Boat with paint cracks and hull damage

[Gerhard Peters]

I bought a boat for cheap. It has what looks like paint cracks on the top part of the hull. I also found damage in the hull (bottom part). The engine was not winterized, and I bought it as a project. I will engine swap it with a Volkswagen VR6 engine to create a YouTube video series on how to do it.

I'm including some pictures of the cracks and wondering if they are just paint cracks. Also, a picture of the damage in the bottom hull and I would like to know if that will cause issues

Since I'm not able to attach pictures, I'm including links to the images from Google Photos

Picture of paint cracks https://photos.app.goo.gl/Nbeghg9ypYXrecf4A
Picture of damage on hull https://photos.app.goo.gl/6evBU7K3wRN6HLCU7
Picture of boat https://photos.app.goo.gl/wtbtjMFDXn7MpGh16

 

[thedinz]

I thinkt he paint cracks are actually fiberglass cracks, i have a few on my boat, nothing serious but i too would be interested to hear what is the easiest fix

 

[briangcc]

Those are gelcoat cracks, not paint. Given in the one pic they radiate down for quite the distance, it looks like it might have had an impact with a dock post. There may be other underlying issues you need to address.

To fix, and good luck matching the color as its changed since it left the factory floor, I believe you would grind out the crack and then fill back with gelcoat.

I paid a marina $$$ to fix a few that way on the Four Winns. Boat was about 10 years old at that point and you couldn't tell where they blended it in. But it is a science/art as I had tried fixing a few nicks in the Bayliner and I will tell you first hand getting an exact match is an exercise in patience.

As for the big chunk out of the gelcoat...you might very well be looking at doing a repair first with some poly resin & glass then topping with gelcoat. I'll let the more knowledgeable peeps chime in on that.

IF that were my boat...I'd just replace the engine with whatever was there...be it a Merc / Volvo 4.3 or 5.0 (both chevy block). No need to complicate things when you can't find marinized parts for that VW engine or redo most of the wiring harness to make it function.

 

[Scott Danforth]

. I will engine swap it with a Volkswagen VR6 engine to create a YouTube video series on how to do it.

good luck in making water cooled marine exhaust or finding J1171 compliant electrics, or marine compliant fuel system parts.

 

[Gerhard Peters]

good luck in making water cooled marine exhaust or finding J1171 compliant electrics, or marine compliant fuel system parts.

I get where you are coming from. I have years of fabrication experience and have also worked as an automotive technician troubleshooting electrical issues. Wiring is easy for me.
When doing all kinds of one-off projects, who cares about compliance? Compliance is for someone who wants to live by the book/rules. That said, it is totally possible to do things safely when doing custom work, such as engine swapping. There are many excellent youtube channels dedicated to engine swapping.
Here is a video that inspired this project

 

[Gerhard Peters]

@briangcc Thank you for your input. It is a 2004 boat, so colour matching is the least of my concerns. For now, I may fix the gel coat cracks and vinyl wrap the boat. It is a long-term project doing something unique.

 

[Scott Danforth]

knowing why the IMO rules exists, and what it prevents, you may not have that attitude. however, its your life.

 

[briangcc]

The point Scott is making is that this isn't the automotive field where you custom build an exhaust or a couple motor mounts. Marine specific parts exist, not to make money hand over fist, but rather for the safety factor built into them.

You might start here and reach out to VW to see what is required. This may be a very costly project.

https://www.volkswagenmarine.nl/uploads/Engines_for_planing_boats.pdf

Be much easier to just drop in a replacement chubby block and enjoy.

OR...switch gears...no, scratch that, drop em entirely....

Sell this and pick up a 70's jet boat. They dropped all sorts of BB in them - Pontiac, Olds, Buick with Berkley jet pumps. Would certainly stand out at the lake.

 

[Scott Danforth]

remember in a boat, no surface to be hotter than 200F (93C) to prevent igniting the boat.

 

[Gerhard Peters]

@briangcc Thank you for the VW reference. That will come in handy.

I bought a complete 2006 Toureg with the VR6 engine for $500, so I have everything I need to start. Call me crazy; I was born to do this kind of stuff, no matter how many naysayers I face.

 

[thedinz]

@briangcc Thank you for the VW reference. That will come in handy.

I bought a complete 2006 Toureg with the VR6 engine for $500, so I have everything I need to start. Call me crazy; I was born to do this kind of stuff, no matter how many naysayers I face.

IVe been the guy on the other end of ignoring others advice and suggestions here, doesnt go well and ultimetly they were right.

 

[Gerhard Peters]

IVe been the guy on the other end of ignoring others advice and suggestions here, doesnt go well and ultimetly they were right.

