Mid 70s Bounty Hull Help And Advice Please

[Ultrarep]

Hello All.  After some 20 years of boating at first on the broads in a shetland and fairline holiday, and then for the last 15 years or so on the  salty stuff in several boats. we are looking to buy an ex hire broads boat and take things easier for a few years.  I have heard that the bountys are well laid up boats and seem resonably well thought of by ex fleet owners.  What would be the feelings, thoughts and concerns of the assembled masses on here be on the typere age issue common faults etc? The one I have in mind is still on regular hire and has a 4220he Nanni motor on standard shaft drive.  

She is a Bounty 44 mk1 single level cruiser and we are looking at gutting her to make a realy nicely appointed 2 plus 2 cruiser. Any thoughs on hull, other issues and osmosis?  I know she will have some but is this vintage of hull (1975 so 47 years old ) more or less prone to that than others?  Would the osmosis be severe or just present etc?  Will get a survey as current insurance company has requested one so without it we wont be able to i sure her.

 

your thoughts would be very welcome

 

[oldgregg]

I think they are considered to be fairly solidly built, yeah.

If you're looking to remove much of the internal structure, remember that it is the bulkheads which give the boat its stiffness and stop the roof from sagging etc. Where strength is being removed then it needs to be added back in.

[Ultrarep]

Yes thanks for that. Would be ensuing enough bulkheads are in the rigth places etc just going to make it a super spacious comfy river side retreat

[dnks34]

Depending on how the boat has been cared for you may need to factor in refurbishing window frames.

In my experience leaking window frames are often overlooked by hire firms as they may not have time in the schedule to remove and reseal a frame properly resulting in short term repairs that dont last for long. 

If you are going to be spending money redoing the inside of an ex hire this is one area I would be particularly concerned about. 

At £100 upwards to refurb a frame it can get very costly considering many of the early designs had a lot of window frames. 

If I were to buy another exhire the underwater hull and the engine would probably be the least concern to me!! 

[marshman]

Unless it has really very large blisters do not worry too much about osmosis lots of GRP boats have it in one form or another but I doubt one has sunk as a result of it!!

Often put forward as something like a disease but in fact to me, seems a good excuse for many to make a lot of unnecessary money!!

[Ultrarep]

Hi yes thanks for that. I know it will have it and expect it to.  So unless it looks like a bunch of dinner plates attatched to the hull I am not overly worried about it.  Any other views on the type and hull are welcome.

 

thanks for the input so far. As only experience of this type of cruiser is hiring the old FBWilds Carabean many years ago with hydro dives.

 

the bouty is a mystery but seems such a nice and quite solid layup for a good project

[rightsaidfred]

One thing to take into account with a boat that size is availability of moorings.

Fred

[dnks34]

21 minutes ago, rightsaidfred said:

One thing to take into account with a boat that size is availability of moorings.

Fred

and the 600 quid Toll!!!

[BroadAmbition]

44ft of Tupperware - That's a lot of painting unless it is still sporting it's original gel coat finish, even then a fair amount of polishing to bring it up to bling standard.  Mind you having said that if it was a biodegradable one would only save on the polishing

Griff

[Ultrarep]

12 minutes ago, dnks34 said:

and the 600 quid Toll!!!

Yes got a mooring and know all about the toll as just sold our Sealine S43

[Ultrarep]

2 minutes ago, BroadAmbition said:

44ft of Tupperware - That's a lot of painting unless it is still sporting it's original gel coat finish, even then a fair amount of polishing to bring it up to bling standard.  Mind you having said that if it was a biodegradable one would only save on the polishing

Griff

Hi griff at her age she is not in gel so the paint will have to be redone. Only after the refit though.    Getting very wrapped up in the plans and learning to veneer wood etc!  Cant wait.

[BroadAmbition]

You could always have the gel coat redone - LBBy are very good at this process.  Save on all that prep / paint and repaints.  No idea what it costs to have a re-gel done but suspect on a boat the size you are after you could buy another boat!

