Advice on sizing up a project?

Repair or modification of Boston Whaler boats, their engines, trailers, and gear
bpevans
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2018 8:57 am

Advice on sizing up a project?

Postby bpevans » Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:06 am

Is there a guide around for what to look at on an older Whaler when sizing up whether it's a good candidate to restore or not?

I seem to have lucked into an opportunity to pickup a surplus Army Corp of Engineers launch, a 17' 1987 Whaler, presumably guardian model, for just a few hundred dollars. No motor, interior looks mostly removed. It was setup with 4 hoist points on the gunwales to be lifted aboard the dredge it served on. Going to go see it in the daylight today but I know already it does have a ~ 8" x 2" breach in the starboard side above the waterline.

Any particular problems to look for when sizing up a potential project boat? Reading here, it seems glass separation from the foam or obviously a completely rotten transom are big problems.

This would be eventually be a trailered 'beater boat' for use on the sound, rivers, coastal waters. Nothing particularly pretty in mind for restoration just a functional oystering, fishing, duck hunting boat to go places we wouldn't take the other boats.