Fight or flight

Okay I have a 1980 619 foot Sea Ray cuddy cabin with a 3. O Merc cruiser. I have now found out that the transom is wet the stringers are wet. The problem I have is that I did not want to buy a boat for restoration. So now I am in a spot. I guess I could pull the engine out and the stern drive and sell it to try to get some of my money back or fix the boat. However I do not have the time nor the money to fix the boat please help.

Re: Fight or flight

I meant to say 1986 Sea Ray

Re: Fight or flight

1man2beat said:

However I do not have the time nor the money to fix the boat please help.

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Sounds like you're choice is pretty simple then...
Part it out, or sell it whole, and move on.

This is a pretty tough lesson, but I bet the next one you buy will be in better shape...

Re: Fight or flight

1man2beat said:

Okay I have a 1986 19 foot Sea Ray cuddy cabin with a 3. O Merc cruiser. . . I have now found out that the transom is wet the stringers are wet. . . .The problem I have is that I did not want to buy a boat for restoration. So now I am in a spot. I guess I could pull the engine out and the stern drive and sell it to try to get some of my money back or fix the boat. . . . However I do not have the time nor the money to fix the boat . . . please help.

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Not sure what we can do at this point :noidea: Like Roger said, maybe part it out, but then you gotta get rid of the carcass.

Re: Fight or flight

If its a hull design you like, fix it a little at a time! If money is that tight, I think the chances of you parting it out, then finding a boat in *good* shape you can afford in time for this summer is pushing it. Cheap boats in good shape are tough to find!

Looking at it this way, you could fund it little by little over this summer and next winter and have a nice boat by next summer. Otherwise you may rush yourself into a nicer *looking* boat with almost as many problems. I did :/

Re: Fight or flight

I agree, if you truly like this boat design and layout, I'd try to repair it along the way. There is no guarantee your next boat would not have equal soft transom and stringers problems or so many other problems as well, especially if the price is too good to believe. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for...and sometimes a lot less then you paid for. Either sell what you presently have and start looking again, OR start the refurbishing of those problem issues and learn and enjoy the process along the way as money allows... It is really not that bad to refurbish your boat. If you are even a little mechanically incline you will gain so much self satisfaction, and the pros on here will guide you through it all too...

Re: Fight or flight

It dosen't sound like he's married to this one.
While we all like to preach about the virtues, and personal satisfaction of restoring a boat, two fact's remain;

-It's not cheap. Average cost best I can tell from the restos we all love to read is around 2500-3000 for a full gut and rebuild.
You can buy a nice boat for that. Maybe not a perfect boat, but something solid none the less.

-It's not quick. Based on the skill-sets of the person doing it, the amount of help available, the time they can spare, and their motivation.
Usually at LEAST a couple months worth of weekends to get it all done, but no doubt it may take much longer depending on the above conditions.

Re: Fight or flight

It's underpowered anyway......

Re: Fight or flight

I have decided that I will be restoring this boat. Going to patch it together so I can use it this summer then I will start my restore in the fall. Once I figure out how to upload pictures I will show you some

Re: Fight or flight

Be careful using a boat that has known problems.

Boat resto & boat safely.