Griff

[dnks34]

14 minutes ago, Ultrarep said:

Yes got a mooring and know all about the toll as just sold our Sealine S43

Ahh you must be in the BA preferred Toll payers scheme then !!!!  

[Ultrarep]

Not so much as a thankyou when I went to pay for the S43 (£680ish) last year and, repeat AND they asked me if I wanted a tide book?  Said yes, so they went way to re do the invoice for the extra £1!!!

will do it by post next year so do not feel so inadequate again??

[Paws]

We have a bounty37 we had it all painted in two tone it cost £7500 3years ago then new ropes fenders etc inside new kitchen plus oven hob fridge work tops and loo new curtains painted all the inside wood new mattresses new carpets in all we spent about £15000.00 we loved doing it all we got the kitchen from b&q hob etc from midland chandler its cheaper in the canal shop and you get  10per sent off if you spend £1000.00 in one go then the same for the next 6 months  go for it we use ours every other week it's the same age as yours

[Ultrarep]

Hi paws. Thanks for the heads up and your experience.  Sounds like we doung a similar thing then to you guys.

we are intending to strip it right out and start again with new linings, kingsize rear master cabin with onsuite shower amd toilet. Main toilet and shower, larger saloon with dinette open to it (at times) with the long galley to port. All re trimmed and wired etc.  Did a similar thimg to a 34 sealine some years back.

 With a full re trim.

any areas of problems to watch for?

 

 

[Paws]

We had no problems just shop around get the gas checked as you go look in caravan shops if you are lineing the bottom with carpet get the shop to cut it height and length it is easier to handle it's so much fun I would love to do it again 

[LondonRascal]

Wish my Toll was only in the £600.00 range, mines up there where it costs less to have a fine for not having a Toll. Back on topic, there are lots of these boats out there in private hands - and they are all still floating..

If I was you I would not be thinking too deeply about much in the same way as if this was a large costly sea boat, this is a river based ex-hire boat. It will have had an enormous amount of use over all those years, and even 37ft Bounty's will suffer with stern damage where hirers hit this area when mooring or departing, with a 44ft this will be likely more so and it is therefore important to look at what has been patched here. I know Freedom Boating Holidays have one on hire, but to get it in the condition she is in now took a lot of hard work and as works got underway more was found to do.

So go in eyes wide open basically. It will take a lot of time and cost to do something simple like re-paint the hull and superstructure, lift the flooring and you may find rotting bearers under there, spongy GRP in the forward well could be an issue too. But how 'perfect' do you want it? It is perfectly okay at the moment and surely will be for many years to come so you know it is mechanically okay and on hire still - just have a very close look and dare I say, Survey done before you fork out your hard earned.

[Ultrarep]

Hi and thanks for the advice.  You are correct Robin, I would not be focusing in this like a seaboat at all its a river boat so much more forgiving life in that respect.  She seems ok on the surface with no seroiis impact issues so am happy with the base that I will have to work with.  Taking up the floor is a great idea. Nothing feels spongy but think would be good to check kt while its all apart.

not looking to reinvent the wheel here just make a nice place to spend a week and ensure we have the room, layout, and facilities we want.  

Have always wanted an ex hire cruiser to do this to but could not afford to do it in our earlyier boating life (thus the old Shetland start,  which we loved to death)

will do my best to blog it but never done that either so and aventure awaits!

[BroadAmbition]

If you can't blog it, then photo's  / description will do it for the likes of us in here.  We lurv them kind of write ups

Griff

[Ultrarep]

Will do that with pleasure!

[oldgregg]

If you haven't already got the mobile app then you may find that handy for uploading pictures snapped on your phone.

Simply search for 'Norfolk Broads Network' in either Google Play or the iOS App Store.

[Ultrarep]

Just got the app very handy thanks!


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