Severe fiberglass transom damage

Discussion in 'Fiberglass and Composite Boat Building' started by Mak1999, Jul 1, 2020.

  1. Rumars
    Joined: Mar 2013
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    Rumars Senior Member

    You are not buying the boat, you buy the trailer. The seller is afraid that if he admits the truth you may either not take the boat with you or demand a price reduction for disposing of it.

    If you want to repair the boat, you will have to separate the hull deck joint, remove the deck, redo the stringers, fabricate a new transom (plywood or coosa), laminate it in place, put the deck back on, fasten it to the hull, paint, polish. If your ideea of fun is grinding fiberglass in appropiate PPE then have a go at it, this will be what you will be doing most.
     
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  2. Mak1999
    Joined: Jun 2020
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    Mak1999 Junior Member

    It's not that I dont value my time, I'm a self employed machinist and things have been a little slow lately so rebuilding the floor even doesnt seem like the worst thing in the world. I have to dig in deeper and see how far exactly the damage stems.
     
  3. Mak1999
    Joined: Jun 2020
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    Mak1999 Junior Member

    Rebuilding even the floor doesnt seem like the worst job ever considering I bought it with the intention of having a little project to build into something exceptionally functional. I know I will have to invest a little more money but I think once it looks brand new with a nice capable engine, I wont regret it.
     
  4. fallguy
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    fallguy Senior Member

    what is the going rate for a used one?
     
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  5. Rumars
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    Rumars Senior Member

    I am not saying don't do it, I say know what you are getting into. Fiberglass repair work is 80% grinding. 90% of the entire working time will be spent in a bunny suit with mask on your face (plus googles if it is not a full face one). And reality says it is very unlikley the finished product is worth even the money you spend on materials and consumables. This is not classic car restauration, you can not even begin to count working time. This of course does not hinder people to do it, but it's a labour of love.
     
  6. Mak1999
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    Mak1999 Junior Member

    I think one in right shape with an older engine will probably go for 5-6k easily. When its in good shape with a solid updated powertrain, I think it should get 9-13k around where I am. I paid 750$ as is with a trailer. Money aside it seems like the ideal boat to navigate large rivers/lakes and take out onto the ocean on a nice day maybe once a month.
     
  7. Mak1999
    Joined: Jun 2020
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    Mak1999 Junior Member

    I have a capable machine shop with some a decent selection of tools. Yeah grinding is grinding, I get it but I feel like maybe 5-8k invested in materials and parts plus my work will go substantially further than what 10k will get me in the used boat market right now. I think I can turn this into a 15k boat. But like you said no matter how you cut it, it's a labor of love st this point. "worth it"‍♂️ I have more time than money so I think to me it will be. Plus I'm looking to have a good functioning boat at the end of this, not necessarily a quick flip.
     
  8. ondarvr
    Joined: Dec 2005
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    ondarvr Senior Member

    Boat prices have been up, so thats a plus.

    A new 150 outboard alone would exceed the finished value of the complete package.

    A good used 150 will still be pricey, and need all the controls. Then add electronics.
     
  9. Rumars
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    Rumars Senior Member

    Well, you better start grinding then. If you don't know how to approach the work don't hesitate to ask, there are enough people here to offer an opinion.
    For now you need to make some stands that keep the boats shape and get her of the trailer to a comfortable working height.
    I just want to add it's not to late to cut your loses short and turn her to the landfill.
     
  10. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    I keep boring people with the same old line, that unless it is an outstanding hull design, restoring old glass boats is of dubious value. I can only think of one 17 foot hull in my part of the world, that I would consider a worthwhile proposition to do , and that is only because it eats choppy water like almost nothing else that size. There is no way I would be putting a 150hp motor on that hull, half that would power it, you certainly would want to do a rebuild of the whole structure, properly, if contemplating placing a heavy and powerful motor like that on it.
     
  11. bajansailor
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    bajansailor Marine Surveyor

    Mak, there are a few older Mako 171's for sale here - note the asking prices (where there is often potential for knocking off 10% or 20% or more even) vs the reported condition and standard of outfit of these boats.
    Unless you want a labour of love restoring your boat, you could consider buying a boat that is ready to go, but which needs a trailer........
    Mako 171cc Boats for sale https://www.smartmarineguide.com/boats-for-sale/mako-171cc
     
  12. brendan gardam
    Joined: Feb 2020
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    brendan gardam Senior Member

    it is an easy job. you can find plenty of information on the net . i have done a couple of my own and i am no expert. i would do the floor and stringers at the same time as the transom then the boat is right for years. make sure the hull is supported properly before you start cutting so it retains its shape. a lot of people are replacing the wood with coosaboard these days for a permanent fix. its quicker and easier to get rid of the outboard well and fit a pod . if i was you i would do it. you will end up with a great boat and the satisfaction of doing it yourself.
     
  13. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    Not a "big" 17 footer by any means, it looks as though a 70 would power it satisfactorily, I recall a bloke telling me years ago about an offshore outing on someone's Mako 19, he described it as a white-knuckle broach machine. I wouldn't be thinking offshore.
     
  14. Mak1999
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    Mak1999 Junior Member

    Do you have a refrence to securing a boat on stands to work on it? That is one of my worries because I have started cutting and it's still sitting on the rollers. The trailer is definitely on the bigger side for that size boat so I think it supports it well but I have been wondering if it might cause uneven stress and be a problem because I'm going to glue it all back together in that position.
     

  15. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    One wonders why this boat did not sink, although obviously the present state is not as it was at the time of its mishap, there seems no foam in there to prevent it.
     
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