85 Thundercraft Rebuild: First boat.. first repair!

[Pisces]

Hello everyone! So I just bought an 85 Thundercraft ski boat and am very excited!! It has a lot of work to be done due to it being left out for what appears to be six years (last time it was on the water was 2009). The motor is an 85 Force and in good working order. No damage that I noticed to the hull, couple very small patches that I will get a better look at when I'm restoring the stringers/bulkheads. So as I expected, when I took the carpet off, I fell threw the deck and the stringers are completely rotten. I've been doing many hours of research and know that I want to do this job right. I've never taken a cap off, so will need some advice on properly supporting the hull so I don't get any bowing or "oilcan". Also interested in thoughts for removing the deck and stringers. I was thinking of getting a multi tool for that part. If that sounds like a good plan, if you could let me know a good blade to use, that would be appreciated!

~Gusto

[Pisces]

[fallguy1000]

You better make sure there is no core. My guess is it just chopstrand, but make sure the exterior hull isn't soft near the rotten stringers or the boat is garbage for sure if there is delamination of the exterior hull.

Someone else might know for sure on that make n model.

That boat isn't worth the repairs.

[Pisces]

If there is no core, I only spent 300 on the boat.. the trailer and the motor are worth more then that. How much do you think it would be to cut new stringers, fiberglass them in, put in a new deck and transom?

[DLB]

If there is no core, I only spent 300 on the boat.. the trailer and the motor are worth more then that. How much do you think it would be to cut new stringers, fiberglass them in, put in a new deck and transom?

Just a guess, probably you will spend around $800-1200 on materials, paint and rigging. (Or could be alot more...these things tend to spiral out of control.)

And you will spend 50-100 hours of labor depending on your skill level and the level of finish you shoot for. At the end of that, you will have a boat that might fetch you $2000 on craigslist. Probably not that much with the motor as old as it is. If you love that boat then go for it. Otherwise, the consensus on this board is that you would be better off building from scratch. You will have a better finished product for your investment of time and money.

I finished a similar rebuild of a 1955 hull last year. Learned alot, but probably dumped $3000 plus into refitting a 14' boat that I couldn't sell for more than $1000. I also dropped $2600 on a new 20hp suzuki..but I can put that on a different hull, so it doesn't count. At the end of it all, I have a cool hull, I learned alot, and I get a lot of good compliments at the ramp. But, I bet the GF16 plan here would have been easier, and ultimately a better fishing platform than what I have for the same or a little less $$.

[fallguy1000]

Here in Mn that boat maxes out at 1500 bucks repaired.

The vinyl wrapped edges are osb in most of those mid 80's boats. They are stapled and very hard to repair. Usually rot at same rate as sole.

Make sure it isn't rotten balsa core by checking for movement toward the aft sections all around the area where the stringers rotted and then consider doing some invasive testing of the transom with a drill bit.

If the transom is rotted or the boat has a core and it is rotted. Sell the motor first, part out anything of value. Haul the boat to the dump and sell the trailer.

If you are going to work on a boat, it has to be a really nice, worthwhile project.

[fallguy1000]

Sorry, but I reread and the transom is shot per you.

Scrap it.

[Pisces]

I'm going to do a sample near the stringers to see if it is wood core or if it was just fiberglass without core. Got a bit of a chest cold that has put me off the project for a couple days. I did pick up a wood stove, so if I need to keep the garage heated, I can.