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Thread: Vintage Inboard Cruisers to Centre Console Conversion

  1. #1

    Vintage Inboard Cruisers to Centre Console Conversion

    Some may know i was building a composite boat but for some reason i wont go into details i was taking off the builders group anyhow i won't winge over that but rather more on that boat has taught me a lot of the boat building process and a lot of wealth and knowledge on how to fibreglass and what products to use along with safety gear

    i had an idea and found some old boats being flogged on Gumtree for under a couple grand, these are rather bigger boats than i have owned in the past my biggest was a Swift Craft 5.6m half cabin mid 90's model, 140hp Evinrude

    these boats i am looking at are in the 20-24 foot mark vintage inboard cruiser models i am thinking one would be a good project over 5 or so years a bit here a bit there, turning one into a centre console the idea would be to take more mates out on a single trip and have the extra room to move about and possible sleep on the floor doing over nighters

    these boats i will show pictures of are likely past gone with rotted transom,stringers and floor + the CC modification would be a big job

    what's everyones thought's on restoring these old boats? do u think if a good one came by that was not rotted all it would need is the cabin chopped off, new gunnels glassed in and some side bracing possibly from the gunnel to the floor with small pockets? to reinforce once the cabin is removed

    any idea where i could find out what something like these weigh? i am only just throwing the idea out there at the moment

  2. #2
    Ausfish Platinum Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Kalbarri, WA

    Re: Vintage Inboard Cruisers to Centre Console Conversion

    They look like a massive job to me. if I were you I'd research all the build threads i could--there have been some on here, and you get a lot on The HullTruth. Reading these has made me realise just how much damn work is in them, and how much you can spend on them. As for getting one that didn't need rotted out floor, stringers, transom etc replaced--you don't really know whats' under the floor until you pull it up. I personally think that you are better off profiting from someone elses' biting off more than they could chew, and buying an unfinished project along the same lines. I've seen them come up on a fairly regular basis if you keep an eye on the classifieds, and they don't sell too quick.

  3. #3

    Re: Vintage Inboard Cruisers to Centre Console Conversion

    Yeah i have been looking around and there arn't many project boats especially in these sizes 21-24 footers possibly because its a lot of work or they are highly sort after, i don't mind doing the work i have the spare time just know it wont be a 6 month job its what i want from a boat minus the $45,000 price tag

  4. #4

    Re: Vintage Inboard Cruisers to Centre Console Conversion

    gazza2006au if you have the time it can be very rewarding and you will end up with something better than you can buy. You would be starting with a bare hull so you could certainly let your imagination run wild. I would work on having to replace transom, stringers and bulkheads anyway as anything old would be in need of some TLC.

    If water has gotten between glass layers you will have a large amount of repairing and you won't know this until you are in there. I would work out the cost and then double it.

    ranmar850 is spot on with looking for something already underway. People often start these projects and never get to the end for many different reasons.

    The five year plan is about right for something like you are going to do. Trying to balance work, family and having a life does drag out these types of under takings. I have been working on my project for 3 years and also trying to finish a house off at the same time. I dare not finish the boat before the house or I will be in some trouble.

  5. #5

    Re: Vintage Inboard Cruisers to Centre Console Conversion

    dam had i known i would of shown you this 22ft ....."kinda bertram kidna savage" hull that has been mostly restored glass wise .oh ill spare the details but it was 9 grand. one of my customers snapped it up.

    It had appeared on FB on one of the many boat buy sell swap pages. from time to time gumtree can turn up gems. but yeah glass boats is tricky,

    I think a whittley cruisemaster 700 should be a good project boat...................oh hang about.

    Marine outfitting solutions
    www.moosemarine.com.au

  6. #6

    Re: Vintage Inboard Cruisers to Centre Console Conversion

    Quote Originally Posted by chocolatemoose View Post
    dam had i known i would of shown you this 22ft ....."kinda bertram kidna savage" hull that has been mostly restored glass wise .oh ill spare the details but it was 9 grand. one of my customers snapped it up.

    It had appeared on FB on one of the many boat buy sell swap pages. from time to time gumtree can turn up gems. but yeah glass boats is tricky,

    I think a whittley cruisemaster 700 should be a good project boat...................oh hang about.

    Keep an eye on gumtree

  7. #7

    Re: Vintage Inboard Cruisers to Centre Console Conversion

    I think those cruisers have the hull i am looking for as a offshore dry boat the nice deep hull plus the decent length it would make a great CC

    about 10-11 years ago i had a 17 footer glass boat it was a unusual side steer slash bow rider type boat, it had rotted transom, stringers and floor i seeked advice and i guess i went about it the wrong way i had lifted the complete top shell off the hull this is where i screwed up i should have just removed a cap over the transom, i think gutted and prepped the entire hull but had problems marking and cutting up the new transom just rookie errors throughout the process, back than i had next to zero fiberglass experience other than patching one hull

    thinking about all that hard work i done down to a bare skin and all the hard work was completed, i still think back about it today i passed it up but i wish i had finished it but i lacked the fibreglassing knowledge

    since than i have gained and worked with a bit of expensive glass double bi axle or double bias cloth i think if i go with one of these cruiser conversions to a CC i have enough know how to complete it now so i think i would like to try it again

    if the stringers and transom are rotted i think i would opt for the seacast just for general user friendly pour and cap process

    maybe something will pop up over winter

  8. #8

    Re: Vintage Inboard Cruisers to Centre Console Conversion

    What a bargain free 6.5m boat now that would make a nice CC but i have no way of getting it home, How would u guys do it? its 2.5 hours drive by car or a mission by water plus need to go thru Swansea bar to tow it home by water

    https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/bonn...der/1178148722

    it would need a full tit to toe restore but dang 22 footer for free and it still floats if i can't snap it up hopefully someone else can

