TOPIC: Advice for buying vintage runabout...

Hi,
I am new to boats. I am also reading the runabout renovation book.
I am looking to purchase a vintage fiberglass runabout, 14-16 feet, and I am in need of wisdom. I have my eyes on a couple of 60's Corsons, and also saw a Steury.
It seems that boats of this vintage all have sustained some sort of damage. Should I expect, going into this that I will automatically need to plan on cutting out the floor to dig out waterlogged foam? Is there any way to check for waterlogged foam, or is the only way to cut a hole?
One of the Corsons I looked at, the floor looked pristine, but there was a shoddy repair made on the front of the keel where someone used mat on the outside. The other Corson also has questionable keel wear, including a spot where the gelcoat looks chipped off. The other concern I have is a hole about a half inch wide and a 1/4 inch deep near the rear of the boat near where the gas tank goes near the drain hole.
I feel confident about making repairs, but am afraid of water logged foam.
Here are some pics of the Corson...






Is this something I should pass up due to this damage?
Any words of advice would be helpful...



Thanks,
october

Almost anything can be repaired. I guess it depends on how much you want to do. What I see from your pics might be considered to some as a boat that has seen some wear and is in need of repair. You may need to cut some holes to discover if you have waterlogged foam if there is no where you can see it. If your not up to repairs then I would continue looking. I'd fix those. I fish mine hard and as I expect, it does get worn. I regularly beach on gravel and fish shallow water. I also pan for gold. Not much luck there. I carry a pan in the boat. And another thing I almost forgot. WELCOME ABOARD.

Thanks...
I am not afraid of doing the work. It seems fairly typical that cutting up the floor
Is inevitable. Just trying to weigh some options. I like the lines of the boat, also the fact that it was made in Maine.
I thought I could run it by people who are knowledgable, and get good opinions, advice and wisdom,
before I jump in over my head. The gouges and chips etc I'm not afraid of as they seem fairly superficial. It's the hole near the transom, and water going under the deck that would worry me.
october

By all means wait to hear from more than me. I only think i know everything where others here do.

sure the foam is all water log, black and stinky the boats is 30,40,50 yrs old do you honestly think it be ok?let,s be honest here the point of buying a classic boat is to have fun working on them and enjoying them unless you buy the one that is totally restore.the foam do get wet from condensation on bare fiberglass because in those days they don,t surface coat the fiberglass surface.i guess this is what happen because 6 out of 6 classic boat i restore i see the same thing.wet and stinky foam,wood that is all rotted,transom that is no good.but this is the way it should be because after you fix it then you know it perfect and done right.buy the boat if you love it don,t let afew minor things stop you.that give me an idea,we should start a tread of the worse condition boat you find and a jem after restore.

Good looking boat. Get an evaluation and repair estimate in person by a someone who really knows glass. Can't say if you should pass based on those pictures but my guess is you would look long and hard to find something that vintage with as little damage as this one. If it's priced for 'perfect' and you feel like it's only 'very good' then it's a negotiable situation. Are you worried about waterlogging in general or is there something about this boat? Does it seem unreasonably heavy? Sit too low in the water? Floor feel soft or springy? Get some help, it's worth the effort to get things lined out the best you can. You should have confidence in the boat and the expense involved. A formal purchase offer commonly includes it being "subject to satisfactory sea trial and survey".

I'd also guess the seller is presenting it in honest condition and has done a good job of storage and upkeep. Most likely just ordinary wear that can be brought back with a little ordinary work but get on site confirmation of that.

If it were my call, I'd much rather get an original in good condition and know what I have even if it isn't perfect. I'd certainly try hard to preserve the original gelcoat. Limit the patches to just the damaged spots without wholesale refinish or paint. A good color matched repair, buff, and wax will do wonders.

Have fun with it.

Bob

Not all boats have foam. Mine only have air chambers.

On the flip side. I once came in contact with a friend's sailboat that, despite it's small size, 2 24 year old men could not lift from the ground. It was like it was glued to the ground. No movement what-so-ever. We lifted as hard as we could!!! That one was full of waterlogged foam. If it seems strangely heavy it probably has waterlogged foam.

I wouldn't worry much about those small dings. They can be fixed. The one with the keel ware I would look at closely. I have a boat where the keel is cracked the entire length of the boat. Just a small crack mind you! It takes only about 10 minutes to sink. So check for cracks where it is worn.

I think the most important advice, is don't buy the first thing you see.

Carefully check bright work for corrosion. Another important thing seems to be the transom, which seems to take all the load on a outboard, and may need to be cut out and replaced. Boats tend to have less value as they get older. Look closely at these indicators of treatment by owners.

Owners in the Pacific Northwest tend to call them crab pot pullers. They drill holes in the gunnel and affix what ever device they want, like pole holders of pvc pipe, etc.

Your money is more difficult to come by than 50 year old boats. Like the old carpenters adage of measure twice and cut once, I would look at four and buy once. You get the idea.

Also check used boat sites and get a feeling for comparable prices.

Don't be discouraged if you can't find what you want, market changes daily.

