1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

[mattkenton]

Another day, another project. Another thing to tweak the wife.

A week ago a boat popped up on Craigslist that sparked my interest. So of course i called and the gentlemen was a good ol'boy from the country. Real honest and really nice. Well yesterday we did the sea trial and bought the boat! So here we are, at the start of another project.

Original thoughts and problems with possible solutions. (pictures to follow within days)

-Soft Spot under captains chair (Cut floor, replace wood, refiberglass)

-Soft gas tank cover hatch (etch out old plywood from panel, reinstall, reglass)

-Soft Vbirth entry way floor (add plywood over exsisting floor, tab into walls, fiberglass)

-Badly Oxydized hull (Buff buff buff)

-Faded teak (Oil or poly)

-Outdated carpet headliner in Vbirth (Rip down and paint)

-Horrible jacked up engine paint job (Sand and repaint)

- Various odds and ends that can be resolved in a day or two.

All these projects seem as if they will be fairly simple. Couple days a piece except the buffing. I will post pictures on my progress along the way. If anyone else has one of these boats and has had similar experience, please chime in. As always, i look forward to the support of this forum. Thanks!

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

Soft spot under captains chair

Soft Vbirth entry way (Plywood over rotten wood??)

I really feel you need to rethink some of this a bit....

 

[mattkenton]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

What are your suggestions? Go ahead and cut out the companion way floor and re fiberglass? What do you suggest about the soft deck spot? It is an area of about 3ft by 18". I wanted to cut it out and reinstall plywood and fiberglass...not a good idea?

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

Fine idea if that's all thats wrong, but would be odd to have two rotten places in the deck and nothing rotten anywhere else. When you cut out those places, just check underneath for more rot in the sub structure.

 

[mattkenton]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

I think what has happened under the chair is that the through bolts let water seep in. Causing the rotten spot. I will cut the rotten floor back until i hit good wood and reinstall for sure. The rest of the deck is ROCK SOLID. Not a single budge.

I checked in the access panel in the companion way, very dry, but for some reason the fiberglass is badly flexing. Almost like it never even had plywood under it. Confusing, any thoughts?

 

[mattkenton]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

I plan on removing the gas tanks to check for corrosion as well. Replacing gas lines to Ethenol approved lines.

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

If it is useable.....and my thinking may be way off but,,,,,I would use it for the season and start repairs in the winter......just a thought

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

I think what has happened under the chair is that the through bolts let water seep in. Causing the rotten spot. I will cut the rotten floor back until i hit good wood and reinstall for sure. The rest of the deck is ROCK SOLID. Not a single budge.

I checked in the access panel in the companion way, very dry, but for some reason the fiberglass is badly flexing. Almost like it never even had plywood under it. Confusing, any thoughts?

Not really confusing.....just sounds like some rotten plywood....don't want to be the bearer of bad news, just saying be sure you check it out throughly.

You said the fibeglass is flexing like there is no wood there? But there is wood? Then its rotten.

 

[mattkenton]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

Well i stuck my hand underneath the companion way and i did not feel any wood bulk, just a fine sheet of what felt like cardboard. Maybe the wood rotted SO bad it disapeared.

Nav Vic, These repairs that i want to do are quick fixes and i plan on using this guy a TON this season. Grouper season just opened and Snapper season is around the corner. The Kings are headed in and the Cobia are full swing. Just need her sea safe. Gas hatch, gas tank, and accompanying fittings/hoses are my number one concerns.

 

[mattkenton]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

So today i got a lot done.

1.Removed the foot and ordered the impeller kit. I will be replacing that tomorrow.

2.Also i was able to get the carpet head liner out.

3.The unused electrical wires came out today as well.

4. Cut the old fiberglass roving from gas hatch and removed old wet plywood. Should have that repaired by Saturday.

5.I found a very bad peice of wood in the wall that the controls are attatched to. Whoever installed the gauges did not seal them right and water penetrated the plywood.

 

[mattkenton]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

More Photos

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

Well i stuck my hand underneath the companion way and i did not feel any wood bulk, just a fine sheet of what felt like cardboard. Maybe the wood rotted SO bad it disapeared.

.

You are correct....as way my concern.

 

[mattkenton]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

I will provide more pictures, but i am wondering how to fix it. It is in a really weird place and i think if i cut the floor it will be ackward to fix. Or really ugly.

