TOPIC: '79 Glastron SSV176, "The $25 Boat".

I had picked up this Glastron about 5 years ago and just this summer have found some time to work on it. I got the title straight also and bought a $100 wiring harness to make sure that the engine ran before starting to work on the hull. The floor and stringers were shot.

Getting the rotten wood and grinding out the glass and removing pounds of marine foam flotation made me pause several times to think, "what have I gotten into"? I was especially concerned about the transom as I didn't want to have to redo that. But it seemed solid and I got started on it.

The stringers were solid wood, my guess is fir, encased in fiberglass. I didn't remove the entire fiberglass part, just cut the very top of the stringer off and was able to dig out each of 4 stringers while keeping the fiberglass 'form'. I measured and cut 3/4 inch AC ply, coated several times with fiberglass and reseated new stringers into the original forms.

These things really take time. I have got the new floor in as of this weekend and now have 2 layers of matte fiberglass cloth to finish it off with. I'm taking a 2 week break first...

Anyway, when it's done I'm naming it "$25 Boat". If anyone asks, I can tell them about the $800 (so far) in materials and 100 plus hours of labor I got for paying my $25.

By the way, the trailer is usable and I think the Merc 1400 will really run well.

I took a few pictures, hope you all enjoy.

Nice find Ken! I'm a little disappointed you've been holding out on us, not sharing your project. LOL Looks like you have the worst of it behind you, enjoy the break and keep us posted on your progress, okay!? (I've got the same project ahead of me with my 73 V178, but I think the G'trons are well worth the work. Mine's probably going to need the transom replaced too.) Lookin' good buddy.

Thanks, Mark,

I didn't want to get any hopes up until I had a handle on the repair and knew I was out of the woods. I've really enjoyed doing the work despite the fiberglass dust: for that I find that putting talcum powder on you first helps a lot. The transom turns out to be solid which really was a relief: I dreaded the thought of redoing it.

I'll be a better "reporter" going forward and will post pics now that the hard part is done.

Ok, after a lapse in my posting duties, I am back on it.

Since last update I covered the wooden 5/8 " floor with 2 layers of thick fg cloth.

Alot of various finishing work...

Today I'm recoating the floor with final fg coat that has WAX in it to make it non sticky.

Next will be a 2 part epoxy primer followed by Awlgrip with antiskid.
(Floor is covered to keep the leaves from falling on it and sticking while drying)

Lookin' good Ken, nice work. Did you screw the floor down to the stringers, or "glue it"? (Newbie wants details, ya know!) Had my '73 V-178 out today, nice flat water. I'm getting 40 mph (speedo) with a 115, that Merc 1400 is gonna FLY.

Hey, Mark,

I started with stainless and got short on my supply so went to deck screws (galvanized). Really think the galvanized work just as well.

Since I have 2 layers of 1708 cloth from uscomposites.com over that, I don't think water will get to those to rot out soon.

In the origonal stringer design I found places where water could not escape if it entered under the floor. I created drains for water by using 1/2 inch copper pipe.

Another really interesting thing about fiberglass is that it is very tacky even after curing. So, the last coat of fg gets some wax added and as it cures it makes the surface non sticky.

I am at that point: I have the final fg coat on. The next step is to wipe with acetone, maybe lightly score the surface for adhesion and then use a 2 part epoxy primer.

One neat trick I found was that you can use wax paper on the stick layer. Ie, if you wanted to use clamps for example, you can put wax paper right on fresh fg resin, and when it cures, the paper peels off without sticking.

Looking real good Ken! Thanks for sharing.
Doug

I posted a few questions in Merc Outpost as I was taking a break on the floor. Tomorrow I think I'll cut 2 or 3 needed vertical supports to match the origonal design: 2 are flush to the front "cowling" (where your knees would be), 1 is in the front where the nose is.

In 1987 someone gave me a 1949 Ford truck. As we speak it's in the paint shop. And it hasn't been free.

