1986 22 seafair

[Patick OBrien]

Just acquired this boat. Lot of damage to the wall between cabin and cockpit. Rotten and falling apart the teak wood throughout the vessel is also in poor shape.. a lot of TLC needed but I like the challenge.. ran in 2016 supposedly water pump issues. Love some advice either where to find replacement parts or repair. Thanks o

 

[Fishtales]

Wow. You like a project. I'd start by identifying some boat salvage yards, used parts dealers or folks that just collect boats. They are out there, but you'll have to invest some time. I'd hit all the major forums as well as do internet searches. You're going to have to find someone that has a boat that can be parted out. Get her cleaned up and then do a good assessment to ensure you want to go after it.

 

[VeroWing]

First and foremost, determine the condition of transom core, stringers, and bulkheads. These all have wood cores and are subject to water intrusion and rotting. They can each have you over-invested in time and money before you know it. I have rebuilt several Grady transoms, stringers, etc., and they are very labor intensive and not for everyone. Once you have determined hull to be in good condition, then you can check your mechanicals, electronics, wiring, etc. Hope it works out well for you.

 

[SkunkBoat]

It saddens me every time I see a boat parked under a tree for years. That is a death knell for boats. The hull will shine up nice but the leaves block up the drain and then the stringers and deck ( and foam?) get soaked.

Like Fishtales said, you need to assess before committing. Remove all hatches and inspect the tank and the stringers. Check the transom.
There is no point in wasting wax on it yet if it needs a transom and stringers.

Separate the projects; Motor, boat, and trailer.
Motor first because if you can get that running your project becomes feasible.

I hope it isn't as bad as it looks. Good luck.

 

[Patick OBrien]

Thanks, I had to take a break from cleaning out the leaves and the bug bombs. Can anyone of you advise me on your methods for checking the stringers and the transom? I couldnt refuse for. The price, $00.00 so far $30 for trailer lights $15 in quarters for the wash $50 for Gas. Hopefully salvageable..

 

[Patick OBrien]

It saddens me every time I see a boat parked under a tree for years. That is a death knell for boats. The hull will shine up nice but the leaves block up the drain and then the stringers and deck ( and foam?) get soaked.

Like Fishtales said, you need to assess before committing. Remove all hatches and inspect the tank and the stringers. Check the transom.
There is no point in wasting wax on it yet if it needs a transom and stringers.

Separate the projects; Motor, boat, and trailer.
Motor first because if you can get that running your project becomes feasible.

I hope it isn't as bad as it looks. Good luck.

Thank you for the advice. Not to sound like a doof but I think this is a 225hp. Haven’t been able to decipher the numbers yet

 

[VeroWing]

Well, the price sounds great, so you're off to a good start. Personally, I would start with a good power washing so you can climb around the boat some. One quick easy way of checking for water in transom core is to remove any screws holding trim tabs, transducer, speed sensor, etc on lower outside transom, and see if any water drips out. In one of your pics showing outboard bracket, it would appear that some work has already taken place on your transom. Another way to check transom is to actually drill some 1/8" holes in it about an inch deep, starting in the outside lower center area, several inches up from drain plug. What you are looking for is the condition of wood cuttings on the drill bit when you pull it out. Are they damp or dry, mushy and discolored, or like fresh wood chips. If they appear bad from first hole in lower center, then go up some and out, to determine just how bad core may be. There are also "moisture meters" available that some professional marine surveyors use to determine compromised wood cores on boat too. A good experienced surveyor can use a mallet thumping on transom and tell you if it may be bad. If core checks out ok then you can fill drilled holes with either an tinted epoxy resin mix, 3M 5200, or similar. Checking stringers and bulkheads is similar. First remove deck covers over tank, rear bilge cover, and cockpit deck cover, and have a look at stringers/bulkheads. If you see a dark blackish look behind the outer fiberglass, that usually means bad wood. you can also drill some holes here and there looking at wood cuttings on drill bit. Check those out and let us know what you find and we can offer some more advise to you. Also, take some pics of areas you need some opinions on.

 

[VeroWing]

Here is a link to determine Yamaha outboard info. Should help you out some. https://www.murrayyachtsales.com/de...r-model-number-and-manufacture-date-mfg-date/
Here is another: https://impremedia.net/yamaha-outboard-motor-serial-number-lookup/

 

[UCPA111]

You definitely bought a project. My 1984 had a blown motor when I purchased in 2017. $2800. I got it home and started crawling through it and decided on doing the whole meal deal restoration. Transom. Fuel tank. Fuel line. Thru hulls and hoses. All new wiring. Partition between cabin and helm. Reglassed helm. New steering, switches, DC circuit breaker panel, batteries, built a custom anchor pulpit, new trailer, added a flotation bracket with swim platform (went from cutout transom to full height). Built new tackle storage boxes under new helm seats. It was a labor of love topped off by a new Mercury Verado 300. I spent some time and money on it...but love the seafarer.

