Is my 1970 14' Flare Tri-Hull worth saving?

[RsGood]

Picked up a 1970 Flare tri hull made in Bartow Florida with a 25hp johnson tiller and nice continental trailer. Problem is the floor was completely shot (and part of the transom). Tore up the old floor to find nothing but some type of mushy mud like substance where the stringers once lay. I did manage to pull out a few knots that had survived full rot. Guess I'm just wondering if it's going to cost me a fortune to repair the floor and transom. I've been reading on rebuilding floors for a few days on here so I have a good idea what needs to be done.I'm trying to think of the most cost effective way to rebuild a floor of some sort and possibly casting deck up front. The area I need to deck is about 5'x12'. (3) Stringers at about 10 feet each. Can I get away with 1.5oz cloth tape on the stringers or do I need something heavier? Thanks for any advice and/or comments.

 

[boatnut74]

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

It all depends how attatched you are to the boat. You will have a ton of hours involved with the restore. As far as cost I would have to say 1-2k if you do it yourself.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

The good news: That looks like a real nice stable fishing platform. That trailer looks to be in great shape. You'd done a good job with most of the deconstruction already. The bad news: That transom might be a bear to get ground out and replaced. There's really no way to half-a&& a fiberglass boat restoration and still have it be a safe boat.

Being a smaller boat though, I don't think your materials cost will be that exorbitant and you will end up with a nice solid boat if done properly. I'd vote to save it. Good luck!

 

[RsGood]

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Thanks for the replies so far guys. I was hoping to patch the transom on the bottom half as the rest seems pretty solid, dug around the bottom and the back piece of plywood is still solid. Could I chisel away most the old rotten wood on the bottom of the transom and just replace that portion?. I did a price check with my local fiberglass supplier and came up to around $270 for all the fiberglass and resin I think that I'm going to need. Planned on using some AC Plywood for the deck and already have some 1x6 laying around for the stringers. At $30 a sheet for the plywood I'm looking at $390 not including sandpaper,tyvek suit, respirator and whatever else I may need. Any more thoughts before I start sanding away the old stringer lay ups? Thanks again

 

[RsGood]

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Any advice for the boater on a budget?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Are you not wanting to take the top cap off.??

 

[RsGood]

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Are you not wanting to take the top cap off.??

As far as I can tell there is no top cap to this boat, just a roll top mold basically.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Is that not a rub rail I see on it? If so if you remove the rubber insert there should be rivets holding the two halves together.

 

[RsGood]

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

I'll have to take a closer look tomorrow but I'm almost positive it is all one piece.

 

[RsGood]

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Alright, checked it out a little closer along the rub rail and it seems like they just layered up more glass from the old floor over the top edge. Gonna bust out the grinder tomorrow and knock down all the old fiberglass from around the stringers,

 

[reelmess]

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

That looks like the perfect candidate for a poured transom to me, with the inner and outer skin sort of being all one piece, the right answer would have been to leave all the glass in place and dig out all the wood in the transom. Then just pour in a new one using Sea Cast or NidaBond.
The stringers are probably more for deck support than for structure in that hull, with the trihull shape, that hull looks pretty rigid. The trick will be re attaching the new glass to the edges of what remains on the sides when your all done.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Alright, checked it out a little closer along the rub rail and it seems like they just layered up more glass from the old floor over the top edge. Gonna bust out the grinder tomorrow and knock down all the old fiberglass from around the stringers,

Did you pull out the rubber from the rub rail to see if there were rivets holding the two pieces together. A close up pic would be good. I have seen similar boats. Two piece "Tub Boats". The entire Inner Tub Lifts out when the rub rail is removed.

 

[RsGood]

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

I did pull the rubber out a little, Wood, and it appears there are two pieces to the hull but they are inseparable. Tore into the transom to find it about 50% wet and rotten. I've decided I really like the shape of this boat and will restore it to the best of my abilities. I will start a new post when I really begin. Thanksss

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

What do you mean inseparable? If they are Two Separate pieces they should be able to be separated. If they are Glued together at the Joint then just cut the joint and lift the inner TUB out. I am tellin ya, I have seen a boat just like this and that's the way it's done.

 

[RsGood]

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

The two pieces are glued together all along the inside of the boat.

 

[93chevy]

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

Re: Is my 1970 14' Flare Tril Hull worth saving?

My question is why does our fiberglass boats have to have wood in the floor structure? Couldn't we construct a aluminum structure the would support the hull and floor as well as wood stringers and layed in fiberglass?