I found a couple of soft spots on the deck of an old Sea Pro that I purchased recently. I am pretty sure that these are symptoms of a larger problem since the hull is 17 years old. Any recommendations for glass shops that could repair the deck and inspect for other underlying issues? I’m on Johns Island, so shops on this side of town would be helpful. Thanks!
I had a similar issue when I had to pull the fuel tank from my boat. I totally rebuilt the deck after reinstalling the tanks. It’s really not that hard…just time consuming. I found it was a good opportunity to change some things around below decks the way I wanted them done. Usually if spot repairs are done you wind up chasing soft spots for a long time.
Since the hull is over 17 years old, I am seriously considering pulling the deck this winter, replacing the fuel tank, and fixing any other problems that may be there. If done right, I’m thinking the hull would be good for another 15 years! Should be fun.
It’s going to be expensive to have a fiberglass shop repair that. When you have soft decks, you can be almost certain that you have soft stringers also, and waterlogged foam, and at that age probably a soft transom also. I’ve done a lot of them and they are usually like peeling a rotten onion, it gets worse with ever layer you remove. Generally you’ll end up stripping out all the guts to the bare hull, grinding it clean, then rebuilding everything from the hull up. Including most of the wiring and plumbing.
The worst part of the job is the demolition and it’s a job you can do yourself if you don’t mind getting dirty, and have more time than money.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
That’s what I’m afraid of. It will definitely need to be a winter project. Although I am pretty sure that I could handle demo, I don’t have a lot of time to do so, and I need to make sure that I have access to a boat for some of my projects (my business needs a boat to access certain properties). I’m going to run the boat this weekend to see how the hull responds. After that, I will probably carry it to some professionals to get some recommendations. I may open up a small section so that I can at least see what is going on. Out of curiosity - how much to redo a hull professionally? Ball park. I just want to know what I need to plan for on the expense side.
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Out of curiosity - how much to redo a hull professionally? Ball park. I just want to know what I need to plan for on the expense side.
It’s really hard to say, sight unseen, and there is no way to tell how extensive the damage is until the deck is cut out. Minimum probably $3K, could be as high as $12k if it needs stringers and transom, and re-wiring and re-plumbing. Materials alone would be in the 5K range for all that.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
Thanks for the info.
On an unrelated note - do you know of anyone that wants to buy a boat …
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
Seriously though. I live on Johns Island and work downtown. Any recommendations for glass shops in the area that I could talk to? Or, am I better off paying a surveyor to look at and provide expert opinion? Thanks again for the help.
Try Elliot marine,they are on Johns Island. Know nothing about them but they always leave flyers on my truck at the ramp.
- I’d rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave.
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Sorry, I really don’t know anyone in that area to recommend. A marine surveyor may be money well spent, but a good fiberglass shop should be able to give you an estimate for free.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
Hydrocraf in Goose Creek has done some work for me and I was pleased with it. As everyone else has said, it’s not going to be cheap to get someone to do this for you.
Take it down to GA to Cracker Larry’s place. He knows what he’s doing.
I finally got the boat on the water today. The hull seemed solid. I could not feel any flex when crossing wake, but the Ashley River was pretty calm. I did figure out that the motor needs a serious tune up (new plugs and decarb happening in the morning). Good times.
Pretty sure in 97 the seapro was being built in Newberry. I think they only used wood above the floor for making things like the compartments and such. The floors were made of a laminated Balsa type wood product which can hold water and rot pretty easy if any penatrations weren’t properly sealed (which they weren’t). On the Seapro I had, the stringes and bulkheads were laminated and encapsulated foamboard. The transoms were composite also.
Hopefully you’re only looking at a floor.
218WA Sailfish
The "Penn"sion Plan
The boat was definitely made in Newberry. My initial research indicated that there was no wood on this boat. But it sounds like you are saying the stingers and bulkhead were made of composite materials that were encapsulated in glass, but that the deck was a laminate material? I did not know that. If so, that would explain the soft spots.
I spent today decarbing the motor and installing new plugs (2001 175 Evinrude Ficht) that came with the boat for free. Hopefully, I can get it out and run it again tomorrow. I going to push the floor back to the winter.
Are the soft spots near and around floor penetrations? On my old SeaPro, the floor hatches and access pop-outs were not sealed very well or mostly not sealed at all. Also the screws used to hold said hatches and pop-outs weren’t sealed either. I had soft spots in some of those areas. I simply removed the rotted stuff and built back using glass and resin.
When I sold the boat, it was more solid than when I bought it. Repairs were not all that hard but just numerous with one of the soft spots being pretty big.(it ran from the front leg of the T-top to the rear leg of the T-top)
Unless the hull has been really abused and or the bilge has been holding lots of water for an extended time you’re probably in better shape than you think.
218WA Sailfish
The "Penn"sion Plan
Not trying to hijack the thread! I have the 06 sv2100. Any of these issues in that hull I should be concerned about? Thanks!
www.ChrisWestSellsCharleston.com.
Give me a call if you are looking to buy or sell a home. Always like helping out a fellow fisherman!
I would think that the 06 would be in much better shape than a 97. Sea Pro modified the SV2100 in 04, so yours is probably slightly longer and wider than mine. Also, an 06 model would have benefited from 10 years of working on the hulls made of composite materials. Moreover, you should have a 10 year hull warranty. I suspect that these are now honored by Brunswick, but I am not sure.
For my boat, the soft spots are near hatches, so that could be the cause of the problem. When I ran the boat, it did not feel like it flexed when crossing chop or wake. So, I think that structurally I am OK. I will probably start tackling the soft spots this winter. Should be fun!
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Originally posted by bellyupHydrocraf in Goose Creek has done some work for me and I was pleased with it. As everyone else has said, it’s not going to be cheap to get someone to do this for you.
Yep…see Carl at Hydrocraf. Many of the boat repair shops take boats needing fiberglass repair to Carl.
I’d have to spend an hour looking for his card, but his shop is on Southsong Lane, Goose Creek.
“I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of the general public.”
~my dad
Equipment:
190cc Sea Pro w/130 Johnson
1- 19 year old (boy of leisure)
1 - 1 year old (fishing maniac)
1 - wife (The Warden)
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