Ideas Needed please

[Pottsie]

Hi everyone
I'm only new to this site, have been reading through 100's of posts and thought i would add my own
A little on the boat.
I was given a 465 Stacer Seamaster from my Grandfather.
He purchased it around 25 years ago. She had a perfect 55 Evinrude on the back. he used for a couple of years before moving house, he towed 'Bronco" to his new house where he peeled the name off the side and there it sat for the last 22 years. never started never covered, I picked the boat up about a year ago and after spending a couple of days at his house removing tree's that were growing in the floatation and the snake skin from inside the bow i brought her home. I want to get the old girl back in the water and have finally had some time to start to tinker with it.
Couple of pictures first
When i first cleaned up around the boat this is what it looked like.
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g265/troll01/Boat/Stacerseamaster1.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g265/troll01/Boat/StacerSeamaster2.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g265/troll01/Boat/StacerSeamaster4.jpg

Yes these are plants growing inside
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g265/troll01/Boat/StacerSeamaster3.jpg
After i got it home and gave it a bit of a clean, still has a long way to go.
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g265/troll01/Boat/StacerSeamaster5.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g265/troll01/Boat/StacerSeamaster6.jpg
So now I'm after some ideas on what to do, I was thinking of removing the front seat? and pushing the console forward and to the right. making it a side console. giving more deck space. ill probably just paint the hull white again. I will most likely leave the front windscreen off. It has 2 really old steel fuel tanks. I was considering getting a new tank made to go across the back? would have liked something under floor, maybe i could make a seat around it? I have had the motor looked at ad they said its fixable but will cost few grand. Wires have corroded, forward controls seized, steering well and truly locked solid etc, pretty much Cactus. Im looking at a replacement motor for it maybe a 50 or 60Hp.
It had floatation under what was left of the floor. where do i get some more of that from? should i run wiring under the floor before i put the new one down? I could probably get some 50mm PVC in there to house it all in, making it easy if i ever need to add more.

I also have a young family and would like to teach them how to Ski. Should i just use a bridal? or should i look at getting a removable ski pole? (not a wake pole) maybe i could make it universal and have a bait board that slips over the top?

Any way this is getting pretty long winded
Thanks in advance for your input
Josh

[mal555]

Good luck with your project Josh, you might be surprised what's about in the good second hand 2 st. range to suit your boat. If you are thinking tow sports, obviously the max. allowable for the hull.
To keep it simple and cheap, maybe a poly cruise tank secured under the OB well.
You might be able to get away with what looks very much like swimming pool noodle foam under the floor, I've seen it used in under floor floatation in survey workboats.
I wouldn't be too quick to take the windscreen off, with a young family and wind driven spray, you may find after the first couple of wet outings, the crew might mutiny!

Cheers

[Jeremy]

I hope you have some idea how much $$$ you might be up for. Replacement outboard, steering, nav lights, sounder, floor, safety gear etc. The hull and trailer as pictured are probably worth around $1000-$1300, and you are looking at spending probably $5000-$12000 to get it all up and going. Do you know whether the hull itself is sound and not leaking (pin holes or cracks)?

You do not NEED underfloor floatation. If you feel you do want it, you can put anything that floats under your floor. Put a new floor in with 12 mm ply and carpet it. Make up some storage hatches.

I would leave the console where it is. There is lots of fishing room behind the console. I would also leave the windscreen on. Good luck with it and keep us posted.

[Giffo65]

I would leave the CC where it is, and also leave the screen if you have kids.As for a new motor look at this 60 hp Yammy 4 stroke,hope the link works,add some new steering and away you go.

http://www.boatpoint.com.au/Tig/UI/PagePopup.aspx?R=10688396&PhotoID=../../general/content/gc4619560118228102033&h_mid=5218342&f_mid=&c_mid=5221462&pid=241228&tabID=2608252


As for fuel tanks,what about plastic portable ones,easy to empty out and get rid of any water in them.You can go a long way on one 24lt tank,I have 2 in my 4.5CC and have never needed more fuel.

What is the item on the console next to the compass ?

Cheers
Giffo

[Pottsie]

Thanks for the input, the more i leave as is the better.
I have only seen 1 small hole at the bow from where a sinker was sitting in the hull, hopefully its a relatively easy fix.
Yeah i think a 60hp is the max for the boat. i cant see us doing tow sports a lot, it will be a fishing boat most of the time.
Just looked at the place card and its a 4.57 very early build
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g265/troll01/Boat/011.jpg
I know the retail value of the boat is only about $1500 but its the sentimental value to why I'm going to fix it up. I don't need/want the best of everything on the boat, just something reliable we can have some fun in.
The item on the console is a really old sounder i believe. I'm not sure.
The link just brought up some photos, looks like a tidy engine do you have a link to the whole add?

Anyone know if its ok to cut the front seat out?

[mal555]

What is the item on the console next to the compass ?

Looks like an old Seafarer depth sounder, with the spinning light.

[Jarrah Jack]

As Jeremy mentioned be careful that there is no corrosion to the bottom of the hull first. No point spending money of time on it until you know its ok. The bottom sheets are very thin to start with around 2mm so you don't need much eaten away. If you are not sure then take it to an Alloy boat builder and get his opinion.

