To Restore or Not......

jfried

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
30
Excuse my ignorance as I'm a newbie to these forums and couldn't realy find anything applicable using the seach.

We've got a 22' 1988 Chris Craft 225 CD LTD cuddy cabin that is all original with a Merc 350 Mag sterndrive. The boat has served us extremely well as a family boat for the last 20 years with relatively few problems; however its starting to show its age & we'd like to have a bit more power.

While we've considered a newer boat; this size & hull suit us extremely well because we have a very tight & shallow dock to maneuvre around, and the boat doesn't sit too deep in the water considering its size and the full 8'6 beam. It also planes extremely quickly & doesn't mind the 3-4 foot chop we get on some days.

Rather than simply going out and buying a new boat, I've come up with the thought to completely rejuvenate & try to make it into basically a new boat with a more modern powerplant, electronics, and interior; and possibly go with a 496 Big Block motor as opposed to the 350; or at least a modern 6.2 (if the 496 ends up taking up too much interior space, or maybe patch the transom and go to a dual-engine setup). When dismantling the boat, I'd problably like to add some things lie cold-boxes in the floor, and maybe convert the "engine box with a seat on either side" to a big sunpad and a 4 person bench seat.

My question is; has anyone embarked on a project like this? (to try and rejuvenate an older performance oriented boat) & would anyone have any guidance or suggestions?
 

ezmobee

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
23,767
Re: To Restore or Not......

this size & hull suit us extremely well because we have a very tight & shallow dock to maneuver around, and the boat doesn't sit too deep in the water considering its size and the full 8'6 beam. It also planes extremely quickly & doesn't mind the 3-4 foot chop we get on some days.

It's difficult to find a boat whose layout and performance suits your needs so well. Sounds like a good candidate for restoration. I would not consider the dual drive set-up though as that's just too major of a project and too much of a change to the boat's original configuration. If you were set on that idea I'd look for a hull that's already set up that way and work on that. However, if your current set-up works well already, adding a larger, more modern motor can only increase your satisfaction.
 

TommyA

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
Messages
148
Re: To Restore or Not......

Another question you need to answer is will you be doing the rework or are you planning on hiring it all out. If you are fairly handy and have some tools you can do the restoration within reason. Hiring it all out would probably be more expensive than buying a new boat. Even If you did all of the rework except the repowering would still be within reason.
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: To Restore or Not......

new boat minimum, is going to be upward of $30,000. if you can find one you like better than your present boat. how much can you do to your boat for $30,000. just remember it will be a labor of love, not an investment. but when you consider have many years you have gotten out of her already, and how many more your will get refitting her.
 

oops!

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
12,932
Re: To Restore or Not......

it sounds like you have an exellent candidate for restoration.....

what i would do is....... read read read. this forum has everything in detail you will ever run into.

once you have an idea of what the boat needs. you will have an idea of the amount of time you will need to spend on the proj.

it will be considerable. but well worth it.

on the motor drive forums (here at i boats) you will see that you can make your boat go as fast as you want. there is speed/horspower/gear ratio/prop pitch charts, that will tell you exactally what you need to do to go faster. chances are you will not have to do too much to your existing engine for greater speed/hp.

if you decide to do the project, post here on the forum, we can guide you step by step thru every stage. if your dilligent and meticoulous, you will have the best boat that your familly could need or want.

good luck on your decision

cheers
oops
 

jfried

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
30
Re: To Restore or Not......

Thanks for all the comments & help.

While cost isn't the main motivation for doing thinking about doing this type of project; I feel as though the math does make sense. To get a 22-23 foot boat with the kind of power I'd like to have (either a modern 6.2 or a big block); I think I'd be spending well over 30K. If I did buy a new boat; I would try to save up for something like the Stingray 230SX; but I'll be saving a long time.

Whereas with completely "rejuvenating" the boat; I might spend 15K on a brand new full motor & outdrive; and then maybe 10 to make the boat like new cosmetically. There's no way I'm gonna make the money back; but if i keep the boat for another 20 years, who cares.

