Complete Restoration- Transom, Stringers, Floor

[garrymny]

Here are pictures of a complete restoration I did on my old Boat a 1972 Caravelle. It is alot of work, but as you can see, it can be done. I used epoxy resin on the transom and stringers, and some polyester resin elsewhere.I have Before- in progress- and after Pictures. I sold the boat boat last year, to a man and his son from Ohio. The old boat restoration was about 1000 for the transom, stringers, floor. Took about 7 gallons of resin.  Then add more for all the seats, instruments, total re-wiring, bilges, floor hatches, new (used Motor), vinyl flooring, raymarine autopilot, riggers, etc. Had quite a bit in it. I sold it for 2500, which is less than I put into it.  I bought the boat/trailer/chrylser 115 for $150. AS you can see it very bad shape, but the hull was good. The Chrylser actually started and ran, but it had a scored cylinder, so I replaced it with a 70 Johnson. I bought an old  Grady White Bimini 220 to replace it. I suspect I will some day have to do the transom on it too. Its fairly solid, but where the kicker mounts it was rotted, so you can bet the rest is not the best.I installed a new piece of plywood on the inside for now. The  Hardest part will be removing the 175 engine, and all the lines, etc. I believe. I will be able to do it for about $1200 I estimate. Sea Cast would be twice that.

 

 

Edited April 28, 2018 by garrymny
added picture and description

[Decoy Hound]

Wow!! That transformation is incredible!! I think I would of looked at the boat in that condition and figured it’s done, but you brought it back to better than new!! Awesome job!!

[Todd in NY]

Wow! That boat has come a LONG way. Awesome job, and keep posting pics please!

[Todd in NY]

1 minute ago, Decoy Hound said:

Wow!! That transformation is incredible!! I think I would of looked at the boat in that condition and figured it’s done, but you brought it back to better than new!! Awesome job!!

 

You and I are in the same "boat". I would've taken one look at that boat, and the work it needed, and walked away. I know it far exceeded my skills.

[garrymny]

I should have never done it. Wife was against me buying a boat. I saw this one for $150, and thought she couldn't complain about that.  Little did I know it would be so much work, and money. Especially for  an old Caravelle. I won't mind putting the money and effort into the Grady when the time comes though. I got it for 6500, and everything works perfectly. It was garage kept too. Live and learn. I hope these pics will help someone if they come across this situation.

[Todd in NY]

That kind of work takes more time, knowledge and patience than I could ever find. It looks like it paid off for you at least a little bit, in how good it looks now. It's probably better than new.

[stoneam2006]

Wow.......

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[tinfin]

Holy crappie man,

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[Xxx]

Holy moly dude you are the king, I bought a boat a few years ago just for the outdrive, it was one of those early cigar boats. Anyway it was in better condition than what you showed!! That baby is in the land fill, oh I pulled the motor also. Back to your project congrats that definitely took the patience’s of a saint!! You made someone a happy brand new/used boat owner. Switching motor brands always throws a curve ball into the situation also. Great job, I certainly hope your Grady doesn’t present 1/2 the work involved as the first mission you took on!!!   

[old man]

Some serious ambition showing there. My hat’s off to you


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[Xxx]

One thing I always thought about, if you do a complete rebuild like that would the boat hold its width? Like would the middle bow out? Would you need to use straps to hold the with to a certain measurement. I guess if the middle just say 8’ before everything was removed did it hold its own once stripped?? Certainly not knocking your craftsmanship by any means, it always wondered me, if the shell holds its own??

[firedome]

That is a huge amount of work. I've done transoms and floors in 3 aluminum boats and they're considerably easier, and  they also have better value when done, but I doubt I'd do it again either.  My ProSport is all composite so no rot worries, I wonder why all boats aren't made that way?  Nice job, and at least you've got some experience now before you do the Grady.

[Mark ward]

Here is the same boat

[Mark ward]

[Mark ward]

[Mark ward]

[lineman49]

  Wow, now that's a total rebuild with lot's of work, nice job, congrats!

[GrumpyFisherman]

On 4/28/2018 at 7:47 AM, garrymny said:

 

 

 

 

That there is some good old fashioned backyard engineering!!!

 

Thanks for the post.

[garrymny]

Hey Mark, you got her polished up real good! I see you got the new motor mounted too. Grumpy, Yes, it was a challenge getting clamps to squeeze the transom.   

[garrymny]

On 4/28/2018 at 11:22 AM, pap said:

One thing I always thought about, if you do a complete rebuild like that would the boat hold its width? Like would the middle bow out? Would you need to use straps to hold the with to a certain measurement. I guess if the middle just say 8’ before everything was removed did it hold its own once stripped?? Certainly not knocking your craftsmanship by any means, it always wondered me, if the shell holds its own??

Hey Pap, yes, I don't  think it bowed out at all when I cleaned out all the stringers and floor. Of course there wasn't much holding it at at point anyways. I put in stringers and bulkheads where the old ones were, as best I could tell. I also left a skiv of the old fiberglas floor cover sticking out from the sides and used that as a guide to put the new floor in.

[Chas0218]

Curious as why you didn't go with the Sea Cast stuff? It seems a lot easier to work with as you can pour it where you want it. I Could see the floor being an issue but the transom and stringers would just need a form and you can pour it it then cover it. Either way it looks great, I will be needing to do the same to my boat next winter. I need to first build the garage to do it. 

[firedome]

Some pics show a Johnson 3 cyl, some an Evinrude, originally a Chrysler? The OMC 3 cyl outboards were one of the best ever made imho.

What's on it now?

Edited April 30, 2018 by firedome

[garrymny]

On 4/30/2018 at 9:04 AM, firedome said:

Some pics show a Johnson 3 cyl, some an Evinrude, originally a Chrysler? The OMC 3 cyl outboards were one of the best ever made imho.

What's on it now?

I bought the boat with a 135 HP Chrysler on it. It started and idled fine! But, I took the side panels off and one cylinder was badly scored. I had great difficulty finding a new cylinder for my serial number motor.  I replaced it with a 70 HP Johnson, that I bought near Akron Ohio, for $250. I put my 9.5 Evinrude kicker on it. Both motors ran perfectly. I sold the rig to Mark (who posted current pictures). Mark said the lower gear went out on the 70 HP johnson, and he said the 9.5 evinrude also went bad! I do not understand why, as they literally ran perfectly for me. But the 70 HP was a 1975, and the 9.5 was a 1984. So, who knows, when motors get that old.    

[garrymny]

On 4/30/2018 at 8:30 AM, Chas0218 said:

Curious as why you didn't go with the Sea Cast stuff? It seems a lot easier to work with as you can pour it where you want it. I Could see the floor being an issue but the transom and stringers would just need a form and you can pour it it then cover it. Either way it looks great, I will be needing to do the same to my boat next winter. I need to first build the garage to do it. 

Seacast costs 3X more. At least that is what I found out when I started looking into  my current boat a Grady White, which may need work someday. On this boat, I had to totally strip it down to fix the stringers, so using seacast would not be best because the stringers needed to be glued into the transom anyways. No benefit to using the seacast. 

[Chas0218]

15 hours ago, garrymny said:

Seacast costs 3X more. At least that is what I found out when I started looking into  my current boat a Grady White, which may need work someday. On this boat, I had to totally strip it down to fix the stringers, so using seacast would not be best because the stringers needed to be glued into the transom anyways. No benefit to using the seacast. 

Good to know, I wasn't sure and have heard a lot of good things about it. I know if done right the stringers will last enough for 2 owners or more but myself being an AM. I'm not sure it would be done right. haha.

Edited May 9, 2018 by Chas0218