rodknee1231 Posted October 29, 2015 Posted October 29, 2015 here's my 17' sea sprite currently getting the motor rebuilt and upgraded from a 85 to a 135 hp I'm new to the fiberglass boat world hoping to use this for recreational fishing and water sports and family time any input advice and suggestions are strongly appreciated I'm looking for new ideas as I restore this thing and get it operational Quote
rodknee1231 Posted October 29, 2015 Author Posted October 29, 2015 we need a better uploader lol Quote
BassnChris Posted October 29, 2015 Posted October 29, 2015 Welcome. Lots o fun fixing up........and a bottomless pit for money. Quote
rodknee1231 Posted October 29, 2015 Author Posted October 29, 2015 thanks I have more pics but the uploader is not cooperating I resized the pics even smaller and it won't take them. I also wanted to add that I fixed a large crack added new switched re did the console and did away with cylinder fuses and put in a fuse box and 're wired almost the whole boat I like having everything wired my way Quote
Super User Fishing Rhino Posted October 30, 2015 Super User Posted October 30, 2015 The main concern about older fiberglass boats is the transom. Many old boats sandwiched plywood between layers of fiberglass which is all well and good until motor mounting holes are drilled, as wells as holes for mounting steering, power poles, etc. Eventually water gets to the plywood, it begins to rot, and the rest is history. Once the rot starts, it's nigh on impossible to stop it. A product like Git Rot may work okay if it's caught in the early stages, but you should have it checked by a qualified tech who does that type of work. A punky transom can ruin your day and/or your life. Quote
GetJigginWithIt Posted October 30, 2015 Posted October 30, 2015 I would also think the wood stringers need to be looked at also. Good luck on the restore. Quote
rodknee1231 Posted October 30, 2015 Author Posted October 30, 2015 I'll look into the transom and. I don't think it has wood stringers? Quote
BaitMonkey1984 Posted October 30, 2015 Posted October 30, 2015 Looks like a fun project and that boat had some nice character. I would follow the advice above regarding the transom. I just recently replaced the transom on my aluminum even though it looked pretty good. The boat is 30+ years old but the season is short here, and my grandpa and then I kept the boat in good condition, i.e. a fresh coat of paint, putting down transom savers for trips, transom rubber pads for the engine. I thought it was probably just a good idea to put in a new transom, to give me piece of mind more than anything. When I had everything removed, the 2 pieces of plywood were in rough shape. Also, despite the boat being out of the water for a week and no rain in recent history, the wood was most certainly retaining lots of water. So even if it looks good, go and change it. It is going to run you cheap money for the wood (don't use Pressure treated). You will spend more money on the new stainless steel hardware. Didn't see a trolling motor but if there is one, make sure that the trolling motor batteries are the same size/same year. If you replace one and not the other in a 24volt setup the new battery will die quickly. Also, after almost losing my Ranger yesterday. Check the trailer out. Check out the tires, have the bearings greased, and check the hitch and safety chains. Glenn has posted a very good, quick video on this topic. Trust me, your heart will sink watching your boat go rogue. Lastly, do what I did when I bought my boat. Keep a notebook with all your maintenance/upgrade records. Also, if the old boat owner/marina did not provide you with the service records assume the worst, despite how good the boat looks. Therefore, start attacking everything. Water pump, fuel filters, bilge pump, batteries. Pretty soon you will have the piece of mind as to knowing your boat/trailer is in good working order and when it was last serviced. 1 Quote
rodknee1231 Posted October 30, 2015 Author Posted October 30, 2015 yea thanks bait monkey I have torn out almost 3 pumps that are seized the battery is new I don't have a trolling motor as of now I'm gonna run a 2 battery setup with a isolator. I will definitely check the transom it probably needs attention. the trailer seems good tires are new but the bearings may need attention. how exactly would I replace the transom wood in this ? if it's in between the fiberglass Quote
GetJigginWithIt Posted October 31, 2015 Posted October 31, 2015 If the boat is fiberglass it will have stringers. Even tin boats can have them. Quote
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