Fiberglass over wood??????

[tommyB]

Could someone tell me if it's possible to fiberglass over wood im trying to save this old boat 45' chriscraft, would it take away from the value? an how hard would it be? thanks tommy

[TimH]

It would not only take away from the value, but it would shorten the life of the boat.

[Banjo]

Originally posted by TimH:
It would not only take away from the value, but it would shorten the life of the boat.:eek: :confused: In the words of our Pauline "Please explain"

Banjo

[Aramas]

Conventional wisdom seems to be that covering the outside of an already tired boat will stop it 'breathing' and hasten it's demise through rot. I guess it comes down to whether it's a disposable boat and you just want to get a few more seasons out of it, or whether you intend to pass her on in as good or better condition as when you found her.

I don't know much about powerboats, but Chris Craft seems to get a lot of people excited. It would seem that an owner of such a boat should probably try to restore it properly or pass it on to someone who will.

There should be plenty of threads on the subject if you do a search. There's the CPES evangelists, the piece by piece reconstruction bespoke mystics and the 'get it in the water and use it' salt of the earth types - take your pick smile.gif

[jwaldin]

I agree,
The added weight is one problem but the appearance of fiberglass over ply no matter how well done will bring down its value. If the hull has rot problems either remove the rot or get rid as is or if its got lots of original bits strip it and sell them to Chris Craft purists.
If there's rot and you just want to use the boat for a few years I still advise against fiberglass or dynel.
The costs involved in glassing a hull that size compared to paying a yard to repair the rot may be about the same. If you get the yard work done you've still got an original Chris Craft after you've got your use out of her. Her resale value without the fiberglass and recent yard work done might be higher.
Good Luck smile.gif

[Bob Cleek]

Nope, no way. Fuggedaboudit! Fibreglassing (or Dynel n' epoxying) a 45' boat is really almost impossible. You would have difficulty getting it to stick and stay stuck, owing to the movement of the hull and the fact that the wood has previously been painted. Beyond that, it would be a huge undertaking and very costly, materials and labor-wise. Even then, fairing it so it didn't look like crap would be a major job and, in the end, the boat would weigh a whole bunch more and cost more to run. The glass would NOT make the boat stronger, nor would it stop leaks, except in the very short run. If the boat is in bad shape, look first to making necessary structural repairs, not patching leaks.

Either the boat is worth repairing or not. The degree of repair is up to you. There's sort of "quick and dirty" at one end of the spectrum, and "museum restoration" at the other. Sorry to say, Chris Craft didn't build boats with an eye to their lasting forever. (Repairs on their double planking are a bugger.) In fact, they built boats on a production basis and famously cut a lot of corners. A little Chris mahogany runabout is one thing, but a 45' cruiser is another. Have the boat surveyed and follow the surveyor's advice. She may not be worth it, or she may. You can't know without a "complete physical."

[gunsmith]

As having first hand experience at fiberglassing of wood I disagree with most of what was said. If you fiberglass over wood and do it properly, as in engineered then it will not bring down the value. It will only bring down the value if you are one of those fools who spend money foolishly and then sell for less than the cost of construction in the end. A good job will increase the life of the boat dramaticly. It can also enhance the look as well. You do not have to worry about weight either. In the end the boat after a period of drying out (about 12 to 16 months after fiberglassing) will have a lower water line (lighter). I have seen this change by as much as six inches on some of our bigger draggers. Research it and do the job as per engineered specks. The final value of the project is up to you. The more time you spend on the cosmetics of the finish will be up to your skills. Don't let the less informed or out of date weekend mariners sway you. Good luck.

[tommyB]

Thanks to all who replied,i'm most gratefull for the replies,i'm just trying to save the boat, the best way and fiber was just an idea,there is ALOT!!!of expence in the wood hulls and my skills well...........we shall see.i want so bad to be able to do this right thanks again tommy...