Help on materials

I am starting a major project on my boat, which started as a quick fix, has put me in a more long term fix it right mood.
I have a 17' Larson around an 85-86, I had noticed my transom flexing alot, and taking on water rather quickly. After pulling my motor off OMG , I could not believe how bad the transom really was. o i cut off the rear section of the top figuring I will just replace the transom like I have read in some other websites. I get to the bottom where the stringers are and notice the floor is really soft in that area. After pulling it up I find the foam in the floor is completely soaked like a sponge!!! Now what I really need is help to determine which materials and how much to do the job right. I don't need to use the best stuff on the market, I have a very limited budget.
I will post some pics I took today in the process of tearing down.
Thanks
Mike n Deb

 

Link to pics

this should work

http://s338.photobucket.com/albums/n418/mndlures/

The worst part of this whole thing is I am on vacation from work this week!!

 

Well, Mike & Deb, welcome aboard bd.net.

Yours is far from the first or only question like this; indeed, we usually get at least one person a week in your exact situation. A boat of twenty or thirty years old, from a popular mass-market builder, is opened up for a minor repair and the unfortunate owner discovers a snake pit of hidden structural damage.

One of the first things to ask yourself in this situation is this: How much is this boat worth to me?

The reason I ask is that the amount of time, money, effort and cursing that goes into this kind of repair will never, ever pay off financially. If your goal is to be out boating, enjoying the water, having fun with the occasional bit of puttering around the engine bay- then the smart thing to do is cut your losses now, salvage what you can, and give this boat a dignified funeral. Then buy something used and relatively cheap, but with a detailed professional survey and a lot of useful life left in it.

Now, if you have some particular attachment to this boat- it was your dad's, you spent summer afternoons on it as a kid, you learned to ski behind it- well, maybe it's worth the effort to restore- to you. If this is the case, and you're sure you want to do this (and you ain't seen nothing yet, you haven't even seen all the bilge and I bet the stringers are rotted to hell also) then this forum is the place to search for help, advice and gory technical details.

Let us know what you think and we'll do what we can to help.

 

Well here's my situation. We are in a position where we can't go and borrow money or get a loan, I have had this boat for around 5 years and havent done much more than put some fresh carpet over the bow fishing deck, the best part is I only paid $300 for the boat with trailer.

Now, as far as restoring, I am a very handy person. My biggest thing is I have never really messed with fiberglass. If I can do this job in steps where I can buy the materials parts at a time and do it in sections then it won't be much of an issue. I am not looking to make this thing last another 10 years, I just want to make it sea worthy.

As far as getting out on the water I can always go and rent a small boat to go fishing. There is one small marina that charges like $25 for a half day.
That's about what it costs in gas to go to Oneida Lake with my boat.

So let me know what you think, am I crazy or just making a little sense.

Thanks,
Mike n Deb

 

Well if the money is the issue you got not much options. It's possible to make a deasent and solid repair but, mark the warnings stated above, it takes a lot of time..(and not a really cheap way to go)

Not sure how the boat is done. Is it a "real" sandwich construction or just foamed btw the hull and deck parts, or smth else?

 

Well, after spending the past day pondering on what I should do, I do think I am just going to dump the boat and find another. After all, I did get around 5 or 6 years out of a boat I paid $300 for. Now I just need to find another 300 or 400 dollar boat and put my 90 hp johnson on that one.
Anyone selling a boat for 300 or 400 ????

Thanks,
Mike
MnD Lures