'84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

[casejeep]

I picked up this boat yesterday. Motor runs good, electrical is fine, but the floor around the ski cubby is rotted. This is my first ever boat, but i grew up on my dads boat.

Ive already bought new seats and bimini. should be here in a few weeks. so i figured i can work on getting the floor together before then.

I bought this boat knowing im going to sell it in 2 years, so i dont need to redu the floor like some of the guys on here have. I paid $1,000, and adding a really nice floor, for the average buyer, wont be very exciting.

I figure i can redue the places that are soft, and leave the rest.

ill get out there and take some pictures of the floor and what im working with.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/74875089@N07/7354741030/" title="Untitled by casejeep1, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7226/7354741030_277c511260_b.jpg" width="720" height="720" alt="Untitled"></a>

 

[casejeep]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

trying to figure out how to post pictures here.


Untitled by casejeep1, on Flickr

 

[ricohman]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

It might not be exiting for the average buyer to have a new floor but they will be plenty exited if they find their boat has a patch job over a rotten floor/stringers/transom and soggy foam.
But if you sell it for what you paid for it, and tell them about the floor, I guess thats ok.

 

[casejeep]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

It might not be exiting for the average buyer to have a new floor but they will be plenty exited if they find their boat has a patch job over a rotten floor/stringers/transom and soggy foam.
But if you sell it for what you paid for it, and tell them about the floor, I guess thats ok.

Im not going to patch over the rotted stuff, ill cut it out, put new floor down. not all of the floor is bad, its only like 4sqft.

 

[ricohman]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

Im not going to patch over the rotted stuff, ill cut it out, put new floor down. not all of the floor is bad, its only like 4sqft.

From what I've seen and read, you will likely find the floor is also rotten, along with the supporting stringers which are surrounded by soggy foam and run back to a rotten transom.

 

[casejeep]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

So when i use to swim step, it moves a bit, so i took it off.

Untitled by casejeep1, on Flickr

and what do i find....

Untitled by casejeep1, on Flickr


Untitled by casejeep1, on Flickr

looks like i will need to learn how to fiberglass....

Untitled by casejeep1, on Flickr

oh yeah this boat is dirty. it does look like the transom was fixed before...

Untitled by casejeep1, on Flickr

so onto the floor.
It is just right around the ski hole.

Untitled by casejeep1, on Flickr

 

[casejeep]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

wow only 6 pictures at a time? WTF? ugh, wel here is the rest.

so i figured might as well check the rest of the floor. so i ripped up all the floor carpet.\

Untitled by casejeep1, on Flickr

ill i want to do is replace the center section. And im going to get rid of the ski hole.

Untitled by casejeep1, on Flickr

but it does look like some of the floor is glassed...? ive never worked on boats before, so i want to take it slow, measure 5 times cut once

Untitled by casejeep1, on Flickr

 

[lowvlot]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

Welcome. I to thought my rot was just around the ski locker. Nope! the whole damn deck had to come out. 47inches of the starboard stringer had to be replaced. all the foam seat bases etc. I have a 17 foot bayliner. so ours will be similar. There are some very knowledgeable people on here that will help you if you want it. Good luck.

 

[casejeep]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

Welcome. I to thought my rot was just around the ski locker. Nope! the whole damn deck had to come out. 47inches of the starboard stringer had to be replaced. all the foam seat bases etc. I have a 17 foot bayliner. so ours will be similar. There are some very knowledgeable people on here that will help you if you want it. Good luck.

Yes i know, everyone wants me to redo everything. but if this boat was in perfect shape, just beautiful, what would it be worth? $4,000-3,500? so if i got it for $1,000, i can only do 2500 worth or repairs. and ill probably end up selling it in 2 years for $3,000.

I got this boat because i can put in the time to make it usable, its just my wife and little 1yr old baby. In 2 years or so i bet we will have another kid and ill have to get a bigger nicer boat.

I just want this boat to be in good usable condition for the next 2 years. if i was planning on having this boat indefinitely, hell yeah i would gut it and rebuild everything. But i know i wont so im not going to waist my time and money.

Ive built Jeeps and motorcycles, ive never worked with wood or fiberglass, so im not even sure i could redo the whole interior.

I have always found that forums are very helpful, i am hopping that this one will also be. Now i have explained why i dont want to redo the whole floor. There is method to my madness.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

Your boat has been molested and bastardized by a previous owner. The glassed in deck is probably factory and the way it should be throughout.

From the pics I would say your transom is probably rotten and probably the rear portion of the deck from the ski locker back.

It's your boat and you can fix it any way you want, but most folks on this site won't condone a hack job.

If it was my boat, I'd cut the deck and remove from the front of the ski locker back to the transom to have a look see at how bad the below deck situation is. This will reveal your stringers and transom for inspection and bore testing.

