Refurb Questions

[evenflowlive]

I have come into possession of a bass boat by unfortunate circumstances.  My 26 year old brother in law recently passed away from cancer and I have inherited his project.  I have a 1986 Astroglass with a Mercury 135 (black max) that has been sitting for nearly 2 years.  The clear coat is completely gone but the boat floated, all electronics worked, and the motor ran good the last time he used it, which was summer 2014. It has been sitting outside uncovered since then. I picked it up today hoping that with a little elbow grease and a budget of around $1K, I can bring some joy back into this picture for both my wife and her family. I have a few questions, and any useful input is greatly appreciated!

• The gas tank is nearly 3/4 full and he put Stabil in it the end of summer 2014.  It is late March 2016 and I am not sure if it makes sense to try and siphon the fuel and discard (not even sure where to discard it) or just run it.
• All of the seats are torn and rotted.  Any ideas here are appreciated.  I am not a fan of the seats currently installed, something camo would be better.
• I would like to be able to use it to duck hunt out of.  Not sure if anyone duck hunts out of a fiberglass bass boat, but I have a hunch it can be done. Any input on painting a fiberglass boat or some sort of camo wrap?  I am hoping that this might also solve the problem of the faded, ugly looking clear coat.  
• Any input on this year/model of boat and motor would be very valuable.

[Kevin22]

Well, you have some issues. Mostly budget wise. 

Decent seats are going to run you about $100 each. I'm guessing you need 4? Don't skimp out on these, cheap seats will cost you more in the long run.

You can't just paint a peeling glass boat, it has to be professionally redone or it will all peel right off. Its going to cost you over 3 grand for solid color if  you want it gel coated and looking nice. For a camo job it will be closer to 3500. Well, you CAN do it yourself but the equipment and materials will cost you more. You want it camo wrapped? About 3 grand. A camo wrap is going to last about 2-3 years of use, if you use it in brush (like most duck boats) it will shorten its lift due to scratches and water penetration. 

You can duck hunt out of a glass boat.. you can duck hunt out of a floating bath tub. But be aware you won't be bouncing off stumps, they are going to rip a hole in your hull and sink you. It will also be very heavy and draft more water than a traditional flat bottom. Not many people around here use them... 

Dump the gas. Siphon it out of the tank. There should be a tank access somewhere in your floor or a compartment that will let you get to the tank sensors and a cap. Open it up and drain the gas. No sense saving 2+ year old gas.. To dispose of it you take it to a haz-mat disposal location, your local city works will tell you where that is. Be aware it has to be transported in red gas cans/tanks. 

 

[WIGuide]

Being that it's as far gone as it already is, it's not worth a full restoration. It sounds like you're just trying to make it usable. You can find seats online and they have some in camo patterns. As far as making it look better that's where things get tough. I'd suggest cleaning it, sanding it, and then taking a rattle can to it to do your own camo paint job. 

Don't worry about bumping a stump or two with it either. It's not just going to rip a huge hole in your boat. You wouldn't want to hit one running wide open, it could do damage, but it shouldn't be catastrophic. 

As for the gas you'll probably want to ditch it. If the motor was running when he put it away I wouldn't risk causing problems in it with bad gas. I'd replace all the fuel lines with new to make sure to keep the old lines from causing problems. I'd be sure to replace the fuel filter while you're at it. Good luck and have fun with the old girl!

[evenflowlive]

8 hours ago, WIGuide said:

Being that it's as far gone as it already is, it's not worth a full restoration. It sounds like you're just trying to make it usable. You can find seats online and they have some in camo patterns. As far as making it look better that's where things get tough. I'd suggest cleaning it, sanding it, and then taking a rattle can to it to do your own camo paint job. 

Don't worry about bumping a stump or two with it either. It's not just going to rip a huge hole in your boat. You wouldn't want to hit one running wide open, it could do damage, but it shouldn't be catastrophic. 

As for the gas you'll probably want to ditch it. If the motor was running when he put it away I wouldn't risk causing problems in it with bad gas. I'd replace all the fuel lines with new to make sure to keep the old lines from causing problems. I'd be sure to replace the fuel filter while you're at it. Good luck and have fun with the old girl!

Yes, just trying to make it usable.  Definitely not going to spend $3500 on a paint job. I like the "glass half full" approach, thanks! Got rid of as much of the old gas as possible and refilled with non-ethanol. Tore into the motor today and she runs like a champ when you spray starter fluid constantly into the carb.  Changing the fuel lines is a great idea as I the issues I am having are definitely fuel related. I am thinking I may have to change out the fuel pump.... unscrewed it and water came pouring out.  Once motor can urn own its own, some new seats and the old rattle can will do the trick!!!

[Ski213]

Don't replace the fuel pump unless it isn't pumping. Start with getting the carbs, lines, fuel filter in good shape. Then check the pump pressure. Systematic approach will keep you from spending money you don't need to. Also don't get carried away with starting fluid. Engine is running without proper lubtication on that. Definately sounds like you've narrowed it down to fuel delivery though. 

It is a cool project. Good luck on it. I'm sorry to hear about your brother in law.