78 Reinell 27 foot cabin cruiser.

[onassis]

Um. I may be retarded. I bought this boat thinking it would be a piece of cake to fix up to go surfing and diving , but after getting completely immersed in Oops' and the two sixteen year old geniuses threads, i feel a little bit ill.. Transom and stringer rot? Huh? Excuse me? why didn't anyone tell me about these nightmares before i dropped my last $724 on this gigantic parking lot ornament? I haven't been able to verify whether or not the wood is rotten yet, but i'm scared fartless.. Here is the ad that i bit on.

http://ventura.craigslist.org/boa/1528304260.html

I'm a handy guy.. I build furniture from reclaimed materials and fabricate props for commercials in Hollywood.. I have a shop with every tool imaginable, and partners who are proficient in every kind of fabrication.. But I'm scared now.. Really scared.. Those sixteen year olds have forgotten more than I'll ever know! And Oops.. Come on.. Really? Is anyone that cool? I have some insane modifications sort of planned.. Well.. Had.. The cabin is stripped, the carpet is out.. I don't know what to do.. I have a guy coming to do a compression test, but had already planned on a complete rebuild or re power anyway.. Biodiesel?

I love forums.. I built a wood fired pizza oven a couple of years back, and the forum on fornobravo.com was the only way i could have done it..

The oven build was done using entirely reclaimed materials and professionaly shot for my documentary about ecology.. The boat is also to be documented and refit using reclaimed, found or stolen materials..

What does anyone know about this vessel of mine? I can't find much info online.. Um.. By the way, I'm a stubborn bastard, and I work very hard. I can convince a lot of people to donate time because of the documentary aspect, but don't want to waste anyone's time.. Time is the most valuable currency we have..

 

[onassis]

Re: 78 Reinell 27 foot cabin cruiser.

Good? Bad? I don't know. I don't know much. At all. But i"m willing to

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 78 Reinell 27 foot cabin cruiser.

I don't know much redoing larger boats but it certainly is possible. Here's some more light reading if you haven't seen this one yet http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=271420

I'd have the health of the motor and drive assessed before I dropped any coin on the hull.

 

[sprintst]

Re: 78 Reinell 27 foot cabin cruiser.

Keep a good supply of beer on hand and you can get through anything.

Those kids are crazy. They make anything look easy...but there is two of them.

We'll see what we can dig up for you.

 

[chuck in WA]

Re: 78 Reinell 27 foot cabin cruiser.

You're in good company. I'm in the same "boat", except my lawn ornament is 4' shorter and 2 years newer than yours. One step at a time is my motto - I just hope I can be on the water before the end of the decade...and I draw the line for my time invested at $0.25 an hour!!

 

[onassis]

Re: 78 Reinell 27 foot cabin cruiser.

raining here in L.A for the last six days, so no work on the boat.. If the expert gives me the thumbs up regarding her innards, I really want to alter her outards.. I'm planning on radically altering the shape of this thing.. Has anyone ever planted on a walk around deck and documented it here? In my head, it's an easy, strong and awesome idea, but I really want to hear from some experts. Or some yes men.. So. I wish to build a stainless, cantilevered armiture that widens her from around three feet forward of amidships, then either shape and glass foam around it like a surfboard, or build a form and pour expanding foam into it. This deck widening will be a foot max at it's widest, and planked with mahogany. Am I dreaming? I got her as an experiment in sustainable tomfoolery, and believe my plan to be viable. Does this make any sense?

 

[Bondo]

Re: 78 Reinell 27 foot cabin cruiser.

I got her as an experiment in sustainable tomfoolery, and believe my plan to be viable. Does this make any sense?

Ayuh,... That part makes Perfect sense...

It's got an Antique Ford motor, which Parts are getting harder to find...

 

[onassis]

Re: 78 Reinell 27 foot cabin cruiser.

I found a guy selling an 88 6.2 GM Diesel motor on CL for 200... Said he can turn the crank with a wrench. He also said it's not the crappy GM diesel that they tried to convert from the 351's of the time. Also found a rebuilt windsor still in the plastic from the rebuilder for 800 which a guy had done then decided against..

I'd love to make her Diesel.. I'd also love to go boating some time, so.. I aslo don't know what the heck I'm doing.. Yet..

 

[onassis]

Re: 78 Reinell 27 foot cabin cruiser.

Anyone built a custom flybridge or lookout tower onto a 28 foot vessel like mine? Are there online plans anywhere? Is this even legal? It sure seems legal.

