Topic: My new playtoy; a crusty old boat.

[csendker]

I just picked up yet another project; an old fiberglass boat.  I know absolutely nothing about boats, but then again I knew nothing about bikes either (...and it's debatable how much I know now though...).  So it's off to the steep learning curve I go.  Supposedly it actually runs, but besides being very, very rough inside, the wiring & most everything else looks to be a mess.  I'm looking for a decent cosmetic re-do, full wiring replacement and full tune-up/whatever it takes for the motor.  I should probably look for some boat forums, but I think I'm spoiled w/the quality here at SOHC4.  I'm storing it at the U-Store-It place that's directly behind my office building, so I'll have plenty to do each day at lunch.

1970 Luger 14' Runabout
1978 50HP Mercury outboard

Wo-hoo!  Lets the games begin.

[tramp]

that should keep you out of trouble for a while

[csendker]

Actually, I think it will be getting me INTO trouble. 

[seaweb11]

I have done restoration work on  16'.  25 ' and 40' boats. I think I have a good idea how to get the job done and will be glad to help.

My recent summer ski boat resto.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=24474.0

What is your overall plan of attack?

[csendker]

Seaweb, I read your ski boat thread as it transpired, and it is partially to blame for this.     That and a very enjoyable weekend fishing expedition with my son.  Having nothing to float upon, I rented an aluminum rowboat w/ a 9.9 Honda motor.  It worked great, but compared to the other guys, it took forever to hit the fishing holes and was a bit cramped. 

So I figured $85 to rent again vs. $200 to buy this wreck, hell, I'll have her cleaned up & running in time for next year's excursion.  If it turns out to be hopeless (I don't expect that), I can probably get close to my cost for just the trailer, not to mention that a running (supposedly) 50 HP outboard has to be worth way more than that anyway.

I'm moving it tomorrow to the local U-store-it joint that is conveniently directly behind my office.  Lunches have never been more exciting.  My plan is to clean out the crap from the interior, then rip out the rug to see what the condition the floorboards are in.  I'm going to focus on the flooring & a new rug, then look into any other interior body work while I still have some sort of weather to work in.  I'll be searching for new seats along the way.

I suppose I should add that the hull seems pretty good, no chunks, cracks or gouges that I have found.  Just some spider webbing and in need of a good wash, wax & buff (I do use those terms lightly, I have to figure out how to recondition fiberglass properly). 

I figure that I should rewire the whole thing, top to bottom.  The PO said it will run as-is with just a tune-up, but the wiring is a mess.  I need a new bow light as a minimum.

The motor supposedly runs but needs a tune-up.  He said it was winterized when he put it up last year and it hasn't run since.  Any thoughts I should look for to make sure it's ready for the oncoming Buffalo winter?

My head is spinning with this.  Kind of an impulse buy, but I want it presentable by Christmas so I can surprise the kids with it.  After that, I'll look into the engine.

[Gordon]

Ah yes....  The first of the two best days of boat ownership!

Good luck with it!

[mattcb350f]

She's a fine looking vessel csendker!

A word on winter storage.. If the engine has been winterized than it's good to go, but if you plan on running it (In water of course) make sure you let it sit in the down position afterwards before it's allowed to freeze. The down position, the way it is in the picture, will allow the water to drain properly out of the engine. if the engine is tilted up, the water will stay in and around the engine and if left that way to freeze can cause some damage.
 Matt.

[csendker]

Ah yes....  The first of the two best days of boat ownership!

Hey, at least I'll get one more day of love-fest!  I don't know anything about Merc's, but if it gives me too much trouble, I'll just slap a SOHC4 back there somehow...

I do like the lines she has, very classic.  Anyway, Luger was a kit boat manufacturer.  These things came in three big hunks so I want to take a real close look at the joints to see how stable they are.  I'm thinking hull/interior fit-out first, electrical second, motor third.

[Gordon]

I don't know anything about Merc's, but if it gives me too much trouble, I'll just slap a SOHC4 back there somehow...

I can only hope you weren't kidding about that!  There's something I'd really love to see!

[Rushoid]

Oh, dude you suck!    The only boats around here for $200 have no motor and no interior whatsoever. Most have no floor. A couple have had big holes in the hull!  I've been looking for something just like that. I love the old 'glass boats. Good luck with it and keep us posted on your progress.

