New member : first boat, what do I have here

The Force power

Commander
Joined
Feb 3, 2019
Messages
2,351
Listen, we don't mean to "kill your dream" but you are getting solid advice from experts!!

"this failure" you walk away from and get a another boat that is not going to be a nightmare

there's lots out there and read a few sticky notes on top of every forum to educate yourself

I was recently almost going to buy a 94/95 jet-boat with Force-motor set-up, till I came to my senses & walked away
 
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briangcc

Commander
Joined
Jul 10, 2012
Messages
2,429
I was going to say go ahead and restore it but after looking at the photos....who did you upset to get this "gift"?

The guys are correct here. It's going to take an awful lot of blood, sweat, tears, (colorful metaphors will abound), and $$$$ to get that to the point where I would take someone out. It's not safe as it sits to use other than a yard planter.

I'd be towing it back to whomever and let them know its their issue to take care of.
 
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Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
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Jul 23, 2011
Messages
51,224
I'm taking all this info in and thank you.

I can confirm the floor is plywood, is that normal for this make / model boat? Or was it fiberglass originally replaced by wood?

If I'm reading some of this correctly, IF i where to decide to dispose of this, I would have to cut the hull up and pay to dump it?

first and foremost, based on the pictures and the registration sticker, the wood was added over the floor some time in the early 2000's. that is called a "deck over" it is the boating equivalent of duct tape, the Sunday news paper and 50# of bondo smeared into a rusty car then rattle-can'd to make it look less rusty....... its still crap, its still rusty, however now "looks" better.

no fiberglass boat ever had wood bracing or dimensional lumber or plywood on top of the cockpit sole from the factory......ever.

that means the boat was neglected all its life and the floor rotted out long before 2004 (last registration). my guess the boat either sunk a few times and was stored outside without a cover, and open to the elements, or stored for years with the plug in and spawned more than 15 years worth of mosquitoes and frogs prior to whom ever gave it to you. remember, the transom and stringers rotted long prior to the floor rotting

the bracing in the ski locker was a recent band-aid because most likely the floor had sunk in and they wanted to give it to you so they didnt have to deal with it.

and yes, you would have to pay to dispose of the hull. you may have to register it in your name first (I am not sure on SC laws)...... as others stated. give it back to whom ever gave it to you.


you can resurrect the boat if you want. however you better get full buy-in by the wife to blow $9-10k and two years of your time neglecting her and the family........ or she will hit you over a head with a frypan and leave you. its called BIDS (Boat-Induced Divorce Syndrome). vary similar to AIDS and CIDS (Aviation-Induced Divorce Syndrome and Car-Induced Divorce Syndrome)
 

JASinIL2006

Vice Admiral
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
5,737
I'd give the boat back and let them have the headache of disposal. You could part out some of the boat (windshield, trailer, maybe engine/outdrive), but that would probably be a lot of work for not a lot of money. I'd return and let the previous owner deal with it.
 

YachtRocker

Cadet
Joined
Jan 19, 2020
Messages
11
FS : Classic boat, floats fine, runs great, needs a little TLC. $3k firm... Willing to trade for newer boat.

J/k

I'm learning so much on here. I'm going out of town this weekend, I will finish dealing with this when I get back.

I was hoping to get at least 1 joy ride on it, but the water is too cold to swim in this time of year. lol.

There is a boat show coming up next month, I wonder If a dealer would take it in on a trade. I'm doubtful.

The silver lining here seems to be all the knowledge I've been gaining with this experience. This will be useful if I decide to purchase one in the future. I'll probably end up going with an outboard when I do.
 

Newbie@boats

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 6, 2010
Messages
536
I’ve gotten boats in far worse shape for free.

I usually pull the out drive and sell it, remove the windshield and sell it, pull the trailer and sell it. I’ve made $1500 off free boats. I usually pull the boat off the trailer leave it on jack stands post it on Craigslist for free and someone comes and picks it up.

I once had a guy snow blow my entire yard of 3ft of snow so he could back his trailer up to the boat. There’s money to be made, and I’m 99% sure someone would take it for free.

Unless that boat has sentimental value I’d part it out make what you can and post it up for free.
 

Newbie@boats

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 6, 2010
Messages
536
Here’s one I got for instance. Yanked the trailer and outdrive. Made $900 off of it. Left the 4 cylinder in it and someone picked it up-for free. This one was so rotted if you look at the windshield you can see the floor caving in on itself
 

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Old Ironmaker

Captain
Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
3,050
It sounds like you may finally be listening to the guys that all say this thing is a piece of merde. French for a hunka junk. The hull is junk, the drive train is junk, the interior is junk, the electrical system is junk, the trailer is junk. The guy that gave you a free boat was doing a happy dance as soon as he was out of your site. I know it's not what you wanted to hear but you asked.

FS : Classic boat, floats fine, runs great, needs a little TLC. $3k firm... Willing to trade for newer boat. TLC is code for a piece of junk in my experience buying vehicles and homes for close to 50 years.

If your budget is $3000.00 for a boat you are looking at a good 14'or 15' tinny with a good 9.9 with a trailer that has tires on it. If you want an older 18' boat that you can get in and drive away, safely, just take your 3K and add another 6 grand or so.
 
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Old Ironmaker

Captain
Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
3,050
you have a windshield that is worth $100 - $300 to the right person and a $500 trailer. it will cost you about $200 to dispose of the hull after you cut it up the stringers are rotten (you can see it in the photos). the floor long ago rotted and who ever gave you the boat used dimensional lumber to prop the rotten floor up.


it would seriously take about $9k+ and two years to restore that.

here is my updated estimate
$4k for the hull (you have exterior work to do as well) and about 18 months of time
$2k for the interior and 2 months of time
$1500 for the motor and drive and 3 months of time
$1500 for the miscellaneous broken bits and about 1 month of time.

seriously give the boat back

Scott, you are going to be known as "The Dream Killer."
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
51,224
Scott, you are going to be known as "The Dream Killer."

nah, just a realist that has been down the path and learned the hard way. BTW, my boat has been 4 years on the hard as of tomorrow for a "simple repower" that turned into a complete resto-modification.
 

Old Ironmaker

Captain
Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
3,050
People have called me a pessimist, I say I'm a realist. It was Jack Nicolson playing an Army officer of Guantanamo Bay Cuba that said " You can't handle the truth." Around here when new boat owners buy a scow it should be "You don't want the truth." A pal and myself picked up a 65' Impala SS for a great price we were going to flip fast. The engine has been sitting in the corner of the shop for 2 years now. The rest of the car is in the other 3 corners. When I find a bag of money we will get to it.
 

YachtRocker

Cadet
Joined
Jan 19, 2020
Messages
11
Throwing in the towel, thanks everyone for the tips and advise. At the end of the day this project was not cost effective. Gonna keep an eye out for something else. Cheers!
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
51,224
Throwing in the towel, thanks everyone for the tips and advise. At the end of the day this project was not cost effective. Gonna keep an eye out for something else. Cheers!

keep in mind, anything below $5k on a fiberglass boat is most likely a project boat.
 

Old Ironmaker

Captain
Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
3,050
keep in mind, anything below $5k on a fiberglass boat is most likely a project boat.

That goes for 25 yr old tinnies other than a bare bones aluminum as well in my opinion. It looks like I have a tear out on my StarCraft Superfisherman 190. Just found the floor at the back is gone. 27 yrs old. My fault and no one else's. I didn't shrink wrap it the last 2 winters. Life in the way and all that. Nothing like practicing what one preaches. I'm disappointed in myself.
 
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