Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire So I was given a boat (Pics added, I think)

A good buddy of mine gave me a 16' all weld aluminum boat the other day. It is a 1986 Sea State Traveler according to the serial number with a 1986 Johnson 60 VRO. It has been setting in a pasture since 2011 I am going to have to replace all the decking in the boat. I am debating whether or not to go back with wood or aluminum. What would y'all recommend?

I dropped the lower unit today and changed the water pump just to be safe. I got it running this evening, kinda. I stuck the lower unit in a sweet lick tub so it would be able to suck up enough water to stay cool. It will run on high idol, but once you dial back the rpms it dies. I mixed the gas at 50-1 and ran about 8 oz of seafoam in 2 gallons of gas. Have any of y'all rebuilt two stroke carburetors? I have not.

I would attach pictures but haven't mastered the new set up yet.

Thanks

Is the fuel tank clean? Sometimes Seafoam will break loose old deposits and ethanol gel which can clog fuel lines if the tank was nasty.

Being it started after the long sit probably means they ran her empty before storing. I'd continue the sea foam and run the piss out it. Chances are it'll run better and better.

Service the carbs. Replace water pump impeller and lower unit lube.

Your wood floor will be rotten in spots. So will the stringers below the floor, and transom plywood too. The foam that's under the floor most likely has become somewhat water soaked. Need to replace that foam, or remove etirely (boat will be a rock w/o the foam in she gets swamped).

iBoats Forum (projects)

US Composits (Resin, Fiberglass, etc)

Get rid of it before it starts costing you money.

If the boat has been to pasture for a while I envision it sitting out in the elements thats tough on them for sure
You said the deck has issues I assume that there is wood encapsulated in Alum on the transon how solid is that wood?

That rots quite a bit am most folks dont look at it till something happens

Hank

I just reread TooDogs and he is on target

There is nothing more expensive than a free boat.

W4B and TooDogs have the mechanical stuff right. If it were me, I'd go back with whatever it has no as to the decking.

Wanna bet? I got my hands on an old camp trailer to renovate. At least it won't sink unless I set it up on a free pontoon boat.

I sounds like it had a wood deck and you are thinking of replacing that with aluminum to avoid future rot issues.
I cant say for sure but I think buying the sheets of aluminum would be very expensive.
I would go with marine grade plywood coated with epoxy on all 6 sides, seal any seams when laying down the new deck and use one of the roll on non slip deck coatings.
Marine grade plywood uses wood more rot resistant and the ply's are glued with water proof glue.
The iboats forum is a great place for info.

I just replaced the floor in my 1986 Alumacraft. It's actually pretty easy. It took some time, but it wasn't difficult. I used 1/2" marine grade plywood. I got it from Menards, on a special order along with the carpeting. I used 3/4" Marine grade for the front deck and the compartment lids because I ordered that first. I thought that's what it was until I pulled the old floor up. 5/8" would probably be a little better.

How is the transom?

I would run it with oil in the gas and dump the VRO if it was mine.

The tank was full of water gas mix when I got it. I drained it out then flushed it with straight gas. I then let it air dry for a couple days in the 100 plus degree heat we have been "enjoying" before replacing the tank to motor fuel hose.



I Replaced the waterpump before I started it up. Hardest thing about it was figuring out how to get the shifting lever of the shift shaft.



Only two things are wood. The decking itself and the transom that is encapsulated in Aluminum. Everything else is aluminum. How do I get the transom out?



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My buddy had already removed the VRO.

well found one place that felt soft, i imagine there are more.

I'd have to agree with the other comments

your buddy didn't give you a boat....your buddy got rid of a boat...

but I have a yard full of projects that other people were happy to get rid of too

Aluminum Totally covers the wood in the transom?
I have seen transom rebuilds on fiberglass boats where they removed the top cap exposing the top of the transom.
Then they chiseled out the old rotten transom and slid a new one in.
I think you need to carefully look at how it is being all held together.
If you are going to have to start removing rivets I would definitely ask over at iboats.
There have been some really extensive rebuilds on there.

The two happiest days in a man's life.
- the day he gets a boat
- the day he gets rid of a boat

BreakOutAnotherThousand

Boat = hole in the water in which you throw money. Hasbeen