[csendker]

Well, as of 'after lunch' today, my boat no longer is sporting any leaves, sticks, branches, wrappers, seats, rugs, ancient life vests or anything else.  Unfortunately, there is very little sound gel coat/fiberglass/whatever-the-hell it is coated on the flooring either.  It's mostly cracked & monster flakes popping off.  But, the floor seems to be sound, not mushy or the proverbial trampoline.  I'm thinking the crap can be scraped off and a new coating of whatever slapped back on.  I just have to figure out how to dry it out completely before I do any recaoting.

[mark]

Hey, at least I'll get one more day of love-fest!  I don't know anything about Merc's, but if it gives me too much trouble, I'll just slap a SOHC4 back there somehow...

About the easiest way to get a sohc4 back there....

They are getting hard to find, and their owners are very reluctant to give them up.

Happy trails.

[333]

Most important is to check the transom.  The fiberglass there is only the covering, the framework does most of the job of handling the power from the motor.  And it is a common place of failure.

[csendker]

Transom - that's the back plate thing the motor is bolted onto?  Mine is real thick wood, painted, not glassed.  It seems pretty sound, the motor didn't fall off during my (60 mph, hour-long) drive to get her home.  I haven't crawled deep into the back to see what the joint conditions are like yet, I just got it cleaned out of the junk so far.

The floor coating is shot, but I'm hoping the wood is OK.  Is the floor of a fiberglass boat typically part of the structural system, or just a convieient flat platform to attach seats, etc.?  If it's a structural element, I'll be taking a much closer look.

[seaweb11]

The floor sits on "stringers". Typically in a boat that size a 2 x 6 down the middle and (2) 2 x 4s on either side spaced evenly away from the 2 x 6. These stringers should be solid and glassed to the inner hull.
In old boats the concern is the shape of those pieces of wood. When I restored mine the 1st time I cut a small square out of the ply floor to get a look at them. They were rotten. The whole floor and all 3 stringers were replaced at that time.
The ply floor glassed to the inner hull sides is important as it holds the boat from twisting.

Was there carpet on the floor at some point do you think? If so what you may be seeing on the surface of the ply is old contact cement.

The other thing to consider doing at some point is the bearings on the trailer wheels. Water and oil don't mix well and they need to be replaced every season. You can get them from any any store.

[csendker]

Excellent!  Just what I was looking for, thanks.  Yes, there was a rug 'cause I personally ripped it out yesterday.  But there is some sort of coating on the floor that is not old adhesive, a thick, hard coating like the glass without the fiber.  I'm trying to figure ut how the floor is 'attached' so I can pull it out without damaging the hull.

[seaweb11]

Course grit sanding disc on the Grinder. Don't be afraid of grinding down to wood.  You need to see what it looks and feels like anyway.

You do need more than just resin to hold that boat all together, if there is no cloth across the ply, the ply should come out. It will give you an idea of what the stringers look like

An old boat builder said to me 30 years ago, that people would crap their pants if they knew what was under their feet in the boat.
Perhaps your boat has found a new owner who will give it the love it needs   All the above work is if you like it and want to bring her back. If you are just trying boating for the 1st time, perhaps its more than you need to do.

Photos of your progress?

[csendker]

Had to run earlier.  Now I have time to play.  Actually, I'm a 1st timer, but I want a seaworthy boat that won't sink and kill my entire family.     So, I'm thinking it's coming out.  That and the PO was kind enough to think about adding a bilge pump, so he CHOPPED A HOLE in the rear of the floor, exposing the entire underdeck to water in the process (insert heavy sigh).  On the plus side, there's an outlet acress the way, so I have power to play with.  Now, how do I go about chopping the floor out without trashing everutying??  I'm thinking that I should chip away the glass to expose the ply/hull joint and then start to tear it out?  What may be commected to what and where so I don't rip up something I shouldn't?

Hmmm, can't post pics so it's off to photobucket...

