NLC - Refurbishing old boats...

Michael · Post by **Michael** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:23 pm

Guys, does anyone know anything about this...my dad is thinking about refurbing an old recreational boat in Greece. Its about 15-20 years old with an expired Volvo engine. Everything needs replaced except for the shell apparently.

Does anyone know if the fibreglass shell can degrade significantly over time under the sunlight and salty air etc? It appears to have been painted a few times, which i'd hope would help to preserve it somewhat

Hoping to use it for wake boarding and fishing this summer and dont want it falling apart at 25 knots!!

Cheers for any info!!

gorrie · Post by **gorrie** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:31 pm

Not an expert on boats, but are the fibreglass bodies not Gel Coated? If so, I think the Gel coats can become quite brittle and crack/chip. You can purchase kits to repair chips (ie, Gel Coat plus hardener), I had to do this on a kit car, but depending on the amount of repair required, could prove costly.

A search on google for Gel Coat and repair should throw up some stuff.

thinfourth · Post by **thinfourth** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:52 pm

okay let start with the Volvo engine Bin it the parts as so expensive it is silly a mate fitted a new engine to his yacht for 50% more then it would cost him to buy a new set of gaskets for the old volvo

As to the hull they can suffer from osmosis where water is wicked into the fibres or between the gelcoat and under lying material. So if there is blisters on the hull then it is fooked as the repair can be very very costly and no definite success. As to UV issue i have no idea as i live in scotland.

Also look at the engine bearers as if they are rotten then big job to fix. Also if a new engine is going in these may need altering to accept the new engine.

There is loads of stuff to look at but it really depends on the size of the boat and how much work he is willing to put into it as even a small boat can eat up a scarey amount of money and time.

Michael · Post by **Michael** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:32 pm

Hmm..interesting...

Will tell dad about the blistering thing.

They have decided on a new outboard motor and a new mountings replacing current inboard car engine! Quite funny seeing a car engine at the back of a boat..looks like it was an after thought!

Cheers guys...

thinfourth · Post by **thinfourth** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:39 pm

be warned if it is an outdrive it will leave a big hole Also this will move the wieght back and an outboard installation is actually more complicated then it looks. need to ensure a decent outboard well and the transom is stiff enough to take the loading.

if there is a cooler inplace for the current engine i would be tempted to use another car engine.

rossybee · Post by **rossybee** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:45 pm

Didna ken you knew owt about boats...

thinfourth · Post by **thinfourth** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:48 pm

And if you drill a hole bottom it will let the water run out

if you go fast enough

rossybee · Post by **rossybee** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:50 pm

Thats just basic Fizziks

mac · Post by **mac** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:54 pm

V8

Mac

Titanium S1 111S (gla) · Post by **Titanium S1 111S (gla)** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 6:21 pm

The engine issue is the one to really look at. If you are going to run an outboard be warned second hand ones can be dodgy and new ones are expensive. If they are well taken care of a second hand one will do good service but you never know how well they have been treated.

If the boat was not designed to run with an outboard it may be a non starter because the transom has to be built to mount one. They are heavy barstewards and although some boats were build to take either / or that does not apply to all. Iâ€™m sure it would be possible to reinforce the transom but it could be technically difficult. You might also have stability and trim problems with putting over a hundred Kgâ€™s right at the back of the boat.

If the outdrive is in reasonable nick I would look at replacing the inboard engine as being the easier option.

If you are going to buy a new(ish) outboard anyway it would be easier to buy an old boat which was built to take it, they are not expensive if the engine is missing, few hundreds of pounds.

Do you know what kind of boat we are taking about?

If you are looking for a bit of practice Iâ€™ll let you have a go on my project (see signature). That is an open invitation incidentally its been sitting about for years and it would be good to get it on the water this year.

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 6:38 pm

As above old fiberglass can be dodgy, my experience is all canal boats. Most of them will have been crunched at one time or another and the little cracks fill up with nasty water which then eats the rest of the boat from the inside out.

How is he going to fix it up if its in Greece?

Michael · Post by **Michael** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 8:50 pm

Lol! He lives there... Always helps!

Thats some really sound advice by the sound of it. Gonna get my dad online to read it himself.

You seem to have covered the biggest issues. I'll put it to my dad.

There seems to be guy who is used to doing this stuff who is quite happy to leap into it, in the small town where my dad lives. That could mean nothing though.

I'll let y'all know....here's hopin'....would love to wake boarding this year

Cheers

Titanium S1 111S (gla) · Post by **Titanium S1 111S (gla)** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 10:07 am

If you can post a few pics of the boat then we might be able to give a bit more chat. No saying it would be helpful chat though

mckeann · Post by **mckeann** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 10:10 am

by a boat over here and drive it across on holiday.

greyrigg · Post by **greyrigg** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 11:17 am

If the boat is a smallish speed boat thing then if it has been taken out of the water for a large part of it's life then the chances of osmosis should be quite small.

At 15-20 years old I would be surprised if it needed painting that often, if at all, unless it has a coloured hull which would fade badly in the sun..........hence so many white boats.

As to changing the engine I agree with all of the above. If it has a heat exchanger for cooling and a stern drive you'd be best to replace the inboard.

Project boats are a nightmare. I've had mine at home for two years and made very little progress.

Malcolm