Interested in Aristocraft 19, what do you think?

[Newbietobe]

I need help!!!! I have been looking for a 19 for a few months now as a first boat. They are pretty scarce as you know, especially in my area of NJ. There is one on Craigslist for $3,125. I just received pictures and they are a bit intimidating. Can someone from this forum with more experience tell what is going on here? The hull looks off-white but white on the very bottom - does it just need buffing? The rub rail on the port side looks pieced in and there appears to be a rub mark on the hull. The boat has flaking paint on upper half and hard top... Can it be brought back down to original gelcoat do you think? The inside seats ok, can buy new from Oem, the out drive looks crusty...is this from salt water use? Is this a problem for the innards of the engine and drive? The gentleman selling the boat is saying it was used in lake hopatcong. The rear by engine looks like standing water collected there. He also said he ran it three times on muffs and it runs good. I think this boat is overpriced but I don't know by how much. Any thoughts on how big a money pit this might be and how much experience you need to have to bring it back would be greatly appreciated!!!!!! No picture of the engine and he hasn't said which it has. Is this worth going to see? I would put a value on it as-is, based on what I've seen for sale at about $900. What do you think? Thanks!

 

[jbcurt00]

New
Moved this to a topic of your own. Try not to ask questions specific to you, in other member's topics. You'll get much better advice, specific to your boat, or it's purchase, here in your own topic.

Thanks

I removed the duplicate copies of your pix, did you have 10 different pix, or just the 5?

From the pix, it does look like there's peeling/flaking paint on the top cap (maroon), that isn't original. Originally, it would have been gelcoat, and wouldn't peel/flake like that. So why was it painted? Being painted may also account for the white/off-white hull you noticed. Again, why was it painted?

It may have been painted solely to make it look better, or change the color scheme, but I think 19's were often this maroon over off-white. Perhaps this year's model wasn't, but that's what a previous owner wanted.

Often it's to cover repairs (sufficient, well done repair??) or gelcoat that wasn't in good shape and the owner didn't want to pay for a full respray w/ gelcoat.

The interior looks rough.

Why is there diamond plate on the deck between the helm seats?

Does the hardtop still slide fore/aft and latch/seal well to the windshield?

Good news is that I think these came w/ no wood below decks so there shouldn't be any rotten stringers to remove/replace. I'm pretty sure the deck is wood though. But don't hold me to the no wood below deck. The transom will have wood in it, and perhaps the seat bases do too.

IMO, $900 is the upper limit, IF the trailer will roll (may need tires/bearings to be safe to tow) and the motor will fire and on muffs. Many forget that trailer work sucks and can get expensive too just like inexpensive boats.

I do LOVE the look of the 19's and there may be a little bump in price because they aren't real common, lots of people like them and sellers think they're 'rare and very valuable'. IMO, not $3K though.

Good luck and welcome to Iboats

 

[GA_Boater]

Welcome aboard.

My AC had only had wood in the seat bases, transom and two floor locker lids. The diamond plates in the floor are replacements for the locker lids.

The tracks for the sliding roof are messed up or it's out of the tracks. Looks like the side windows are missing as well.

The only color from the factory is on the carpet, seats and the hardtop, optionally some had hull top colors matching the hardtop.

It's hard to comment on much else because the pics don't show enough detail. I think the boat was slipped and the bottom of the hull and chalky outdrive kind of confirm that for me. But you need eyeballs on the ground to see what it really looks like.

$3500-$900 - I don't know? I would need to see it in person. Hope it works out. My Aristocraft was the best fiberglass boat I ever owned.

 

[Scott Danforth]

welcome aboard.

yes, the 19 is a beautiful boat. the example you found may be a diamond in the rough, however from the pics its rough.

looks like the top was painted to match the hull, interior will need a complete gut and rehab. outdrive and bottom looks like it sat in the water for a long time.

pictures wont show the condition of the stringers/transom/floor, etc.

if you love the boat, offer the $900

 

[ziggy]

The hull looks off-white but white on the very bottom - does it just need buffing?

all i can say is that my nineteen, the hull is off white, everywhere.

The rub rail on the port side looks pieced in and there appears to be a rub mark on the hull.

rub rails can be replace and rub marks on the hull can be buffed out. i buffed a couple of rub marks off mine, some of which were self inflicted.

The boat has flaking paint on upper half and hard top... Can it be brought back down to original gelcoat do you think?

sounds painful to bring it back to original after being painted like that. i'm quite sure it's been painted and not the original color.

The inside seats ok, can buy new from Oem

imho, the seats look pretty shaky too. the back ones are probably the oem ones. they say AristoCraft on them (may lead you to what the original color was) , the ft. brown ones are poor fitting aftermarket.

the out drive looks crusty...is this from salt water use?

don't know, but the drive could be replaced. likely an mc-1 drive, alpha 1 will fit i believe (sei replacement).

Is this a problem for the innards of the engine and drive?

hard to say w/o inspection. but with a boat that looks like that, i would suspect internal failing with either the drive or the engine. that boat looks neglected and engineered.

The rear by engine looks like standing water collected there.

my boat sits out in the weather, covered. i don't have standing water anywhere. i can't see what yer talking about, but if water is standing somewhere, back to a neglected boat.

He also said he ran it three times on muffs and it runs good

never beleive the seller. they have motivation to lie. + running on the hose don't mean it'll run and perform when in the water.

I think this boat is overpriced but I don't know by how much.

i agree, over priced. how much, i don't know. it looks like it could easy be a money pit imho.

how much experience you need to have to bring it back

if you don't have the experience now, you will have by the time you have that boat water ready. if yer mechanically inclined and have a mercruiser service manual, you can fix most items yer self.

Is this worth going to see?

depends on how close it is. i got mine 540 miles away, but it looked like it was worth going to see, that one, not so much. unless ya like to work on boats instead of going boating.
the hardtop is missing the hardtop slides, they may be available from AristoCraft.
hardtop side windows and center window are missing. windows may be available from AristoCraft. there is a top rail for the center window that appears to be missing. likely an nla item from anywhere.
agree with others. nineteens are desirable boats.
imho, that ones a little rough. $900???? maybe. gonna be lots of work to get her up and looking good though.
if ya don't get that one, be diligent. keep looking. i've loved mine over the years. very good boats that are unique.