Getting free 12' aluminum boat - questions

Get some large blocks of foam that are as wide and long as each seat. Make some straps to hold the blocks in place under the seats. That will take care of the flotation issue.

I am a advocate of bare aluminum. It looks great, won't corrode, and doesn't need to be painted, sealed, varnished or sanded.

By the way, if it was made before 1972 it won't have a hull ID number. If that's the case the state will issue you one when you register it.

 

An Update

Okay folks, here's an update for ya. I picked up the boat this weekend from the in-law's cabin. Everything looked good. The best part of the whole trip, aside from the whole free boat thing, was that I got 35mpg towing the boat home with my VW Jetta TDi. Normally I get 42 on the highway (it's an automatic - the manuals get 50), so the boat knocks me down about 7 mpg. Pretty good!

On to the boat. The manufacturer is some company called Ouachita. I found out, after some googling, they apparantly got bought out by Grumman many years ago. Can't really find any info on it, but I don't really need any. I'm guessing the boat is late 60's or early 70's. There is no hull ID number. Here's the tag that's still on it:



The transom wood definatly needs to be replaced immediately. I'm going to use marine grade since there is a piece on the outside too. After looking at it a little more, I think I'm going to straigten out a small dent on the port side of the bow, and see what I can do about a little crunch on the top of the back corner on the same side (both visible in the first pic below).

Regarding getting the old paint off it, I'm going to borrow my brother's pressure washer and see how much paint I can get off. Then I think a chemical paint stripper is the way to go. The hull seems a little thin to take a bunch of sandpaper to. I'll probably paint the inside and leave the outside bare.

The boat already has big blocks of foam under the seats, so that's good. I also verified from my father-in-law that it doesn't leak a drop. He said it's tight as a drum.

For those that were curious, the motor is a 1969 Johnson 9.5 horse, and it runs great.

I'm sure I'll have a few questions when I get to working on the boat. Thanks all!

Here's a few pics of it on the new trailer:

 

Along with that stripper, use some Scotch Brite pads to help speed things up and help get into the nooks and crannies. Use some good rubber gloves, the stripper will eat cheap ones.
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/...duct-Information/Products/Abrasives/Hand-Pad/

 

One more quick question, most of the nuts and bolts currently holding on the transom wood is rusted. What's the best metal to repalce that with? Stainless?

 

Yes. The stuff from the local hardware store will do.