Steel boat restotoration. Help

Discussion in 'Metal Boat Building' started by Fenix603, Aug 17, 2016.

  1. Fenix603
    Joined: Aug 2016
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    Location: Newington nh

    Fenix603 Andrew

    I've resently purchase a 37' steel motorsailer and I'm starting to believe people when they tell me I'm crazy... But there's just a part of my brain that turns off when a boat catches my fancy and I can't be stopped until it's mine. I kinda imagine that's what it's like to be in love if I ever had the time. But anyway. This thing had been siting in the boat graveyard at my local marine and one day I just had to ask about it. Turns out it was built by a guy in 1999 and had been on the water until 2009 when he fell ill. He had stopped paying his storage fee and the marina had just a few eels before taken ownership of it. Long of the short they were going to take out the lugger diesel with 600 hours out of it to sell and scrap the hull. Obviously that didn't happen and I bought the thing for scrap price. Now I'm wondering if i paid $1500 for the learning and boating opportunity of a life time or an expensive death wish.
    I'm a capanter and have some metal working shills and have owned some boats but this is quite a different beast. I'm looking forward to the restoration, finishing the cabin, painting, electrical ext. but what I'm nervous about is putting in all the time and money if the hull has some major problems. It looks to be ok for the most part. There is some scaling rust but overall it looks sound. I'm looking into how I can get a needle scaler and compressor to the boat yard. ( any suggestions on that would be great compressor size needle gun ext.). The deck and cabin are all fiberglass and in pretty reparable. I'll attach some pictures but any advice you guys have would be greatly appreciated.
     

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  2. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
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    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    That looks like a converted lifeboat. I see overlapped riveted seams. They are usually of rather thin plating, so check how much material was lost to corrosion. Can you post a closeup of a seam?
     
  3. Fenix603
    Joined: Aug 2016
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    Location: Newington nh

    Fenix603 Andrew

    Interesting. I will get some close ups but for right now I'll post what I have. What's a good way to check the thickness. The majority of the hull seems to not have been effected by much corrosion but some spots definitely have some scale.
     

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  4. Fenix603
    Joined: Aug 2016
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    Location: Newington nh

    Fenix603 Andrew

    Here is another picture
     

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  5. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
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    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    The quick and dirty way is to get a welder's hammer and pick at it. The point should not make holes in the hull. Otherwise, it may need re-plating.
     

  6. Petros
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: Arlington, WA-USA

    Petros Senior Member

    it is fairly routine to spot repair steel hulls where there is isolated corrosion. The real challenge comes when to know that repairs will cost more than the hull is worth if extensive repairs are necessary. If you are talking about a few places that the corrosion can be ground or cut out, and replacement steel plating welded into place, than that is a simple job to have done and worth doing. The ship yard should know of any local marine welders that can give you an estimate.

    If the integrity of the hull is at all in question, it might be worth paying a licensed professional to give you a report on recommend repairs, and if it is worth fixing or not. Might be better to cut bait now on this hull if hidden corrosion will bankrupt you if you attempt to fix it when it is not worth doing. AT this point you are not as emotionally invested in it as you might be 2 years from now after you have restored the deck and interior, and find out that you still need extensive hull repairs to make it seaworthy. You can always sell off any good parts as salvage, and get scrap prices for the hull before you go broke trying to fix it.

    Good luck.
     
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