I see you're new to the forum...welcome!!!

I look forward to following your efforts. If you want to see some videos of my efforts: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKY3HuZDoWwR_iSbBmZmWEkSuhFlgBwjb

 

[Patick OBrien]

Wow!! You guys are awesome!!!! I own another boat also. The forms I’ve been to on that one have been.... well to say the least rude! Man thanks for the big welcome. Great advice I will post more pics ASAP.
Thanks again.

 

[SirGrady226]

Follow the advice given above, with a lot of work and cleaning, the old girl can be brought back to its glory. I just finished my 87 Seafarer, you can read through the thread and get an idea of what will be needed. I was lucky that I was able to save the original outboards for now which kept the cost down. If the structure is sound, that is the most important part. Then comes the outboard and if it can be saved, after that expect to replace most everything in the fuel supply system and many electrical connections. If you read my thread, you will see the process I used which can be very helpful.
https://www.greatgrady.com/threads/bought-a-1987-226-seafarer.25345/

 

[seasick]

From the picture it looks like you have a removable deck panel over the tank area. Removing that will go a long way to allowing you to see what the insides look like. You may want/need to pull the tank also. That will really expose a lot of the stringer structure.. You may have a panel also near the motor well or perhaps just access plates. That are should be looked at for evidence of water damage (rot) or just leakage. If the transom is delaminated, it is relatively easy to tell using a soft small hammer ; leather or in a pinch plastic. If not delaminated it is more difficult to check for water or rot. Since the hull was sitting on dry land, a wet transom may not be obvious if the water got in when the boat was in water.. Without a good moisture meter and the expertise to interpret the reading, one way to check is to unscrew everything that is screwed/bolted to or through the transom and 'feel' around for soft wood. That includes the drain flange. You can also drill small holes to check but those of course will have to be glassed and gel coated later.
One thing to be aware of is that there may be some nasty mold or growth on deck and/or in the bilge so wear a mask at a minimum or preferable a respirator when you start cleaning the gunk.

Have fun, it should make for a good story later.

 

[DennisG01]

As others have said, check things out real well before doing anything that costs money. Forget about the wall between the cabin and the cockpit - that's superficial. Transom, floor, stringers/bulkheads. If the bones are good, then move on to other stuff. If you're not comfortable with checking that stuff out yourself, then spend a few bucks and hire a surveyor - it will be money well spent... and could end up saving you quite a bit of money.

Another quick check - although not inclusive - is to stand/bounce on the anti-ventilation plate of the motor. Look for transom flex.

How are your skills at cutting fiberglass open and "re-construction"? Just think this through awful well before proceeding.

 

[Patick OBrien]

Okay transom was wet, drilled several small holes to see if moisture was present...I believe that most of it came from me washing, but water drained out of each hole. Here are some pics.
Thanks
Still feel I can save the ship! I’m a pretty determined guy, I am capable of such a project if feasible.

 

[Patick OBrien]

As others have said, check things out real well before doing anything that costs money. Forget about the wall between the cabin and the cockpit - that's superficial. Transom, floor, stringers/bulkheads. If the bones are good, then move on to other stuff. If you're not comfortable with checking that stuff out yourself, then spend a few bucks and hire a surveyor - it will be money well spent... and could end up saving you quite a bit of money.

Another quick check - although not inclusive - is to stand/bounce on the anti-ventilation plate of the motor. Look for transom flex.

How are your skills at cutting fiberglass open and "re-construction"? Just think this through awful well before proceeding.

Refiberglassing I’ve done small projects plenty so the drilling is no issue, but replacing the transom with it looks like there is no choice now will be a new venture. I’m not sure what the cost of a project that size would be..

