1964 Alumacraft Maracaibo Restore or Sell? - - with Center Bench Seat (not pass-thru)

Nick_n_Jnsvl

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Hello everyone. New guy here also and I found this thread since I;m thinking of either restoring or selling my 1964 Maracaibo. I am the 3rd owner as it was used exclusively on Lake Beulah here in Wisconsin since it was new in '64 till about 1978 when my dad bought it. The trailer was junk and bent up from getting turned over in a ditch (while it was empty) on it's way to pick up the boat one Fall day we were told. My dad bought a brand new Sportsman trailer in '78 for it. The boat has the original Johnson 40HP Electroshift on it, and even the white vinyl seats are in fair shape. I remember when my dad bought it in '77, my mom said it was the fanciest boat they ever had and commenced cleaning the interior and treating the seats with vinyl conditioner.

Well, mom and dad had to move out of their house so I got the boat in '81 and cleaned it up some more as well as polished the windshield to look like new. My wife and I used it with the kids for many years up to about 1997 for fishing and even tubing! That 'ol Johnson 40 has some power let me tell you. Anyways, it has pretty much sat covered and inside stored for the past 12 years or so and now not sure what I want to do. I have some home remodel underway and I also restore 70's electronics silver faced receivers. So... another project with the Alumacraft? I don't know if I am up for it or even if the motor will start. I have turned it over every year by hand without running to keep the cylinders free and sprayed oil down the spark plug holes. Also, I remember back in about '89 I took it in because of starting problems and had a tune up with brand new coils, plugs, wires, points, etc. If I recall, the epoxy coil covering got cracked with age.

The good news is, I have some sales brochures from back in the day, maybe an owners manual, and some documentation my dad had from Alumacraft including a pair of brand new rear decals for the back sides. My idea was to try a restore, starting with a tear off of the now kind of worn transom board (?). Don't know a lot of boat terminology. I have no clue what material would be good for that. Something better than just multi layer plywood that gets chewed up? I thought about using a good grade of marine plywood, but also fasten a layer of tough polypropylene or something over it where the motor clamps on? But that might be too slippery for the motor to grip.

As I say, I don't know if I really have the time or knowledge to undertake this. I DO remember how nice of a ride this little boat is though. It just speeds right along and the good part is that it will cruise at darn near 25mph or so on a plane without "getting into the carb" and get amazing gas mileage. I recall using it up on a large northern lake ( Lake Namakagon) which is about 6 miles long or so and has many bays. You could cruise for 30 to 45 minutes at a time easily. Well, we cruised and fished all day on a fresh 6 gallons and had over 2 gallons left at the end of the day. At the same time, we could take the kids (and a few adults) tubing for 1 1/2 to 2 hours and maybe use 4 to 5 gallons.

Well, I'm writing this because I have to decide since I would like some garage space and don't want to go back to paying for indoor storage for the boat like I did for some 10 years or so.

What's a boat like this worth anymore anyway? I suppose it depends on whether a person wants one and how many are there?
 

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jbcurt00

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Re: 1964 Alumacraft Maracaibo Restore or Sell? - - with Center Bench Seat (not pass-t

What's a boat like this worth anymore anyway?

Mostly this: I suppose it depends on whether a person wants one

Unless an exceptional example, very little of this: how many are there?


And unless the boat maker has a cult like following:
Our own Starcraft owner's group
another site's Crestliner resto page
the ChrisCraft group online (great for vintage wooden CC's)
many of the other early 1900's wooden boat makers
or my own additional affliction, FeatherCrafts

It is unlikely that a factory correct restoration to original condition will be worth anywhere near what it would cost to complete.

A project boat hull needing attention is worth close to what the trailer & motor are 'worth', without both, most aren't worth much. Aluminum boats are often barely worth more then scrap value, w/ a rotten interior, and little salvageable components & hardware.
 

Alumadisston

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Re: 1964 Alumacraft Maracaibo Restore or Sell? - - with Center Bench Seat (not pass-t

What a great story! Im restoring that same boat and look forward to pulling the kids around on tubes and fishing from it. I know its not an ideal boat for a large family, but it will be great to get out and cruise around the lake.

Would you be willing to share pictures of your boat? I'm very interested to see the bench seat and the interior.

So did you end up selling the boat or are you going to hang on to it?
 

greenbush future

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Re: 1964 Alumacraft Maracaibo Restore or Sell? - - with Center Bench Seat (not pass-t

With the story you justy shared, and depending on how rough the boat is, I would do it and then give it to one of your kids. Keep it in the family, the story is worth more than the boat ever will. That said, new floors, stringers, transom, interior and some light engine work, could be $2000.00 guessing. Much more if you make it perfect. We need pictures of your boat to really tell.
 

Nick_n_Jnsvl

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Re: 1964 Alumacraft Maracaibo Restore or Sell? - - with Center Bench Seat (not pass-t

What a great story! Im restoring that same boat and look forward to pulling the kids around on tubes and fishing from it. I know its not an ideal boat for a large family, but it will be great to get out and cruise around the lake.

Would you be willing to share pictures of your boat? I'm very interested to see the bench seat and the interior.

So did you end up selling the boat or are you going to hang on to it?


Well, it's winter here yet and too cold in the gargage to work for long, so I still have it and am undecided. I will be taking some picture when the weather is better. It is in fair shape, paint mostly intact except for the bottom and some galling (shallow gouges) from docking mistakes, rocks, etc.

I have some older pictures from film I may be able to scan and post. I do really like a vintage boat like this. Simple, speeds along at a reasonable clip, and is just cool to look at from a bygone era. Even in the early 90s when I took it out it turned heads as if to say. .. "Wow. . . it still runs?" :D
 

Nick_n_Jnsvl

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Jan 12, 2013
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Re: 1964 Alumacraft Maracaibo Restore or Sell? - - with Center Bench Seat (not pass-t

With the story you justy shared, and depending on how rough the boat is, I would do it and then give it to one of your kids. Keep it in the family, the story is worth more than the boat ever will. That said, new floors, stringers, transom, interior and some light engine work, could be $2000.00 guessing. Much more if you make it perfect. We need pictures of your boat to really tell.


Hi and thanks for your reply! I figured between $2K and $3K to get it looking pretty nice. Not sure how the engine is after all these years. That Johnson is pretty tough cookie though. I have a small 3HP Johnson from the 60s I still use for our 14' Sears fishing boat and it runs like a champ. It's one of those break-down fold in half motors with the fiber glass case. Anyway, yes I will be posting pictures but not for awhile after it warms up. Still undecided.
 

64osby

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Re: 1964 Alumacraft Maracaibo Restore or Sell? - - with Center Bench Seat (not pass-t

Your 3hp folding with case is a valuable motor. I've seen them sell for up to $500 in good condition with the case.

Don't know the condition of the boat. It sounds nice but pictures would be nice too see. We love picture here.:D
 
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