TOPIC: Restoration on a 1973 Century Coronado

I'm just getting started on my first restoration on this 1973 Century Coronado. Overall the boat is in decent shape, but first up is a full stringer replacement and some deck repairs, which may lead to transom core replacement (assuming it as a plywood transom core).

After multiple $10k+ quotes from experienced fiberglass repair shops, I am thinking about attempting the stringer replacement myself. Since the fiberglass stringer shells are still in good shape I plan on using Seacast fiberglass for the new stringers, leaving the original stringer shells intact and capping them with new glass after the Seacast goes in. Famous last words but it doesn't seem like this will be overly difficult, just time consuming. I spoke with another person who did this himself on this exact same boat and said it wasn't too bad, although it did take him out of commission for a season. He did say that the new Seacast stringers seemed to allow more lateral flex than the wood stringers. Whether this is a problem or not remains to be seen.

This has the original Chrysler Marine 440 big block engine with 500 hours on it. It runs, but needs a once over. At more than 700 pounds, getting this beast out of the boat will be a challenge. I'm looking at a rolling gantry crane to do it.

One of the fiberglass pros said to make sure the hull is well supported as the stringers come out. The trailer may not provide adequate support which could lead to hull deformation ("oil canning") that could become a problem if locked into place by the replacement stringers. I'll be researching ways to properly support the full length of the hull before I get started.

Otherwise, fingers crossed that it's just some compounding, polishing and other cosmetic work to get this swank early 70's monster into the water.

Please let me know if you have any guidance on things to consider as I get started. I'll post photos and videos of the project along the way and we'll see how far I drift from my current expectations as I get further into it!

Thanks in advance for your help!

Welcome aboard and good luck with your project. That is an impressive rig and glad it is being saved. I think it is very stylish in my eyes and love the big block Mopar! There are plenty of experts here to help you. I am still learning, so I will let the expert teachers chime in.

Beautiful classics boats, worth restoring but fiberglass just doesn't bring top $ like wood.