Carver 31' with Merc V8...cheap but it's sunk....do I salvage it or pass?

[ve7khz]

Hi guys, I have a chance to buy a late 80's/early 90's 31' Carver that sank in 6' of water. It's been there in the lake since January, the fibreglas top (fly bridge or ???) is off on one side from wave action. It's tied to a tree on shore and anchored at the stern so it's not going anywhere. It's actually still floating, bobbing in the waves. Supposed to have (had) a good running 350 Merc. First issue is getting it floated, then do I restore, or scrap it after getting the engine/leg out.

So several questions..I have a nice 5HP 2" trash pump that will get it pumped once level and gunwales above water. I was thinking to just drag the stern close to shore, and if need be several big truck tire tubes to level it and refloat, then pump out and get her floating and tow to ramp with my 21' Sunrunner. I have scuba gear but may not need it as it's right at shore and not deep. A young lad swam thru it with snorkel/mask last week to check it out and no hull damage. It was just a winter storm and got swamped and no bilge pump, or dead battery and sank. The owner (who I know) just left it there..who knows why.

So, for $500 I can have it...will the engine be toast or can it be drained/flushed and salvaged? I assume the leg will be fine, or at most drain and fill. As for the hull, everything wood will be saturated and will need eons to dry out, if ever.

What should I do? I could use the engine/leg for my 20' Sunrunner, which is ready to go except it needs the engine/leg. If the whole boat is salvageable, then I might restore and sell.

Your thoughts?

Cheers

 

[o'neal]

I myself wouldn't pay 5bone's for a sunken boat and look's like a bit of work to just get it out.........Don't people get fined for thing's like this????

 

[bigdirty]

Dont touch it... Keep your $500, and find a used drive or complete boat that HASN'T been underwater for months.. :lol: IMO hauling that out will quickly become 'your' problem (think environmental fines issues?) with the fuel,and whatever was in the cabin/etc.. Maybe why the PO walked away and left it there? marine salvage operations are seldom cheep... Very sad to see, but even if the drive is good, the motor is gona be fubar, and likely require a full teardown and re-build. Who knows what damage has been done to the hull and/or upper super structure being submerged and pounded by waves for 6 months.. And from the pics, it looks like an older boat than you have been led to believe, but again, thats just my opinion...

 

[glenn property of pam]

I tried years ago to refloat a 35 foot boat sunk in a port. After many attempts we failed because we couldn't break the suction of the mud on the hull. Given a choose of 500 a day fine we called in a crane with grabbers and removed the boat in big chunks (thankfully it was wood so after we removed the diesel and engine they said it was ok to destroy her). If someone said to me that they would give me the boat and $1000 I might consider looking at it but I wouldn't sign the title until it was on dry land and the sale slip would make all fines etc up to the date of transfer the responsibility of the seller. Even when its on dry land you are looking at 500 plus to get it loaded and moved to a area for storage.
Kinda reminds me of the story where a guy bought a large boat on ebay for $1 and ended up with over 100k in environmental fines on the vessel.

 

[GT1000000]

I totally agree with the previous assessments...
This is going to cost you way more than its ever going to be worth...and then some...
Walk away...fast...:bolt:

 

[Scott Danforth]

walk away fast to the car, then speed off. Knowing many of the guys that worked at Carver in the 80's and 90's, so I know a bit about the construction. Even if its floating, with the water in there, the stringers, deck, foam, and transom wood are now saturated.

 

[ve7khz]

Thanks all, think I will pass on it.

 

[ve7khz]

Okay guys, you convinced me. Thanks for all the input. If I can get it for nothing, I may still go for it. Do you think the leg/engine would be salvageable after this amount of time underwater? That would now be the only thing usable for me. Bigdirty mentioned the engine would be fubar. What would not be restore able? I have a trailer to move it and 20 acres to dismantle it on and some time this summer.

Thanks

 

[Axkiker]

Okay guys, you convinced me. Thanks for all the input. If I can get it for nothing, I may still go for it. Do you think the leg/engine would be salvageable after this amount of time underwater? That would now be the only thing usable for me. Bigdirty mentioned the engine would be fubar. What would not be restore able? I have a trailer to move it and 20 acres to dismantle it on and some time this summer.

Thanks

Engine is shot guaranteed

 

[Scott Danforth]

leave it alone. as soon as you touch it, it is your environmental mess.

 

[Axkiker]

Out of curiosity how does the original owner get off the hook for the fines etc. That just seems like if I sink a boat for whatever reason my best bet is to just leave it there.

This cant be right is it??

 

[ve7khz]

Out of curiosity how does the original owner get off the hook for the fines etc. That just seems like if I sink a boat for whatever reason my best bet is to just leave it there.

This cant be right is it??

I have no idea what has transpired between him and the law. Can't believe it is still there after 7 months. There is no visible sign of anything leaking out. Either fuel was empty when it went down or it's already leaked out. There should be an oil slick from the engine but again, may have dissipated already. Bloody shame really!

Going to pass on it. Thanks everyone for the input. Appreciate your thoughts and concerns.

Cheers

 

[glenn property of pam]

Out of curiosity how does the original owner get off the hook for the fines etc. That just seems like if I sink a boat for whatever reason my best bet is to just leave it there.

This cant be right is it??

they use the what boat defense. Oh that boat I sold that last year to a guy I meet down at the bar. Sucks when you sink one at the dock and you are the one paying the docking fee's.

 

[Fastatv]

You know, pretty much everyone has said pass on it.....and maybe you should. But you could inquire to the correct authorities as to whether you would be responsible for any environmental issues before you started....and:
- Its a Carver....Carver used to be very upper end boats...20 or 30 years ago.
- Hows your energy level?
- Do you have a place to work on it?
- Hows your bucks?
- How much time do you have on your hands...enough to take a couple of years to restore? Would your Admiral agree and support?
- Is a 31 Carver something you would really like to own?
I can't and won't recommend what you should do but, if its free........might be an adventure.