Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

I picked up a Marlin 213 with what looks to be a mercruiser 140 motor and mercruiser alpha 1. Purchased at storage auction so no contact or history from previous owner. Vandalized and been sitting for awhile.

Hull- There is a patch job, see pics. This looks to be done correctly just needing the final touches before paint. The hull looks to be sound and when I just did alittle scrubbing all the dirtt was coming off, going to remove all decals and buff topside, repaint lower a dark blue while doing bottom paint.

Engine- I dont think it has run in atleast 5 years and im prepared to replace the motor if need be but hope I dont have to. A few parts looking missing, not sure if these were stolen or removed for repair of motor. What steps should I do to check if this motor is sound? if not should I replace with the same motor or go bigger or even outboard? the outdrive seems to be in very good shape considering the rest of the boat.

Windows- Im thinking of going to a business thats nearby that accepts custom polycarbonate work unless you can think of a cheaper option. Bring in the hatch and front windows and just let them make the new pieces. Upper windows not sure yet on how to tackle custom glass.

Interior- going to check for any rot, replace subfloor with marine plywood and recarpet and also fab new engine cover. Will worry about cuddy interior and redoing rest of interior last.

Im pretty new to boats other then my dads 30ft Newport and a couple dinghys with small motors but have restored and rebuilt alot of cars. It looks like when it was in storage it got completely vandalized(all windows broken, interior trashed, parts stolen). This looks pretty bad and suggestions and help would be great.

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

more pics

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

Welcome to iBoats. . .

Kind of like buying a pair of hiking shoes and heading up Mt Everest .

I think it is a Merc 140, but others may have a more precise input. You may have an engine that is internally rusted, as the exhaust is open to the weather, so rainwater, etc would flow into the cylinders.

Get the serial number off the engine (should be on a plate riveted to the engine somewhere. Then get the maintenance manual for that engine. That will give you a good idea on how things go together, etc. I would pull the spark plugs and the exhaust manifold . . . maybe even the intake manifold and get some fogging oil into the cylinders, etc.

Is this in an areas where there are freezing temperatures over the winter? If so, then it may have a cracked block. If not then probably fine.

I would also start taking the interior stuff out (seats, etc) so you can get a good assesment of the floor and the structure.

Just wondering your budget for this?

I'm thinking about $3-$4K, maybe a bit more.

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

Thank you for your reply. The boat is located and bought in southern california but has oregon registration/plates from what looks to be 2002/2003.

budget i would really like to keep it about 3k for the rebuild but ok going more. Is fogging oil similar to marvels mystery oil? I have used that a few times. Ive gotten a 66 olds motor running after sitting 25 years but boat motors and car engines can be so similar yet so damn different.

I feel this boat is easily a 7k-8k boat when completed if I do all the work im listing. From what ive researched it seems to be a pretty good ocean going boat too. I have seen complete rebuilt merc 140 motors ready to drop in with accessories already attached for under 2k so I guess thats worst case scenario but might be best idea for reliability and just peace of mind.

Definately going to start pulling interior asap. already removed some.

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

NEVER assume a boat is an investment. it is purely a hobby.


the hull has a bit of patching - make sure its sound. from sitting in the elements, you will want to check the foam, stringers, and transom.

used running motors are easy enough to come by if you need a motor.

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

I would get the motor pulled and tear it down tpenfeld is right that witht hat exhaust riser missing and the cover off the rain woul dhave be dumping water into the cylinders and rusting them so the engine may be frozen. Some Rislone or Marvels would be fine to dump in there to free things up but I would pull the head and see what it looks like. More than likely that motor needs a rebuild best case worst case its shot. Can you get it running as is? It's possible but do you want to trust it when your 25 miles out in the ocean on a 3 hour tour?

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

Oh I know a boat isnt an investment, my dad dumped so much into his newport but since I got this boat for next to nothing its going to be hard to not squeeze a profit out of it plus have some fun. I have been wanting a bluewater capable fishing boat for awhile and hopefully this was fate dropping it on my lap.


How exactly do you check the foam and tell if its still good? I know how to get to it but like what am I looking for when I get to it.