 

[onassis]

Re: 78 Reinell 27 foot cabin cruiser.

So. I cleaned her everywhere.. She sparkles. The mechanic came to visit today and we tried to get her turning to no avail.. I suspect rings.. put coke in the plug holes and there she sits.. I'm done with this motor.. There is a rebuilt windsor marine motor on CL for $699, and if i can negotiate, I'm gonna buy it.. it's still in the plastic from the rebuilder.. Or.. There's a Bronco with a 2000 mile old Cleveland in it which i can get for $2400.. But the manifolds are different yes? Should I just exchange the windsor for a new one, of **** around making the Cleveland work?

I'm also very into my walk around deck expansion.. I'm going to cantilever it about six inches more than is there with stainless tube, build a form, fill it with sprayfoam, shape the sprayfoam then glass it.. Sounds janky right? It won't be.. Raising the bridge though.. The boat guy said to be wary as she's only * feet wide.. Are there any threads or info on custom building flybridges?

 

[legoman67]

Re: 78 Reinell 27 foot cabin cruiser.

i wouldnt put a car engine into a boat, its more hassle then its worth, our engines originally were so loose that they had like 30psi compression, we ended up finding a killer deal in seattle on 2 used but it good shape mercruisers..... mind you they are still giving us issues(at least one is)

with car engines you would need ALL new electronics and carburator aswell as manifolds, and risers. you may even need a new fuel pump/ and another water pump depending on the drive you have and im not familiar with bronco's.

we looked into enclosing our bridge, but the cost alone was out the window.. that would be doing it ourselves aswell. Also you would throw the balance of the boat off and make it capsize or not plane properly...

the link is bad in the OP, did you buy that white one that you linked to in our thread? or another?

 

[onassis]

Re: 78 Reinell 27 foot cabin cruiser.

Na buddy.. The one with the two Diesels was sold.. I had bought a 27 foot Reinell two weeks prior, and that's the one with the siezed windsor.. The guy selling the one with the two diesels had the Cleveland motor in his Bronco, but after some research, i came to the same pita conclusion.. I'm going to buy a rebuilt marinized windsor tomorrow from a guy close to where i live who had his boat stolen a day before his motor came back from the rebuilder.. He paid 1400 for the rebuild, has it advertised for 699, and i'm going there with 500 in crisp twenties.. I'll have photos soon, just super busy..

 

[Twinchalada]

Re: 78 Reinell 27 foot cabin cruiser.

Have the 267 twin as of recent, and ultra new to cruisers and the size alike. Like your thinking and approach mainly, so I'll say yes when I can. Stainless sounds eye grabbing. We were cooking on it last night in calm water and it rocks when we're both walk and do our separate things, so just had brain fart in response t your deck idea that an extended deck on side would make it rock either more or less, and now I'm curious. We got a good deal so don't know what's what. The steering into small marina is non existent and we are using boat power only with the speed preferring hull, so valiant as our efforts are, if an engine stalls we are toast. The design is cool for me, being 6'3, and I grew up in NW around Sound hearing well of the brand name. So here I am at your disposal. Our propane stove insert is cool since we can take it right out to back deck. Also, ready to buy the indoor propane heater to put near back of cabin looks like for the season ahead so we can go out when the scoffers say we bought a boat at the end of the season. Cool look. Oh, front windows leaking somehow we had a small wastebasket under the leak on big rain and caught almost 4 gallons of water in it but rest of upper berth area was dry. Hope our luck continues, knock fiberglass, etc. Hope you get some good ideas here. The flybridge is biggie size and the coolest part of rig. It's redone white on white real uplifter for the almost year round low *** clouds here. Ciao.

 

[PugetHoundog]

Re: 78 Reinell 27 foot cabin cruiser.

We have this boat. Our mechanic went through and showed us a 30 gallon bucket of wood rot he got out. Worth it so far. This boat is no cork. We smack through anything on plane at greyhound speeds in luxury. This boat is a brick, and I love it. It's worthy of any Hollywood crooner, as far as pizzazz and function. And, I am over 6/3. I do not disagree with the lots of beer comment, and I didn't even do the work!

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: 78 Reinell 27 foot cabin cruiser.

onassis,,,,,good to hear you have lots of help and tools........take whatever time you think it is going to take to complete and times that by four.....just my two cents from what I have read on here thus far.....however you have found the best place for advice