Boat restoration

Ok, most of you know I have an 89 Ranger 354V that I purchased from
Heavy. Awesome boat, my first bass boat. So far I have put a brand new
Yamaha VMax 150 on it, and brand new 70# Minn-Kota Maxxum trolling
motor, and all brand new Lowrance electronics on the bow and Console.
My next step is to replace the carpeting, and build a deck extension.

I would also like to repair some damage on the bottom of the boat, maybe
paint it (is that practical?), and then repair some of the gel coat (can
that be done??? , It seems faded in areas). I have also started
building a Rod holder using plastic golf club sleeves and pre-treated
plywood. I figure this would work out nice for pulling rods out as well
as putting them in without getting the tips tangled as I do now.

The nice thing is, Ranger will sell me a new windshield, console panel
(which they will cut for me if I send them mine), and bow panel. So the
restoration project is well under way.

I was hoping that you guys could give me some insight into gel-coat
repair, and maybe some ideas of what I should do about the hull. I am
looking at a Keel guard after seeing Steve use his on Mohawksin, seemed
like a pretty sweet idea.

Thanks again all,

Chris

news:rec.boats.building

Lots of good guys there.


--
Bob La Londe
www.YumaBassMan.com

On Wed, 31 May 2006 10:20:02 -0500, Chris Rennert
wrote:

Ok, most of you know I have an 89 Ranger 354V (snip)
I would also like to repair some damage on the bottom of the boat (snip)
I was hoping that you guys could give me some insight into gel-coat
repair, and maybe some ideas of what I should do about the hull. I am
looking at a Keel guard after seeing Steve use his on Mohawksin, seemed
like a pretty sweet idea.

I fish a lot of shallow sandy, rocky rivers and I have a Hamby's
keel guard (the full one, I believe). Great investment and it really
does protect the hull. I didn't notice any drop in high end
performance or in maneurability (I have a somewhat similar boat yo
yours - a 364v Ranger with a Johnson 150 GT...however, I really didn't
test it too much pre-Hamby's...as that was one of the first things I
put on it when I got this boat.

You're doing the right things IMO. When I got my boat, I changed
all the seats, replaced whatever rusty parts I saw (including a good
many bolts n' nuts and screws) and ordered the gel coat kit matching
the color of my boat from Ranger. Been too long since I did that and
can't remember the details...but everything went pretty smoothly.
There's a ton of products out there to get the shine back in your gel
coat...but the cold hard truth is that once the gel coat has severely
oxidized...there's not much you can do to it other than do your best
to rub whatever you can rub off and coat with a good wax. In some
cases, the oxidation can damage the gel coat so bad that it can become
prickly to the touch. Once its at that point, redoing the gel coat is
probably your best option. Although their parts are often expensive,
Ranger has always been able to do some amazing things for me (ie.
shipping, finding a remote part, etc.)

On my previous boat (a 1979 158v Ranger), I had various areas of
damage on the hull from rocks and sand and patched the bottom up a ton
of times...sometimes just hours before a tournament. Here's my tips:

1. If your boat is full of water and you are taking more water
than you are pumping out and you are a long way from the ramp (ie. 30
miles or even 1 mile)...go to the back of the boat and pull the plug
so water can drain out of your boat once you get it moving. Fast idle
until you can get it up on top...and hopefully, you'll get er' on top
before the situation gets worse...: You are in a Ranger...it won't
sink (heh heh...probably).

2. Duct tape (at least none I found) won't stay on the fiberglass
botton of your boat when you are in the water

3. Sticking a piece of cloth or object in the hole might be a
temporary fix...but it's hard to keep anything there if you are
running at all or the hull is bouncing up and down.

4. Get you several bottles of a resin called JB WELD. If you get
a pin hole or bigger and you have to fish the next day...it can be a
lifesaver. JB Weld sticks to anything and is super tough (can
withstand rocks and sand...but can rub off after a long while
(months?) and sets up in just 4-6 hours. They say it fully cures in
15-24 hours...but that period of time is dependent upon how much water
you've got coming out of the pinhole. Best tip is to cut out (if
posible) any sections of fiberglass that is retaining water (if its
fairly small).

5. When you have the time, repair the fiberglass damage right the
first time. Make a nice clean hole (ie. square it out) and fill it in
with a piece of treated wood (glued to the inside of the boat, if
possible) covered around with the fiberglass and that piece of wood
will go along way toward making that a stronger section of fiberglass.

--
Dwayne E. Cooper, Atty at Law
Indianapolis, IN
Email:
Web Page: http://www.cooperlegalservices.com
Personal Fishing Web Page: http://www.hoosierwebsites.com/OnTheWater
Dog Fishing: http://www.hoosierwebsites.com/onthe...fishing040.htm
1st Annual ROFB Classic Winner

On Wed, 31 May 2006 10:20:02 -0500, Chris Rennert
wrote:

Ok, most of you know I have an 89 Ranger 354V that I purchased from
Heavy. Awesome boat, my first bass boat. So far I have put a brand new
Yamaha VMax 150 on it, and brand new 70# Minn-Kota Maxxum trolling
motor, and all brand new Lowrance electronics on the bow and Console.
My next step is to replace the carpeting, and build a deck extension.

