Buying My First Fiberglass Bass Boat Tomorrow

[Trenton]

It's a 1977 Cajun Mach 1.

The gentleman I'm buying it off of started to work on it.

It'll need new transom board, cockpit floor, and stringers.

So far I'm. It worried about the transom and floor. I can do those myself no problem.

I've watched videos of people doing stringer jobs but never on a bass boat. I'm getting it

and a trailer for a steal so I'm willing to do the work. It comes with 4 good seats, 2 **** pit seats

1 front casting seat and 1 rear casting seat it has stearing cables and the stearing wheel there but

no shifter/throtle bc he sold the motor off the back of the boat. I'm buying a 55hp 4 stroke homelite to put on it eventually. All in all I'm paying $275 for the boat and trailer tomorrow and they both have clean titles.

I'm really excited and neverous at the same time. If I get it all fixed up and it lasted me another 10 years I'll estatic. Any advise is welcomed and I'll start putting pictures up tomorrow.

[A-Jay]

^{Have not heard of too many successful 38 year old Bass Boat re-builds. OK None.}

 

^{You must have plenty of disposable income, are very experienced & confident in your hull & transom repair skills, and really want this boat.}

 

^{Good Luck, you're going to need it.}

 

^A-Jay

[F14A-B]

4 good seats & a steering wheel huh?

Best of luck..

[nicksmurf111]

Every boat rebuild I've seen my friends do has been given up on.

[Bluebasser86]

I think I'd spend a couple hundred more on a new johnboat and trolling motor. That sounds like a huge undertaking that could be very dangerous if it isn't done correctly. 

 

If you're confident in what you're doing, maybe it's a great deal for you, I'd just be really sure you're 100% confident in what you're doing before you dive into that project so you just don't end up out a bunch and money and have a boat that you can't use. 

[WPCfishing]

Good luck with the rebuild

[Trenton]

The hull is in excellent condition and has already been cleaned up and prepped for work. He just doesn't have the time to finish it. The deck, carpet, storage, everything like that is in good condition too. But had to hold off and hopefully go get it Monday.

[Trenton]

Good luck with the rebuild

Hope you get it finished by the end of 2016.

Hoping to have it ready for at least electric fishing for next tournament season in 2016. My series I fish is trolling motors only. Only one like around me that I can use the motor on so as long as she'll float I'll have more room, storage, a live well that's not in our way all the time.

[Trenton]

I think I'd spend a couple hundred more on a new johnboat and trolling motor. That sounds like a huge undertaking that could be very dangerous if it isn't done correctly. 

 

If you're confident in what you're doing, maybe it's a great deal for you, I'd just be really sure you're 100% confident in what you're doing before you dive into that project so you just don't end up out a bunch and money and have a boat that you can't use.

I have a 1448 john that I fish in now but we started tournament fishing last year and I'm just tired of no room and being uncomfortable all the time. Don't get me wrong we get the job done in our johns but it's tough and usually really long 8 hour days

[thomas15]

Forget about the deck, carpet and anything wood on the boat. It will all have to be replaced. You will have to strip all of it out, pop the cap and scoop out all of the foam* under the deck. You are looking at a project that will take at least a year to complete.

 

Not sure if this is against forum rules but check out the forums at  iboats.com  There are many restos for you to see with blow by blow reports.

 

Also, Homelite outbords are early 4 cycle outboards. You may find that parts availability is a bit of a  problem. That motor is at least 40 years old.

 

Not trying to talk you out of it but just want to add a bit of reality to the discussion. When I was a kid, my dad (with the help of my brother and me) built two boats out of wood, a 15' bay skiff and a 19' Comet Class Sailboat. We were for years building boats, but if I decided to take on a resto, my first would be a tin because working with fiberglass is expensive and time consuming and there is a learning curve..

 

I don't want to sound mean but you are not getting "steal". That's just me being honest. What you are getting is someone elses headache. Boat restos are possible but you will end up putting many hours labor and most likely 1000s of dollars into the boat. Hopefully you have a roof over your head and heat in the winter. *if it even has foam.

 

ON EDIT: here is a link to iboats resto forum  http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat-repair-and-restoration/boat-restoration-building-and-hull-repair

[thomas15]

The hull is in excellent condition and has already been cleaned up and prepped for work. He just doesn't have the time to finish it. The deck, carpet, storage, everything like that is in good condition too. But had to hold off and hopefully go get it Monday.

 

This statement makes me nervous. What I think you mean is the outside of the hull is prepped because you would not replace the carpet without first replacing the stringers and transom. A fiberglass boat that is prepped has all of the foam* removed and has all of the nasty ground off. It would be spotless clean. Next you would fabricate your new transom and stringers for tabbing in. Hoepfully you have the old stringers and transom because they are used as templates for the new. It is possible to make new without the old but keep in mind that once the stringers are out the fiberglass shell will need support to keep it's shape.

 

The new floor and carpet are installed towards the end of the resto.