How Old Is Your Boat?

[LuvBoating]

Ours is a 1992 Celebrity 200 Cuddy Cabin w/a 5.7L (350) I/O. From looking at the boats on the racks at our Dry Storage, I'd say we have the oldest boat there. Actually, we are lucky, our boat is the only boat, of it's age, that our marine service will work on. Thing is, the service doesn't get any boats in that are as old as ours. Our marine service is also located right next to the Dry Storage where our boat is. A forklift can take it directly to the service.

Condition of ours: We have definitely put out some money in replacing/repairing different things on our boat and it does run very, very good. However, wish our boat did have fuel injection, instead of a carb. Much easier to start with fuel injection, but repairs are expensive.

 

[Scott Danforth]

the Cruisers is an '88 the fishing barge is a '52

if you have starting problems, spend a little on carb maintenance.

 

[wahlejim]

I have a 1980 Sea Ray. IMHO I love the carb setup and actually prefer it due to the cost of repair. Every boat is going to have repair costs. I can buy a brand new carb and have it professionally installed for what some shops charge to diagnose and fix fuel injection issues.

The reason I like the older boats is I can become familiar with them. I know how they should run and should act on the water. I can tell right away if something is wrong that needs attention. If I were to switch out boats every 5 years, it would drive me nuts not knowing if something is wrong.

 

[southkogs]

I've got an '02 ... which is the newest boat I've ever owned. The one before it was a '72, the one before that was a '72 as well and a '69 before that! I've got a '57 outboard in the garage waiting to on a '55 fiberglass tub I've got to rework at some point.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I have a 1954 Alumacraft Deep C with a 1960 Mercury Mark 400 on the back, and a boat in progress a 1957 Alumacraft Flying D with a 1957 Mercury Mark 55 on the back. Both motors are restored and rebuilt so one is 2 years old and the other the 1957 is essentially new.

 

[LuvBoating]

the Cruisers is an '88 the fishing barge is a '52

if you have starting problems, spend a little on carb maintenance.

No starting problems anymore. Got a new/rebuilt carb from a local carb company and it works very nice. It's just that I've seen how fast a fuel injection system can work, compared to a carb system.

How are the engine in your '88? Ours was really sort of messed up when we bought the boat in early 2009. Have had a number of things replaced on it, including the bottom end.

 

[LuvBoating]

I have a 1980 Sea Ray. IMHO I love the carb setup and actually prefer it due to the cost of repair. Every boat is going to have repair costs. I can buy a brand new carb and have it professionally installed for what some shops charge to diagnose and fix fuel injection issues.

The reason I like the older boats is I can become familiar with them. I know how they should run and should act on the water. I can tell right away if something is wrong that needs attention. If I were to switch out boats every 5 years, it would drive me nuts not knowing if something is wrong.

This is why we have kept this '92 Celebrity. Not only have I learned a lot about it, but our marine mechanic definitely knows the engine in it. It's almost shocking, to me, just how much I've learned about a boat, that I definitely didn't know with the first boat we owned. That one was a 1989 Invader Bowrider w/a much, much smaller engine (4-banger) than this Celebrity has. Even though we don't go fast on the water, this Celebrity could easily open up and fly. At our age (69/70, too old to "fly"). LOL

 

[Scott Danforth]

No starting problems anymore. Got a new/rebuilt carb from a local carb company and it works very nice. It's just that I've seen how fast a fuel injection system can work, compared to a carb system.

How are the engine in your '88? Ours was really sort of messed up when we bought the boat in early 2009. Have had a number of things replaced on it, including the bottom end.

When I bought the boat it was a stock AQ271C (350) I then swapped heads, cam, intake, etc. to push the HP up a bit. still wanted more power now its a big block with plenty of power.

however I turn my own wrenches and age of boat is just a number. helped a buddy a few weeks ago with his 1968 mercruiser 2.5 liter

 

[LuvBoating]

When I bought the boat it was a stock AQ271C (350) I then swapped heads, cam, intake, etc. to push the HP up a bit. still wanted more power now its a big block with plenty of power.

however I turn my own wrenches and age of boat is just a number. helped a buddy a few weeks ago with his 1968 mercruiser 2.5 liter

Funny, "age of boat is just a number" is the same statement some folks will tell others when talking about human age. As for us, wife and I, we still act younger than Seniors, BUT, the arthritis pain we can get, definitely tells us we are both Seniors.

Apparently it's the young folks that want/buy the newer-to-brand new boats. All of the boats in our Dry Storage are much younger in age than ours. In fact, in our Dry Storage, there isn't one single cuddy cabin boat.

 

[Maclin]

one boat, two numbers, guess which is what...(sigpic is a clue)

65
02

 

[SkiGuy1980]

My current is a '16 with fuel injection - no issues... but my previous was a well maintained '91. Actually... well maintained except being able to find the right guy to dial in the carburetor. I considered converting it to EFI but haven't met anyone that didn't create another problem or two for themselves when they took that step. I know there are a lot of opinions about fuel injection, but it was at the top of my "must haves" when shopping for a new boat.

 

[tpenfield]

I have a 1996 boat . . . had it for 6 years now. My sailboat is a 1976, but not sure that counts

The powerboat (Formula 330) has twin fuel injected engines. They do run nicely, until they don't. I don't think I'd ever get a carb'd engine again. I'll probably keep the 33 footer for a couple more years. The Admiral and I have been discussing the next boat, which may be the 35 foot Formula (350 SS) or might go a bit smaller with the 310SS . . . We'll see.

 

[Maclin]

one boat, two numbers, guess which is what...(sigpic is a clue)

65
02

The first one is age in years, but is a '54 model (me).

 

[Ned L]

My reply is the same as on the other site you asked on. 61 years for the boat & 61 years for the engines.

 

[RGrew176]

Mine is a 1981 Carver 3007 Aft Cabin. An old girl but she still gets me from here to there.

 

[dingbat]

...

 

[dingbat]

The C. Raymond Hunt designed deep-V hull is from 1997. Bought the hull used in 2001 from a local dive operation.

Since then, the hull has been completely refitted and updated. The LU was rebuilt and a new factory power head installed in 2012.

The OEM has changed their designs very little over the years. The average laymen doesn’t know the boat is as old as it is and those in the know (the motor is the give away) are complimentary on the boats condition

 

[capecodtodd]

In the past 30 years I have owned 4 boats ranging in age from the early 70's to my current a 1998 Stingray 190RS. This one has been a really good and very comfortable boat for the last 15 years and besides rebuilding the carb and other basic maintenance the Mercruiser 3.0 has been great. This Spring a racoon slipped under the cover and did a number on my seats that has really saddened me because I have babied this boat, so I'm looking to trade up. The admiral wants a more ocean worthy boat that we can spend a night in. She says I'm getting too old for skiing. LOL

 

[888MFG]

1984 Sport Craft 20" CC Fisherman with a 1985 Johnson 140HP Engine.

 

[LuvBoating]

From my records, and I keep very good records of maintenance and repairs to our boat going all the way back to April 2009, the only thing that needs some work is our deck. Have a few small soft spots by the gunwale on starboard side, but the main soft spot is under our rear bench seat around the top of the gas tank. It's not caving in, but is soft. Not really worried to much about it, since the bench seat covers it.

Unfortunately, money wise, our boat has seen more "shop time" than actual on-the-water time, since we bought it in March 2009. So, even though it is a 1992, what we've had repaired/replaced dealing with the engine, outdrive, cuddy floor, it's more like a new boat. Last Fall, we did buy a new Cockpit Cover for it and that thing really makes the boat look newer.