Runabout Renovation: How to Find and Fix Up an Old Fiberglass Speedboat

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Item # MH-80083  ISBN: 9780071580083




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For those who own a cherished but dilapidated fiberglass runabout, or for those who want a boat but are turned off by the high prices and often poor quality of today's offerings, this book explains everything there is to know about turning a rundown runabout into a real showpiece for a fraction of the cost of a new model. Author Jim Anderson, a runabout renovator from Minnesota's Land of Ten Thousand Lakes, leads readers through the whole renovation process.

For those who think a project like this may be more than they can handle, renovating an old runabout is actually less complicated and expensive than adding on a deck or redoing a room--two of the most popular projects for home handymen. And Anderson's sense of humor and gift for providing simple solutions make Runabout Renovation as fun to read as it is easy to understand.

The backyards of North America house literally millions of rundown runabouts ripe for renovation. With Jim Anderson's help, you can own a better boat than you can buy new, for a quarter of the price or less. And like a beautifully restored '57 Chevy, it'll have class.

Low-cost alternatives for the powerboater on a budget.

Although more people own boats ranging in length from 14 to 24 feet than all others combined, most books published about boat repair and restoration are directed at the "big boat" or yacht owner. In addition, many marine dealers and technicians never seem to have the right answers or the time to spend on people who own "little boats." Hence Runabout Renovation, a complete guide to finding and fixing up old fiberglass speedboats.

You'll learn how to:

• Choose and survey a boat
• Make cosmetic repairs and repaint your boat
• Replace the floor
• Reupholster and carpet the interior
• Build a new transom
• Upgrade electrical and mechanical systems
• and much more. There's even a section on repairing aluminum boats, and one on installing and repairing horns, lights, bilge pumps, live wells, and other speedboat accessories.

Table of Contents

• Acknowledgments
• Preface
• Chapter 1. The Birth and Evolution of the Runabout
• Chapter 2. The Dark Art of Surveying
• Chapter 3. Planning: The Key to a Successful Renovation
• Chapter 4. Out with the Old Floor, In with the New
• Chapter 5. Build a New Improved Transom
• Chapter 6. The Narrow Path to a Gleaming Finish
• Chapter 7. New Life for Old Interiors
• Chapter 8. Accessories, Improvements, and Tips
• Appendix A: Renovating Aluminum Boats
• Appendix B: Suppliers
• Index

About the Author

Jim Anderson owned and operated a successful boat repair business in southern Minnesota before becoming a full-time writer. Most of the boats he has repaired and restored are fiberglass runabouts ranging from 15 to 18 feet in length.

Runabout Renovation: How to Find and Fix Up an Old Fiberglass Speedboat