Looking at a 79 silverline for 800, good buy or leave it there.

[a_ockels]

forgive me but I have very few details, I haven't actually stopped to look at it yet but I drive by it everyday to and from work, it looks to be about a 17' bow rider it has a mercury outdrive on it so I'm sure it's mercruiser. it says needs motor but comes with a good motor, it's sitting on a good later model galvanized trailer. guys asking 800 just wanted too know if these were good boats and what problem areas too possibly look for and is it worth it? I know it's gonna need work. mostly want to fix it up and play with it for a summer or too and then send it on down the road.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Looking at a 79 silverline for 800, good buy or leave it there.

The good news is there's certainly $800 worth of stuff there. However, Silverlines weren't anything special and suffer at least same rot issues as other old fiberglass boats. Only buy it if you want a full resto project, or by some miracle the deck and transom are still solid.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Looking at a 79 silverline for 800, good buy or leave it there.

Go look at it and see. If the hull is solid, floor is good and transom is sound - and the trailer is nice enough - it's worth a few hundred bucks. Honestly, you have no way to test the motor (see it running) or the outdrive (see it running) or do a water test on the boat - so kind of factor those out of the price a little. I'd base it on what I was willing to risk money-wise.

'79 was the last good year for Silverline before the economy started shutting them down. By '82 they were pretty much done and absorbed into Larson. I've got a '72 and really like it. The deck is laid out well and the boat cruises very smoothly. She's not a speed queen, and doesn't knock your socks off out of the hole - but it's got a lot of noise dampening features on it to keep it quiet and smooth. My interior was nearly new looking, the hull was in nice shape and the engine ran nice and smooth. The only problem was the upper gearcase on the stern drive. I bought the boat for $500, and replaced the sterndrive for another $450. All of the other stuff that I've done since I bought it take the total up to about $1,800 ... so far.

Don't get hung up on the brand though. Look at the business end of it - how much money am I willing to risk on the engine not really working, the outdrive being nothing more than an anchor, etc.

 

[a_ockels]

Re: Looking at a 79 silverline for 800, good buy or leave it there.

thanks for the replies, I think I'm gonna call the guy and stop and look at it on my way home tonight, I'm not too worried about the cost of the motor, I have a fairly well equipped machine shop at home the motor I can build if need be fairly inexpensively, the sterndrive I don't know anything about, I just bought my first boat a month ago so I'm still learning. I figure as long as the hull is solid I will probably try to get her for 6 or so and see what happens.

 

[a_ockels]

Re: Looking at a 79 silverline for 800, good buy or leave it there.

so I looked at the boat this a.m. on way to work, hull is solid, transom is solid, the floor has an area right between the drivers seat area and center floor compartment that isn't really soft but feels like it may be coming up once you put wait on it you can feel it come into contact with whats under it and then it is solid so maybe a fairly easy fix, the rest of the floor feels fine. the interior as far as seats and the wood all look real good for there age, the engine cover and rear paneling uphostery need a little help. the engine has sat partially dissassembled for who knows how long, it is a mercruiser 140, the alpha one outdrive looks o.k. engages forward, spins free in neutral but wouldn't fully engage reverse so maybe junk maybe adjustment IDK. the trailer is in great shape and will just need tires, any extra input appreciated I think I'll wait till after the weekend and throw a lower offer on it I figure if I can pick it up for 6 or 7 and it turns out to be junk I can get my money back out of the trailer and the spare motor.
also what is the wood trim in these made from? I was told it may be teak and would be easy to clean up and look new it all feels very solid.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Looking at a 79 silverline for 800, good buy or leave it there.

If the "soft" spot is really more like "springy" it might just have delaminated a bit and might not be a big deal. Your plan sounds like a good one. I'm sure it will still be there. If it's wood, and it looks like teak, it probably is.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Looking at a 79 silverline for 800, good buy or leave it there.

I agree with EZ ... try and get it down some (I'd be thinking around $500 personally). Mine has teak on it.