I had a 48 Chevy Thriftmaster I wish I never let go...

I have nearly a grand into the $25 boat, not done yet! Too cold out!

Put at least another $25 into the boat this weekend: bought a Beckson deck plate, 4 inch to allow access to the keel near the engine once the last piece of floor is in.

Next step is getting help from Rusty the mechanic on rebuilding the carbs.

Maybe this week he'll come over.

Ok, so I have the floor done and I'm now thinking of using Interlux Perfection with non skid by this method:

iyp.yachtpaint.com/australia/how_to/nonskid.asp

My question to the glass community is what color do you think?

Here's a list of choices:

www.yachtpaint.com/usa/diy/products/finishes/perfection.aspx

If you look at the hull, it's yellow/gold toned. What would you choose for the floor color?

Thanks!

You didn't mention what you are doing with the seats & upholstery, color wise Ken. That may be a factor in your decision, but I kinda like the "Cream" color for the floor. Either that or the "Fighting Lady Yellow" (Gotta love the name!)

Thanks, Mark,

I'm thinking "cream" at this point. I'll get a sample from the store and hold them up to the hull. I'm a bit color deficient (red/green) so it helps to have another opinion.

My thought on seats has ranged from pedestal to back to back to a set of singles. Here are some ideas:

1. Pedestal: I don't like the idea of that much pressure or force concentrated in a small area. The floor is solid glass now and putting holes in it doesn't appeal to me. However, I like the idea of having alot of floor space.

2. Back to back: certainly the easiest option as this was what was there origonally. However, they use alot of floor space.

3. Single seats: if I do this, I could build a "box" on the deck large enough to put the seat on. So the attachment bolts would not go through the floor. This would distribute the weight more evenly on the floor. And if the seat needed replaced, the top of the box could be accessed by a deck plate for example. There would be a bit of storage inside that box also through the deck plate.

How would the "box" attach to the deck? If the box is 20 x 20, for example, I'd attach a smaller 2 x 4 inch smaller frame that the box would fit over to the deck. I can enclose that frame with glass for strength and waterproof.
Actually, I wouldn't need to build the "box" if I used something like this:
www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=72069&pdesc=Overtons_Deluxe_Jump_Seat&aID=601C1B&merchID=4006
or
www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=70965&pdesc=Wise_Standard_Small_Craft_Jump_Seat&aID=601C1B&merchID=4006

I'd just need to do the frame.

To make it more complicated, I was thinking of using a seat like this:
www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=34321&pdesc=Wise_Folding_Fishing_Chair&aID=601C5A&merchID=4006

with a seat swivel like this:

www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Locking_Swivel&i=37134&merchID=1006&r=view

So I could "rotate" the seat and face back when stopped or anchored.

Does anyone have experience with that locking swivel?

I had a 77 Calglass with the same floor layout as yours and I changed out the stringers etc, it had an inboard outboard 165 merc. When it came time to mount the seats I did not want to screw into my new floor either. My solution was to mount 3/4 inc marine plywood plates where the seats were to go..using PL400 deck adhesive. This stuff replaces nail and screws on an outdoor deck. It is a polyurehane based adhesive. Fast forward 5 years and I removed the seats to move them to another boat. I could not remove the plywood bases. Ultimately I had to use a crow bar and chisel to split the plywood layers until I was down to the glue and the remnants of plywood. Then a grinder with 36 grit removed the urethane which was hard as nails.

Dave,

Sound like a great idea. Did you use one plate per seat? And did you screw the seat base into the plate sideways?

Ken

Yup, I used one plate per seat, I was mounting pedestal seats so the screws went through the pedestal base and into the glued on base plate. Pedestals put a lot of torque on the mounting substrate so it was important to me that they stay stuck, they sure did. Depending on what you are mounting you could add 2x2 around the baseplate so that you could screw into it sideways.

