Potential Boat Purchase with Problems

[Thetimster]

I'm thinking about getting back in the boat owner world by buying a 2004 Supra 22SSV Gravity Games edition. The boat is pretty rough on the edges and I'm wondering what everybody thinks.

Here are the problems:
1) Much of the interior vinyl is cracked or ready to crack and I'm thinking the vinyl and/or cushions need to be replaced.
2) There are several spider web cracks in the gel coat in different places on the boat. When I run my hand over them I can't feel anything so definitely below the gel coat.
3) The ballast system has been sealed and the sellers told me the bags and the pumps have to be replaced.
4) On the bottom of the hull there are several spots that are round about the size of my large hand that are discolored from the rest of the hull. I pressed it and it is not soft nor is there a raised edge. I have no idea what this could be.
5) The floor seems solid without any soft spots that I could find.
6) The decals have all fallen off and there are several surface scrapes and scratches. This seems cosmetic to me and would be fixed by installing a wrap over the hull.

There are 1100 hours on the boat so definitely used. This winter the sellers replaced the motor and it has a two year warranty. The sellers also replaced the fuel pump. Pretty much if the mechanic who replaced the motor thought something needed to be replaced or fixed the sellers did it.

I don't think I have to worry about the motor being that it was replaced recently. Do I have to be thinking that I'll be having to replace the transmission sooner than later? Do most people replace the transmission when they replace the motor?

Here is what I know I want to do:
1) Replace the interior cushions.
2) Replace the ballast bags and pumps.
3) Fix the spider web cracks.
4) Install a wrap on the hull to cover scratches and scrapes
5) Are there other repairs I should be expecting soon?

What I want to know if these are mostly simple and inexpensive fixes? The seller is willing to negotiate, but I am not sure I even want the boat because I am wondering of the repairs.

Any thoughts?

 

[Grub54891]

I'd walk. Spider cracks, wore out vinyl, suspicious mismatched gel spots, from previous repairs? Bad ballast units....wonder what else may or may not work properly. New motor or not.

 

[matt167]

yeah, on a 2004 which is still 'fairly' new. all those problems equal a boat that was not taken care of. left out, and probably not winterized leading to engine replacement

 

[Scott06]

My first thoughts are previous owner didn't take care of it or cover it. Really just depends on how much they will take off blue book value . Remember if they were simple or cheap the seller would have done them along the way.

Interior and ballast system will will be pricey. I would think to have it done nicely you'd pay $3-4 for a large interior like that , ballast system maybe another $2k - they probably didn't winterize the ballast, maybe engine too.

I bought a project boat needed only a engine to replace cracked block, everything else was in great shape. By the time I swapped the V6 for a V8, fixed the trailer brakes and tires , did some maintenance ...I spent about 30% more than I thought I would, but in the end all in I spent $10 k and had a boat worth about $17 k. That difference was worth it for me, there has gotta be enough room between what you pay and what it's worth turnkey /good shape that the work you put in will be worth something.

Will you be doing the work or paying some one ?

 

[tpenfield]

Not much potential, unless you are looking for a project. Is it free? :noidea:

 

[Bob_VT]

I echo the above comments and it sounds as if it was not taken care of. Dependent on the price I would probably walk away. Interior alone can cost big big bucks because it is all custom made and same with a wrap which will only cover problems.

Shop a bit - now is the time for bargains that people do not want to store for the winter.

Welcome to iboats!

 

[roffey]

I have had almost zero experience with inboard motors but I would think its much the same as a car transmission. Thinking just because you replaced the motor the transmission likely would be OK. It depends on why the motor was replace and as stated earlier in the thread the owner does not look like they took care of the boat so who knows. I think it would all come down to price. I believe those boat are a high droller item so with that in mind it might be worth spending time and money on it. Me personally, I would walk. It would be to much of a project for me..

 

[Scott Danforth]

a 2004 is at the end of its designed life. consider it a candidate for a complete restoration (short of the motor)

unless you like working on boats, walk away and find a water-ready boat.

 

[ahicks]

My take is it's about price for sure going into it, but to add to that this is obviously going to be a hole in the water that you can only fill with money. Money that you will likely never see again even after selling the boat. So this in mind, you have to ask does this boat look like something you would like to own for 10 years or so once fixed up? Owning it for a while, and getting some use out of it, is the ONLY way you're going to get some of your investment back.

If you look at this as a fixer upper that you can flip for a few extra bucks when done, I think you're in for an expensive lesson.

 

[shrew]

2) There are several spider web cracks in the gel coat in different places on the boat. When I run my hand over them I can't feel anything so definitely below the gel coat.

Spider cracks occur where there is movement (typically significant deflection) of the substructure. Common on stresses to cleats and stanchion. On the hull, they are usually from impacts, such as to dock or trailers.

4) On the bottom of the hull there are several spots that are round about the size of my large hand that are discolored from the rest of the hull. I pressed it and it is not soft nor is there a raised edge. I have no idea what this could be.

These are fiberglass repairs where they didn't color match the gelcoat well. They probably didn't care since it was the hull.

If you put together spider cracks, firberglass repairs and a new engine.....this sounds a lot like this boat might have sunk.

You don't normally get hull damage out of the water, and it's hard to keep the water out when there's hull damage.