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. "Considering the tens of thousands of fiberglass powerboats that exist today, one wonders why Jim Anderson's Runabout Renovation is so late in coming. Whether you're shopping for a used or new boat, or trying to maintain the value of a boat you already own, this book will prove indispensable."--Richard Lebowitz, Editor, Boating World

Whether you're fishing, waterskiing, or just enjoying a lazy day out on the water, nothing beats a runabout. These boats were just built for fun. If you're one of those lucky speedboat owners looking for maintenance tips, or even if you're a first-time buyer with an eye on an older model in need of some TLC, expert runabout renovator Jim Anderson has the answers to all of your questions. In this informative and easy-to-follow guide, Jim takes you through the entire process of fixing up your roundabout; from locating and purchasing to the last coat of paint. Jim's trademark sense of humor and ability to cut straight to the simplest solutions make it seem like you're working alongside an old friend. Topics include: Choosing and surveying your boat Cosmetic repairs and touch-ups Replacing the floors, carpets, and interior Building a new transom Upgrading electrical and mechanical systems

Whether you¿re fishing, waterskiing, or just enjoying a lazy day out on the water, nothing beats a runabout. These boats were just built for fun.If you¿re one of those lucky speedboat owners looking for maintenance tips, or even if you¿re a first-time buyer with an eye on an older model in need of some TLC, expert runabout renovator Jim Anderson has the answers to all of your questions.In this informative and easy-to-follow guide, Jim takes you through the entire process of fixing up your roundabout; from locating and purchasing to the last coat of paint. Jim¿s trademark sense of humor and ability to cut straight to the simplest solutions make it seem like you¿re working alongside an old friend. Topics include:¿Choosing and surveying your boat¿Cosmetic repairs and touch-ups¿Replacing the floors, carpets, and interior¿Building a new transom¿Upgrading electrical and mechanical systems

How to select a boat, plan your project, finish the job, and actually head for the water. Over the past thirty to forty years boat builders, large and small, have produced tens of thousands of fiberglass boats. Many now sit abandoned, waiting for some tender care to get back on the water where they belong. Fiberglass unlike many other types of boatbuilding materials does not rot, rust, or break down over the years. Many people have realized this, of course, and have started what they think will be an easy project. They were wrong, and many well-intentioned renovations sit abandoned. Whatever the reason for wanting to take on the restoration of a project boat, proper planning and organization can make the difference between success and failure. Fiberglass Boat Restoration is about how to plan, organize and successfully complete a project boat restoration. It will explain why it is important to put your efforts and resources into some areas and not others. It contains valuable information about what to look for when considering the purchase of a project boat. Although the focus of the book is fiberglass, the information will be useful to anyone undertaking the building or restoration of any boat.

Step-by-step color photo guidance for repairing and renewing fiberglass boats If you don't have the experience of working with fiberglass, any repairs to your boat must be done by high-cost professionals or left undone. This entry-level guide uses full-color, step-by-step photo sequences and line drawings to present you with the basics in an easily digested form. You will learn how to: Save money and time doing your own fiberglass repairs Improve the value, appearance, and safety of your boat Work with materials such as polyester, epoxy, fiberglass, carbon fiber, and core materials Fix annoying leaks; repair cracks; restore gelcoat; fabricate new components

In this guide, Bob Armstrong explains how to operate the boat you choose, paying special attention to: Dock and undocking any boat ; Handling docklines ; Executing close-quarters maneuvers ; Anchoring ; Running inlets ; Adjusting trim for a better ride ; Coping with rough weather. Offfering hints for judging the quality of a boat and presenting a gallery of good boats from each of the many types available, Getting Started in Power Boating is the perfect book for both the advanced boater and the beginner choosing his first craft.

This comprehensive manual shows you how to go places and do things you never thought possible in a small outboard motorboat. A well-designed ruggedly built 17-footer, for instance, can fish offshore, circumnavigate Lake Superior, and crisscross the continent on inland waterways or on a trailer pulled by the family car. Small outboards are among the most versatile boats ever developed and are far more able than you might expect. Covered here are all the popular types--and some exciting alternatives as well as methods that may change your entire boating outlook. Aided by contributions from other experts, veteran outboard skipper David R. Getchell, Sr., offers a wealth of useful facts and special savvy that reveal for the first time in a single book the true potential of these democratic boats 20 feet and under. Here are the means to understand what can be done, and the way to do it safely, including: how to judge a boat's potential and capabilities based on design and construction; how to rebuild an older boat; how to handle a little boat in big seas, surf, or shallow water; how to navigate; how to read the weather; how to head upriver or offshore; how to trailer your boat; how to manage and equip it for camp cruising on a nearby lake or for subarctic exploration; and how to care for the boat and motor.