Bed liner for fiberglass hull

[icatchfish]

New to owning a boat, bought a junker last fall for 300 bucks. I'm curious if anyone has any experience with using spray on bed liner to coat the entire hull for waterproofing? I've read a little now on performance and osmosis if water gets trapped in a bubble and what not.

I just need it to float in a bay and just want to know if bed liner will work if worst case ontario she starts taking on water.

The boat is an old Sears branded 14ft fiberglass with a 50hp 2 stroke evinrude manual tilt. Motor runs like a dream. The hull came with 4 screw holes from bad DIY and a couple scrapes that I patched according to marine epoxy instructions. The floor is squishy in spots, I might inject a couple cans of spray foam if it's water worthy. Transom seems very solid. Changed the leg oil and fogged before winter and motor once again fired up great. (After I realized I had not enough fuel in the tank and had the tank on a bad angle)

Anyways, first post, long post. Thanks for any input.

 

[Chris1956]

If the hull needs waterproofing, why not use polyester resin and cloth where necessary? Bedliner would be a mess and not provide good waterproofing, I would think.

 

[alldodge]

Welcome

Motor runs like a dream. The hull came with 4 screw holes from bad DIY and a couple scrapes that I patched according to marine epoxy instructions. The floor is squishy in spots, I might inject a couple cans of spray foam if it's water worthy. Transom seems very solid

I would remove and sell it to get your $300 back and most likely make enough to pay to have the boat hauled off to the dump. The boat is not worth fixing

Don't use bed liner coating on the hull, it will not last and will create more drag

 

[icatchfish]

If the hull needs waterproofing, why not use polyester resin and cloth where necessary? Bedliner would be a mess and not provide good waterproofing, I would think.

I was just looking for a cheap and quick way to make it float if for whatever reason it decides not too. Only reason I purchased is to just get a little off of shore. Went on a friends boat for fishing last year and now I can't help myself, minus the wanting to spend 5k for a decent used or 60 plus for a new one.

 

[Chris1956]

Gee a gallon of poly resin and some cloth is less than $100.

 

[icatchfish]

Welcome


I would remove and sell it to get your $300 back and most likely make enough to pay to have the boat hauled off to the dump. The boat is not worth fixing

Don't use bed liner coating on the hull, it will not last and will create more drag

I don't care about drag, it will only be in the same bay I launch it in. Travel 600 feet on the water and drop anchor. Don't overly care about lasting either, I'll spray more liner on there for the life of the boat if needed. Looking to get 2 maybe 3 seasons from until I can afford preferably a nice little new lund.

 

[icatchfish]

Gee a gallon of poly resin and some cloth is less than $100.

Is that all? Not terrible i suppose. A can of liner is 35 bucks and will cover the whole hull. Looking for quick and easy mostly. I read i could hang the boat from my rafters just off the 3 eyelits, one in front and two in back. Would make it more accessible.

 

[alldodge]

I don't care about drag, it will only be in the same bay I launch it in. Travel 600 feet on the water and drop anchor. Don't overly care about lasting either, I'll spray more liner on there for the life of the boat if needed. Looking to get 2 maybe 3 seasons from until I can afford preferably a nice little new lund.

ok I get it, where your life jacket

Reminds me several years ago running the Ohio river and noticed a guy flagging me down. Older gent was taking on water in a jon. Towed him to shore and went on my way. About an hour later I'm headed back the other way and same guy is back out there fishing

 

[icatchfish]

ok I get it, where your life jacket

Reminds me several years ago running the Ohio river and noticed a guy flagging me down. Older gent was taking on water in a jon. Towed him to shore and went on my way. About an hour later I'm headed back the other way and same guy is back out there fishing

Well, life jackets and extinguisher after this weekend lol. Testing after work tomorrow to see if she floats, if she floats I'll spend money and buy all the right safety equipment. Also, I'm launching with a van and a hitch extender for extra room. This is gonna be a bit of a show for anyone watching!

Anyways, still looking to hear as to whether spray liner will work, no matter how temporary. Thanks for the input by the way.

 

[alldodge]

Anyways, still looking to hear as to whether spray liner will work, no matter how temporary. Thanks for the input by the way.

I don't know if anyone has ever used it, same goes for Flex Seal
Flex Seal commercials show the guy spraying on a boat

 

[icatchfish]

I don't know if anyone has ever used it, same goes for Flex Seal
Flex Seal commercials show the guy spraying on a boat

Right? It's a waterproof rubber basically, in theory it should work. Clean and scuff the surface for proper bonding and away I should be able to go.

Hoping the hull is fine anyway, I just like looking forward. Shouldn't really be a reason why it doesn't float honestly.

 

[jbcurt00]

If the floors squishy, the boats not sound, spray/roll on coating or not, no matter 500ft from shore or 5ft.

Should put warning labels on the boat to warn passengers the boat is possibly unsafe.

Maybe it is safe, maybe its not... wont know until it isn't, and that's the problem, you wont KNOW which.

 

[icatchfish]

If the floors squishy, the boats not sound, spray/roll on coating or not, no matter 500ft from shore or 5ft.

Should put warning labels on the boat to warn passengers the boat is possibly unsafe.

Maybe it is safe, maybe its not... wont know until it isn't, and that's the problem, you wont KNOW which.

What is the risk? Are we talking hull collapse or a slow casual sink? I'm new to this and reading only does so much, experience matters significantly. I don't mind risking myself, it's my family and kids that matter.

 

[flashback]

Go for it, you seem set on the idea. Let us know if you survive.

 

[airshot]

I have witnessed a transom fail at over 25 mph, outboard still attached, and running while it sank. Hull torpedoed into the river, gone in a flash. Not pretty....

 

[redneck joe]

welcome to the forum.


in making sure it floats, float is for several hours with you in it or run it for an hour watching the bilge for water the whole time. Slow at first, a few spurts on plane.

now for my two cents inflation adjusted to a quarter of a penny is to do your plan this year but since the motor runs perfectly immediately start looking for an aluminum boat. If lund is the brand in your area ok but lots of other brands will work so be fair to the others. We tend to lean starcraft here which is what i have.

good luck

 

[icatchfish]

welcome to the forum.


in making sure it floats, float is for several hours with you in it or run it for an hour watching the bilge for water the whole time. Slow at first, a few spurts on plane.

now for my two cents inflation adjusted to a quarter of a penny is to do your plan this year but since the motor runs perfectly immediately start looking for an aluminum boat. If lund is the brand in your area ok but lots of other brands will work so be fair to the others. We tend to lean starcraft here which is what i have.

good luck

Oh that's a good idea, boats are cheaper without motors. No bilge on this old girl, just an access panel I cut in the floor to poke my head in. Nothing is pretty about this thing except the new cabelas seats the previous owner installed.

I've heard to prefer lund over smokercraft being the other brand where I'm at. Due to the smokercraft rivets being a potential issue. Some other models up in prince Albert and stuff.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Squishy floor = rotten and waterlogged boat.

I would not chance your life