1994 Prostar restoration

[Bucky508]

Hello ALL!

I am new to the forum but have been a lurker for quite some time. I love restoring boats and learning as I go along. I recently completed a Checkmate 13ft restoration. My next challenge is a 94 Mastercraft Prostar 205. First year of the EFI. I always loved the Mastercrafts but could never afford one. I found this project boat for 5k locally 700 hrs (I feel like it was a steal!). Cheap enough the mrs let it slide by. Now what to do!? Was this a good purchase??

The good:

Motor, prop, shaft, gauges, hull are all solid. Mechanically it is ready to drop in the water.

The bad:

Vinyl is shot to hell, carpet is history, dash is weathered, gelcoat is oxidized, no bimini, and audio is all inoperable, and I've never drive an ski boat so I have no idea what to expect.

Questions:
Do I go snap in carpet over existing or just cut and glue down?
How can I remove the oxidation on the hull?
Any other known issues to look for in these boats?

Figure I can do about 5k in restoration budget. What should I prioritize in my to do list?

[Spidermonkey]

Looks like a nice project. Well, as far as the carpet, im not sure what most mastercraft gurus will say, but my experience has been to remove the old and glue down new. I don't have any experience with those boats so hopefully someone else can chime in who has done it on these boats.
As for the oxidation, I have had good luck using 800 grit sand paper and wet sanding it. I then go over with 1000 wet, then use rubbing compound with a mechanical buffer. By now your arms will be dead tired, but putting on a good coat of Marine wax and buffing it should make it come out like new. If its really bad and the 800 isn't doing it, you can try 600. the 600 and 800 will still be hazy after but removes the "bad layer", its the 1000 that starts to bring the shine back. Some guys will skip the 1000 and go to a coarse rub compound, the go to a fine compound after.
Remember to rinse the boat well between changes of sand paper so your not rubbing previous coarse grit with your finer grit.
Thats just what has worked for me.

[mikeg205]

congrats and roll up the sleeves - it will look great and last a long time.. 693 hours young.

[bturner2]

Depends on what you plan to do with it once it's done. If you're keeping it, then do whatever you want. It's your boat so you can make whatever changes you want and enjoy it.

If you plan to sell it and want to maximize resale value you'll find MasterCraft owners prefer seeing a boat that looks like it did when it left the factory. The exception would be in areas that enhance performance/operation while keeping the boat as close to stock in appearance. A good example would be an upgraded stereo and tower speakers. A bad example would be a dash mounted fish finder.

Even some of the worst looking, faded hulls can be brought back to life through wet sanding and polishing. As bad as yours looks now I believe yours would come back as well. Only one way to find out so you may want to purchase the materials needed and pick a test area, that transom looks ripe for a before/after test. There are tons of posts on this site about how to do this as was as articles and videos on YouTube with instructions on how to get started and what you'll need.

Looks like you got the project boat I've been looking for. Can't wait to see your progress! Good luck.

[d2jp]

Hello ALL!

I am new to the forum but have been a lurker for quite some time. I love restoring boats and learning as I go along. I recently completed a Checkmate 13ft restoration. My next challenge is a 94 Mastercraft Prostar 205. First year of the EFI. I always loved the Mastercrafts but could never afford one. I found this project boat for 5k locally 700 hrs (I feel like it was a steal!). Cheap enough the mrs let it slide by. Now what to do!? Was this a good purchase??

The good:

Motor, prop, shaft, gauges, hull are all solid. Mechanically it is ready to drop in the water.

The bad:

Vinyl is shot to hell, carpet is history, dash is weathered, gelcoat is oxidized, no bimini, and audio is all inoperable, and I've never drive an ski boat so I have no idea what to expect.

Questions:
Do I go snap in carpet over existing or just cut and glue down?
How can I remove the oxidation on the hull?
Any other known issues to look for in these boats?

Figure I can do about 5k in restoration budget. What should I prioritize in my to do list?

I think you got a good deal, especially if you're DIY on everything. If I were to prioritize I would start with a good deep cleaning of everything. Upholstery work is expensive but honestly yours might actually clean up pretty well. It won't look new, but it won't cost $3K either

Before you start carpet work, I would either use a pressure washer or old fashioned scrub brush and hot water + detergent and really clean the carpet good. You may be surprised. I would also deep clean all the vinyl. There is thread on here by Sodar on his vinyl cleaning process - check this out. Or just buy some Totally Awesome cleaner at Dollar General, and use that full strength with a scrub brush as a start. Again, you may be surprised at the results. It's got some rips and tears but nothing too horrible from the pics. You can do the same for the dash too. If it all cleans up well, apply some 303 protectant afterwards and feel good about saving $4000~$5000 on carpet and vinyl replacement.

