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Swap Vamp deck onto Ventura II

Have questions about fiberglass, gel-coat, or core repairs well as composite questions?
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barbevin
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Swap Vamp deck onto Ventura II

Post: # 24395Post barbevin »

Broke the transom this weekend on my much loved 82 Hydrostream Vamp that I've owned since new. I'm in northwestern NJ, and would like to get the transom rebuilt, but I think there may be a better way. There's an 84 Ventura II for sale. I think the hull is identical to my Vamp, and if it is, I'd buy that and swap my Vamp deck onto the Ventura hull. Does anybody know whether they are identical or whether a swap like that is feasible? There are no Vamps for sale.
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Re: Swap Vamp deck onto Ventura II

Post: # 24397Post AdamDK »

That's a helluva lot more work than replacing a transom.
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Re: Swap Vamp deck onto Ventura II

Post: # 24398Post Hippie459MN »

Fix what you got. Pictures would be huge help. And as Adam said, swapping the deck would be a hell of a lot more work that fixing a transom. Also, I'm sure you would be replacing the transom in the next hull you get, along with the core as well.

Post some pics. If your transom failed, you can be certain the rest of the boat is rotten too and will need to be redone.

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Re: Swap Vamp deck onto Ventura II

Post: # 24399Post AdamDK »

I'm confused how you think this is "the better way".

One is simply replacing a broken transom with a fresh NEW transom that will last another 20+ years.

The other...which you think is somehow better...is to replace your rotten hull with another hull that could also be potentially rotten.

Splitting hulls is a total pain in the ***...and you'd need to do it TWICE.
If your Vamp is all original as you say, then you'll lose your aluminum rubrail. You can't reuse it once you've taken it off.

As Hippie said....rotten transom = rotten core. The better way is to rebuild your Vamp from the ground up. All new core. New stringers to replace the lousy fiberglass keelbox (or box-stringer as some call it). New transom.

That is the real "better way".

EDIT:
Link to sales ad for this Ventura II (if available)?
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Re: Swap Vamp deck onto Ventura II

Post: # 24415Post barbevin »

Thanks guys. I've been trying to post pics. The site keeps telling me that every image is too large (even though they are less than 4mb). I've gotten three quotes: Two of them propose to rebuild the transom with composite and resin and paint. Pricing is $5,000 - $8,000 with me derigging and rerigging. And if they find that core and stringer boxes need replacement, price could be much more. The third is a top Chris Craft restorer. He'll need $8,000 - $12,000 to restore the transom and core/stringers if needed. He's the one who pointed out that the deck needs to be removed, and job would be much less expenseive if he can just swap it over to a sound Ventura hull if I can find and buy one. I think I can get a Ventura with a sound hull for under $3,000
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Re: Swap Vamp deck onto Ventura II

Post: # 24416Post Hippie459MN »

Yikes! I don't know where you are at but you can recore a Vamp without removing the deck. You do have to cut out a section in the open bite area but don't right all the seams will be mostly well hidden. Also, 8-10k seems really steep. I know of two shops that would prob be a 4-6k job for complete core and transom. Do it yourself and be in it for time and about $1500 in materials. Finding a solid, recored hull with a new transom already will prob cost for than $3k and be far from boat you would really want to cut up. I personally would rebuild what you have but that's just me. Just my opinion.

As for the pictures, turn the resolution down on your camera a little bit of resize them. Reason is, most people are on mobile devices now days and sometimes waiting for a bunch of HUGE pictures to load can be a pain and slow things down.

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1977 HydroStream Vulture - Worlds longest ongoing project. :eek:
1982 Hydrostream Vector
1982 Hydrostream Vamp
1973 Hydrostream Vixen
1976 CobraJet Jet Boat - Outboard conversion project
1976 Pontoon - aka The Family Truckster
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Re: Swap Vamp deck onto Ventura II

Post: # 24418Post AdamDK »

Tell that Chris Craft restorer to shove a Chris Craft up his arse. 8-12K is an insane amount of money. That might be a reasonable cost to rebuild a 30+foot CC cruiser, but not a 16 foot bowrider.
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Re: Swap Vamp deck onto Ventura II

Post: # 24422Post barbevin »

Thanks again. Pictures attached after reducing size. Problem is I'm in northwestern NJ and can't find the kind of restoration pricing that is available in other places. And I'm unable to do the work myself. I'm buying another Stream this week, and will probably just try to sell the Vamp as is to somebody who can restore it. That's just hard to face after 37 great years with the boat.
Attachments
Vamp Full View.jpg
Vamp Full View.jpg (72.01 KiB) Viewed 7455 times
Dogs.jpg
Dogs.jpg (68.53 KiB) Viewed 7455 times
Vamp Transom from above.jpg
Vamp Transom from above.jpg (61.17 KiB) Viewed 7455 times
Vamp Transom Corner.jpg
Vamp Transom Corner.jpg (47.51 KiB) Viewed 7455 times
VAMP TRANSOM CLOSEUP.gif
VAMP TRANSOM CLOSEUP.gif (181.44 KiB) Viewed 7455 times
Vamp Reduced.jpg
Vamp Reduced.jpg (48.02 KiB) Viewed 7455 times
Under Motor Well.jpg
Under Motor Well.jpg (55.09 KiB) Viewed 7455 times
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