I think game plan will be to clean out the engine area, get a new battery. Pull plugs and put in some marvels and try to just turn it over. Once free do some more inspection.

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

I would let the marvels soak in for about a month. Put some in everyday before you ever try turning it over. I would at least take off the exhaust and look for rust in the ports you can poor the marvels in through the exhaust ports then too and make sure to keep the motor covered and protected.

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

my only issue is that I cant keep the boat at my house right now since I dont have a driveway, only a garage in an alley. Since its a rental house I can even put a gate in the back and park it in the huge backyard, it really sucks. Right now the boat is located about 40 miles from my house.

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

at the top of every forum sub-group is a bunch of stickies. make sure you go thru them.

here is a link to pertinent information on hull restoration

http://forums.iboats.com/boat-resto...r/how-tos-other-great-information-288451.html

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

First thing to do with this auction boat before you sink one dime into it is make sure you can get it registered.

Personally I'd part that thing out. Again, my opinion, but worthwhile resto projects either need a good hull or a good drivetrain. This has neither.

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

Cleaned up a bit, looks 1000x better then when I first got it(atleast in person). Waiting on the paperwork from the auction company and once in my name will start figuring out what will truly happen to it. I did find a nice 200hp outboard that I could steal from this guy for about $800 but doing the inboard to outboard swap looks like a whole new list of headaches.

here are some updated pics...

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

Looking sooo much better, as you said. As far as an I/O to outboard gender change, it looks like it might be easier than a lot of boats, but still a challenge. Railing mod, cap mod, transom patch & mod. Also, it looks like the transom is not set at much of an angle, but that might just be how it looks in the pictures.

Pictures and story line are great, glad to see the progress.

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

I don't know why,...

But something about that boat looks cool,.....

Good luck and have fun,....

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

Teamster said:

I don't know why,...

But something about that boat looks cool,.....

Good luck and have fun,....

Click to expand...

man im liking it too i see great potential but as said make sure hull is floatable safe and solid ??? you can drill lil holes from inside back of transom be carefull not to go all the way through and get core samples same with the stringers once u get deck off .. black shavings soft rotted no good solid reg.. shavings ok ull also be able to feel it when drilling ... Dont be scared take ur time do a good job stay on iboats ull get a lotta different tips from a lotta diff. awesome guys who been boatn for years ... I freaked out on my first one after drilling looking over and being on here i tackled it , now glassing is a pain and a mess do ur research ,mine wasnt perfect but it was solid !!!

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

It has potential,...

I'd be looking for a 5.7 Mercruiser to drop in,....

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

I agree with brnsc.... do the core sample thing. I have a Marlin Islander had rot in the floor and transom. I had some issues with rot. Better to find out now.

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

I'd do a full assessment of what it's going to cost to rebuild, before doing anything on the restore. Reason being, you could spend just as much rebuilding this boat as buying a running boat, but with this boat you would also have a couple hundred hours of restoration work...

That seems like a LOT of boat for a Mercruiser 140, I have one in an 18'er and the performance is just,,, OK. With the exhaust elbow being removed, I'd expect the inside of the engine to be rusted badly and in need of a full rebuild, possibly a cracked block too if it filled with water and froze.

EZ nailed it, this boat doesn't have much going for it, for a resto project, as it just needs too much. Not saying you couldn't do it, but you're going to put a lot of money and effort into it. You'll never get out of it, what you put into it.

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

I found a guy that does interior and floor repairs, I am having him come down and take a look. In reality I got this boat for under $100 including a month of storage so even if I have to spend 4k restoring it or even alittle more its worth it.

Re: Marlin 213, sitting for a long time and vandalized. Need suggestions for a newbie

I really appreciate all the comments and helpfulness everyone is expressing for a new person to the forum. I dont really get why people think its not worth it to repair, its a cool boat with a nice layout. Even if the floor has to be repaired and it needs a repower, whats the big deal? its not like it will only be worth a couple grand when done, it will be a legitimate bluewater capable fishing/pleasure boat with everything being redone, almost like a new boat. Rebuilt ready to drop in motors are under 2k, a few hundred more in maintenance to the alpha 1 and gimbal. Then if the whole floor has to be replaced a couple thousand more its going to be a solid solid boat