Free Boat....Too Good To Be True?

[dff110]

First off, I just signed up to the forum and this is my first post. However over the last couple of days I've read a ton of awesome information here and I'm very excited to hear everyone's input. A little back story before I get to my questions, 4 of us frequently went fishing together on the Finger Lakes for many years with great success and an amazing boat. Recently the boat and cottage owner has passed and his family sold the fishing boat for a family friendly version. The remaining 3 of us want to continue our fishing excursions on the lake with a smaller boat that can easily be towed back and forth without breaking the bank or upsetting the wives.

My cousin has offered to give me his old boat that has not been used for many years. I believe it is a 1970's era Mackie bass boat (I've tried to upload a picture with no luck, but maybe you can see it in my profile?). It's an old fiberglass boat with a 115 HP Evinrude in what looks to be decent shape. He said the control cables need to be replaced and the floor was getting spongy.

The spongy floor has led me here where I found countless and countless accounts and nightmares of rotten transom and stringers. I work on small engines often and consider myself very mechanically inclined so getting the engine going and working on cables and electric is not a concern for me. But I have far to many other projects around the farm to devote myself to a project boat that needs thousands of dollars worth of fiberglass work. Now I'm debating if I even want to take the time to drag it home or just pass on it and find another hobby.

Also, there is very little information out there on these Mackie boats. Does anyone know anything about them?

Everyone's input is very greatly appreciated, happy boating to all!

 

[dff110]

Could not upload a picture from my desktop, but got it done on the phone.

 

[Scott Danforth]

welcome aboard

free boats are the most expensive boats in the world

check the stringers, transom and foam for water

as far as brands go, any used boat is more about condition, condition, condition

 

[JASinIL2006]

Generally, if the floor is feeling spongy, the structure underneath is much worse, as the floor is the last thing to rot. Unless you can find a friend (who knows a lot about boats) to take a look at it with you, your chances of getting a boat with rotten transom and stringers is very high.

 

[gm280]

Don't know what your other work issues are, But that little boat has some potential for sure. Even if you need to rebuild the structure. If you lived closer, I would take it in a heat beat. But then that is what I would like to refurbish myself.

I will say this, unless you want to spend some large money, you are not going to find any used boat that is not going to need some work. It is that simple. Every boat comes with it's own set of issues. The newer and more money you spend, the less those issues will be.

So if you decide to refurbish this one, we are all here to assist you through anything you could possibly come across.

And :welcome: aboard. We like new members.

And once you post three posts, you will be able to post pictures then.

 

[dff110]

Don't know what your other work issues are, But that little boat has some potential for sure. Even if you need to rebuild the structure. If you lived closer, I would take it in a heat beat. But then that is what I would like to refurbish myself.

I will say this, unless you want to spend some large money, you are not going to find any used boat that is not going to need some work. It is that simple. Every boat comes with it's own set of issues. The newer and more money you spend, the less those issues will be.

So if you decide to refurbish this one, we are all here to assist you through anything you could possibly come across.

And :welcome: aboard. We like new members.

And once you post three posts, you will be able to post pictures then.

GM280 Thanks! The 4 garage bays at my house with no cars parked inside are a testament that I love nothing more than making old equipment work like new. Everything was just built with more pride and common sense back in the day. However I have 3 antique tractors, and 30+ vintage chainsaws waiting for my attention. Plus the wife will kill me if I bring home another "project".

 

[Scott Danforth]

here is some reading

https://forums.iboats.com/forum/boa...52-perspective-of-fiberglass-boat-design-life

the main issue is that boats have a finite design life, and many of the materials used to make boat simply do not last.

I would look for an aluminum boat with an outboard. an aluminum boat may need a transom replacement, however that can be done in a weekend

 

[harringtondav]

My two cents: That Evinrude and trailer have value, especially if you can get the motor running. You could try to find a solid, reasonably priced boat needing a motor, or sell the motor with the stipulation the rest of the rig is a free transportation device.