 

[Patick OBrien]

From the picture it looks like you have a removable deck panel over the tank area. Removing that will go a long way to allowing you to see what the insides look like. You may want/need to pull the tank also. That will really expose a lot of the stringer structure.. You may have a panel also near the motor well or perhaps just access plates. That are should be looked at for evidence of water damage (rot) or just leakage. If the transom is delaminated, it is relatively easy to tell using a soft small hammer ; leather or in a pinch plastic. If not delaminated it is more difficult to check for water or rot. Since the hull was sitting on dry land, a wet transom may not be obvious if the water got in when the boat was in water.. Without a good moisture meter and the expertise to interpret the reading, one way to check is to unscrew everything that is screwed/bolted to or through the transom and 'feel' around for soft wood. That includes the drain flange. You can also drill small holes to check but those of course will have to be glassed and gel coated later.
One thing to be aware of is that there may be some nasty mold or growth on deck and/or in the bilge so wear a mask at a minimum or preferable a respirator when you start cleaning the gunk.

Have fun, it should make for a good story later.

Well I followed your advice and posted pictures.. ahhhh what ya think? Water came out in all the holes and a couple were like it was pressurized and squirted out. Doesn’t seem like good news so far. Still seems like a solid boat. I’ve just never tackled this major of a project but don’t mind the challenge I have limited fiberglassing skills but I think I can manage just don’t have any idea the cost

 

[DennisG01]

OK. Before you go any further, check out any removable hatches and the floor for soft spots - bounce/step around really good on them. Then check out whatever parts of the stringers you can get to. You gotta get a good handle on what is wrong. Maybe hiring a surveyor would help.

Cost... There's no way for any of us to give you an accurate cost - especially not knowing what's all wrong. Even then, fiberglass/wood repair is a very dynamic process. A safe bet would be a minimum of $5K. And it wouldn't be all that hard to see this going to $10K or more. What I can tell you, though, with pretty fair accuracy, is that when it comes to soft spots/rot... whatever "amount" of wood that you think is soft... triple it.

And then there's the motor... have you gone through that, yet?

Obviously this is completely your call, and I don't want to deter you from a project - but just make sure you know full well what you're getting yourself into. Another idea... part it out. If the engine is solid, you could easily get 4K just for that.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Just having water come out the very bottom is not necessarily a problem. Just about every boat older than 10 years will have that...
Don't panic yet...
How high up is that water and wet black wood? Does the transom flex when you stand on the lower unit?
Pay attention to the corners of the motor well. Thats where water gets in under the aluminum trim.
With you doing all the work, the transom only will be at least $2500 based on my experience. That's materials and some tools etc...

You need to assess the deck and stringers and tank($500+). Is there foam between the deck and hull? Is it soaked?
This work is not complicated but it takes a lot of time. The boat is not worth PAYING for someone to fix it. You need to be doing it because you enjoy it. ... because you want the challenge of something new and pride of having accomplished something.
If you want to go fishing this year, it probably won't be in that boat.

Check out Boatworks Today on youtube. That guy has video on everything Fiberglass and he shows you his mistakes....


I'm no gear head but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express....

The motor is probably where you have some value. What year, model, HP and shaft length is it?
You say it had water pump problem. That is an easy and relatively cheap fix unless they overheated the motor and ruined it.....
Don't run it if it doesn't pump water!
With spark removed, does it turn over with a battery connected? Do a compression check(look it up online)
Does the tilt and trim work? Is it pitted and leaking?

Drop the lower unit. Do the gears go Fwd/N/R? Drain some gear oil...how does it look?...
Does it have cable steering or Hydraulic. How does that function?

If you get that running and your transom doesn't flex and your fuel tank is good and you can steer....powerwash that thing and go fishing (not too far )
Then, if it feels like YOUR boat, put your time in it....

 

[seasick]

As mentioned, you should drill a hole or two higher up to see if water is there also. Poke around a bit in the holes to see if the coring is firm or if it is mush. Have you tried tapping the outside with a hammer" You can tell delamination by a hollow sound. Test all across the transom and from top to bottom to listen for changes in the sound. Was the boat stored with the drain plug out and if so was the hole clear when you first looked at it?

Water in the transom near preexisting openings like transducers, swim ladder mounts, trim tab mountings and especially around the gar board drain are common and not necessarily fatal. Water often gets in under the transom cap if there is one.
That said, it would have been a better sign if water hadn't run out.

 

[Patick OBrien]

I can’t tell you guys how much I appreciate the sound advice. I also have a 1997 stratos 1950 with a 2006 Evinrude 150 Etec. I’ve rebuilt that boat myself inside and out. Made a lot of mistakes but learned a lot.. I even rebuilt the motor when everyone said it couldn’t be done. Anyone who has one of the 07-08 etec’s would understand that challenge. I will be accessing everything that everyone has mentioned.
Again thank you and I will be posting back in a couple days to release my findings