and performed well. Hated to let that one go.

Looking forward to following your restoration. :encouragement:


This was mine.

 

[Thirsty Endgrain]

Nice! Yeah this should be a good fun easy cheap journey

Have a couple of painting questions: Once I properly get the trailer out from under the thing and propped up I got some Pettit Hydrocoat ablative antifouling paint for the bottom. Pettit's directions say to use their 95 dewaxer solvent. I got the paint at West Marine yesterday, and when I asked for a dewaxer they gave me Awlwash. The lady said that's what their resident expert painter guy recommends for washing/dewaxing/prep before painting. Can anyone offer a second or third perspective on this? From what I'm reading the process is to wash and dewax; sand with 80grit; dewax again; wipe clean; paint 3 coats. Is there a better or different dewaxer I should be looking for, or is the Awlwash what I want?

 

[Chris1956]

You are going to keep that boat in the water? If not, you do not need any antifouling paint. You can paint with marine polyurethane paint for a nice finish

If you are keeping that boat in the water, you will want to use an epoxy barrier coat over the fiberglass and then antifouling paint. The barrier coat takes the place of the Awlwash and any other primer.

Due to it's age, your hull is pretty likely to be susceptible to blisters, if not sealed with the epoxy barrier coat. Pettit and others made a barrier coat. Some require more coats that the others. They are all two part and must be mixed before application. Cure time is based upon temperature. Follow the directions and it will be easy.

 

[Thirsty Endgrain]

Hmm, OK. Darn, I thought that using an ablative paint was necessary even for boats not kept in the water? Mine won't be. Not trying to rush the project, I want to do it right. Is there a downside to painting with the hydrocoat? Will it last less time than an epoxy barrier coat? The previous paint on there is a chaulky substance, rubs off when you touch it. Led me to believe it was an ablative bottom paint. Figured I'd sand down and go over with something similar. Thanks for the input!

 

[Chris1956]

A boat that will be kept out of the water does not need a barrier coat. You can use a 1 part or 2 part marine polyurethane paint. It will look good and last quite long. A lot of them simply need a hard surface to adhere to, no primer is required.

Antifouling paint contains substances poisonous to marine life (and you). They are designed to keep marine growth off the boat. They are soft and rub off easy, and are crummy looking. Not something you want, IMO.

 

[Thirsty Endgrain]

OK, great to know. I wasn't all that happy with the idea of an ablative paint so this is good news. From all my reading it seemed like you needed to use a specific bottom paint. So you're saying that a good old one part poly topside type paint will suffice for the bottom?

So my prep routine will be to sand past the old bottom paint coating, to the original paint coat, and just paint straight over that? There is a chaulky blue paint on there now that I can tell was a paint job by the PO.

 

[Chris1956]

Yes, sand her down to a solid paint or fiberglass, whatever comes first. Then follow directions on the polyurethane paint can.

Since you are not leaving it in the water, you can use a topside paint like Brightside, but there are many other choices.

 

[matt167]

More pics needed of the transom. Something does not look quite right.

 

[Thirsty Endgrain]

More pics needed of the transom. Something does not look quite right.

What are you seeing? It was recently rebuilt, feels very solid. Also the least of my worries right now, since the cylinder walls are scored and I'm trying to figure out what to to about the engine. Sigh.

 

[sphelps]

Band-aid kinda looks like .. Re-enforcing a rotten transom ?

 

[Thirsty Endgrain]

It's possible, I could core for samples I suppose? Or just keep an eye on it over time for softness? I was told it was rebuilt, but I'm not so sure about anything I was told anymore...

 

[matt167]

He scabbed something on the back of it to save the transom a little longer without doing any work.. The problem is, the transom could still rip out and leave the boat on the bottom of the lake.. I've seen many transoms repaired like that. It does not stop the transom from flexing

For sure you will find it's just a deck over and it needs new transom/ stringers/ deck ( $2,500 and some time ).

The good is a Glaspar Seafair Sedan is a sought after boat and $2k wasn't as bad as you might think for a clean boat that can be restored.. I know friends of mine sold one for $800 that had weeds and borderline mulch covering the entire deck

 

[Thirsty Endgrain]

What should I do do properly asses its fitness?

 

[matt167]

I would assume that the previous owners's work is entirely suspect, and his repairs need to be inspected and corrected as needed..

That said, the boat IS worth fixing.

 

[Thirsty Endgrain]

OK after finally sourcing an '84 Johnson 90hp engine that sat for 10 years, and getting her up and running (success), I'm back to the actual boat, which I had almost entirely forgotten about. Trying to figure out the used engine thing made me very quickly realize why one would just buy something brand new. Anyways...

I want to clean up her rear end before mounting the new engine, the holes line up between the two so no need to do anything there, what I'm thinking is a couple of coats of 105/205 over the repair section, and then getting paint on there. Would much rather do that you know, before I mount the engine.

Tell me if my plan is flawed (surely it is). Clean and degrease, random orbit 80grit, solvent wash and wipe, two coats of epoxy, paint.

The plywood through the bolt holes all looks fresh and dry and knocking all over the transom produces no dull thuds.

Someone please tell me where I'm about to go wrong, thank you.

 

[Thirsty Endgrain]

[No message]

 

[sphelps]

Drill a few test holes along the very bottom of the transom from the inside .. Just dont go all the way through .. Inspect the shavings .. Light colored and dry and it should be ok . Dark damp or mushy and you gotta replace ...