Free Boat

[Edward Lee Hall]

1969 algas pacemaker 43' broke loos from anchor and drifted aground. owner lost interest and told me if i can pull it out I can have the boat. he tells me twin 454 one runs one don't thats all im told about it other than it is run aground. i am planning on going today and go look at it. it ist accessible by land so im taking my boat to see it.
My question is I know little to nothing about algas pacemaker boat What are the issues i need to look for. i am not afraid of mechanical or electrical projects. i just don't want to deal with structure like hull cracks rotten floors etc...

 

[Bob_VT]

Welcome to iboats! I will be very straight with this and you are looking at a huge investment............ it will never be free and it will occupy a great deal of money. 43' long - you need to look up space to store it and that cost alone can be alot. Unless you are really in love with that specific boat - then I would hire a surveyor to look it over - that is the best investment in a boat that size. A good survey of the boat is very important considering it is 53 years old.

 

[Edward Lee Hall]

My previous boat was a 34' searay loved it but it was more of a guest room than a boat. I am familiar with wet slips coat and availability. I plan of keeping it in a safe anchorage near bay pines until you can get a proper slip. I know nothing this big is free. That's why I'm going look at it to asses it's condition and decide if it's a project I want to get into. I just wanted advice from some one more family's with this make model of boat on what particular area I need to focus on. Known issues such as that.

 

[Sprig]

Welcome to iboats! I will be very straight with this and you are looking at a huge investment............ it will never be free and it will occupy a great deal of money. 43' long - you need to look up space to store it and that cost alone can be alot. Unless you are really in love with that specific boat - then I would hire a surveyor to look it over - that is the best investment in a boat that size. A good survey of the boat is very important considering it is 53 years old.

This^^^^. That is not a free boat, rather it will be a very very very expensive boat. And that’s even if it can be salvaged. And although it would absolutely have to be surveyed, that in itself is expensive. I am not familiar with that particular boat I can tell you in a 1969 era boat there is likely lots of wood in that boat and it will be rotten. Proceed with caution.

 

[garbageguy]

A quick internet search turned up a little info on that boat type. They do look like interesting boats - not sure if it's a real good 'guest room' - intended primary use and waters it'll be in are key factors. It's an old boat, make/model likely have little to no bearing on what you'd be getting into.

 

[Scott Danforth]

the most expensive boat you can get is a neglected free boat with improper maintenance and a prior owner that lost interest.

lets assume best case scenario. the boat has been meticulously maintained, pulled every year and maintained by a group of people that was paid for by the prior owner. This boat will be gleaming white, well polished and would be a diamond in the rough. this boat would not be free, however have a really high price tag.

lets assume the worst case. the motor quit running long ago, the transom and keel are rotten. the drives are bad and you need to put the boat on the hard for 2 years to restore it. This boat would be free as the prior owner probably got an estimate to dispose of the boat, and it is very very pricy

either way, good luck, take pictures, do not take possession without a survey unless you have the ability to put the boat on the hard and work on it. once you take possession, you also take over the liability.

 

[JimS123]

Back in the day we had a local Pacemaker dealer. They made a fine wooden boat. When fiberglass was becoming the norm they started making some models, and they were under the Alglas nameplate.

As I recall they only made them for a few years before going out of business. Like many of the manufacturers of the day, they couldn't make the transition. It could have been quality issues, or whatever.

All I can say is that we still have many wooden Pacemakers in service, but I haven't seen an Alglas in many years.

 

[Edward Lee Hall]

This^^^^. That is not a free boat, rather it will be a very very very expensive boat. And that’s even if it can be salvaged. And although it would absolutely have to be surveyed, that in itself is expensive. I am not familiar with that particular boat I can tell you in a 1969 era boat there is likely lots of wood in that boat and it will be rotten. Proceed with caution.

I ment to put free in quotes. I know they aren't free it just has no purchase price.

 

[Edward Lee Hall]

Back in the day we had a local Pacemaker dealer. They made a fine wooden boat. When fiberglass was becoming the norm they started making some models, and they were under the Alglas nameplate.

As I recall they only made them for a few years before going out of business. Like many of the manufacturers of the day, they couldn't make the transition. It could have been quality issues, or whatever.

All I can say is that we still have many wooden Pacemakers in service, but I haven't seen an Alglas in many years.

So alglas is kinda rare. I don't want to get into any structural problems. If the hull and fiberglass is good I will consider it. I know some one who might be interested in the motors if I end up parting it out.

 

[Edward Lee Hall]

the most expensive boat you can get is a neglected free boat with improper maintenance and a prior owner that lost interest.

lets assume best case scenario. the boat has been meticulously maintained, pulled every year and maintained by a group of people that was paid for by the prior owner. This boat will be gleaming white, well polished and would be a diamond in the rough. this boat would not be free, however have a really high price tag.

lets assume the worst case. the motor quit running long ago, the transom and keel are rotten. the drives are bad and you need to put the boat on the hard for 2 years to restore it. This boat would be free as the prior owner probably got an estimate to dispose of the boat, and it is very very pricy

either way, good luck, take pictures, do not take possession without a survey unless you have the ability to put the boat on the hard and work on it. once you take possession, you also take over the liability.

Good advice on the liability - thanks

 

[jimmbo]

1969 algas pacemaker 43' broke loos from anchor and drifted aground. owner lost interest and told me if i can pull it out I can have the boat.

Do you have that "You can have it" in Writing?

 

[SavinRaven]

just go take the working 454 and throw it in something else sink the rest of it and map on your GPS where you sunk it so you dont run into it with your newly powered boat (;