Any boat with a rotten transom is unsafe on the water, and I'm sure you don't want to put your wife and baby in that kind of situation.

 

[casejeep]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

Your boat has been molested and bastardized by a previous owner. The glassed in deck is probably factory and the way it should be throughout.

From the pics I would say your transom is probably rotten and probably the rear portion of the deck from the ski locker back.

It's your boat and you can fix it any way you want, but most folks on this site won't condone a hack job.

If it was my boat, I'd cut the deck and remove from the front of the ski locker back to the transom to have a look see at how bad the below deck situation is. This will reveal your stringers and transom for inspection and bore testing.

Any boat with a rotten transom is unsafe on the water, and I'm sure you don't want to put your wife and baby in that kind of situation.

Very good reply. I ripped out most of the deck that i was wanting too. I took the center section out right between the stringers, they are good. and the wood on the outer sides of them are fine too. same with the foam. so as of right now i am only going to replace the center part of the deck. And im happy with the progress ive made on that.

once i get the new floor in im going to take the boat to the shop for them to do a once over and check everything. im not a boat genius, so i want to have someone who knows what they are seeing to look at it.

since i have no way of taking the engine off, ill let them check the transom. is there anyway to tell if its bad without taking off the engine?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

Yes i know, everyone wants me to redo everything. but if this boat was in perfect shape, just beautiful, what would it be worth? $4,000-3,500? so if i got it for $1,000, i can only do 2500 worth or repairs. and ill probably end up selling it in 2 years for $3,000.

I got this boat because i can put in the time to make it usable, its just my wife and little 1yr old baby. In 2 years or so i bet we will have another kid and ill have to get a bigger nicer boat.

I just want this boat to be in good usable condition for the next 2 years. if i was planning on having this boat indefinitely, hell yeah i would gut it and rebuild everything. But i know i wont so im not going to waist my time and money.

Ive built Jeeps and motorcycles, ive never worked with wood or fiberglass, so im not even sure i could redo the whole interior.

I have always found that forums are very helpful, i am hopping that this one will also be. Now i have explained why i dont want to redo the whole floor. There is method to my madness.

Good luck.

1984-85 were some of the worst bayliner years for hull construction. I will tell you one in perfect shape that lived indoors w/o any rot or problems will fetch a high end of $1300 tops.

Investigate the hull properly since many of those vintage were found to be unsafe on the water.

This is the best restoration forum for boating on the internet. We do not concur or endorse band-aid repairs since lives are at stake.

 

[casejeep]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

Good luck.

1984-85 were some of the worst bayliner years for hull construction. I will tell you one in perfect shape that lived indoors w/o any rot or problems will fetch a high end of $1300 tops.

Investigate the hull properly since many of those vintage were found to be unsafe on the water.

This is the best restoration forum for boating on the internet. We do not concur or endorse band-aid repairs since lives are at stake.

What fantastic help im getting here!

Look guys im looking for help doing what im doing. Telling me that the boat i just bough is **** really isnt helping me, see where im going with this? maybe ill only give this boat this summer and try to sell it in the fall.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

What have you done to ensure that the stringers and the transom are sound and solid. If you have not taken core samples of them and the foam, there is no way to know for sure that they are and if they are not your boat will not be safe on the water for your family. The guys here on this forum take Safety on the Water very seriously. Quick Fixes are not high on our list and advice for those types of repairs is usually not forthcoming. If you don't want to do it the safe and right way then this is probably not the right place to come and seek advice. You have stated several times you don't know much about boats and the people on here do. If you ask their advice and they give it to you and then you berate them for giving you the facts, that is kinda hard to understand. We are all interested in helping you repair your craft as inexpensively and quickly as possible but...we will not sacrifice safety to do that. Stringers and Transoms must be sound or the boat could suffer catastrophic failure.

 

[casejeep]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

What have you done to ensure that the stringers and the transom are sound and solid. If you have not taken core samples of them and the foam, there is no way to know for sure that they are and if they are not your boat will not be safe on the water for your family. The guys here on this forum take Safety on the Water very seriously. Quick Fixes are not high on our list and advice for those types of repairs is usually not forthcoming. If you don't want to do it the safe and right way then this is probably not the right place to come and seek advice. You have stated several times you don't know much about boats and the people on here do. If you ask their advice and they give it to you and then you berate them for giving you the facts, that is kinda hard to understand. We are all interested in helping you repair your craft as inexpensively and quickly as possible but...we will not sacrifice safety to do that. Stringers and Transoms must be sound or the boat could suffer catastrophic failure.

all very true. With that being said, i did indeed take sames from both sides. of course i dont know what they looked like before but there was no water in the foam and the stringers were all dry. id did alot of reading on here before i bought the boat and before i posted so i did know about taking the samples, and i have seen what people have called wet foam and mine isnt like that.

