Help! 1976 Mark Twain restore it or junk it?!?

[ArcturianKing]

Hey everyone!
Just got my first boat thinking it was a steal, of course it never is… so here goes..
I just got a 1976 mark Twain tri-hull with trailer, that has a 115hp Johnson motor. I paid $300 for everything. But the interior is trashed due to not being taking care of and parked outside for the last 4 year.. or longer who knows.
So I am in the process of gutting it because there was a bad soft spot right in front of the gas tank. But all the other parts of the floor seem solid. After ripping the carpet off I saw the stringer is pretty much mud inside a fiberglass shell. I am going to tear the rest of the floor apart to check the other stringers and hopefully make my decision.
My question is.. is it worth it to repair this myself or junk the whole boat, keep the motor, and find a new shell/roller. I have a construction background and pretty much did everything but carpet. I will update pictures as I tear out the floor! Please help and thank you!

 

[racerone]

It takes a lot longer than you think to fix these things.----Working alone or with an assistant ?-----Start with a compression test on the 45 year old motor.---See if it runs properly.----Test the motor on the lake if boat is safe to float.------Be a shame to fix the boat to then find out motor is junk too.

 

[ArcturianKing]

It takes a lot longer than you think to fix these things.----Working alone or with an assistant ?-----Start with a compression test on the 45 year old motor.---See if it runs properly.----Test the motor on the lake if boat is safe to float.------Be a shame to fix the boat to then find out motor is junk too.

I will be doing it by myself, I know that the motor was started every year for the last 4 years, but it hasn’t been in the water for 4 years.. and I don’t see and chips or cracks on the hull. I have a 5on-2off-2on-5off schedule so I will have some time to work on it. And I will hopefully test the motor this weekend and update this post! Thank you!

 

[Lectro88]

The boat can be whatever you make it. I've said this a dozen times. art or crap.
I have a second boat similar to this, a 79 Pisces that I gutted and its waiting for me to finish my 69 Mako.
Like Racer said, it takes a long time to do this stuff. You are Def. able to do everything, Thats a Huge plus. now do you really want to.
And at $300 the trailer is worth that.
But materials can and will snowball over and over.
You could find a better boat for sure now or later. BUT.. also.
If you build or re-build this boat, (correctly)you will have a better boat than you could buy new and it will outlast anything you buy, most likely.
My project is 2-3 yrs. but I'm not doing anything standard. and its a total down to hull build back from blank slate.. blank checkbook too.
Thats another thing to consider. most times you will not get out what you put into the build, but you could get lucky. The biggest thing is knowing what you have after it's done and that as said before is a along road. but satisfaction is a pretty good return.
The guys on this forum are always at hand to help and cheer sometimes too.
at the end of the day its a flip of the coin, build it or trash it.
many projects get started many don't get finished. many do.
Its easy to lose the head of steam after or if you start counting the money and time you spent and hurtle after hurtle.
thats my 1/2 cents worth.
Best to you.

 

[todhunter]

Look at it this way - you've spent about 1/20th to 1/30th the cost of having it finished. If it's the only thing you do in your spare time, I think it can be done in under a year. If life happens, or you are splitting your spare time between boat restoration and something else, plan for 18+ months. It's worth it if you have some connection to this particular boat and/or if you love the process of restoration.

 

[racerone]

My project is outdoors so I have to work on good dry days.---I agree if you do it right it will outlast you.----I am doing a 40 year old boat.----No wood in the transom , floor and under the floor.

 

[JASinIL2006]

If you're going to restore it, make sure it's a boat you really love and that fits your needs. Restoring a boat is really rewarding and you can wind up with a really well-built boat that will last a long time. However, restoring is a ton of work, much of it unpleasant (like grinding fiberglass in a hot Tyvek suit while wearing a respirator, etc. Furthermore, if/when you sell it, you likely will not get out of it what you invest. So make sure it's the boat you really want.

My restoration was a great project, but there were times I was pretty fed up with it. Having some attachment to the boat helps a lot.

 

[ArcturianKing]

Thank you everyone for the reply’s!
Im ok with taking time to restore this boat if it is cost effective, and I make a really good boat for cheaper than if I would just go buy another and keep the motor.. I just saw a redone one with a boat wrap on the outside for $5000 where I’m at. I have the next 5 days off so I’ll keep everyone posted of my progress with the motor and what the rest of the stringers look like.. here is a video of before I ripped up the carpet ,and some quick pictures of the soft spot after I ripped up the softest part of the floor..
View attachment IMG_3787.MP4

 

[racerone]

No surprise there.----There are hundreds of boats out there in the same condition.-----Folks just do not know how shoddy / cheap some of the hidden materials are.----Water and heat will destroy plywood.

 

[ArcturianKing]

No surprise there.----There are hundreds of boats out there in the same condition.-----Folks just do not know how shoddy / cheap some of the hidden materials are.----Water and heat will destroy plywood.

I know! All they really had to do is have a tarp on it and the entire floor and stringer would have been fine.. I still don’t think I could have saved the floor even if I grabbed it 4 years ago…

 

[JASinIL2006]

Looks like a full gut-and-restore for sure.

