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  Bottom finish: $9,000 Gelcoat Or $3000 Urethane?

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Author Topic:   Bottom finish: $9,000 Gelcoat Or $3000 Urethane?
mobey posted 01-02-2003 06:25 PM ET (US)   Profile for mobey   Send Email to mobey  
I have started checking out prices for the entire white hull exterior / bottom to be refinished for my 1965 16 ft Sakonnet, . So far, I only have two quotes. For the complete job including removal of console and outboard motor, sanding, filling, & etc, here is what I have:

$9,000.00 for gelcoat.

$3,000.00 for Urethane. This has two primer coats and one finish coat.

The boat will probably live on it's trailer 98% of the time. But, who knows, Maybe someday it will sit in the water (fresh water) for our six month boating season.

Please comment on the different coating systems, or any other systems I should consider. And, is the $9,000.00 gelcoat qoute way-out wacky or not?? The bottom and sides have some bumps, drilled holes and imperfections to be delt with, but nothing that bad. Thank You.

mtbadfish posted 01-02-2003 06:44 PM ET (US)     Profile for mtbadfish  Send Email to mtbadfish     
mobey,
First of all let me say I've wondered what just such an operation would run and really have no idea. But for $9000, it seems to me they should be able to fill it in with about 18 feet of 'boat' let alone repair it! On the face of it, it seems an astounding price. Hopefully this is not the real going rate for this type of work. Good luck! Badfish
Kingsteven18 posted 01-02-2003 06:57 PM ET (US)     Profile for Kingsteven18  Send Email to Kingsteven18     
Option #3 : I have a 1965 16' hull that is in MINT condition. Never painted, no damage. Just needs good cleaning, compounding, and waxing. Has original homemade/commercial interior that could easily be removed to put in any existing interior. I have a N.O.S. Suzuki 65 on it but will sell hull only for $4000. Will throw in orig. 1964 trlr. that works fine. Steve
mobey posted 01-02-2003 07:47 PM ET (US)     Profile for mobey  Send Email to mobey     
I have not gotten any other gelcoat quotes yet. I've got to believe that the $9,000 is out of sight high (I hope!).

Kingsteven18: Thanks for the offer, but I just bought this boat and I am set with what I have.

Actually, the boat I have is in pretty good condition. I just decided to restore it to 100%....so here I am....

j_h_nimrod posted 01-02-2003 08:01 PM ET (US)     Profile for j_h_nimrod  Send Email to j_h_nimrod     
$2000-$3000 should be about right for the gelcoat! My friend just had his 80s 17 footer completely redone for a little over $2000 after a nearby house fire slightly scorched one side of his boat. He also had a new rub rail put on at the same time... $9000 seems very high, think of it being almost 1 1/2 times the cost of a brand spankin new hull!
rwill1 posted 01-02-2003 08:25 PM ET (US)     Profile for rwill1  Send Email to rwill1     
Does the hull really need all that work?
mobey posted 01-03-2003 09:15 AM ET (US)     Profile for mobey  Send Email to mobey     
The hull does not need much work. It is in good serviceable shape & water ready, no problem - right now. I am just kinda nutty about old Whalers and want to get mine back to as new condition. On the other hand, there is the economics of this whole thing that will eventually rule. No matter how nice, the boat is only going to be worth so much.
For a good quality job, I would spend as much as $3,000.00. I'm very interested in knowing what coating system is best. I lean towards gelcoat, mainly because it is the way the factory does them. Anyone who has an opinion on this please let me know. Thank You.
jameso posted 01-03-2003 09:20 AM ET (US)     Profile for jameso  Send Email to jameso     
COMPOUND,WAX,BUFF AND BUFF SOME MORE!!
If the hull is in as good shape as you say don't start with gel coat or any other. I have seen too many nice boats messed up with "new gel coat". Remember the hull was originally made as a male part using a female mold, thats what makes the hull smooth and faired, new gel coat will have to be sanded til friday to make it that smooth, if ever.
My 03, on 03.03
Jim Armstrong
Bigshot posted 01-03-2003 10:21 AM ET (US)     Profile for Bigshot  Send Email to Bigshot     
$9k.....hahahahahahahahahaha!

I have a bridge for sale....hahahahahahahahah!

gansett posted 01-03-2003 08:38 PM ET (US)     Profile for gansett  Send Email to gansett     
I haven't seen the boat. But I agree with Jim. Buff, or if necessary wet-n-dry sand and buff. Spot patch any dings and scratches with Spectrum patch and spray any small blems with Spectrum gel in a Preval. Sand and buff before patching to see if your patch color will match final buffed out color of old gel. I was lucky with perfect color match on 34-year-old boat.

