1981 Fiberglass boat salvage

This is related to the "How long lasts Fiberglass" thread, but different enough imo to warrant a seperate thread.

Does anyone have any experience or data on how fiberglass boats react when submerged? The reason I ask is I've just refloated a 1981 Searay 26' Boat that was partially submerged in fresh water for at least 2 years, maybe as much as 5. It was in a covered slip during this time, so UV is not an issue. Water temperature most likely ranged from 65f to 85f (Central Florida)

I'm trying to decide whether the hull is sound or not. It seems to be in good shape, but I'm no expert by far. I did a few jump tests on top of the cabin, and some knock tests on the sides and bottom of the hull. Everything seems as strong and sounds like I would expect it to, but I wouldn't know what a bad hull would sound like.

Forget trying to talk me out of salvaging it, I'm already convinced, unless there is a major problem with the hull that I don't know about. The cleats held strong enough to lift the boat by them, however when we left the boat suspended by the rear cleats overnite, they had torn out by the next morning, if that gives any indication of the hull strength.

Thanks in advance for any info/advise

Daniel

 

have the whole boat checked with a moisture meter to see how wet the core is by the sounds of it with the cleats ripping off the transom is rotten of course u can salvage anything but u may be getting over your head if the hull is wet and the core is rotten its a big job cutting out the old core and replacing it also means a paint job

 

I think the cleats are fine, we were putting about 2000lbs of vertical pull on them, which is why i was suprised they held up as long as they did. I haven't done any moisture tests yet... where would I find a moisture meter at? If the core is rotten/saturated I won't even waste my time with it. I believe this uses a balsa core.

 

Sounds interesting.
Whats the story?
where did you find it?

 

a mosture meter will cosy a couple of hundred u dont want the one they use for conscrution which is of no use to you a good marine sulplier will have them but for about the same cost u should be able to get a marine surveyuer to go over the boat this will let u know how wet the hull and deck is you will be able to mark all the wet and dry area before you get started

 

Well... I found it under a covered slip in Port Hatchineha(on Lake Hatchineha, near Kissimmee, FL) The boat was upside down, and only about 3' of the bow was above the surface of the water. It appeared to have been completely submerged at one time when the water was higher. When I first saw it I assumed it was a "hurricane boat" and was a casualty of one of the many hurricanes we have had in the last couple of years. I was informed, however that it sank prior to any of the hurricanes. The story goes, the person in possession of the boat(thought at the time to be the owner) rented this covered slip at a private home. Within days of parking the boat there, it sank and flipped, and was never tended to and has sat there since then. The person in possesion of the boat had just re-done the interior with new uphostry, carpet, etc... and never returned for the boat. Time period was described as "a couple of years"

I see the boat, feel like a challenge and decide to try to flip it and float it. The owner of the house just wanted it gone. Obviously I succeeded or I wouldn't be asking about it on this forum . Looking at the boat I can find no reason as to why it sank, other than a raw-water stainer on the washdown pump that had the glass bowl removed. Water was slowly trickling in through this after I righted the boat and pumped the water out. Neither battery was connected, and all 3 bilge pumps still work when power is applied to them. One small 500gph pump was enough to stay well ahead of the water coming in. The port carbuerator is nowhere to be found, and the air cleaner on the generator is also mia. The boat has an a/c, a 4kw generator, 100gal fuel tank, 2 25gal aux tanks(fuel also I believe). Windlass, Loran, and Autopilot. A nice boat to just leave somewhere.

I talked to a friend of mine at the local Sheriff's office and had him run the boat number to get me some contact info for the owner. It came back to a person in Jupiter, FL(about 120 miles away) I dug up a phone number and contacted them. They apparently sold the boat in 2001(also the last time the registration was renewed) to another party. They "signed the title over" and gave it to the buyer(who I assume to be the person that put the boat where it is now) However he never turned the title in to transfer the boat into his name.

So... it's sort of a mystery. Why would someone buy a boat, drive it 120 miles, park it, sink it, and never return? not even to turn in the title? maybe it was involved in a crime? Someone just have too much money? Who knows...
The people I contacted in Jupiter were going to try to contact the buyer to find out what the deal was. They agreed if they could not contact him, to get a duplicate title and transfer it to me.

The engines have been removed now, and are on the way to the machine shop to be checked. They appear to be in decent shape, they turned freely and didn't have much rust on them. Fresh water cooled, aluminum intake and FWC aluminum exhaust manifolds. They're the Mercury 3.7l I/O engine, which I hear to be faily decent once that crankshaft alternator thing is gone. So, if I can verify that this hull is in good enough shape to use, then I'll have me a decent 26' Searay for free, or almost free (2 days work to float, $25 to rent 320gpm pump).

 

I might just have a surveyor take a look... sounds like the best course to take to me at least, thanks for the info.

 

I'd definitely go for the survey, even if only for peace of mind.
That's quite the story your new toy has! Could it have been used for a drug run, then ditched? Seeing as you can easily stash over $4m of cocaine in such a boat, buying one for only a single run is pretty common among the drug smugglers. You're in an appropriate part of the continent for such activity. In any case, you're on the right track checking with the police and the last registered owner- if these checks come up clear and you can obtain a clean title to the hull, more power to ya!

 

the balsa core should be fun...other than that you've got the working bilge pumps...