 

[garbageguy]

...without breaking the bank or upsetting the wives.

That's funny!
Welcome, the people here are great. Looks like others have given solid input, I just couldn't resist laughing when I read that part of your post

 

[dff110]

Going with the guys to give it a good look over this weekend with general tools, a hammer to tap testing and a drill if needed. Expecting to find the worst and hoping for a miracle. I'll post an update on what I find and if it follows me home. Thanks for all the responses!

 

[Scott Danforth]

hammer test means nothing.....not a thing

only true test is a drill motor, 5/16" drill bit with tape 1" from end. drill into the transom from the inside, near the bottom about 1" above the hull and a bout 3-4 per side about 6" apart

same goes with the stringers

if the shavings are light and dry and smell like wood, its great news

if the shavings are dark, wet, and smell like rotten mulch....rebuild time

However in post #1, you state the floor is spongy... 99.9999999999999999999% of the time a spongy floor is a rotten floor and the floor is the last thing to rot after the transom and stringers. the other .00000000000000000001% of the time, the one individual ever found the floor was damaged from above.

 

[Tassie 1]

After drilling multiple holes into the blokes boat you would be expected to take the thing home with ya anyway,
sort of decreases the value of a free boat...

 

[jkust]

You'll be a project manager and not a boater for a good while by the sound of it so far.

 

[JimS123]

Ordinarily I would tell you to buy a NEW boat and be done with it. For sure the one you are looking at has cancer and needs the guts replaced. Even if only half is rotted, the other half is only a few years behind.

But then I saw the pic and realized its an awesome motor and the trailer looks pretty good too. The boat looks good as well, so if its rotted its not because the PO didn't take care of kit, its because he didn't know it needed to be dried out after use.

Free is really verrrrry expensive, but free from a friend is another story.

The turning point is the tractors and 4-car garage.

Take it, rebuild the hull and go fishing. First service the motor so you know its OK.

GO FOR IT.

 

[Sprig]

An almost 50 year old boat, that’s 50 years as in 50 with spongy (rotten) floors. I would run not walk away from that offer.

 

[Grub54891]

If you decide to not rebuild it after getting it home, it would make a great sandbox or play area for the kids. Bury it to the water line and let them have fun.

 

[poconojoe]

That's a nice looking boat! But if the floor is spongy...that's not too good.
Totally free. What can you lose? Even if the boat is rotted to the core, maybe the motor and trailer are useable.
Outboard motors are very expensive. As others have suggested, you can always get another boat that needs an engine.

 

[dff110]

Loving all of the input and Ideas. I would really like to take that old engine and make it roar back to life...that's sort of my thing. And the trailer definitely has some value to it, but I'm sure disposing of a fiberglass boat isn't cheap (and I don't have any kids to need a sandbox haha). Plus I would not feel good about taking something free from family and turning a profit on it.

So lets say maybe I'm a glutton for punishment, and can hide the thing in the garage long enough to rebuild it without the wife figuring it out. How much am I'm looking at in materials? It's a 15ft boat, the wood is no big deal but from what I see all of the different fiberglass materials and resins are stupid expensive.

Really like the Idea of getting an aluminum boat and putting that motor on it, but it's 115hp a lot for a similar sized aluminum boat?

Yall are awesome by the way!

 

[jkust]

My thinking is that your time is worth far more than however many thousands of dollars it would cost to rebuild the hull. Way too many other things to do for the opportunity cost.

 

[Scott Danforth]

So lets say maybe I'm a glutton for punishment, and can hide the thing in the garage long enough to rebuild it without the wife figuring it out. How much am I'm looking at in materials? It's a 15ft boat, the wood is no big deal but from what I see all of the different fiberglass materials and resins are stupid expensive.

First, there is no way you could hide it and rebuild it without the wife finding out unless she is in a year long coma

next, assume $2k for materials and about 300 hours