Others have suggested how to get rid of the oxidation and I think your hull will shine again with some elbow grease. Look online for new hull grahics.

Don't overlook some engine basics, both mechancial and cosmetic. Fluid changes, impellar change, tune-up, etc.

Lastly, I tell everyone I think these trailers are more work than the boats, LOL. Check the bearings, clean and repack. The brakes are probably shot. etc, etc.

My suggestion is clean and scrub, rinse and repeat - you might not need too much else depending upon your plans for the boat.

Driving an inboard is different than an outboard or I/O. It's much more responsive to driver input. However, you cannot raise the prop and you have tracking fins on the hull so extra care is needed around shallow water. In reverse, the boat will want to back towards the drivers side only - there isn't any steering in reverse as no water is going past the rudder. I suggest practicing backing and pretending to dock out in the middle of a lake, way before you actually have to try to pull in for fuel, etc. When you're ready, just bumping the boat in/out of gear is all that is needed in most cases, and slower is usually always better.

I think you got a very good deal. To bring back to 'like new' you'd spend close to what you could find a well cared for 205 selling for, mostly b/c vinyl and carpet work is expensive. But as much DIY and making it a 'work in progress' while enjoying the boat after a deep clean and polish makes is a real bargin!!

[stig]

I've been a Porsche nut all my life so I can only speak about what I know with them. Since they are a quality high end brand like Mastercraft I think there are some generalizations you can make.

In the Porsche world, there is a saying: "For every dollar you add in modifications to a 911, deduct two from it's value"

I would think MC's are the same. Like said above, unless it enhances or upgrades to the function of the boat, keep it stock.

Now the rule for 911's apply to most, but if you're name is Magnus Walker you'll get more for it by messing with it. (google his 911 collection, and try to keep the drool off your keyboard)

[cbryan70]

I agree that interior may be serviceable. Not perfect but will let you enjoy it while you do the rest of the boat. That will be by far your biggest expense.

I would start with cleaning that using Sodars method or just some dollar store cleaner and see where you get. Then I would do an oil change, trans fluid change and take it out to enjoy for the day. After that start on the hull with a 3m cutting compound. Lots of threads on how to bring the gel back to life.

Lastly...keep posting pictures and updating this thread

[AZDave]

I would go over every channel of that trailer with a hammer and verify the metal integrity. If that trailer has seen salt, you may find some problems.

[Bucky508]

So had a chance to crack into the boat.

First of all thanks for all the great tips!!

I found a dollar general and picked up some totally awesome. Did not get a chance to try it yet.

I pulled all the bad vinyl pieces out of the boat to bring to get redone. Fairly interesing mounting system for screwing them to the platforms. Just a threaded locker. I might devise something different for reattach. It seems like the threaded locker could strip out of the wood side panels fairly easy and then you would have a heck of a time getting them off. I am also debating rebuilding the wood side panels with marine plywood then having those covered. Verdict still out. Now my workshop is covered in vinyl pieces!!

Overall as I get into this project I am impressed with how well built these boats were. Everything fits so precise and the fiberglass work is really clean.

I power washed the carpet as suggested and was so surprised!!! I blasted away moss and sludge to reveal almost new looking carpet!! There is one are of the left side walkthrough that is torn so I am debating having some 14 inch by 58 inch mats made for each side. Figure if I can match the mats close to the stock carpet it would look just like floormats in a car. Otherwise I would have to recarpet the whole thing and the rest is fairly good. Thoughts?

[03 35th Anniversary]

If you are a hands on do it yourself dude (which it sounds like you are). Then $5,000 is doable. I say that from experience with 1993 that was in way worse shape!

Hello ALL!

I am new to the forum but have been a lurker for quite some time. I love restoring boats and learning as I go along. I recently completed a Checkmate 13ft restoration. My next challenge is a 94 Mastercraft Prostar 205. First year of the EFI. I always loved the Mastercrafts but could never afford one. I found this project boat for 5k locally 700 hrs (I feel like it was a steal!). Cheap enough the mrs let it slide by. Now what to do!? Was this a good purchase??

The good:

Motor, prop, shaft, gauges, hull are all solid. Mechanically it is ready to drop in the water.

The bad:

Vinyl is shot to hell, carpet is history, dash is weathered, gelcoat is oxidized, no bimini, and audio is all inoperable, and I've never drive an ski boat so I have no idea what to expect.

Questions:
Do I go snap in carpet over existing or just cut and glue down?
How can I remove the oxidation on the hull?
Any other known issues to look for in these boats?

Figure I can do about 5k in restoration budget. What should I prioritize in my to do list?