Glastron floor repair. Need help.

[Scottfordman]

Re: Glastron floor repair. Need help.

Dang I don't know what to do here.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Glastron floor repair. Need help.

I guess the question is...Why did you buy a boat? To fix up and make money or to fix up and enjoy? You would have to be extremely lucky to find a used boat that you could just buy and go to the lake and not have to do anything to it.

 

[Scottfordman]

Re: Glastron floor repair. Need help.

How much did that working on your transom cost you and how did you find out? I just don't know if its worth throwing my money and this when I could throw my money at a nicer boat That needs a shine and wash.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: Glastron floor repair. Need help.

The thing is, you're talking 2k to restore. You are gonna be way more for a boat that can be proven 100%.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Glastron floor repair. Need help.

If, BIG IF, you can find a boat for $3,000 that for sure only needs a Wash and a Shine then sell this one and buy it, cuz that's about what this one will cost to fix the Stringers, Deck, and Transom. You might find a Newer boat that you like better but... Any boat older than 15 yrs that has not had very good maintenance and care, is going to need a lot of work to get her back into shape. If you don't like this boat then don't fix it. But again, most used boats will require a good amount of work.

 

[Auger01]

Re: Glastron floor repair. Need help.

How much did that working on your transom cost you and how did you find out? I just don't know if its worth throwing my money and this when I could throw my money at a nicer boat That needs a shine and wash.

I had soft spots in the floor and the outer transom skin was developing fatigue cracks, so I had a good idea of what I would find. I spent quite a bit more than three thousand for materials, but I used BS1088 (marine) plywood and silvertip expoy resin. Believe it or not, there is alot of wood in the bow of your boat that may (or may not) need to be replaced.

My boat has been in the family since new, so it had sentimental value. I am not sure I would have put that much time and effort into just any old boat. YMMV.

It is probably a safe assumption to say that most mass produced boats made with wood from the 60's to the 90's will have some rot. The only question is how much.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: Glastron floor repair. Need help.

I bought a boat for 1500$ that was rotten. Decided it wasn't worth the work. Bought a nicer boat for 2500$ that passed all the tests I could do without drilling or cutting. Long story short, it was less rotten, but still enough to warrant a full restore. Here about 2000 dollars later I almost have a nice boat! I like it better than the first and it is better for what I need, but I probably should have just fixed the first.

 

[Scottfordman]

Re: Glastron floor repair. Need help.

This is a 1984 16' Sun Runner with a 140hp 4 cylinder inboard/outboard mercruiser
Only 240 hours. What do you think of this? He doesn't want to much for it. Would it be better? Says it needs new bellows is all. Floor is solid an interior is great condition.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Glastron floor repair. Need help.

If the boat needs new bellows, you should assume water has penetrated the hull. Bellows that need to be replaced, leak water......

If you read 100 boat resto threads, there will be at least 1, maybe 2 that have 'solid' 'like-new' or 'new' decks (boat floor) that in fact have a new deck laid directly over the old deck (carpet too sometimes).

As Max pointed out a post or 2 ago, he's in almost $4K for 2 boats BEFORE he spent another $2K repairing his 2nd boat. He was much more through inspecting the 2nd (after deciding NOT to resto his 1st boat & all that he learned on that boat) and still ended up here in dry dock doing an entire gut & re-do.

Sure if the 2nd boat that needs bellows is a better fit for you & how your family will use the boat:
deep vee instead of tri-hull
I/O instead of OB

You might get lucky & buy a $2500 boat that needs $1500 worth of work instead of a $1500 boat that needs $2500 in work, but there is VERY little chance of buying ANY used boat that doesn't need some work.

A $10K 5yr old boat could need work too... Many owner's wouldn't even know, until there was a problem......... Or they sell it & the buyer has an OH CARP moment looking below decks: Where's all this water coming from & how did it get IN my boat..


You might consider an aluminum boat, but there's no guarantee that it won't need work too. There's wood in them too. BUT often the cost to resto is much less & much quicker.........

 

[Scottfordman]

Re: Glastron floor repair. Need help.

I'm not exactly sure what bellows are I'm a truck guy not really 100% with the boat mechanics yet. What do the drive shaft bellows actually do? This boat fits me pretty well. It's inboard which is what I want and seats enough and more room.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Glastron floor repair. Need help.

I/O bellows: think CV-joint boot..... It seals the articulating driveshaft u-joint in the outdrive. Outdrive will have to be removed.

This may help you understand bellows

This too :watermelon: <<< an indication that water intrusion is frequent when the bellows aren't inspected, maintained & replaced regularly


I/O require winterization if you are in a cool~cold climate......... Another reason to carefully & completely inspect a used I/O before purchase. Exhaust manifolds, blocks, heads.............

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: Glastron floor repair. Need help.

The bellows are rubber boots that seal off the drive shaft, shift cable, and exhaust as they exit the boat into the outdrive.

If the second boat is a better fit, as mentioned, and the price is right, and that is the boat you would rather put time, money, and effort into, go for it, but still go in expecting the worst, hoping for the best! Was it covered when you discovered it? Seats tattered? Mildew? All point to a possibility water could have spent some time INside the boat.

In most cases, I think, someone meticulous about preserving a boat is not gonna let bellows leak too awful long.

 

[Scottfordman]

Re: Glastron floor repair. Need help.

I believe he kept it in his garage I have not been able to actually see it up close just pictures.