My Bayliner saratoga restore

[focus]

Hi all , i thought i would share a few photos with you of my restore,
I bought this boat last week for a little over ?800 , its a 24foot bayliner saratoga with a 4.3ltr mercruiser engine and alpha sterndrive that needs a lot of work

after getting it to my home i started to get to work,
the boat has been stood for about 2 years with no cover on it, i cut out the deck to find a stinking black soup that that used to be the beams and stringers for the deck, the foam is saturated and i think that it was only the gas tank that was holding the deck up

 

[focus]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

a few more photos after a fair bit of foam and rotten wood taken out

just waiting on some grinding disc's to arrive and will get the old fiberglass out that held the stringers in place , hope to get the tank and engine lifted out this week and the rip the the rotten wood out of the cabin

 

[JaSla74]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

Looks like you found yourself a fun project. All I can say is that you're in the right place.

I can't really tell from the pics, but on a boat that size I would make sure the length of your hull is secured properly to keep it from warping/flexing once you start removing your stringers.

Have fun!

 

[Mark42]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

Hey, that is one neat Bayliner. Never saw a Saratoga before. What year? Can you post a few pics of the cabin? It looks like it has a galley, but I would really like to see the layout.

Thats one heck of a big fuel tank. Seeing as its aluminum, it would be a good idea to clean it well and coat the inside with one of the fuel tank sealer products to prevent any corrosion issues down the road, or better yet, just replace with a new plastic tank.

Some people might say that 4.3L is not big enough for a boat that size, but I bet you will like it with the price of gas.

Nice find. Keep posting. I will really enjoy following this rebuild.

Mark

 

[focus]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

the boat is a 1977 modle according to the hin#,

the tank holds about 100 gallons so i am led to belive , i have now got the tank out and its in very good condition with no corrosion or pitting at all ,

as for the engine i have seen our local boat builder and he has reccomended that when i get the engine running to have it converted to lpg (low pressure gas) i think they run there tournament ski boats on it . i am having trouble splitting the drive from the engine and at the moment i keep squirting the splines of the drive shaft and gimble bearing with penatrating oil every couple of hours and hitting with a hammer , a few photo's below of the cabin for Mark42 and one with the tank removed

cheers
chris

 

[Calhere]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

Very nice boat, love the layout. Looks like loads of fun!

 

[proshadetree]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

Gerat looking old boat wish I had it and a truck big enough to pull it.Get to work man I need more push to finish mine up.

 

[Mark42]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

Thanks for the photos. You are really moving along. I don't see a hatch in the cabin, and was wondering how you get to the bow for anchor duties, etc?

 

[focus]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

there is a large hatch in the cabin it just did not show on the photo's but here is one of it

cheers
chris

 

[Calhere]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

The more I look at this the more I want it. Wonder how many there re in the US. I will find out.

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

Good looking design with the Hardtop. That's massive project cut out for you.
You've come to the right place if you need opinions or help. I and I'm sure others will stay tuned to your progress and pics. Keep at it and post pics.

 

[oops!]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

thats one hull of a project !

but its all fun.

i would highly suggest to make sure the bottom of the hull is straight ans properly braced before you continue to rip out the strings.......the weight of the cap will want to warp an unsupported hull......

if it hooks and you add the new stringers in.......it will lock the hooked hull in place and youll never get it to plane.

i read you said you were waiting for grinding discs.......youll need plenty....

what type of tools are you using?.....the proper size tools can save you a month on that project........

for grinding....id suggest a 5 inch with a 7 inch rubber backing pad.....and a 24 grit resin backed paper disc......it will save you lots of time.......im looking forward to watching this one....

cheers
oops

 

[oops!]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

btw focus........now is the time to take core samples of the transom....

just search core sample.....theres lots here on it

 

[focus]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

this is how the boat is supported

do you think i will need anymore support

the transom has some rot and i will be pulling it out and renewing , as for tools i have table saw , jigsaws,reciprocating saw, drills, 5" grinder and backing pads some 40 grit flap disc's on order , resparator and overalls its just to cold to do more than a couple of hours at a time ,

i am basicaly trying to get most of the rooted wood and water out befor it gets to cold and then rap it all up til spring

cheers
chris

 

[oops!]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

chris its tough to say about the hull support unless i was crawlling around under there......look for any place that "dents".....and before you put the stringers in........run a stringline on the outside....under the hull.....it cant be concave.....it can be a "smile".....but not a hook.......

see if you can get a 24grit resin back grinding paper, to go on your 7 inch rubber backing pad....we call it a flapper, beacuse the edge of the grinding disk "flaps" on the rubber pad.....it will make short work of grinding.

do you have room under the cap to get at the transom easily?......in a boat that big there is uasually a good 6 inches or so.......


its getting cold here too.......its going to dip into the minus-es tomight....they say 10-15 cm of snow ........ive gotta get out and make a couple of pvc a frames so the snow will slide off my tarp......or its just gonna rip....

cheers
ward

 

[Mark42]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

I have hatch envy.

 

[colobiker]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

this is how the boat is supported

I love the lines on that one. gorgous its got the look.. makes me green with envy.

 

[F14CRAZY]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

This is more of a question than a suggestion, but with a boat of this size can you still support the hull with tie down straps around it as I've done with my Capri? Granted mine is on its trailer, not blocks

 

[focus]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

do you have room under the cap to get at the transom easily?......in a boat that big there is uasually a good 6 inches or so.......
cheers
ward

Hi ward
there is plentey of room to get the transom work done without having to lift the cap and i take your advice about the string line , the hull seems pritty stable on the blocks , i will take some diagonal measurements now and repeat when the stingers and transom , engine are out and hope that no adjustments are needed before i replace

This is more of a question than a suggestion, but with a boat of this size can you still support the hull with tie down straps around it as I've done with my Capri? Granted mine is on its trailer, not blocks

i thought about the straps but didnot think they where needed as the cap is staying on, the hull will not splay and hopefully it will not twist do to how it is blocked

thanks for all the other comments guys


cheers
chris

 

[Bradyb00]

Re: My Bayliner saratoga restore

Hi all. This is my first post on this website.

In a very strange way I just came accross this page from google. You see, I bought this boat this summer....partially restored/ altered.
All of the old rot was taken out, and a new deck put in (5-6 inches below where it should be).
Though the stringers haven't been glassed and the deck is only semi-glassed made out of something that looks like MDF. The stringers look like they're made from roof lumber!
The front cabin hasn't been touched and all the wood is now completely rotted.

From the work above, I don't think the partial restore was carried out by the same guy. It's almost as if the love was missing.

My intentions are to completely rip out all of the restore work and start from scatch with the interior. New engine, new glass..bit of marine ply and some douglas fir here and there.
I'm new to boats of this size, but have restored a 15 and a 16 footer. Loved the work.

Sorry to dig up the old post but will try to keep this one updated with pictures as we go for those that are interested. Really need your guys support as this is the biggest project I've taken yet.
If anyone knows of one, I'm currently looking for a trailer for her to sit on while I carry out the work.

Do you guys have any advice on a trailer that can support her weight (in a very hull supportive way, as I'll be taking out the stringers again.)?
I was looking at something like a SBS 3500 bunked.