My mistake, it was PL 400, available at Home Depot or any Lumber store.

I haven't decided on the seats yet... but getting to apoint where I'll have to soon!

With the help of a friend, Rusty, we cleaned the carbs and adjusted the idle.

I'll get some new pics up soon.

Got a pair of seats from nice guy on CL: $20 for the pair. They are white rotomolded (won't rot). I'm due for some pics....

I'm due for some pics....

Um, yeah! LOL Sounds like you're getting really close to "re-launch" Ken, can't wait to see some pics. Did you decide on flooring yet, or still thinking paint with anti-skid? When I went to pickup the GT-150, I got a chance to check out Don's most recent project, a "DarkWater" hand built woody. He did the floor with the white anti-skid paint, looked great.

Carpet feels great to bare feet, but after all that work I can now understand why you don't want anything holding moisture to the floor!

Yep, it's been a long winding road but getting closer to the water!

I'm going with Perfection Cream with Nonskid added. That's actually the last item on the list. I still have some electrical to test (tilt trim) which isn't needed but would be nice if it works.

I have to prime the floor with epoxy primer first. Have some woodwork to do, controls to re attach, etc.

Lots of little things. I rebuilt the trailer last weekend: new wheels, tires, bearings, seals. Had never done that, was pretty easy, relatively.

Be sure to "test fit - test sit" those seats before you mount them Ken. I recently took some measurements on the factory "lounge seats" in the G'trons for a pal up in MN. The bases are only about 6" high. If your new ones are 10" bases, which seems to be most common these days, you may want to cut them down to at least 8" before install if they "sit too high". I've got the drawings that include the measurements if you need it, just let me know.

I broke down and bought some pedestals from West Marine:

.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=18863&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=10118&subdeptNum=10822&classNum=10825

Making the bases was going to be iffy: I actually tried to do a dovetail joint and realized after a few hours that it wasn't worth it.

The bases fit perfectly to the seats plus I got them for less as you can take an Internet ad in to WM and they'll match the price! It was about $55 each.

So, to mount the pedestals, I made 2 18 x 20 inch 5/8 ply bases and put some T nuts in them. Then I used fiberglass to mate them to the floor (should have used epoxy), but then put some deck screws (the ones that don't corrode) and am going to epoxy 2 layers of fg cloth over.

I promise pictures today!

Got the epoxy cover on the seat bases.

Picture of seats/pedestals and the base before epoxy over.

Some updated pictures. Primer
more primer Gunzite primer
Seats in

Despite the $25 boat's interior is finished, I've had engine issues that have prevented use. I posted in the Merc forum.

So as I was taking it out for a test today, a woman beeped at me at a stoplight and said something round and black had fallen off! I pulled over and found one of the trailer's rollers was gone. Went back to the house to re-coup and now have bunk boards ready to put on tomorrow.

Good call Ken, I think your boat will appreciate the additional support! The rollers are nice for loading and launching, but I plan on converting my "new" trailer to bunks in the future too. (Probably do it when I'm painting the hull.) Remember to take some pics today, we wanna watch!

Good luck getting the Merc sorted out, I've been following along in the Outpost with my fingers crossed for ya. Sound like you're almost there, buddy.

Went to the ramp today, tied the boat up and went to work on the trailer. Brought my small generator for power, cut the rollers off, put on the pre-made bunk boards. They are 4ft long and now extend a few inches past the transom. I noticed that the rollers were putting a curve in the hull.

So, trailer's better off. But still issue with power. I may end up rebuilding the carburetors.

Success! Took her to the river, she didn't want to stop! The thread about how the engine was fixed is here:

fiberglassics.com/glassic-forums/17-mercury-outpost/35686-1978-merc-1400-questions.html

Very pleased!

That's awesome Ken, so glad to hear it! Still plenty of boating weather left this season, just take a jacket. Get out there and enjoy that baby this weekend, and we want to see some pics!