84 Supra Rider repairs

I bought an 84 Rider last month that looked good from the outside and passed the engine bolt test. Well, this weekend, after ripping out the floor (replaced in the past with tongue and groove) I faced what I would fear I would, stringer rot! The floor from the bow to the instrunment panel is original, and is in sad shape. It also looks like the bow is somehow filled with foam, and built around with fiberglass/wood that is also coming apart. It looks like I am going to have to remove the top to replace everything right.

Here is a few questions though: Would anyone recommend that I replace the wood with new wood glassed in (I am not going to splice it in, I want the whole thing replaced), or would I be better off rebuilding the stringers with Seacast? From what I have read, I like the way it works, and it would leave me with no wood to re rot.

Also, just how involved is seperating the top?

I am going to take the boat over to a few places for some estimates, but depending on how high they are, I might do it myself, since I can work with fiberglass and have some know about fixing things. I am looking at a time factor if someone else does the work, since it could take me some time to do it myself. I don't mind paying someone to do the work, but I don't want to spend 7K like I read on this board before. I only have 2500 in it now.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Mike in Louisiana

Mike - How close are you to Tennessee? I had my floor replaced last year and can highly recommend someone.

Send me a private message if interested in more info and pics

PM sent

I would do it yourself. the only thing it will cost you is parts and time! I think the price tag for somone else doing it will be way to high, and they will shoot a price out there to try and scare you off because they dont want to do it either! i replaced my floor last year on my 89' and it took 2-1/2 months after 5:00 and on weekends. i was sick of it after I was done, but now that the pain has gone away I'm glad I did it, i was in control of the quality and I over did it! Now i'm doing the rest of the boat and interior. Good luck!! Jet

SupraNut,

I sent a PM to you. Did you get it?

I would love to see pictures of your boat. Bennetts has been recommended to me by a few folks already.

Shoot me an e-mail at [email protected].

Thanks

Mike

i'm not totally familiar with seacast but i am familiar with rotting stringers. i've been reading about any and everyone's rebuilds, mine might be this winter.

i haven't read of anyone using seacast for the whole job, just for sections that need repair. i think properly glassed wood does the job, affordably, if done well. the problem being that the work was done poorly originally with bad quality materials. seat bases were screwed into the floor with no thought of sealing them, stringers weren't completely covered up, no drains for any water in the foam to seap out.

once done, the boat should be better than new. i'm planning on a few modifications when i do mine....sinking the battery boxes into the floor, i'll be adding ballast under the floor and may use some hatches for access, drains for the foam to release any water that might get in, i might relocate my cooler to a new spot for better storage. at least, that's the plan.

I have used Seacast Its awesome stuff I just replaced a transom in a 31 foot outboard wellcraft scrabb it was great I just bought my 2nd Supra Rider it is a little rough but the engine has 234 hrs and it fired right up I have done the bolt test and the dead blow test on all the strings being the floor has caved in HAHA But I do want to know if any one has seperated the cap to do there floor since the Rider has that glass roled edge on the toip of the floor and I want the new floor glassed to the side and the carpet under that roled edge Thanks Paragod

fixb52s - negative on the PM, either resend or go to wakeboarder.com and do a search for messages posted by me (same name). Then go to my gallery to see pictures of the repair done by Bennett's. Donnie does great work!

I have taken the cap off my 84 Rider some one has been here before they replaced all the stringers port side but didnt do all the starboard I have the old out and the new ones ready to glass I constructed a new drain system between all stringers so there will never be any trapped water under here again I have replaced the fiberglass exhaust with 3 inch coper thick wall pipe Has any bought the prefilled tanks of the slow rise foam? Hope to have the cap back down this week

I have taken the cap off my 84 Rider some one has been here before they replaced all the stringers port side but didnt do all the starboard I have the old out and the new ones ready to glass I constructed a new drain system between all stringers so there will never be any trapped water under here again I have replaced the fiberglass exhaust with 3 inch coper thick wall pipe Has any bought the prefilled tanks of the slow rise foam? Hope to have the cap back down this week

SupraNut,
I got the pictures a while back. Thanks.

As for my Rider, I still have yet to do anything with it yet. New house and other items take priority, but I still look at it every day in the backyard.

After thinking about it, I think I will end up doing it myself. Looking at the boat closer, I can see how the top will come off. The pictures from SupraNut helped a great deal. I will be pulling the engine soon to make flipping it easier when I have to fix the hole in the hull...... I can do all the work, but coming up with the time and energy in another matter.

Soon........