Need advice on possible purchase

I've been wanting an aluminum boat now for years but the cash has just never been there for a new one.
Last week I was made aware of one for sale that needs some work. An old Duratech 17' open hull, the model I believe is Sportboat. I searched the web and found Duratechboats.com, but was wandering what a bare hull in good condition is really worth. The boat I'm looking at will need new plywood floors and all new steering. I have a motor I'd like to use, an older outboard. The current owner really wasn't advertising the boat for sale but its parked in his back yard, and he lives next door to a buddy of mine. It took him a week to give me the price of $1800 for the hull.
If it were a run of the mill Starcraft or other riveted hull, I would probably say that seems high, but this thing is built like a tank. It's not the normal light tinny aluminum that is common on most boats. This thing feels heavy.
Its currently sitting on a brand new 2005 trailer, the owner said he bought the trailer for the boat new when he bought it in 2005, and it's never been wet or towed other than to get the boat home. He wants $1500 for the trailer, which to me seems too heavy for the boat, but it does fit well. I priced a new trailer and was told $2600 for that same trailer at the dealer.
Either way, I've got a good bunk trailer that will fit the boat, so that expense isn't an issue, I'm just trying to decide whether or not to pull the trigger on the boat itself at $1800. (He won't budge off the price, and I've never seen another boat like this around here).
I figure I could have all the wood work done in a weekend or less, even if I replaced the transom wood. The only thing left to buy would be a seat and any accessories I wish to add.

Re: Need advice on possible purchase

Unless you plan on restoring it, then let it for a collector. That is where the value is.

As soon as you alter it or customize it, it loses value to any collector.

They are heavy boats, but is that really something you need?
500,000 aluminum boat owners have lighter boats.

His trailer sounds insanely expensive.


Lots of hulls out there that are water ready for $1800.

just my opinion.

Re: Need advice on possible purchase

I thought the trailer was high too until I priced a new one at the dealer here. The cheapest I could find a full roller trailer was $2600 for a 17' boat, but that had a 2400 lb GVW rating.
I don't figure this needs that much trailer. I've got a bunk trailer that should take it just fine.

I've looked all over at various boats and everything I find here is either beat up or salt eaten. I had a Mirrocraft a number of years ago that got all eaten up down in the keel area and around the rivets. So much so that I junked it.
There was no way to get to the lower hull to clean it after it was exposed to saltwater.

I don't need the super heavy hull but I like the added protection and this hull looks super clean, there's not a speck of corrosion anywhere. That means a lot in a saltwater area.

The deck is basically two pieces of 3/4" plywood now that were covered in Nautolex, I'd just do the same, maybe leaving out the Nautolex in favor of Epoxy paint or rubber mat. I would probably just build a simple side console and use the original as a template. Three sheets of plywood at best is all it would take.

I was going to take this years tax return and go down to the dealer and buy a new hull and do the same thing anyway but the price this year has almost doubled on the same boat I looked at last summer. A 17' V hull with a wide open deck is over $4,000. I'd love to find something cheaper but all I've seen have been closed bow runabouts in 16' or overpriced, well used 20 year old boats which I won't know anything about until it's too late. This thing is already gutted down to a bare hull, he has floor templates made from the deck he removed to copy, and it was built from day one as a wide open deck boat. All of the lighter boats all use the seats, console or rod boxes as structure to support the gunwales in some way, so they really can't be removed and left unsupported. One thing I'd like to end up with is a wide open deck with lots of fishing room. The older hulls also have a flatter bottom, this thing has almost no V at the stern, meaning it will run in super shallow water.
I really like the super duty transom too, the transom metal is nearly 1/8" thick.

My fishing buddy, who pointed this boat out to me, has a Starcraft Super Sport with leaking rivets, its been popping rivets for the past 10 years. It looses a few every time it gets into rough water. Its also got a few dock scars and some corrosion from electrolysis from when the last owner kept it in the water with a battery charger connected full time.

I did look at a Starcraft Mariner but it had damage on one gunwale from years of rubbing the dock, the owner still was asking $2400, with no trailer and a 40 year old motor that was hard to start.
I don't really care to deal with a complete boat that needs a ton of work. I really had intended to just go buy a new hull and hang my motor but at this years prices that's not going to happen. I allotted roughly $2500 for a boat, I already have the trailer and a motor, if I buy the Duratech, I'm in it for $1800, plus about $80 in plywood, $100 in epoxy paint, $55 for Gluvit just in case, and $60 for control cables, and $150 for a steering kit. Any other items will be minor. I've got a radio from the old boat, I've got an anchor, rod holders, and compass, and even a good seat and pedestal if I choose to reuse it.
I see a quick to fix project that could be ready for the water by the time the weather turns.

I was thinking that a roller trailer would be nice though, but I'm not sure I want to spring for something I don't NEED right now. I'll have to really think about that one.

Re: Need advice on possible purchase

Don't know where you live, but near Chicago, is a shop that has 14 brand new old stock (2006), all welded, galvanized Karavan trailers. 2300#, will fit 17 or 17.5' boat. He is clearing them out for $850.

Re: Need advice on possible purchase

You should post your location, cuz your pricing sounds way out of whack from typical (non-pacific northwest) U.S. pricing.