[csendker]

Upload complete.  Anyway, I tore out the wiring harness, all of the instruments, stereo/speakers/antenna, horn, gas tank, bilge pump, bow light, stern light, etc. pretty much anything that I could.  I started to chip away at the stuff on the flooring too.  I pulled the nut off the steering wheel, but I can't get it off.  I have to find some sort of gear puller I think.  So, here's the pics:

Front shot:



Rear shot:



Decking:



More decking:



and more decking:

[csendker]

Oh, and here's the hole he chopped:

[seaweb11]

Getting out the floor is easy if that's the route you want to go.  Just set your skill saw at 1/2 inch cut in the center some where and see if it gets through the ply, adjust saw depth accordingly to just get through it. Cut out patches of the floor and pull it off. Use the grinder along the gunnels "sides of the boat" where the floor meets it.

 There is no problem allowing water in the space between the hull and the floor. PROVIDING the stringers are  straight and are  completely covered in glass.  That space  becomes where you DO want any excess water from above, away from your feet above.  My guess is you will be amazed at how NOT connected to the boat the stringers and floor are now. A lot of time these old glass boats had just a couple of 6" strips of cloth in 3-4 places, the rest of the wood is in the poo..................

Once you open it up like the photo I posted above, it will become clear how to proceed.

[seaweb11]

Call me "free"
Derek (800) 352-1137

[mark]

A couple of thoughts...

"...I pulled the nut off the steering wheel, but I can't get it off.  I have to find some sort of gear puller I think. ..."

You might attack the steering from the other side.. Most cable steering setups have a nut on the back that holds the pulley on. Sometimes the pulley comes off easier than the wheel. The chrome base is usually bolted to the dash from the back anyway.

More on cables and pulleys.....

Those four pulleys at the corners of the boat... You will want to make sure that they are mounted very solidly.. very very solidly.

I had fun finding out about those. Steering comes in handy. It's one of those things you miss when it doesn't work.

I ended up replacing the hokey blocks that the pulleys were screwed to. It looked like Silverline used chunks of scrap wood cut from old pallets, held in with a couple of bits of mat.
I fixed their scraps with some more scraps - chunks of marine ply buried in a few layers of glass.

The friendly neighborhood hardware store has cable just like the original, but you probably aren't going to need that for a couple weeks anyway.


Try not to breathe too much of the stuff that you will be working with. None of it is very good for you. Most of it is really bad for you.   Arrrrr.. shiver me timbers...


Take it easy. Nothing is impossible. Old boats are cool. Playing in the lake is awesome when it's too hot to ride. Enjoy your project. Call Derek "free" a lot.


Happy trails.

Cheers, Mark

[csendker]

You guys are great, I'm getting more action here than on the boat forums I signed up for.   

Anyway, I've thought about it and if the floor is shot, it's coming out; which is likely.  I'm going to do more investigation tomorrow, but the screws holding the chairs in pulled out waaaay too easy.  Maybe a localized thing, but I doubt it. 

However, it's outside and I'm in Buffalo which is worrysome.  What's my low-limit temperature for doing fiberglass work?  And where do you typically find marine ply & fiberglass stuff?  Home Crackpot didn't seem to carry sheets of marine ply and I don't know if auto shop fiberglass stuff is the same as what's used on boats.  Time is of the essence here, me thinks.

The pulleys - yes I noticed them and thought about them a bit.  Rear:





I can't seem to find the side pulley shots I think I took.  The rear set are screwed into the transom, but look kinda wimpy.  Probably redo them.  I have to look at the side sets, but if I'm redoing the floor, glassing in some serious lumber on the sides seems logical too.

Steering: my wheel is shot and I want to replace it.  Don't know if it's tapered or slotted shaft, and my dashboard is weak (more glass work in the future...) so I need something to extract it w/out putting pressure on the dash.

Underdeck: there's some support wood that was glassed onto the underside for stiffening/support that will need to be reworked. 

Basically I bought a hull & motor.  On the prowl for seats, but I can clean up & repaint the pedestals.

All of my instrumentation is shot as is the wiring harness, but that's all stuff for the rainy days.  Any clear weather will be spent on glass or future glasswork.

And Derek; you will be hearing from me, when's a good time to call (remember I'm on the east coast~EST), so it's what; 3 hours difference?

[333]

You might find the marine ply at a real lumberyard.  Or ask at your local boat shop(West Marine/BoatUS).  Don't settle for exterior grade ply.  It is NOT the same.  The other wood in the boat is not marine specific, so Home Cheapo might have it.  And it is probably oak or spruce.  And make sure you use bronze screws or nails.