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Lets Rehab A Boat


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I have always wanted to pick up a project boat. Kind of start from scratch and build her up but have been afraid of getting in over my head or runing over budget to the point of "should have just bought a new boat" status. But I would still love to do it in the off season.

Here is an excercise for those that are curious the way I am or those that have done it before. Take the boat I have info listed on below as an example.

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1987 Hydrasport 250CC

This vessel filled with water and partially submerged. The motors were pickled, but are reportedly locked. The electrical did get wet as well.

Here is a link to a full description of the boat and its situation:

http://www.cooperss.com/1-1-25915-Hydra-Sp...o%20Gallery#tab

Overall, the boat looks decent for its age and having been submerged. From the pictures it looks like it is very clean in general. With engines locked and electronics having been wet, I assume it is all scrap now.

So, class, here is our homework,(should you choose to participate). Lets rebuild this boat on paper to be a good useable fishing boat. we don't need infrared or side scan, 5 million mile radar or anything too crazy or 100k in electronics here, lets make this a "normal" or practical boat that could be used by the average or maybe slightly above average boater. Build it on a budget like you planned on using it for a few years as your own. Not the end all of ultimate boats but a real nice enjoyable pleasure boat bought on a budget.

What steps need to be taken to strip her down, prepare for new gear and what gear would you choose to set her up. Engines,props,steering, rigging, electrical, charging system, communications, GPS, FF, seating, trim tabs and all of that should be figured into the project. Costs as well as the best suited equipment for the job should be considered and posted.

Now I am sure there will be some outrageous stuff to follow but maybe as a group we could end up with a happy medium and a pretty nice boat.

As a disclaimer, I have nothing to do with the company I linked to other than being a visitor to their site and a dreamer. No, I am not using you guys to do the planning for my own project. Ok, I may take some ideas and information from it as will many of us hopefully. I just think it would intersting to see everyones ideas, tricks and tips for a practical rebuild of a once proud boat that was saved from the deep. Lets call it recycling for the tree huggers out there. Maybe in the end we will come up with a list of equipment and a plan of sorts. Who knows, this might be fun.

Wiley, you can place this in any forum you feel better suited for it. Assuming anyone decides to participate. Wait, what am I saying, of course you already know that, this is your place.

Break out the catalogs and lets see if we can build a project boat.

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That would make an excellent project boat.

The first thing I would do is make sure the hull, transom and stringers are sound. No delaminations, waterlogging, cracks, soft spots. If you don't know how, pay someone who does. The price seems too low for a sound hull. There are a lot of penetrations in the deck that could allow water intrusion and cause rot you can't see, like this..

4023206992_81313878d1.jpg

4022452727_fbbcc8a4d2.jpg

If the hull is sound, that price is a steal!

Even if you have to replace the transom, stringers and sole, it wouldn't be a bad buy, just know what you're getting into. There could be a lot of ugly hiding under that deck, and we wouldn't want to hang new engines on a rotten transom.

Edited by Cracker Larry
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Those older HydraSports deep Vs are great riding boats. A close friend was looking at several mid-80s 2500WA models to restore, and found that every single one he looked at, needed a transom (this was during the late 90s). The concensus was that this was mostly due to poor rigging on the part of dealers and previous owners, and wasn't a construction issue.

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Right off the bat I see money dangling in my face...a pair of lower units could be sold for at least $500 each. Should be worth that much if not run after sinking. With the motors i feel only the power heads and electronics are susceptible to damage from immersion. Mid sections could also be sold. Nice salvageable t-top. And if that deck is solid now, there is no reason for it not to pose a problem....

Hell, Kingair would be a good one to chime in on this boat, as his Trophy got a really good rebuild. You know he has shopped electronics, switches, gauges, lights, hardware...

Looks like a perfectly good net in there as well!!... :605_thumbs_up:

It would be a labor of love. If you were to buy the Zukes, you will already have 20K in it. Plus a lot of labor and electronics. So, for say 25K, what is out there that you could buy? There have been some pretty good deals on my local craigslist for big CC's. However none that would have motors with warranty on them..

