Official Business of the 3V Club ( aka tri hull club )

[southkogs]

Start a topic for it in the rebuilding forums. If you have photos from before you stripped out the deck and the stringers post 'em up there.

The side pieces along the bottom of the gunwale were mostly for stowage. I think your stringers in that boat are all under the deck (not too much side support, I guess is what I mean). Those little 14' boats were a pretty simple flat deck, and two lounges (back to back seating for 4). MANY didn't have carpeting. Very likely this was just a glassed deck.

 

[Tapphouse]

Hey south, I do have a pic of the floor right now. It’s not removed, but I did remove a 2ft hole dead Center about 2ft forward of the transom. This spot was wet and brittle, the exposed stringers look “ok” not brittle, but were wet.
It sat out side under a cheap boat cover full of heavy snow for two winters, hence the water and soft spot.
At this point I have nothing into this boat, but I do like it and want to get it on the water for fishing. I’m looking for proper direction about how to handle this situation.
I’m thinking drilling a few small holes to help dry it out and lay over existing floor. Or remove existing floor and lay new wood on stringers IF they are still decent.
For the record this is my first boat, I have zero boat building experience, and the funds to buy a “new” or “new to me” boat is non existent. Any info would be extremely appreciated. Thanks!

 

[southkogs]

Do a little readin' over the restoration forums: I can't find a topic at the moment that's a mirror for yours. But there are plenty very similar.

IMHO: to do it right, you're going to have to pull the top cap off the hull (disconnect at the rub rail seam), clean out the deck, put in new stringers (and probably a transom) and then glass over a new deck. It's a LOT of work.

If you like the boat, and want the project: then it can be done. Probably a few thousand bucks to get it right. And the boat won't be worth much more than what you paid for it (doesn't work like old cars).

If you really just want to go fishing ... I would look at some other options. You said funds are tight: an open row-boat style 14' with a 10-25HP tiller steer on back will do a great job. And you can probably find one much cheaper than this boat will be to rebuild.

 

[Strychn9ne]

Just got myself a tri hull, so maybe I can be a part of the club! I’ll get some more pictures when it clears up outside and I can take it out! I bought it last week and stuffed it in there quick before the rain started and all my days off since it’s rained It’s a 1976 Hy Ryder tri-15.

 

[southkogs]

Nice car too! Welcome aboard.

 

[Strychn9ne]

Thanks, glad to have found this little group! It appears tri hulls are getting more rare, although I see lots of them yet all over here in Wisconsin. Maybe they survive longer here because they can only be used 6 times a year before it’s -35 degrees out again.

 

[Strychn9ne]

Well took her out for a little voyage with my daughter down the river and she ran perfectly! Not a drop of water in the bilge and the engine ran great! Even in the long slow no wake zone, no sputtering, just consistent putting. Can’t wait to get into a lake and let her rip! Got a few pics, but forgot in my excitement to take any on the water lol.