Worth Fixing?

[nath2099]

Hi folks. I came across this boat cheap, without realising it had floor issues until I put my foot through it... wondering if it's worth fixing? Seems to be a 70's Savage Avalon with a '76 70hp Seahorse outboard with hydraulic trim and steering. If it's worth saving, obviously I need to replace the floor and probably the stringer as well. To cut the floor out, do I just cut through at the bottom edge of the side tubs, or should I take those tubs out as well? I have a bit of experience with fibreglassing, is this something one could attempt themselves? I'm considering ripping the floor out to the transom to check if that has rotted as well, if so then I'm afraid it's trash as I don't have the skills to fix that...

Cheers,
Nate.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

Not telling you how to live your life but if you get in a boat and your foot goes thru the floor that is a sign.

 

[gm280]

First of all, welcome to iboats. Always nice to have a new member...

As for your question, it all depends on if you seriously like the boat. If it is what you want, then yes, it can be repaired and used for many years to come. BUT, not without a lot of work. So YOU have to first make the decision. If that decision is yes I really like this boat. Then we can offer the steps to proceed. So let us know what your ideas are and if you want to do the work to make it like new...actually better then new... JMHO

 

[lprizman]

Cheap?
Nate???
Should of been take at your own risk!
That boat can be made new again..... yes
The cost way outways it's value.....I hope I'm not saying anything you're not familiar with.... remove the floor....see how bad it is from there....need more pics...further back...
Don't short change your skills....you gotta start somewhere....you got this far and willing to get even deeper.....you got this!!
Transom feel solid?
Motor turnover?
Welcome aboard!!

 

[racerone]

You either fix these things or buy a newer boat.-----You get a part time job to make the money and use " after tax coins " to buy the better boat.----Or roll up your sleeves and fix this one.----You gain satisfaction and save $10 every hour you spend on it.-----All depends on your ambition and outlook.

 

[jbcurt00]

If you cant fix it, nope not worth it. Paying someone else to fix it would be significantly more.

 

[matt167]

That looks like a very big deck with a short covered bow. Fishing machine if that's what your wanting. It's not the way it was when it left the factory, Looks like someone tried to do some bass boat platforming to it..

$2-4k in materials + time.. Any boat up to the $4k mark could have issues. But I think you need to love this boats layout to consider rebuilding i

 

[Scott Danforth]

that is a boat needing a full gut and rehab.

the stringers and transom went decades before the floor rotted

as others indicated, about $2-4k for materials and about a year of your life

any fiberglass boat under $5k is a project boat.

 

[nath2099]

Thanks for your thoughts folks. I ripped a bit more of the floor up and the stringers actually seem ok, any thoughts? I chipped that timber away with the claw on the hammer, it's certainly not mushy... To answer a few of the questions, a couple of grand is ok, I'm fine to put the time in, the motor runs well, and the transom seems solid, not that I'd really know. The hydraulics does have an issue, being that it won't work until you bash the pump... but they're ony a hundred bucks.

 

[gm280]

Here is a simple tip how to determine IF you have rotted wood in stringers and transom. Drill small holes as close to the bottom as you can and observe if the wood chips are light colored and dry, or dark colored and wet. If they are dark and wet, the wood is rotted and absolutely will need replaced. Obviously you don't drill totally through the wood to the outside. And if you are getting dry light colored wood chips, you can plug those holes with 3M 5200 or some polyester or epoxy and move on...