ive seen a few write ups on replacing the transom, but none in very good detail, does anyone know of one that is?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

This is about as good as it gets. Start here and read the next 3 pages.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=526064&page=10

 

[jigngrub]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

Very good reply. I ripped out most of the deck that i was wanting too. I took the center section out right between the stringers, they are good. and the wood on the outer sides of them are fine too. same with the foam. so as of right now i am only going to replace the center part of the deck. And im happy with the progress ive made on that.

once i get the new floor in im going to take the boat to the shop for them to do a once over and check everything. im not a boat genius, so i want to have someone who knows what they are seeing to look at it.

since i have no way of taking the engine off, ill let them check the transom. is there anyway to tell if its bad without taking off the engine?

Honestly, your deck is secondary to the transom.

A couple of ways to check your transom are:

1. With the motor tilted up apply weight by standing or pushing down on the foot of your motor, if the transom flexes any at all it is weak and rotten.

2. Drill test holes on the inside of your transom starting at the bottom on the inside and working up. Use a 3/8" bit, if drill shavings are dark and wet = rot... dry and light in color = good. You should also bore test your stringers.

Given the age of your boat and the fact that it has already been half-azzed repaired, the odds are not in your favor for a sound transom... even if it was replace by the same dipstick that jacklegged your deck repair.

The folks on here that are saying what you don't want to hear are really just trying to help you, a boat with rotten structural members is a huge safety hazzard on the water. Here is a pic of the least that can happen when operating a boat with a rotten transom:

A lot of times the damage is much worse and the boat takes on an enormous amount of water... and if your floation foam is waterlogged, your boat is going to Davey Jones locker.

I know you stated that your foam and stringers are good, but you didn't post pics for us to see. You should core sample your foam to see if it is holding water below the surface, the top may be dry... but under that could be saturated.

I know you stated that you don't have an immediate way to remove your motor from the transom, but you can rent a small cherry picker from an auto supply or tool rental shop that will make lifting your motor off easily and for not much $$$.

Whenever you're working on or have your boat on the lake, just remember this:

It's 28 yrs. old and has had a jackleg without a clue screwing around with it... scarey, huh?

 

[ricohman]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

Lots of great rebuild threads here on Bayliners. Just search Bayliner.
Your transom appears to have flexed badly enough to crack the fiberglass. But I will say that it's nearly a certainty that the stringers are rotten. And with rotten stringers your foam is also wet.
I am a bugger for punishment and sink more money I should into projects that I will never see a return. But in this case I have to say that just the materials alone are going to put you in the red when it comes time to sell the boat. The guy that sold you this boat did so knowing that it isn't safe. The transom appears on the edge of failure.
I think parting it out and getting back as much money as you can is the way to go.

 

[casejeep]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

Honestly, your deck is secondary to the transom.

A couple of ways to check your transom are:

1. With the motor tilted up apply weight by standing or pushing down on the foot of your motor, if the transom flexes any at all it is weak and rotten.

2. Drill test holes on the inside of your transom starting at the bottom on the inside and working up. Use a 3/8" bit, if drill shavings are dark and wet = rot... dry and light in color = good. You should also bore test your stringers.

Given the age of your boat and the fact that it has already been half-azzed repaired, the odds are not in your favor for a sound transom... even if it was replace by the same dipstick that jacklegged your deck repair.

The folks on here that are saying what you don't want to hear are really just trying to help you, a boat with rotten structural members is a huge safety hazzard on the water. Here is a pic of the least that can happen when operating a boat with a rotten transom:

A lot of times the damage is much worse and the boat takes on an enormous amount of water... and if your floation foam is waterlogged, your boat is going to Davey Jones locker.

I know you stated that your foam and stringers are good, but you didn't post pics for us to see. You should core sample your foam to see if it is holding water below the surface, the top may be dry... but under that could be saturated.

I know you stated that you don't have an immediate way to remove your motor from the transom, but you can rent a small cherry picker from an auto supply or tool rental shop that will make lifting your motor off easily and for not much $$$.

Whenever you're working on or have your boat on the lake, just remember this:

It's 28 yrs. old and has had a jackleg without a clue screwing around with it... scarey, huh?

Ok well tomorrow i will open up the rest of the deck and see where i am with that. for the most part i "understand" how to build it back together. the transom on the other hand i have no idea. but the engine does move then i pull on it, so there you go i guess. ill post more pictures tomorrow.

its just frustrating thinking you know the extent of the problem and then finding out its only the tip of the ice burg.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: '84 Bayliner Capri 15ft revamp (Lots of PICTURES)... really

There are hundreds of people on here just like you. They have all had to come to grips with these same facts. In the long run it will be your decision on what to do based on what you finally find. It appears the transom for sure needs to be replaced.