It would problably be a combination of me doing some of it & hiring it out when it comes to things like the motor...... In terms of a few more specifc questions.............

1. Since I'll be removing the entire interior & likely replacing the floor; I should problably consider the possibiliy that the "structure" of the boat might be rotting a bit and it would be worthwhile to replace whatever is rotting.

2. In terms of power; I'll likely be going from an 1988 Alpha drive to a relatively new Bravo1 or Alpha1 drive with either the 6.2 or 496 Big block. (dual drive seems like more work than benefit).

Doing this conversion; will I have to A) patch small holes from the old outdrive? or B) end up having to completely replace the transom with something stronger to hold up to the bigger power. (I think the stock engine was rated at 230hp; I'm talking about potentially putting in 400 if I can find a lightly used motor). As a followup question, would I have to worry about the excess stress of the bigger motor basically tearing the boat apart? The last thing I want to do is compromise safety; but I feel as though a boat my size should have no problem being "overpowered" by a big block.

3. I've seen tons of restorations where people take old boats and put smaller engines in them becasue they are more fuel efficient; has anyone done a project where they take an older boat and try to get more performance out of it? / know any of the risks/pitfalls of doing this type of restoration?
 

oops!

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
12,932
Re: To Restore or Not......

by the way......

WELCOME TO I BOATS

this is boat university
 

NSBCraig

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
1,907
Re: To Restore or Not......

Sounds cool.

I've seen 496 HO mercs going for around $11k with very little hours on them.

Look into XR drives though for that motor. That's what the Velocity factory installed in my brothers boat.

Scream and fly.com is one place to look check out their buy/ sell forum.

Also check offshore only.com.
 

oops!

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
12,932
Re: To Restore or Not......

Thanks for all the comments & help.

While cost isn't the main motivation for doing thinking about doing this type of project; I feel as though the math does make sense. To get a 22-23 foot boat with the kind of power I'd like to have (either a modern 6.2 or a big block); I think I'd be spending well over 30K. If I did buy a new boat; I would try to save up for something like the Stingray 230SX; but I'll be saving a long time.

Whereas with completely "rejuvenating" the boat; I might spend 15K on a brand new full motor & outdrive; and then maybe 10 to make the boat like new cosmetically. There's no way I'm gonna make the money back; but if i keep the boat for another 20 years, who cares.

It would problably be a combination of me doing some of it & hiring it out when it comes to things like the motor...... In terms of a few more specifc questions.............

1. Since I'll be removing the entire interior & likely replacing the floor; I should problably consider the possibiliy that the "structure" of the boat might be rotting a bit and it would be worthwhile to replace whatever is rotting.

2. In terms of power; I'll likely be going from an 1988 Alpha drive to a relatively new Bravo1 or Alpha1 drive with either the 6.2 or 496 Big block. (dual drive seems like more work than benefit).

Doing this conversion; will I have to A) patch small holes from the old outdrive? or B) end up having to completely replace the transom with something stronger to hold up to the bigger power. (I think the stock engine was rated at 230hp; I'm talking about potentially putting in 400 if I can find a lightly used motor). As a followup question, would I have to worry about the excess stress of the bigger motor basically tearing the boat apart? The last thing I want to do is compromise safety; but I feel as though a boat my size should have no problem being "overpowered" by a big block.

3. I've seen tons of restorations where people take old boats and put smaller engines in them becasue they are more fuel efficient; has anyone done a project where they take an older boat and try to get more performance out of it? / know any of the risks/pitfalls of doing this type of restoration?

1.while your in there, if it looks like it need it, replace it all. stringers, transom and deck. when you do that you can add your "wish list" to the structure.

2. over 300 hp you need bravo or volvo....(no alpha can cut 350 hp) (i was going to go bravo 3, but then decided to go volvo, they are fantastic drives.

2.a.......when you rebild the transom, you make the new hols size whatever you want.

3. lots of us........read hull ext in progress, for starters......then just start reading on this forum....youll be surprised how many people there are with the same idea.
 
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