Restoration Project - 1987 Sport 13

[f9sully]

Hello all-
Longtime lurker, now owner of a 1987 Sport 13. I am in the Denver area and bought the boat from a local sailing program. It has been "well used" and will need some work to bring back to life. The hull is solid, but the interior is completely crazed/spider cracked. The exterior has no crazing, but there is a spot of previously repaired damage that was never finished along with assorted dings etc. The wood is mostly salvageable except for bow cover and steering console. The motor is a 1987 Johnson with a good powerhead, but the lower unit needs gearset, clutch dog etc.

The high-level plan is to sand, fair and paint along with a refresh of the wood. I have been reading CW and THT for years but will still be asking stupid questions and looking for advice as we move along. Tomorrow, I start with the sander...

Thanks,
Jim

20160520_185327.jpg (179.25 KiB) Viewed 5542 times

20160520_185313.jpg (139.07 KiB) Viewed 5542 times

20160520_173117.jpg (64.04 KiB) Viewed 5542 times

[f9sully]

More pics...

20160520_175316.jpg (75.43 KiB) Viewed 5541 times

20160520_173637.jpg (63.64 KiB) Viewed 5541 times

20160520_173641.jpg (32.41 KiB) Viewed 5541 times

[LCnSac]

Couple of comments, other than welcome to the fun world of Whaler resto!

The engine you have is an excellent series, quite dependable. I think it may specify 100:1, but use 50:1.

If I were to pick up a boat with that much work, I'd take a core sample (plug cut) from the hull near the transom before I put much money or time into it. It would be good to know if your hull is dry. If so, just epoxy back the plug, gelcoat when you can, and you're as good as it never being done. If you find bad stuff, better now than days/weeks/hundreds later.

[Jefecinco]

Wow! I've never seen gel coat in such seriously bad condition. Are you sure that is not paint that is cracked, lifting and possibly peeling?

From time to time I read recommendations to have pickup truck bedliner sprayed on the interior of badly deteriorated small Boston Whaler boat interiors. LineX is the most frequently recommended. Normally I think using bedliner to cover cosmetic damage is a bad idea because it could harm the resale value of the boat, particularly to a "hard line" Boston Whaler enthusiast. In the case of gel coat damage such as pictured on your boat sprayed bedliner may be justified. That would require a good bit of preparation to ensure proper adhesion of the bedliner. If the boat is seriously a restoration project the bedliner would not be an option. But if the idea is more in line with a renovation project to make the boat beautiful and useful it's worth consideration.

[f9sully]

I suppose it could have been repainted at some point. It would make sense given the boat's history. This afternoon I will get the rub rail off and sand a couple of spots to see what is underneath.

Thanks,
Jim

[f9sully]

Everything takes longer than you plan for. After picking up an outboard motor stand from craigslist, rearranging the garage for the project and drilling out/removing the rubrail, there was little time to start sanding.

Any recommendations for a specific type of sander? I have a Bosch random orbital sander that I was going to start with 80 grit but I'm not sure it is up to the task. Seems kind of light weight.

Jim

[Binkster]

Unless its worn out that sander will do the job. No need to sand the old gel coat off except in the areas you find spider cracks.

rich