Ready To Cry....

[DAFF]

After many many years I have decided to get back into the water. I have owned a 1987 Supra Comp TS6M since 1992. The interior has been soft for many years and is now more less not even salvageable as a template.

On the bright side the boat has been stored inside for the past 7 years or so and has dried up very well. After reading for the past few hours I am really worried for the inner structual members of the boat. I recall most of the strings were in good shape but that was years ago.

So I have a boat with a rotten interior, faded pink/red/white exterior and only 450 hours on the drive line. The boat has not been in the water for over ten years and perhaps never will again!!

Tomorow I am going to dig it out of the corner of the shop and have a good look at it. The style of the boat even looks good today and that just might save it from death. :cry:

I must admit how much the industry has change since I was in it back in the day. Still have a older knee board under the bow with retractable skegs ..... Pre wake board times!!!! Now with two yonger kids it is time to hit the lakes again.

[michael hunter]

Keep the faith with 450 hours its just broke in. You could have new interior and stringers put in a lot cheaper than buying a new boat. If you dont want to then post it I am sure some one will buy it and restore it.

[Fman]

Great time to go down to your local Supra dealer and take the plunge and pick up a new 2010!!!! I love spending other peoples money.... and remember, you can always talk yourself into anything... I know you can do it, post up some pics when you buy it!

[csuggs]

DAFF - Michael Hunter and Fman both make good points. It may not be as bad as you think and getting a professional rebuild is not as bad as you might think. Let's see some pics, chances are we've probably seen worse!

Oh - and you're doing the right thing by planning to get back out on the lakes with the kids. They will love you for it and never forget the memories.

Keep the faith - and welcome to the forum!

Clint

[iwakeboard]

DAFF, welcome to the board, you have to post up some pics!

[DAFF]

Thanks everyone for the good words of encouragement. I love the boat and it has been sitting in the corner for way too many years. I am going to try to bring it home and park it in the garage where it will sitting in my face. A fed hours here and there to get it done. I am going to shoot for June 22/2010.... My wifes birthday!!!

I am so glad to find this forum. For in the past simple projects would take forever due to trial and error. Living in SW Ontario Canada you rarely see a Surpa, many have compared it to a mini Scarab. Well nose to the grindsone will post some pics.

Any one have a dream plan for an interior of a Supra....I have a friend of mine who does interiors for limos. Right now he is doing a 40' diesel pusher. I plan on doing all the wood templates and having him do the covering and foam.

[Okie Boarder]

DAFF,

Welcome. Definitely put a little love into the boat and bring her back to life. You'll be glad you did. We're all anxiously awaiting pics.

[87SunSportMikeyD]

It sounds like some people are getting new stringer and floor for around $3500. Maybe someone knows a contact in Ontario? A loan for $3500 is nothing compared to a new boat loan!

If your engine, mechanicals (hoses, cables, guages, etc) and interior are in good shape, that is at LEAST half the battle!

If you are looking at an ideal restoration for a comp look no further than Jasonba's who's got the link please?

Only other thing I would point out is that the Comp is more of a professional tournament slalom boat than a family day on the lake boat, or a wakeboard boat. You may want to move to a slight larger and taller boat.

Best of luck and welcome to the forums. It's better to have a support group! :)

[jasonba1]

here is the thread to the comp that i redid....weclome to the forum


https://forum.supraboats.com/showthread.php?t=4959&highlight=comp

[jet]

Here check this out..this will get you going. Jet

https://forum.supraboats.com/album.php?albumid=86


https://forum.supraboats.com/album.php?albumid=87

Hey mikey..I resemble that remark!!

[87SunSportMikeyD]

Jet you are the exception to that rule - pimpin since been pimpin

Still waiting for you to post up a crapload of wake and surf shots! I saw a couple nice ones on facebook..

[DAFF]

Well had a good look at the boat. Removed all the life jackets and stuff / garbage from the inside and got a lookin... Not good. Various soft spots in the floor mostly at the rear . A few of the lag bolts on the motor mounts are missing or loose. Various cracks and fibreglass missing or superstressed with cracks.

Even the wood on the inside skelleton is wet and punky!!! After 6 years or so inside and dry you would think in the inner stucture would of dried out to.

[DAFF]

When I was looking at the boat I noticed that it was a Supra Comp TS6M " Special Edition" What makes it so special???? The year is 1996....

So here is the list....

Floor/ ribs
Steering is siezed
Interior
carb points tune up
KEYS!!!! -- any one know where I left them??? a pick would help lots!!!
buff and clean

[dshaff24]

Thats a 1996? Pics are to small to see but if it is a 1996 you will not have wood as stringers which would mean your ahead of the game! But im thinking you meant 1986

[DAFF]

Sorry you are right it's a 1986. Hard to think its that old, which makes me that old!!!!

[87SunSportMikeyD]

If you cant find the keys we can teach you how to jump start it.

[purple boat]

Throw it in the water and push start it!