Steve Leone posted 01-04-2003 12:13 AM ET (US)     Profile for Steve Leone  Send Email to Steve Leone     
I will do it for $8999.00. I will throw in the decals also....Steve
witsendfl posted 01-04-2003 12:36 AM ET (US)     Profile for witsendfl  Send Email to witsendfl     
Bring it down to Florida in a couple of weeks when the "PACKERS" come to town to beat the "BUCS" in the playoffs Go PACK GO ( Yes Packer Fans are everywhere !) And I will get the boat sprayed for $5000. You save 4 grand it pays for your trip to Florida and I get to go to the playoff game. Seriously, It seems almost double the rate. You could save alot by doing most of the prep work yourself.

witsendfl JimK

mobey posted 01-04-2003 06:45 PM ET (US)     Profile for mobey  Send Email to mobey     
I have done some more checking and found a shop that will do the gelcoat for around $2,500.00. This shop comes with several good recomendations. So, maybe I'm all set now.
witsendfl posted 01-04-2003 07:06 PM ET (US)     Profile for witsendfl  Send Email to witsendfl     
OK $4000

witsendfl Jim K

mobey posted 01-04-2003 11:49 PM ET (US)     Profile for mobey  Send Email to mobey     
Does that $4,000 include air-fare and hotel for me AND my Whaler??
witsendfl posted 01-05-2003 10:38 AM ET (US)     Profile for witsendfl  Send Email to witsendfl     
I guess it is a moot point now! Did you post this after the game? I can understand wanting to get that boat out of "seasonal retirement" Save your money maybe I can head north next year for the playoffs... But you are welcome down here anytime, just bring the "brats" the kids are welcome too

Oh well...

witsendfl Jim K

MilwaukeeWhaler posted 01-13-2003 11:04 PM ET (US)     Profile for MilwaukeeWhaler  Send Email to MilwaukeeWhaler     
The Pack will be Back!
glassman66 posted 01-15-2003 03:18 AM ET (US)     Profile for glassman66  Send Email to glassman66     
who ever gave u a quote of 9000 fell on there head.i quote gel coating at 150.00 a ft plus 400 to flip it over.so u would be right at 2,800. now if it has blisters thats a whole different story.now as for urethane the only one i use in marine applacation is alwgrip poly urethane with a epoxy primer.but it wont hurt to sand a spot with 600 and 1200 grit wet sand and buff to see what it look like
jimh posted 01-16-2003 11:37 AM ET (US)     Profile for jimh  Send Email to jimh     
In the $9,000 range you could buy a new, bare 17-foot hull from Boston Whaler Commercial and Government Products. You could remove all your hardware, fittings, and engine, and install them on the new hull.

After selling the old hull, you'd have a brand new hull at less cost than the quote to re-do the gelcoat on the old hull.

Bigshot posted 01-16-2003 12:04 PM ET (US)     Profile for Bigshot  Send Email to Bigshot     
I think you can get the 17 alert for about $7-7500 new.
lhg posted 01-16-2003 03:23 PM ET (US)     Profile for lhg    
The above two posts by Bigshot and JimH make the most sense. Rather than put $2500 into an old hull, sell it, and get a brand new 17' Hull as quoted. You'll be way ahead. Net cost could be as low as $4000.
Bigshot posted 01-16-2003 03:53 PM ET (US)     Profile for Bigshot  Send Email to Bigshot     
I thought about it with my 1989 but can not justify the $4k but I would make it up in resale being my hull would be 14 years newer. Problem is I want to do the outside in Viking light pink gelcoat and leave the inside CPD light grey($300 option or so). Then I have the desert tan console and RPS cushions in parchment, etc. If my hull was older or really beat I would do it in a heartbeat.
Bigshot posted 01-16-2003 03:56 PM ET (US)     Profile for Bigshot  Send Email to Bigshot     
I meant to say that with the light grey interior and the tan console, etc from my 89, it would look stupid. I would then have to either paint that 89 stuff or do the interior in dessert tan instead of grey which costs even more money....get's complicated. Before I spent mucho $$$ to re gelcoat, I would get the Alert. If I was hell bent on having a classic, I would get the alert in white hull/blue interior and mount a Excellsior bay interior and have a smirked nauset....how far off topic am I?
doobee posted 01-16-2003 09:22 PM ET (US)     Profile for doobee  Send Email to doobee     
save your money.

Dolphinite has a new bottom paint with a glossy finish. When done right it will look like imron. It does not have any toxic antifoulants so it can be used in even the strictest fresh water lake. It prevents growth by creating an enzyme that organisms can't adhere to. It doesn't kill anything, it just keeps it from sticking. Next year they claim they will be able to offer custom colors. They even offer a clear paint which is good for new boats and engine components. I'm not sure how long it will hold it's shine, but the enzyme should last 2 seasons. Check it out at www.dolphinite.com

mobey posted 01-17-2003 06:00 AM ET (US)     Profile for mobey  Send Email to mobey     
Howdy Boys,

I don't doubt that just starting over with a new hull might be money ahead, but Ive got way too big of a soft spot in my heart for this old girl. As written earlier, the hull is in pretty good shape, especially for being 37 years old. There are only a couple of small patches on the unseen underside that have some blistering. I might well just have those taken care of and call it good. All the above the water line surfaces are in pretty nice condition exept for a few minor side scratches, & screw holes in the transom which I am having filled in right now. Standing 10 feet away from the boat it really looks darn nice.

For some reason, I am passionately committed to bringing this boat back to near factory new condition even knowning that It will probably cost some more than the hull is worth. Sometimes I wonder if I would be better off if I didn't have this trait in me wanting to fix up every older machine I can get my hands on. I seam to have a genetic attachment to doing this kind of stuff.....Someone throw me a life ring!

Bigshot posted 01-21-2003 09:33 AM ET (US)     Profile for Bigshot  Send Email to Bigshot     
If it is that nice then it should be cheap to repair and buff. Screw having it restored, use some elbow grease and reapir the necessary sections.

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