None of that matters if all you are after is to build you up a rig you plan to use and enjoy. I really like the lines of the boat. And they do have a following. A lot of us have ridden on one of them offshore a time or two...

Edited by triumphrick
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There's nothing scientific in this response. A sunken boat is a boat forever jinxed. There's a reason it sank and it has nothing to do with physics or stupidity or anything else. It's just plain old doomed to cause its owner unending grief if it doesn't outright kill him. I am sure I sound like a crazy old coot. Believe me. Stay away from this thing or it'll be Davy Jones' Locker you'll be refurbishing. Really, I'm not joking with you.

Edited by yottyboy
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There's nothing scientific in this response. A sunken boat is a boat forever jinxed. There's a reason it sank and it has nothing to do with physics or stupidity or anything else. It's just plain old doomed to cause its owner unending grief if it doesn't outright kill him. I am sure I sound like a crazy old coot. Believe me. Stay away from this thing or it'll be Davy Jones' Locker you'll be refurbishing. Really, I'm not joking with you.

LOL....the histories of the USS Nevada (sunk during the Pearl Harbor attack), and the USS Squalus (sunk with all hands while conducting diving trials off New Hampshire in 1939), argue this point. Both vessels were raised, refitted, recommissioned, and went on to distinguish themselves during WW II (the Squalus was renamed the USS Sailfish, the crew, knowing her past, referred to her as the "Squailfish").

The Nevada was used as a target vessel during the Bikini nuke tests, and served as the ground zero vessel. It did not sink:

"Nevada then returned to Pearl Harbor after a brief stint of occupation duty in Tokyo Bay. Nevada was surveyed and, at 32⅓ years old, she was deemed too old to be kept in the post-war fleet.[4][56] As a result, she was assigned to be a target ship for the first Bikini atomic experiments (Operation Crossroads) of July 1946 The experiment consisted of detonating two atomic bombs to test their effectiveness against ships.[84] Nevada was designated "ground zero"[85] for the first test, codenamed 'Able', which used an air-dropped weapon; as such, she was painted an "ugly"[86] reddish-orange to help the bombardier's aim. However, even with the high visibility color scheme, the bomb fell about 1,700 yd (1,600 m) off-target, exploding above the light carrier Independence instead.[86] Nevada also survived the second test—'Baker', a detonation some 90 ft (27 m) below the surface of the water — but she was damaged and extremely radioactive.[56] Nevada was then towed to Pearl Harbor and decommissioned on 29 August 1946.

After she was thoroughly examined at Pearl Harbor, her final sortie came on 31 July 1948 when Iowa and two other vessels[A 15] used Nevada as a gunnery target for practice.[4][68] The three ships did not sink Nevada, so she was given a coup de grâce with an aerial torpedo hit amidships. Nevada then sank 60[86]–65 mi (97–105 km) southwest of Pearl Harbor."

So, judging by this, sinking may actually make a boat better! LOL :rb-rules:

Edited by fubar512
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I have a 1986 Pursuit 2600 with trailer I purchased @2 1/2 years ago for $5,000. Hull and trasmon survied fine. Never sunk. Ran old motors for one summer back home and repowered with 2008 150 Optis last spring. Replaced old teak gunwales with starboard. Added a bunch of Scarbchris' lights. Still need to upgrade electronics and some more comestic work. Have @ $20,000 so far and maybe another $5,000 to go.

I suppose I could have bought something newer for that price but I enjoy doing the work myself and know it is done right. If it something you can do and would enjoy, go for it and have fun.

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OK. I will try to keep a tally on everything.

Cost of boat $2500.00

So far we have a pair of pre-loved Zukes with gauges and controls $18,000.00

Sell the lower units for $500 per -$1000.00

Scored one fishing net $0.00

Total investment so far $19,500.00

Any thoughts on what the mid sections from the old motors could go for?

Let's play it safe and figure in a transom worst case scenario. WHo knows what that would cost? We still have A lot more to go guys.

Edited by one4water
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