1986 SN 2001 - complete restore

Hey Guys,

about 8 months ago I bought an 1986 SN 2001 off this website and I had huge dreams of doing a restoration on the boat. I got a fair deal knowing the floor was soft and a researched on here which lead to me thinking the stringers were bad as well.

I thought I would do the job myself but with going offshore most of 2011 I never found the time.

I recently dropped it off in humble to get the floor and stringers quoted. 2600. I didnt think that was bad with carpet and everything installed.

I got the uphostery quote today and they came in at 2300 for all seats rebuilt and covered.

I know most of you like to repair your boats at the house but for me thats not an option.


Can any one tell me if these prices are fair?

this is a pic of the day i picked it up and stopped off to put new tires on.

People in the know are going to say you should have asked before you ok'ed the work and that it sounds too cheap,I think the materials alone add up to that

Really poor clip...but you get the point

Well when I went to the shop and talked with the guy doing the work he honestly made me feel like he new what it would take and that he was a stand up guy. Personally I feel if we can't trust in others and we can't go on a gut feeling about a situation nothing would get done.

Although you make valid points and I see what your saying. I guess I am just going to have to have some faith in the situation.

What are your thoughts on the upholstery quote?

Andrew, I'd just want to make sure he document's his process. Trust is not the issue here. The issue (IMHO) is making sure he's not going to scab something together putting you back into the same situation in 5 years.   

I'd want to know if he uses CPES, Epoxy resin, doug fir and how he plans to put it all back together?

If you're going to spend that type of $ with the guy, you should be able to ask away.

well my guess is this is where he will cut corners is materials. If you used pressure treated pine from the home stores and poly resin no CPES, you could really keep your material costs down. Probably wont layer any glass over a plywood floor. I would say you could have materials around 800 dollars.

I know that methodology is not in line what we would do but I bet for a budget job thats what will happen. It could make it 10 years maybe.

well this is what it looked like yesterday.



also got an email response from the questions yall have posted from the shop.


"Yes, all of your new floor & all of the stringers will be covered with 2 layers of fiberglass matting and will be bonded to the sides and stringers permanently as they where when manufactured.
Please rest assured knowing your floor will be 100% structurally sound and is being installed by a licensed composite boat builder..other wise known as "@n@l Glen" don't tell him I called him that ok.. None of us want to ever redo a floor and thus far we have never had to redo one under warranty since 1995 when _______ opened its doors for business."

WE WILL SEE!! I tell you what tho, I sure am hoping it is right cause i love that boat!

newguy1986 wrote: And yes, offshore for work

Understand, boat, platform?

I'm replacing my 78's grey this winter with blue. The grey was in good shape but it shows everything and the PO wasn't too tidy when changing fluids etc. We have a hard time keeping the 96's factory grey clean as well. Just a thought.

Grey before...


Blue replacement...


...FYI, I'm not trying to go against everything you post, just letting you know what I've seen/screwed up in the past.

Like Joe said, if you don't have to touch a thing and get to enjoy the boat another 10 years it'll be well worth the investment. Any engine upgrades while it's out???

I can speak "first hand" that beer will NOT stain the grey carpet.

Very good input Ryan!

Motor depends on how you're going to use the boat I guess. We pulled a 351 that was running great to add some power for barefooting....and it's always more fun to have more power!

JoeinNY wrote: Hey you get what you pay for, but if you get 5-10 years of use for 2500 without getting dirty then do you really have much to complain about? They wont be using pressure treated to save money, because it is more money than untreated. They are unlikely to be using epoxy because epoxy is very expensive.. but that is the standard of care in the marine industry and polyester certainly has its place as the dominant resin in the marine industry. If they are doing an actual entire stringer job and using a reasonable amount of care you should be getting your moneys worth. For that much money on the seats you should make sure you are getting top quality material in the original style.

Good points all around, Joe.

The interior quote is in the ballpark for a high quality, original set of skins. Just make sure youre getting your money's worth.

I concur with the others that a $2000 stringer job is going to get you low quality materials and even lower quality labor. Personally, I wouldnt do it- Id be more inclined to run a rotten boat than to do a half ass fix... and continue to save up for a proper repair in the meantime. But thats just me.

Im not convinced that a low quality repair will buy you much time vs. running a rotten boat a few years longer... but maybe Im wrong. Breaking down the costs, then that still has to be $500-1000 in material, right? I know a repair with epoxy would be in the $1500 ballpark. At $40/hr, that $1500 still equates to less than 40 hrs of labor... which is about 20% of the time estimate that seems commonplace for a first timer here. I dont see any way around them cutting serious corners, personally.

Like Joe said, you get what you pay for!

8122pbrainard wrote: TRBenj wrote: Im not convinced that a low quality repair will buy you much time vs. running a rotten boat a few years longer... but maybe Im wrong. Like Joe said, you get what you pay for! Tim, I do not feel you are wrong and concur with your comment. It will be interesting to see what this "pro" does with scabbing in the stringers.It looks like a "half a**" job and BS about them never having a stringer job come back. It's too bad we can't talk to previous customers! God help him if he took it to Cooter in Texas!!!

first off, I do understand people voicing an opinion about the decision I made, and second I understand that I should have asked yall what you thought before hand. thats the reason I posted everything.

BUT with that said no one on this site can say weather this guy is actually a fair man that knows what he is doing or he is a scam. you dont know if they have or have not had any one bring back there boat from a stringer job. just becuase you have an opinion about a man you have never talked to or dealt with doesnt mean he is uncapable of doing the work.

I found a guy that I trusted with out doing several background checks.... I can bet all the money that i have in the boat that he will do a better job than i would have.

Just saying give the guy a chance......... he has been straight forward and including me by email during the whole thing.. i appreciate yall posting and I hope you continue to follow but we all dont say a painting is sh!t after the first stroke.

whats yalls thoughts on installing a thick steel plate under the gas tank? I forget how much room is back there. any one thought of that before? if so how thick if possible.

I will post the update pic today when i recieve. hope yall are still interested in the "NON DO IT YOURSELF" build.

newguy1986 wrote: whats yalls thoughts on installing a thick steel plate under the gas tank?

For ballast?