  9. #9

    Re: Vintage Inboard Cruisers to Centre Console Conversion

    How about build a new hull from scratch?

    Search the net for bowdidge marine.
    I saw a fella on another forum build one a few years back.

  10. #10
    Ausfish Platinum Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Kalbarri, WA

    Re: Vintage Inboard Cruisers to Centre Console Conversion

    Wasn't there an unfinished Caribbean Crusader (23ft) project on here for ages?Disappeared around last xmas? Can't remember the details, but that is the sort of thing you want if you want a good, big bluewater hull with plenty of space?

  11. #11
    Ausfish Silver Member DATCOL's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    CABOOLTURE

    Re: Vintage Inboard Cruisers to Centre Console Conversion

    Hi Guys 23' Caribbean I sold it Cheers COL

  12. #12

    Re: Vintage Inboard Cruisers to Centre Console Conversion

    Quote Originally Posted by DATCOL View Post
    Hi Guys 23' Caribbean I sold it Cheers COL
    Hi Col, have you heard how the new project owner is going ? He certainly got a good deal.

    He came around and had a look at my mercruiser and said it had to much HP. Said it was over the manufactures maximum HP.

    Personally I would not put anything less than 300 hp in that Caribbean as she is not a lightweight.

    Sorry gazza not trying to change the post but Col had a real nice project boat that would have been perfect for you.

  13. #13

    Re: Vintage Inboard Cruisers to Centre Console Conversion

    Quote Originally Posted by ben475 View Post
    How about build a new hull from scratch?

    Search the net for bowdidge marine.
    I saw a fella on another forum build one a few years back.
    Hey Ben, I started a BM design 4 years ago the Sea Strike 16 i smashed it out for the first 12 months than realised how much time i was spending on the boat than i just went into limp mode i put it on the back burner than just recently wanted to start building it again so i joined the new Bowdidge Marine group it use to be a forum group and today its a facebook group, for some reason i was removed from the facebook group i still don't know the reason and i don't really care if someone can dictate and hold it over my head i have no motivation to complete one of their designs just lucky i only got to this stage before i was kicked off the group rather than 99% complete than the owner says your not getting a builders plate

    i have chosen to go the restore build from here on that way no one can dictate weather i get formal verification of a build for registration so it doesn't balance on a pin head of one persons personal preference

    i still have the plans but without a builders plate at the end of the build i am up a creek without a paddle on registration the boat is entirely useless there for it won't be completed

    this is the SS16 as it awaits to be destroyed i am going to cut it up and skip bin the lot.

  14. #14

    Re: Vintage Inboard Cruisers to Centre Console Conversion

    Quote Originally Posted by gazza2006au View Post
    Hey Ben, I started a BM design 4 years ago the Sea Strike 16 i smashed it out for the first 12 months than realised how much time i was spending on the boat than i just went into limp mode i put it on the back burner than just recently wanted to start building it again so i joined the new Bowdidge Marine group it use to be a forum group and today its a facebook group, for some reason i was removed from the facebook group i still don't know the reason and i don't really care if someone can dictate and hold it over my head i have no motivation to complete one of their designs just lucky i only got to this stage before i was kicked off the group rather than 99% complete than the owner says your not getting a builders plate

    i have chosen to go the restore build from here on that way no one can dictate weather i get formal verification of a build for registration so it doesn't balance on a pin head of one persons personal preference

    i still have the plans but without a builders plate at the end of the build i am up a creek without a paddle on registration the boat is entirely useless there for it won't be completed

    this is the SS16 as it awaits to be destroyed i am going to cut it up and skip bin the lot.
    Ah spewin. That sucks.

    I just thought it might be cleaner and simpler to start fresh than to restore something u may never really get to the bottom of. At least everything would be new and you know exactly what you have done with it.

  15. #15

    Re: Vintage Inboard Cruisers to Centre Console Conversion

    Quote Originally Posted by ben475 View Post
    Ah spewin. That sucks.

    I just thought it might be cleaner and simpler to start fresh than to restore something u may never really get to the bottom of. At least everything would be new and you know exactly what you have done with it.
    Yeah i thought the same thing when i started the new boat build but there are unforeseen hurdles in the way, it was good tho i learnt a lot on how to fibreglass and how to approach the process of building or rebuilding a boat so i gained a lot of knowledge while i was building the BMD boat i will be using this at a later date in my next build

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