 

[mattkenton]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

Got the foot put back on and everything working right after the second time. I will tell you what, it sucks having to change the water pump on this engine. I had to remove the intake box, carburetor, linkages, fuel lines, and another plate just to disengage the shift linkage. And i got to do it twice since the pump hose did not seat right the first time. DOH! Off to work on the kitchen for the next couple days, but i will be on to the deck replacement mid week.

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

Is it just me or is the entire deck one molded piece of fiberglass? If that's the case replacing that rotten wood might be pretty hard.

 

[mattkenton]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

Is it just me or is the entire deck one molded piece of fiberglass? If that's the case replacing that rotten wood might be pretty hard.

Yes it is, which is why i was saying it would be a pain in the rear. Since the wood evaporated there, i may do the overlay idea. Something needs to be done wih it, a foot will go through eventually.

On another note, we are taking her out tomorrow for her first sea trial since the pump and clean up. Fitting that it is to be the chase boat to do a photo shoot with two models on my buddies sailboat. He started a new business and needed some brochure shots.

I will take some photos and post them.

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

I am really concerned that you say that the wood is "evaporated", but are still taking it out. A rotten boat is not a safe boat. If the deck under that fiberglass is rotten, the stringers are likely too.

 

[mattkenton]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

I am really concerned that you say that the wood is "evaporated", but are still taking it out. A rotten boat is not a safe boat. If the deck under that fiberglass is rotten, the stringers are likely too.

I have checked the stringers and the bilge. Everything is solid. Only the plywood under this part of the V-Birth is rotten (Companion way). It seems the only soft spots on the whole boat are where a hole was put via screw or drain( Gas hatch/Captains chair where there is a very small spot, and companion way). The companion way protrudes about a third of its total length into the cockpit. There is a drain hole into the bilge and a crack in the companion way that i am believing contributed to the plywood rot, since it is exposed to the elements. It is isolated by the fact that they encompassed each reinforced piece of plywood into itself via the glass. They were not "jointed" to one another along walls/floors. If ANY of this made sence, you will see why i will just tab in a new subfloor.

 

[mattkenton]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

So an update of what has happened so far....

-Soft Spot under captains chair (Cut floor, replace wood, refiberglass)
Working this out now. These boats were made with a shell, then fiberglassed plywood to shell, then flipped right side. SO my only option short of taking the top off, it apply a fiberglass reinforced 1/2" plywood piece over soft spot and bolt captains chair down. I know i will catch hell for this from some of you but i have no choice, and it is my summer fix.

-Soft gas tank cover hatch (etch out old plywood from panel, reinstall, reglass)
Got this project started today, i have provided picks. Pretty straight forward.


-Soft Vbirth entry way floor (add plywood over exsisting floor, tab into walls, fiberglass)
Still pondering on this one. Again, being that it is a shell upper, i may have to overlay some 1/2" plywood to stiffen it up.

-Badly Oxidized hull (Buff buff buff)
This is still being put off. Have to sand out some bad patches. Think they thought spider cracks were best fixed with a quarter inch of filler...:facepalm:

-Faded teak (Oil or poly)
This turned out GREAT. I added some pics. Very excited about this part. Before and after comparison pic:


-Outdated carpet headliner in Vbirth (Rip down and paint)
Ripped out. Need to sand out the adhesive and prime/paint.

-Horrible jacked up engine paint job (Sand and repaint)
Still not done.

- Various odds and ends that can be resolved in a day or two.
Still adding up.


Oh! And to add some thrill to my week. I took her for a cruise and ran out of gas in the middle of the ICW. Fuel sender is off by an eighth tank. Lesson learned.

 

[produceguy]

Re: 1981 Answer 21' Cuddy Cabin with 1986 150 Evinrude

So an update of what has happened so far....

-Soft Spot under captains chair (Cut floor, replace wood, refiberglass)
Working this out now. These boats were made with a shell, then fiberglassed plywood to shell, then flipped right side. SO my only option short of taking the top off, it apply a fiberglass reinforced 1/2" plywood piece over soft spot and bolt captains chair down. I know i will catch hell for this from some of you but i have no choice, and it is my summer fix.

It's your boat.
Just be safe.