new to boating maybe ?

[flashfloat]

hey people my names tom and i am a member of several forums on cars and motorcycles i like to restore and rebuild cars and bikes but not heavy mechanical things i leave that to people who know what there doing lol

anyway i drive a UPS truck and theres a old boat on my route i have been watching rot away for some time . i asked d about it for the last 6 months or so and finally the other day the guy said he might get rid of it . it is an winner escape 1750 i think late 80's model has a 140 Ci Chevy i think mer cruiser it has been sitting uncovered for 4 years i will have to totally redo inside all the wood behind the vinyl is rotted but the hull and the trailer and the engine seem good .i don't know if it will run but i can buy it for 300.00 so i figure i might take the gamble what am i getting into ? should i let it sit and rot or take a chance on a winter project thanks in advance for your input tom

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: new to boating maybe ?

Welcome Aboard..

Yep..Should be a Mercruiser..

The problem with it sitting out for 4 years..is most likely a completley rotten deck, stringers and maybe the transom.

You didnt say where you are at..but if it has been out in the harsh (freeezing) winter without the proper winterizing process..then you will likely see a cracked engine block and lots of serious issues that would make you let the others do the heavy lifting $$$$ lol

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: new to boating maybe ?

Hey Tom!! Welcome to Iboats "The greatest boat site there is" He's right the engine is your greatest concern, check it out and make sure its not cracked, other things might be cracked as well, but if you take a good look at her and it sounds like you kind of expect what your getting yourself into and except what your getting yourself into and want to tackle a project like that, well you came to the right place, between the
"Mercruiser,OMC,Volvo &Other I/O &
Inboard Engine & Outdrives."
"Boat topics & Questions(not engine topics)."
and "Boat restoration and building" You might be well on your way to restoring her and bringing her back to life, The question is, Is that what you really want to do?? If so with ALOT of time,patience,money and hair and these Kick A guys here on all the forums it can be a challenge worth taking, but if you don't want ALL the problems you are going to face,Then buy a used boat that is pretty much ready to go, tune-up, maintenance etc...and in the water you go, The choice is really yours to make. Your the one who is going to work on her.

 

[fixb52s]

Re: new to boating maybe ?

Like what has been said, it's a lot of work. To get an idea of what you could face, check out the restoration section. There are a lot of boats that went through the rebuild process. It ain't cheap and it sure is not a cake walk. I am like you when it comes to rebuilding stuff, and my Chris Craft was another thing for me to fix. I did it, it took a lot of time and more money than I thought, but I got a lot of use out of it. If the boat checks out, it might be worth your while. Just know that things can add up fast, and it will seem that there is ALWAYS more to do.

But... After a lot of fun, I broke down and bought a new boat. I took the engine out to replace some leaky gaskets just to find a broken piston and a cracked block. Was a surprise since it was running great. I will replace the engine and sell it rather than part it out, because it deserves that. Rebuilding that boat has taught me more than I could have ever learned from books, and I was able to cut my teeth at boating with it, so hopefully I won't trash the new one (knock on wood).

If you go through with it, welcome to the club.​