The folks who have posted are right in encouraging you to rebuild it. The older Supras are rock solid and great boats (I have an 88) and a rebuild will cost WAY less than a new ride. Luckily, I did not have to redo my floor or stringers, but when I bought mine I needed a new interior, and it has been a strong runner for the 6 years I have owned it. If you have to redo the interior, look at the way it was originally set up and try to remember what did and what did not work for you when you were on the boat, and make any changes you want while it is in pieces. If you need to, sit in the boat and move around with 2 or 3 people in the boat to get a feel of how much room you have and where. You will probably decide there are a few changes you want to make. There is always SOMETHING you will want to change!

[DAFF]

Well the Supra is now sitting in the driveway. Went through and vaccumed the carpet and cleaned the body. All in all I don't think it is as bad as I thought. Removed some of the older floor and found the inside very dry and not very smelly at all. Out of all the engine mounts only three loose lag bolts and the engine still sits true.

Going to cut the floor out as much as possible on the port side without pulling the top off the boat. The front seems very dry and solid, perhaps all it might need is the floor boards. When the stringers are rotten do they sound hollow???

So perhaps some cross bracing and a new floor is in order. Even the interior isn't all that bad. The only truly rotten stuff is the captains chair and the rear bench. All the cushions seem good but a little dry ....

[87SunSportMikeyD]

DAFF you sound very motivated and you obviously care for this lady!!! :):)

Rotted stringers usually should sound hollow from what I have read. It is also possible for the fiberglass to be strong and look good, but underneith the wood is mostly soft.

There are other solutions too like Rot Doctor that you may want to google and consider. You may be able to pour in RDoc near the engine mounts if needed to harden it right up.

To test the main stringer, you would want to find a tiny drill bit and drill a pilot hole. The wood shavings that come out should tell you everything. If they are dry and normal color, drink a beer and do a dance!
Dark or wet or stinky and could be trouble in a small spot or whole stringer. Make sure to drill somewhere where water in the bilge cannot come near the pilot hole. Fill the pilot hole back in with marine epoxy (home depot two part marine is fine).

Also while you are there with the epoxy, check for any cracks in the fiberglass over the main stringer. The factory used some screws to hold wires, blowers, etc directly to the stringer (can be different by model or year) and sometimes these leave holes or cracks which can leak water into the stringer. I would remove any of these screws and fill the holes.

Sorry to keep putting more work on ya but you should also try and get a look at the rear transom of the boat interior to see if the mufflers or exhaust baffles have leaked any water. Easiest way is to pull the rear ski locker if possible. If it is solid fiberglass you can check through the access hatch under the rear bench seat, or remove the rear bench seat completly with a few screws. It will probably need to be rebuilt anyways, they are usually pretty rotten.

[DAFF]

Have removed some of the rear floor boards and found they are wet and soft. As I move up towards the engine compartment the plywood floor becomes too strong to remove without saws... This to me is good news for there must be some structural integrity left in the old boat.

Got the one side polished up some and it is a good day knowing the boat is red rather than a dull shade of pink. All in all the progress is moving ahead well will be cutting some ply wood floors before soon and moving along. Pulling the fuel tank tonight to open things up some more. Hey its almost 80 deg today!!!!! Sure beats the frosty AM's of last weekend!!!!

[87SunSportMikeyD]

They did make a few pink boats, but mine too is a rich vibrant red. Whew what a relief! hehe Nice progress and we'll be watchin! Snap a pic or two.

[DAFF]

Got the tank out and the port side of the floor has been removed from the engine back. All in all very wet but managable. Letting everything dry out before the reflooring. The stringer is wet in a few spots and starting to go punky.... Not bad enough to warrant a complete R & R IMO. Going to let it all dry out and re glass the weak spots.

With a little luck will be cutting and glassing it all back together this weekend. Should be dry enough by then. Feels good to be sitting in the boat and the kids/dog love it. Nolan, my son who is turing 8 this summer has been removing all the screws from the perimeter of the floor to remove the old carpet. Lauren age 6, wants a shorty suit when the boat hgits the water....

[sybrmike]

I hope your further investigation proves she's salvagable w/out a major rebuild. As wet and rotted as my structure and foam were, she was still stiff and probably had a few more seasons left since the drive train bolts were still tight. Some repaired stringers, braces, and new floor could last you a long time. The foam will probably never really dry out - I'm still finding some saturated pockets a month after removing the floor. However, the foam was still adding some structural stiffness. Maybe you'll just be carrying some extra weight around. Probably the the moisture will eventually get back into the wood, but I'm still amazed at how well mine withstood 20 years of poor manufacturing processes. Best of luck to you.

[DAFF]

The port side is almost totally dry. You can even kneel on the foam without getting wet!!! Going to spend some time on the floor tomorow for the rain will prevent me from working.

Funny as a kid I would play on the lake all day. Today, as a owner of a mobile wash service I still get to play with water on a daily basis. The only thing is I drive the tanker truck instead of the boat....

I've been looking at the stringers and have noticed the wood almost seems engineered like ply wood or simular material. Good news is the bolts holding the rear trim tab still look perfect!!!! I did make a mistake on the hour meter .... only 290 on the clock!!!!