In my neck of the woods, a project aluminum hull with no motor on a trailer should definitely be a 3 digit number. I got this for $1000 http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/New Boat/DSCF2139.jpg (no interior, motor untested or verified)

Re: Need advice on possible purchase

I'm near the Jersey shore, everything here is salt eaten.
I've looked at dozens of boats in the $500 to $1000 range and all had pretty serious corrosion or electrolysis damage
What I'm looking to do is set this up for crabbing and running a trot line and maybe some commercial traps. I need deck space and it needs to be towable with my truck. I looked at a 19' Starcraft Lake Fisherman 19 today, we took it out on the water for a sea test and it took on over 30 gallons of water in 15 minutes. I couldn't see any loose or missing rivets and we never took it up to speed, but it leaked pretty bad. The rear transom seam was covered in sealer and it had patches all over the hull. He only wanted $875, but it didn't come with the motor, and the trailer was rusty and needed all new rollers, tires, and lights.
I walked away, I don't care to deal with a total wreck or any corrosion. I can do paint, woodwork, and electrical but I don't care to have to weld in patches or replace rivets. The best one I looked at was an 18' closed bow Holiday but it was gutted and the guy wanted $2400 with no motor or trailer. He wouldn't budge off that price. The hull was minty clean though.
I don't figure many people will sell any aluminum hull below scrap price, and most seem to think the bare hull is still worth $1000 or more. Those that are cheap, need major work. I also really don't want a bow rider configuration, I want a wide open hull and either a single or no console at all. I was thinking of mounting the steering on the gunwale with the throttle there as well, that way I can control the boat standing at the Starboard gunwale while tending the trot line.

The Duratech looks perfect for that.

I'm open to other suggestions or if anyone sees anything say within 75 miles or so of Phila. I'd take a look.
I had one guy that had a completely restored Starcraft SS but it had no title, it came from a non title state and he had no old registration to sign over. There was no way to register it here in NJ. He only wanted $2500 for it complete with a 90's Mercury on it.

I really don't want a huge motor, I have a small twin cylinder outboard I plan to use, and I have a good trailer, so I only need the hull.

EZ: It looks like you got a deal there, although here, if that trailer is painted, it wouldn't last more than a season or two in the saltwater or just in the salt air here. I have enough trouble keeping galvanized trailers from rusting away. Your trailer looks like an old TeeNee trailer I used to own that was under a 60's trihull. It rusted out where the springs attach to the frame.

I am going to look at one or two more tomorrow, one is a $1200 Mirrocraft 17' that resembles your boat but I don't have high hopes as he says the transom is 'torn'. The other is an unknown brand with a homemade title, its in the same area so I'll take a look. Both are cheap, but neither have rolling trailers, and neither include running motors.

Re: Need advice on possible purchase

Well a bowrider can easily be converted to a side console so definitely don't discount those. Keep your eye on SearchTempest in the east of you areas and you should be able to find something. Starcraft, Smokercraft, Sea Nymph, Mirrocraft, Crestliner, Blue Fin, Sylvan, etc etc would be good tinnie search terms.

I don't launch much in salt. I've taken my boat to Ocean City, MD twice and it is just AWESOME how much damage just two salt dunkings due to a steel trailer. AWESOME. My Tee Nee does have a real thick C channel main frame that could be cleaned up and painted and kept pretty nice. I could easily see how the thinner spring mount angles would be a weak spot just like you said. However I am so not ever rehabbing a trailer again. Been there, done that. After I found out a brand new galvanized for my boat is under $1500, I figure when mine gets too ugly I'll just get a new one. I MAY throw a coat of paint on mine to make it last a little longer, or I may not There was a dude locally selling and almost new high end Load Rite galv trailer for a grand that I would have absolutely picked up (if I weren't married) .

Re: Need advice on possible purchase

I was down in Vineland about a month ago and a guy there had a couple of super nice full roller trailers for sale for $800 each, they were on the light side but would take at least a 19' boat. I think they were both 16 roller trailers, one was under a Starchief.

I've looked at a few Duratech boats over the past year, I've always liked the way they were made, there's a lot to be said for extreme over engineering. The guy with those trailers had one there last summer, but I don't recall seeing the last time I was there. I'm not sure if he's working on it, sold it, or just moved it. He has multiple places in the area.

The one I saw was an open 16 or 17' hull, with a small side console, he was redoing the deck when I last saw it. He had his on a wider roller trailer which let it sit low down between the trailer fenders. It looked super cool on the trailer and was probably real easy to launch.
He was running a 115hp Evinrude on his.

I've had painted trailers in saltwater, there's never anything good that comes from dunking one in the brine. Once they hit the salt, the damage seems to be done, the rust starts in places you can't get at to stop before it's too late. I had a similar trailer to EZ's but mine has an adjustable axle set up, the axle hardware attached to a pair of angle iron saddles that could be slid fore and aft. The frame rusted out between the axle mounting angle iron and the frame. For what ever reason, on mine I cut both frame rails out and replaced them with heavier steel and made up a new axle carriage assembly. It was in no way worth the time or labor but since I had the materials just sitting around, it cost me nothing but time.

Re: Need advice on possible purchase

Any pics of this boat?

I would say, keep looking. $1800 for a hull?

Re: Need advice on possible purchase

$1800 for a good solid hull is a lot better than what they want for a new one, and I've not seen anything any better in over three years of looking. I want either something in the 16 1/2 to 18' range, something larger than the run of mill 16' Starcraft, I want an open floor plan, something that has lots of room to walk around and also to stack crab pots. The flatter the bottom of the boat the better. It also has to be something I can launch and load myself.

I looked at a few more brands of new boats yesterday but there is basically nothing out there with a flat deck and a V hull. Even so, the price is well over $4000 for anything in this range.
I'm open to suggestions.
About a year ago I looked at one custom built boat with a diamond plate deck, 80" beam and extra deep sides that was a totally open deck with only a small console on the right but the bare hull on that was $7700. It was wider than the Duratech but not near as heavily built and the hull wasn't as deep.