Need advice restoring 14 ft fiberglass hull boat

[CrownJules]

Hello! I am new to iBoats, but based on browsing through other threads I am excited to get some
help in fixing up my boat! I own a 14ft, fiberglass Jon boat that is in need of a few minor repairs.
I have a few questions regarding painting, gelcoat restoration, fiberglass patching, ect.

1. I have an ~12'' crack (and slight bowing) on my transom where the weight of my motor is putting pressure.
I am unsure if it is rotted or simply needs a patch and some reinforcement.
What would y'all suggest in repairing this?

2. I also have a small area on the deck that looks like it needs some patching. Suggestions?

3. I know little about painting fiberglass. Idealling, I would like to to paint the entire boat, inside and out.
I think it needs light sanding and gelcoating on the bottom. Does anyone have tips or reccommend any products for
accomplishing this?

I appreciate any and all help y'all can give me. I'm a young lady with my own boat that has MANY men doubting
that I can accomplish this on my own. I'd like to prove them wrong

Thanks guys!!

 

[Numlaar]

Re: Need advice restoring 14 ft fiberglass hull boat

Welcome! Glad to have you aboard

Not to say anything about your ability, because I am definitely not, but based on what I am seeing in the pictures, that boat has far too many stress cracks, patches, and overall failures in the fiberglass, that, in my opinion, it's not really worth sinking money into to repair... It looks like it's one of the styles they made where it was basically one outer shell, inner shell combination that was probably just filled with foam... they weren't very durable to begin with... (you can see how thin the fiberglass is, and that there is basically nothing inside it)

It would be a daunting task to try and split that apart, make structural repairs, fiberglass repairs, gel coat, etc. and put all back together... For the money it would take, you could probably find something cheap and/or free that's a much better starting point.

Unless there is a strong sentimental attachment, or some other reason why you really really want the boat, I would probably shop around for a different hull all together...

Sorry don't want the first reply to be "negative", but like I said just throwing an opinion out there based on what I can see!

Now if you do want to undertake the repair(s), then you can definitely get some good advice here.

1. Just curious, do you have a motor? (how is it propelled)
2. Can you post a shot of the whole boat? (will help in figuring out where to advise you to begin). I'll let the rest of the experts chime in.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Need advice restoring 14 ft fiberglass hull boat

Num has some good points. Do you know the mfg of the boat? His speculation on the boats overall construction is pretty much spot on. If you were to take a Dremel and cut out the inner skin of the transom you would be able to tell very quickly what the core material was. All of the repairs are "Do-able" using epoxy and cloth, and your cost would be between $200- $300 bucks for materials including the wood, fiberglass/Epoxy & paint. You can paint it with good old Oil Based Rustoleum or Valspar with an added Hardener and have a nice looking durable finish. But like num says, for that money you could prolly buy a better boat. If you want to use her as a "Learning Experience" then let us know, post some more pics of the overall boat, and we'll get started.

 

[Cheetah 210es]

Re: Need advice restoring 14 ft fiberglass hull boat

C'mon guys - We got pics!!!!
If you have a good motor and trailer already and those repairs are the only thing stopping you using it I'd be tempted to have a go at this.

 

[CrownJules]

Re: Need advice restoring 14 ft fiberglass hull boat

Thanks for the advice so far guys! The boat itself cost me next to nothing. It floats and the motor runs fine. Any money I do put in to fixing it up would just to make it "better". It has a little sentimental value to me, I hate to give up on it now if there's anything I can do to improve it. Regardless, I really do appreciate the responses and will definitely keep all of it in mind.

 

[CrownJules]

Re: Need advice restoring 14 ft fiberglass hull boat

Also, I am kinda intrigued by the idea of learning to do all this. Since I haven't invested much money into it yet, I'm really open to any ideas on what to do first.

What other pictures would be helpful for y'all?

Thanks again!

 

[Cheetah 210es]

Re: Need advice restoring 14 ft fiberglass hull boat

Good news about motor, do you have any history for it? Any look finding manufacturer?

 

[Cheetah 210es]

Re: Need advice restoring 14 ft fiberglass hull boat

Anything that will help with identification.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Need advice restoring 14 ft fiberglass hull boat

As I said before the crack in the transom indicates the core material is compromised. You need to cut a portion of the inside skin out and see what is in the core. The rest of the repairs are basic grinding away the old paint and glass from around the areas, cleaning with acetone and then applying Fiberglass cloth and Epoxy resin to the damaged areas. Sanding smooth and painting. You won't have any problems effecting these repairs. The transom is the most problematic of all and it is still a fairly basic repair once we know what we're dealing with.

 

[Zyen]

Re: Need advice restoring 14 ft fiberglass hull boat

Welcome to the Dry Dock!
You're in some great company here.
that sure looks like a great learning experience, and it seems like you've got the mindset to repair that thing, which is a great start.


based on num's and wood's opinions, i wonder if there is (or how much, rather) water is between the shells.

...It floats and the motor runs fine...It has a little sentimental value to me...

that is a very big plus.

Also, I am kinda intrigued by the idea of learning to do all this. Since I haven't invested much money into it yet, I'm really open to any ideas on what to do first.

What other pictures would be helpful for y'all?

Thanks again!

honestly, i'd like to see the whole boat.


are the cracks just in the pics, or is there cracks over the whole boat?
not necessarily a bad thing, but if the whole boat has stress cracks, it'll make it a bit more difficult, as you'll probably wind up glassing the entire inner shell.
just my $0.02

allan