I would also like to repair some damage on the bottom of the boat, maybe
paint it (is that practical?), and then repair some of the gel coat (can
that be done??? , It seems faded in areas). I have also started
building a Rod holder using plastic golf club sleeves and pre-treated
plywood. I figure this would work out nice for pulling rods out as well
as putting them in without getting the tips tangled as I do now.

The nice thing is, Ranger will sell me a new windshield, console panel
(which they will cut for me if I send them mine), and bow panel. So the
restoration project is well under way.

I was hoping that you guys could give me some insight into gel-coat
repair, and maybe some ideas of what I should do about the hull. I am
looking at a Keel guard after seeing Steve use his on Mohawksin, seemed
like a pretty sweet idea.

Thanks again all,

Chris


Chris, find a Corvette shop near you and ask them questions about
fiberglass and paint/gel. Also ask dealers who they send their stuff
to.


I've learned that I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy it!

Remove the x for e-mail reply
Amateur radio enthusiast, N9JBF
Bass fishing Aficionado!
www.outdoorfrontiers.com
www.SecretWeaponLures.com
A proud charter member of "PETAF", People for Eating Tasty Animals and Fish!!!

"Chris Rennert" wrote in message
.. .
Ok, most of you know I have an 89 Ranger 354V that I purchased from Heavy.
Awesome boat, my first bass boat. So far I have put a brand new Yamaha
VMax 150 on it, and brand new 70# Minn-Kota Maxxum trolling motor, and
all brand new Lowrance electronics on the bow and Console. My next step is
to replace the carpeting, and build a deck extension.

***Replacing the carpet isn't really that hard. The thing to remember is to
"carefully" remove the old carpet, as intact as possible and use the pieces
as templates for the new carpeting. Also, take great pains to make certain
that the nap of the carpet runs in the same direction, especially on hatch
lids. It's easy to get that different and believe me, it will be noticable.


I would also like to repair some damage on the bottom of the boat, maybe
paint it (is that practical?), and then repair some of the gel coat (can
that be done??? , It seems faded in areas). I have also started building
a Rod holder using plastic golf club sleeves and pre-treated plywood. I
figure this would work out nice for pulling rods out as well as putting
them in without getting the tips tangled as I do now.

***If you have scratches, gouges and in need of gelcoat repair, I have a
couple of suggestions. First of all, I wouldn't tackle a project like that
myself, and I'm not afraid to take on "projects". The thing is, if you want
it to look like a professional job, take it to a professional. Ranger does
restoration projects like that, and they would have access to the identical
materials that your boat was made from initially. There is also a company
here in Rhinelander that has done some amazing things in boat restoration.

The nice thing is, Ranger will sell me a new windshield, console panel
(which they will cut for me if I send them mine), and bow panel. So the
restoration project is well under way.

***I would replace the carpet, build the deck extension, put on the new
windshield and replace the panels. But the gelcoat work I would leave to a
pro. You might consider doing the above mentioned things, then this fall,
after the fishing season is over, take the boat to someone who specializes
in this kind of work and have them do it. Then your boat will be nice and
shiny for next year and you're not out any fishing time this season.

I was hoping that you guys could give me some insight into gel-coat
repair, and maybe some ideas of what I should do about the hull. I am
looking at a Keel guard after seeing Steve use his on Mohawksin, seemed
like a pretty sweet idea.

***Again, have a pro do this part of the project. At that time, have them
install the KeelShield when the hull is done. I wouldn't have another boat
without a KeelShield, they're well worth the money. I like them so much
that I had them installed on my new boat, and with a cat hull, that means
buying two of them!
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

Chris, if you are looking for a local place to check and see what it
would cost to have the gel coat issues fixed, boatec in seymour is a
specialty fiberglass boat repair facility. They do all the local
warranty work for companies like Triton and Ranger. Even if you didn't
go with them they could give you ideas on what could be done. If it is
scratches or small holes you can get gel coat kits right from ranger.
You just have to be careful appliying the gel coat to metal flake areas
as sanding it changes the flake color. Regular colors work good and
you can wet sand it fairly easily with automotive sand paper. You will
definitely want a keel guard of some sort. I would have done a lot
less hull work on my last boat if I had one from the start. This time
I got a Hambys for my boat right away. Good luck on your restoration.

Check this site and Boat Restore' Forum:

http://bbcboards.zeroforum.com/zeroforum?id=19


"Chris Rennert" wrote in message
.. .
Ok, most of you know I have an 89 Ranger 354V that I purchased from Heavy.
Awesome boat, my first bass boat. So far I have put a brand new Yamaha
VMax 150 on it, and brand new 70# Minn-Kota Maxxum trolling motor, and
all brand new Lowrance electronics on the bow and Console. My next step is
to replace the carpeting, and build a deck extension.

I would also like to repair some damage on the bottom of the boat, maybe
paint it (is that practical?), and then repair some of the gel coat (can
that be done??? , It seems faded in areas). I have also started building
a Rod holder using plastic golf club sleeves and pre-treated plywood. I
figure this would work out nice for pulling rods out as well as putting
them in without getting the tips tangled as I do now.

The nice thing is, Ranger will sell me a new windshield, console panel
(which they will cut for me if I send them mine), and bow panel. So the
restoration project is well under way.

I was hoping that you guys could give me some insight into gel-coat
repair, and maybe some ideas of what I should do about the hull. I am
looking at a Keel guard after seeing Steve use his on Mohawksin, seemed
like a pretty sweet idea.

Thanks again all,

Chris