If its ok then you should be right to go and spend some money on it. All good advice so far. Is there a plate on the back saying what weight of motor the transom will take. 4 strokes are heavier than 2's. not worth spending money on a built in tank, portable are much easier.

[Out-Station]

Hey Josh, here's a few pics of my old 4.6 Quinny cc for some ideas. She was fully worked from a fishing standpoint. Sold her many moons back now but the old tinny saw many fish from trout up in the snowy dams to Marlin out on the shelf. It had a 75 honda 4 banger with 120 litres under the floor in 2 tanks (under the console), pulled a few skiers in her time no worries but the skipper liked pulling livies and billy's much more ;D.

Have fun with your project.

Scott

6905369054690556905669057
http://ausfish.com.au/vforum/images/misc/pencil.png

[Pottsie]

Thanks guys, ill have a look around Redcliffe to see if i can find someone that can have a look at the hull.

[mal555]

Why not just give the inside of the hull a good water blast, and take her down to the nearest ramp, launch her and watch and see if any water comes in?

I'd leave the front seat in for transverse support, stop flexing and also so the kids can sit up under the screen.

[GBC]

That is precisely the model seamaster I had years ago, right down to the runabout canopy and the centre console. (Mine had tinted glass so would definitely have been faster :))
As others have said, check the floor.
The tail end of the keel on mine cracked, along with transverse rib cracks where it planed.
The particular boat I owned had plenty of sea miles under her up in Hervey Bay, and spent part of it's life with a 90 tohatsu swinging off the stern so it had earned it's cracks.
The prior owner had dug out the foam in the thwart and installed a long range tank in there. Not great for living should the need arise, but a tidy way to hide 100 litres in a tinny.
Personally I'd be looking for a newer second hand engine before wasting a cent on one that hasn't been touched for a long time.
That model doesn't mind throwing a bit of water over its shoulder so I'd be looking at keeping the windscreen too.
Keep us updated.

(edit) the 55 evinrude/johnno is the same motor I had too. They are known in the boating industry as hand grenades (hear a clunk, then 5 seconds later theres a kaboom as a piston holes the block). If you want to keep it, try getting the leg off first as the exhaust tubes rust together and fuse. If this has happened there's a good chance the exhaust tube is also holed which means the engine won't run with the cowl on. Trying to help here, not sound negative - but my lessons were hard learned and expensive so I hope it helps.

[finga]

It looks as though it's in relatively good condition overall.
I'd be paying closee attention to the bottom of the hull particularly where that bloody sinker was.
Give it a good clean with an aluminium cleaner and high pressure steam cleaner to get rid of all the oxide and test the hull for leaks.
It may be worth taking it along to someone like Origin (they're up your way) to have a look at the hull integrity. It might cost a few bob but it'll be well worth it.
It'll also be worth it to get some new tyres on the trailer and to check or replace the bearings

I'd leave the fitout the way it is and make the floor removeable for cleaning those nasty sinkers out easily.
What motor was on it?

What a great project. :)

PS: Was your pop left handed?

[Pottsie]

From what I can see it looks to be in ok condition. It hardly got used. No stress fractures. What product should I use to clean it? No I don't think he was left handed. Yeah a second hand motor would be all I'm after. It's an old boat. Any I dead in where to get some new screens from? The ones that are on it are pretty crazed and shitty looking. I'll see if I can get some time this weekend to drop it in the water. What do I have to do about boat rego just to drop it in for 10 mins? The trailer is ok I have kept the reg going but the boat hasn't been registered in about 10 years. Also does anyone know where I should get it painted? I don't want to spend millions on her. Just a good tidy up.

[darylive]

Leave the front thwart in, it is part of the structural strength! a sheet of ply cut to fit attached to the front thwart and forad to the thwart under the bow and you have a casting deck and a good possie for the kids out of the wind out of the way when travelling. ;D stick a bit of marine carpet on it beutiful. :o like the pic in out station's post. Put a hatch in and you have storage. :)

Just give the thing a gernie and scrub don't worry about painting it unitl you have every thing else sorted by then you won't bother. Other wise see an Auto Paint shop like Qld Paint supplies for the right stuff.

Dump the motor it's rubbish, you will be spending money on it forever. Be mindfull later model motors are far more powerful, efficient and weigh less than the old clunkers. ::)

You don't want a ski pole on that! a bridle with a rope will pull a ski tube and the kids will be thrilled. Plastic tanks are the go, cheap pratical and easy to replace. As others have said leave the under floor clear so you can clean it out. :D

Have fun

[Pottsie]

Thanks darylive. you make it sound that easy. sounds like a good idea for a casting deck up front. Yeah a tube is the most it will pull. Bridal it is. So would a newish 50hp be the right choice or should I try find a 60hp. I was only going to paint it to tidy it up a bit.

[gouldy]

Hi Pottsie,

I have exactly the same hull as that even a little earlier as my serial number is a bit lower then yours. I have the same console and steering wheel on mine as well. I ended up with a 60hp 2 stroke yammie on mine and i reackon its a pretty good match for the hull. I will take some pics of mine on the weekend for ya if you want. Mine came installed with a custom made alloy fuel tank under the front seat through to the storage pocket at the front.

[Pottsie]

Pictures would be great thanks.