Here is my first attempt. 17 Skagit with 76 Evenrude 55.

October, replacing waterlogged foam is not that big a deal. It's a two-part product that you pour into the void once the old stuff is removed. If you into the Forum archives, there is a lot of good data about that. The trick can be removing and replacing the floor. Look at the interior to see if the deck needs to be removed in order to do that. If parts of the deck go to floor level, then the deck may need to be taken off. That is a project. Look at the section between the rear seats in the pic. That console opening goes to the floor and the deck would need to be removed.

You mentioned ME in a post, is that where you are located? I went to school in Orono and have family from Boothbay.

Welcome to the madness.

I would worry more about that damage to the keel than water logged foam. Is that JB weld on that keel? Floors a easy to replace compared to transoms.
Like commander said, working on them is 1/2 the fun.
I started the same way you did, reading that book. It was the most expensive book I have ever read, except for "What to expect when you're expecting".

None of my boats had foam under the deck. My Winner had it under the seats. The MFG never had anything. But I store my boat under a roof and I have not had the drain plugs out in three years. The only water I get inside is from me and my dog getting in and out. The original transom in my Winner is bone dry and solid. Not bad for a 53 year old boat. My Mfg has exposed wood inside and is easily visible. Some boats are more easily able to view the condition. Don't be this guy.

Thanks for all the replies!

Yes I am in Maine...

I have no experience with boats... I just started looking for one, and once I started reading up on it, discovered all these hidden woes. The waterlogged foam issue I never would've even thought of... Then I read about it somewhere, and now it haunts me. I would have bought the boat and patched those damage spots and wouldn't have given it a second thought. That Corson is a 1965, and someone mentioned that they were foam filled, so of course I'm thinking I'm going to be cutting out the floor...
I'm not scared of resto/repairs. I spent a year of my life in a heated polywrap shanty restoring a vintage camper literally from the ground up.
In fact I probably wouldn't get any satisfaction from one that I didn't have to do at least some kind of work to. Do I start with a $500 beater that I have to rebuild from the ground up? Or one that I like with a running engine for $1500, and still end up cutting out a floor... I realize that is for me to ultimately decide. I just didn't want to go in blind. It's good to hear from people who have been there before.
october

Hello from another newbie. Both to the forum, and to boats.

I just picked up a 1962 Sea King. My hull (fortunately) looks great, albiet faded. My floors are soft right where the rear seat passengers feet would be, if there were seats in it.

This winter, I am going to take out that section of floor and replace it, and check my stringers and such while I'm there.

I've never done any of this, but I've got enough people around me that have to feel comfortable doing it.

One thing that helped (other than the super low price) is that the seller was a friend of my boss's. And the nephew of the original owner.

If you buy a boat that you can trace the history on, it may help you feel more comfortable about it than one you just get from a guy on craigslist... ya know?

Welcome aboard! Hopefully, you can get something soon and we can delve into this together via the internet... I'd hate to go it alone!

JK

october,

WELCOME to the FG forum.

yours, satx

buy what you like
anything can be fixed
I am a Sea Ray fanatic and just couldn't pass on this 1960 600
it was fun and alot of work but this could possibly be the only one left
in existance so she got the royal treatment.
10 months fro this...



to this....





find one you love and have fun

mopar, sure would like to have a windshield like yours for my rocket. is that the one that was channeled thru the middle? and yes your boat looks great also. frog

YUP
That's the one I modified off the old Glasstron
turned out pretty good

Update...

Hi everyone,
I ended up buying the boat!
It is a 1965 Corson, it has a 78' mercury 50 hp on it.
Fortunately, the damage is not as bad as those photos would suggest, the boat seems like
It was well taken care of. The floor and transom seem exceptionally solid, and in good condition
For the age of the boat.





The keel does have some wear. It looks like it's from beaching and
The rollers in the trailer. The wear just appears that it has worn the gel coat transparent...
What would be the proper fix for that?

Should I start a new thread, now that I have the boat? In the main forum or member's projects?
I imagine I will come up with all kinds of questions, as I start to dig in...
Thanks,
oct.

Wow it looks like you bought that based on it looks like it matches your camper.
Excellent!
If questions on minor repairs I would post in the main forum.
If you are going to town on it, post progress in the projects forum.
Main forum gets the most traffic.
If the engine runs great and you can't get 30+ mph then maybe the foam is an issue.

Just a logic statement....If the people who had it were using it and it was in the water, there should be no reason you could not do the same. Go have fun.

I don't think it's waterlogged... I was just being paranoid... All of the
chips or damage is superficial. It's just surface wear, none of it goes deeper than the gelcoat. The boat seems unusually light, everything seems good and solid... Engine fires right up... It seems like it was well taken care of.
oct.

October,

I'm impressed that you have gone to the trouble to buy and read Runabout Renovation before getting started. I wish more people would do that - as it might save them a lot of time asking questions over and over.

Take out that boat & have fun with it.

Fill up the tank and get out and enjoy your boat with what is left of the season.Have fun and good luck, Skip.