Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.
I looked at one today, it was listed on a local free paper as "Great fishing boat, ran great when last used" What they fail to mention was that it probably last ran in about 1962. The motor was standing on its cover upside down in the boat, still attached to the broken chunk of transom which was now no more than a rag without it's layer of wood, the wood benches were gone, the sides were both cracked, there was a foot of wet leaves in the boat, the water was only as deep as the broken transom would allow, and the bow eye was a hasp ring from a hardware store with one of those quickie links attached. The winch strap was an old leather belt, with the buckle attached with the quickie link to the make shift bow eye. The trailer had not moved probably in just as long, it looked like they bush hogged around the boat to be able to move it but gave up once they realized that the tires would most likely stay when the trailer left. They were literally rotted off the rims. The rims were mono hub rims, so they weren't a simple tire change deal to get it moving again. The motor was about a 1960 Johnson, with the shifter lever broke off, the rope steering rusted off the pulleys. They had described the boat as needing some work but it ran good when last used. I guess the fact that the transom had collapsed and the motor most likely was tossed into the boat after it fell or sagged to the ground. They had no pic, but were asking $750 or best offer. I couldn't justify even taking that mess for free, there was really nothing I would deem desirable in that mess.
They all but followed me to the car trying to get me to make an offer, I just shook my head and said good luck. It was a waste of gas to go see. They clearly thought they had a real nice boat there. For some reason those types seem to only see the boat the way it may have been 40 or 50 years ago, and overlook the years of neglect and decay.