That has happened to me too. I won't know until I try.

 

[airshot]

Keep in mind, your insurance won't cover you in case of an accident. If someone is injured or killed you have negligence because your boat did not follow industry safety standards. Looks like a fun project, just don't get around anyone else when your operating it !

 

[JimS123]

Those are gelcoat cracks, not paint. Given in the one pic they radiate down for quite the distance, it looks like it might have had an impact with a dock post. There may be other underlying issues you need to address.

To fix, and good luck matching the color as its changed since it left the factory floor, I believe you would grind out the crack and then fill back with gelcoat.

I paid a marina $$$ to fix a few that way on the Four Winns. Boat was about 10 years old at that point and you couldn't tell where they blended it in. But it is a science/art as I had tried fixing a few nicks in the Bayliner and I will tell you first hand getting an exact match is an exercise in patience.

As for the big chunk out of the gelcoat...you might very well be looking at doing a repair first with some poly resin & glass then topping with gelcoat. I'll let the more knowledgeable peeps chime in on that.

IF that were my boat...I'd just replace the engine with whatever was there...be it a Merc / Volvo 4.3 or 5.0 (both chevy block). No need to complicate things when you can't find marinized parts for that VW engine or redo most of the wiring harness to make it function.

Gelcoat cracks are either due to a PO that ran the crap out of the boat, or simply hull stress. Regardless, you can spend megabucks to fix them, but eventually they will return. Money wasted. Live with it.

 

[Scott Danforth]

@briangcc Thank you for the VW reference. That will come in handy.

I bought a complete 2006 Toureg with the VR6 engine for $500, so I have everything I need to start. Call me crazy; I was born to do this kind of stuff, no matter how many naysayers I face.

You're missing the point

If you make a fuel mistake in a car....the fumes go out the open engine compartment and dissipate.

If you make a fuel mistake in a boat, the fuel vapor collects in the bilge and you meet Jesus

 

[Gerhard Peters]

You're missing the point

If you make a fuel mistake in a car....the fumes go out the open engine compartment and dissipate.

If you make a fuel mistake in a boat, the fuel vapor collects in the bilge and you meet Jesus

I'm not planning on making that kind of mistake. The fuel lines will be just as well done on the Touareg I'm using for the engine. If the Touareg is safe, then the boat will also be. I get where you are coming from. You don't know me, and neither do you know my skill level. I'm not a backyard mechanic. I'm a skilled fabricator and a professional automotive technician.

Note to myself: I don't know why I'm defending myself to some stranger naysayers.

 

[thedinz]

Note to myself: I don't know why I'm defending myself to some stranger naysayers.

Its part of being on a forum, you will always have naysayers, but in the end i found i was pushing back against the truth. Not saying that is the case here, but you might find it hard to get assitance for a project others just do not agree with. But thats ok, push forward and display your progress for all to see. Or heed the advice and go a different direction.

 

[Scott Danforth]

and you know nothing about marine requirements.

or how fuel vapor sits in a bilge

the VR6 has less torque down low than a lowely 3.0 liter mercruiser so as a marine motor, short of adding a turbo (also not marine friendly unless you use a water cooled turbo in addition to the water cooled exhaust manifold) it wont get out of its own way. the overlap on the VR6 cams work great in a car, however in a boat with wet exhaust, it will have reversion issues at 2000 RPM and below. so you have to change the cams for marine use or suffer the ill effects of reversion. this further reduces the power output.

I am not a naysayer, and you are correct, I do not know you. However I probably built more hotrods than you have, and I know I have engineered more engine installations on everything from marine propulsion and auxiliary power to on-higway mobile to off highway mobile and stationary than you have. Not to mention I have been in the marine industry for over 20 years and have worked with the engineers from every engine manufacturer.

I am just trying to educate you on the marine requirements for fuel systems and electrical systems and trying to keep you from answering to St Peter at the pearly gates when you blow yourself up.

 

[Lou C]

Well no one is doubting the skill & experience of the OP here but these things are also a matter of regulatory compliance & liability. If no J1171 approved starters alternators and ignition systems exist for this engine and God Forbid there’s an accident traced to that, you can bet there will be legal consequences. Perhaps reading CG regulations for gasoline inboards would be a good first step. It’s America anybody can sue anybody and personal injury lawyers can be ruthless in their pursuit of evidence and assigning negligence. Why you’d want to put that risk in your life is beyond me…

 

[Lou C]

Watched the vid of the guy who did it. Fab work was very impressive but he didn’t explain how he dealt with J1171. What if he sells the boat & something bad happens? Does he disclose that? All this stuff matters in a litigious society like ours.