1977 Vulture Rebuild

[77viper]

I need to put a new transome in my bass boat quick so I'm going to try epoxy rather than poly or vynalester and see how it goes. I've herd it's easier to work with.

[Hippie459MN]

Well, The Vulture is taking a whole new direction and it might start this weekend!

I brought the boat over to Shipwreck Boatworks here in town today and they were super nice and willing to help me out big time and they advised that I get the hull and structural stuff fixed before anything so I am putting the motor on hold for now.

They said that they would help me get it fixed up and in the process of getting everything out to just call or stop in if I have any questions then once I get most of it out we can go from there and what to do. Either way I think I am going to have them fix any and all hull damage as I want to make sure that is done right. Looks like my winter project has turned into a summer/winter project.

And on a little side note, The guy that owns Shipwreck, his son (And part owner) is very good friends with Mr. Pipcorn and he happened to call the guys cell while he was out looking at my boat and he told him another one is getting saved and its a 77 vulture and he said he wants to see it when its all fixed up. Guy said he likes seeing his old boats brought back to life. lol

He also races with Pipcorn so he said anytime if he cant answer a question about a stream hes sure the man can for him. I got a bit excited when he told me who he was talking about after he hung up. That was my highlight of the day.

So watch for lots of deconstruction pictures in the very very very near future. I dont know if it will make it on the water this summer but it will next year for sure. Plus it gives me time to save up for a 300 Rude. OK, Maybe just the 175 for now.

[ccrick]

Cool! Get rippin. You should get at least a 225 for that boat if you can.

[Hippie459MN]

Thinking a good days work I should be able to get alot of it out wouldnt ya think?

[77viper]

I think I spent 2 full days removing all my core and floor, but the core was all rotted. If the core is still intact it might take longer.

[Surface Scratcher]

Plus it gives me time to save up for a 300 Rude.

Why stop there?

Seriously though, I looked at pics again and that crack [bottom,2 in. from stern, port side] made me think that there is a bad bond between transom [wood] and boat [fiberglass]. I can envision a big setback, heavy outboard, and a rough road doing initial damage. I'm no expert [understatement], just thinking out loud. What do you think

BTW, how much do you plan to strip out initially?
Best of luck

[Hippie459MN]

I love it! Twins on an old stream. Is that a Vulture or a v-king?

Yeah, When I took it up to the local boat repair place up here as soon as he looked inside at the transom area, under the boat, and how much support there is for that transom, He said someone did a major backyard fix big time. We pulled up half the carpet and found the floor was only glassed or whatever on the edges and its plain old plywood and half of it didnt even bond right so you can grab the edge and peel it up. Someone at one time attempted to do some repair work and did more damage than good in the end so I get to fix it all.

If I am going to rip into it its all getting fixed. Transom, Core, stingers, put in some good beefy knees for eventually hanging a big motor, the whole works. Do it right so I dont have to worry about it for another 32 years.

The guy at the boat shop said unless the transom is weak or questionable or a quick fix to make a bad transom semi good, there should never be a reason for a transom reinforcement plate on any boat and I would have to agree. Do it right and he tells me I should be able to hang a 300 off it no problem for many many years.

The weather has been less than nice out this weekend so I havent done a thing yet but I will very very soon!

[Surface Scratcher]

Old saying: Quality wood, properly used, has never failed.
Translation: Rotten wood, repaired however, never works for long.
Glad your gonna fix it all

[oldskier]

Hippie, Welcome to the world of Hydrostream Complete Rebuild. Ought to start a club....

Get used to everything taking twice as long as you estimate. Just sit back and take it as it comes, a Vulture is one of the 'Streams I haven't seen redone and it's worth it. I estimated three months...took eleven. I estimated three months on my Powercat, It's been 4 and I am almost ready to squirt primer on it. ( no core)

Bernie

[Hippie459MN]

I was going to paint it and do the whole works all at one shot but I have decided that the paint work is going to wait for now as it doesn't really look that bad what so ever. Just wanted a blue and/or green boat really but white is nice to for now.

Just going to get all the structural stuff taken care of first then go from there.

With my first kid on the way (She is due Aug 13th) I need to keep the cost down as much as I can right now so paint will wait a year or 2 but there will deff be no shortcuts in fixing the core and all that good stuff.