 

[Lectro88]

Looks like a full gut-and-restore for sure.

I am a little surprised nobody chimed in on this sooner,(me included) but it's not been on the table or topic.{really}

JASinIL2006 may have hit it and its no surprise to any of us really, but I'm not sure total total cut&gut was really explained.​

TRANSOM..
this boat is 45 years old and if stringers and floor are in this shape, being all wood core. transom most likely is too.
You may want to give motor a good heeve hoo. that means grab motor by foot or in raised position put your weight on the foot or lift up on it with the most leverage you can get... the transom and fiberglass shouldn't move.
then there is the 1/4" drill bit test, best done from inside. especially close to mount bolts. and down low. but most times the entire core is shot.
Water can get in over time from top to bottom.(anywhere)
(my transom had 56 holes that I repaired just recently with my transom install)
Shavings should look like wood and be dry. not be black and mush.
Or when you get through fiberglass, it shouldn't seem hollow.
NO NEED to pass through to outside with bit. you just want core samples of wood or mush.
if all is well(I highly doubt it at 45yrs old) epoxy or fill holes you drilled with PB or you will soon be doing a transom job for sure later.

sorry for long post.
but you may be in for more than floor and stringers. this is the snowball effect I mentioned in my 1st. post. [and its the way of old boats]

 

[GSPLures]

Thank you everyone for the reply’s!
Im ok with taking time to restore this boat if it is cost effective, and I make a really good boat for cheaper than if I would just go buy another and keep the motor.. I just saw a redone one with a boat wrap on the outside for $5000 where I’m at. I have the next 5 days off so I’ll keep everyone posted of my progress with the motor and what the rest of the stringers look like.. here is a video of before I ripped up the carpet ,and some quick pictures of the soft spot after I ripped up the softest part of the floor..
View attachment 344935

If you find another hull you may have the same issues, possibly just delayed by a few years.

I thought about it on my restore also, but ultimately went with rebuilding. I figured a little more money up front will save money in the long run. The hull once rebuilt will outlast any hull you will find. More than likely even if you bought a brand new one. (If done right and taken care of)

If the interior (seats etc.) and motor are in good shape then that will save you a good chunk of money. The hull is just fiberglass,plywood,and foam. Use 3/4 ACX plywood from the store and poly resin (what the boat was built with) 1.5oz CSM and some 1708 glass most order from US Composites or locally if you have a supplier near by. You will also need some cabosil and 1/4 chop for making fillets. For the foam 2lb density pour foam is what you want for under the deck.

 

[racerone]

I would say that ---" full gut and restore "----Means transom , stringers and floor.----My project is replacing wood in transom , floor , deck support , helm ( dash ) and installing fiberglass stringers instead of structural foam.

 

[GSPLures]

I would say that ---" full gut and restore "----Means transom , stringers and floor.----My project is replacing wood in transom , floor , deck support , helm ( dash ) and installing fiberglass stringers instead of structural foam.

I poured 2lb in the open cavities between the stringers on mine. I thought flotation foam was required by the USCG on boats smaller than 26' or am I wrong on that?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Thank you everyone for the reply’s!
Im ok with taking time to restore this boat if it is cost effective, and I make a really good boat for cheaper than if I would just go buy another and keep the motor..

and there is the rub.

you will spend about $8-$10k on properly restoring the hull and interior (this years pricing, up about 100% from 2019 pricing) and that is assuming your motor is perfect.

your boat in perfect shape is a $2000 boat

restoring boats only makes sense if you love the boat or have emotional attachment to the boat.

 

[chevymaher]

I did it. If your keeping the engine then it is worth it. I see all the boats around here. See them sitting in yards under practically nothing. Once you redo one you know how bad the others are just by looking at the condition of the interiors. Nobody takes care of a boat unless they themselves restored it.

I hear I take care of mine all the time. As they take the drain plug out and water pours out from drain. Most peoples idea of in good shape is it didn't sink yet.

If your going to have a boat and keep it. Then restoring is the cheapest by far way to have a safe boat

 

[racerone]

I would say that foam is required on " factory built " new boats.----Looks good featured in the brochure too.----The foam I took out of mine was water logged.----No required Coast Guard inspection requirement in my area when a boat is launched.-----When a car is sold there are very strict rules.

 

[ArcturianKing]

UPDATE!!!.. it took me less than an hour, but i pried the large piece of plywood up that was in the center, all the screws spun and did come out so I just pull the whole piece up, everyone was right.. it is a total gut and redo.. there are no stringer left, just non treated wood someone tried to mount to the nonexistent stringers to better support a new piece of wood for the floor.. everything is soft under the floor in the front as well…
Here are just a few pictures..
My current plan now is to test the motor outside the water, if it runs then I’ll put the floor back down quick and test it out on the lake to see how it performs.. as for the boat itself I’m up in the air at the moment..

 

[racerone]

This foam flotation is a hidden danger.----It begins to hold water.----This becomes an continuous supply of moisture to feed the rotting process of the cheap plywood.----No wood going into my project.-----Had somebody walk over to look the other day.-----After I explained he said ---" absolutely brilliant what you are doing "------It takes many hrs of measuring and fitting.----It can be done.