1990 Caravelle

[rusmaverick]

Hi Everyone,

After hours of searching, I kept coming back to this site because it seemed that the advice given here is more helpful than others. I've picked up a boat. I don't have a lot of money, so I basically paid for the trailer. The boat is a 1990 Caravelle. It has an OMC Cobra In/Out. The floor is definitely shot. I'm planning on starting with the cleanout this weekend, but the first thing I noticed is the lack of agreement of what wood to use to rebuild the floor and also if I am replacing the entire floor, do boats typically have sections that are filled with foam to help with buoyancy? I am planning on using Advantech, 5/8 to rebuild the floor. I am in New England, so not planning on having the boat in the water very long and I don't think I'll be hitting the salt. I got plenty of lakes around me.

Please pardon my lack of knowledge, I've never rebuilt a boat before. I've done some mechanical and lots of construction, so I'm pretty comfy with tools. Any help or advice I could get would be awesome. Thank you so much.

 

[Bayou Dave]

First off :welcome: to iboats! After you have made 3 or 4 posts you can put up some photos. We all are photo junkies around here and it helps others see what you are seeing. The rotten floor is the last part of a boat to rot. Boats rot from the buttom up. Ten to one your transom and stringers are rotten also. There are tons of rebuilds on this site so look around and you will get an idea of what is ahead of you. Keep asking questions, you will get answers. Good luck!

 

[Scott Danforth]

welcome aboard.

agreed, last thing to rot is the floor.

full gut-n-restore

start reading the threads in the hull restoration forum.

also look up Frisco Jay's you-tube channel. he has pics and vids showing everything needed to rebuild a boat.