Loaded question about recovery

[RichSch]

I have assisted with two sailboats that went down in a fresh water lake.

Both boats were taken from lake bottom after weeks under water.

Prior to sinking both boats has fiberglass problems which were made more
serious after running aground (holes in the fiberglass hull caused by running aground). They were stripped of useful parts and taken to local trash dump.

Richard S.
N5VYQ

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by osirissail

The State of Florida is well acquainted with "re-titling" abandoned boats as we probably have more boats on or under our waters than people.

Just drop in to a Florida DMV office in an area where there is a lot of boating and ask them how it is done. The important part of the process is to go to more than one DMV office and get what they believe the process involves. It is quite common that some offices have experienced people who can tell the "straight scoop" but there are also DMV offices where the people don't really know much about boats and this subject. So visit several and you should be able to get the "real" process from one or more of them.

But definitely stay away from "inland" offices and try to visit DMV offices in coastal boating areas for you best chance of getting the straight skinny.

Very good advice here. I say you have all the mechanical aptitude that you will need. And it sounds like the word ''Project'' doesn't scare you off like other folks. As a life-long project person I say go for it. (After making sure a title is doable).

[debath]

Take a look over the boat for clues of what it was like before it went down. Old GRP develops fine cracks from uv damage and stress and this lets moisture into the substrate matting and wood of various quality. Take a small hammer with you and start tapping the deck, bulkheads, hull, etc. it you hear a nice crisp solid return sound, it's good. The opposite is a dul thud which means the structure sandwiched between the GRP is wet/rotten and this is where the work starts. It's very uncomfortable and a health risk working with fibreglass matting and resins so take precautions. Agree with most others re the wiring, particularly if there was power in the battery as all circuits are active as soon as they become submerged. Research the cost of hauling the boat out, storage while working on it etc. do it for the love!

[wooden head]

As said before gut the electrical might be overkill but fire at sea is serious even a failed critical system and no fire can be uncomfortable if not deadly. You sound like you have the right skills but be sure you understand a boat is not a car from a methods point of view. Boat electric is no more complicated but it must be done differently. Similarly gas systems on a boat are far more dangerous as propane will settle in the bilge rather than run out the bottom like the RV. Good information is readily available as long as you use it. Again automotive parts are a problem different wire different starters and alternators, different carbs. If you don't know why, read more. If you can read, work with your hands and buy,build or salvage parts then you can do it.