Pricing restored boats

[LukeM]

Hello -

I have restored and sold a few boats and pricing them is sometimes challenging for me. I am a restoration professional, but I'm new to boating so I don't always know how to read the market. I'm looking for a little perspective on pricing one of my boats. If anyone would be willing to take a look at this boat and tell me what you would consider a reasonable price I would greatly appreciate it. Also any advice as far as what to include/exclude in the description would be helpful

Thank you!

Description:

A meticulously restored Grumman 14 Ft V-hull.

-New transom: stained and sealed with Spar Polyurethane; inset epoxy sealed transom mount plate

-Keel and Rivets: polished and professionally sealed with epoxy

-Above-the-waterline finish: painted and clear coated with marine clear coat;

-Hardware: new stainless hardware on handles and transomHandles/Oar locks: painted and epoxy coated; upper trim also epoxy coated

10 HP Johnson Motor includedI have a detailed photo/video record of the restoration process start to finish - just ask if you'd like to see it

 

[Scott Danforth]

To make a small pile of cash restoring boats required starting with a large pile of cash

Unlike a collector car where the price goes up. A boat is usually restored because it has sentimental value. It's a labor of love. My experience is you do not recoup the cost that went into the boat when you go to sell

 

[matt167]

Boat like that, is worth what someone will pay.

 

[racerone]

Certain cars have the ----" see what I can afford "---appeal.-----You can show them off at the mall.----Folks driving next to you on narrow roads.-----Cruise nights.----Bring back memories from yester year ETC.-----Boats are just not the same.

 

[cyclops222]

S S parts should not contact Aluminum. Aluminum parts on a Aluminum boat. I would remove the S S statement. The blue & white inside of the hull would look & sell faster if it was just normal Aluminum finishes.
Boats are not usually bought for looking like a Resto Mod car.
Hope you get lucky.

 

[matt167]

Stainless hardware is what is used in marine environments.

 

[mr 88]

You should research 1st before restoring a boat . There are very few aluminum boats that are desirable to a collector. Feather Craft comes to mind and you have to have the right model. Usually finned fiberglass hulls bring the most money. I'm thinking your set up is worth 1,000 - 1500. A 14 ' boat in general is to small for most people . Good luck !

 

[cyclops222]

True BUUUTT It is not correct. Aluminum and S S when whetted by salt water becomes a case of Galvanic Corrosion. The Aluminum surface is attacked by saltwater chemical action and transfers to the S S metal surface. Why almost every good Aluminum boat uses Aluminum carrying handles at the transom. Happy in salt water.

 

[matt167]

True BUUUTT It is not correct. Aluminum and S S when whetted by salt water becomes a case of Galvanic Corrosion. The Aluminum surface is attacked by saltwater chemical action and transfers to the S S metal surface. Why almost every good Aluminum boat uses Aluminum carrying handles at the transom. Happy in salt water.

Sure. But the hardware attaching is still stainless

 

[racerone]

They use aluminum corner / handle brackets because they are cheapest to make.----How does the aluminum " transfer " to the stainless ?

 

[LukeM]

Thank you for all the responses I appreciate it.

Yes, I definitely put way more hours and concentration than necessary on the boats I did over the summer. I have the luxury of affordable access to restoration equipment, paint, etc. so that helps. Mostly this started as a necessray project to have a functioning boat, but I now have the necessary equipment to blast, patch, seal, prime and paint a boat (12-18 ft) in a week or less. If anything I'll become some kind of respray shop for north woods canoe jockeys and lumberjacks.

@mr 88 The next boat is actually a '59 Jetsreak. I will start a thread on that one when I get a chance, but that's on pause for the moment. Picture attached

@racerone Yeah that definitely seems to be the case, and I would feel the same. Going sort of ornate with aluminum v-hulls is pretty unusual, but I sold the first one (similar to this, but 12') for $1000, along with the boat in this post for free. It was a lucky draw - apparently it looked exactly like a boat that his grandmother had when he was a kid - something like that. But I took it as a sign from God to keep buying old, busted aluminum boats and putting lipstick on them.

Either way I'll keep doing detailed restoration work. I planned on working my way up the size ladder, but I think I'll need that pile of money first.

Finally, a galvanic chart:

https://www.grabberpro.com/userfiles/documents/TechnicalDocuments/TechnicalData/Corrosion-Guide-Galvanic-Chart-Summary.pdf

Aluminum and stainless are technically in the safe zone, but that's relative. The chart shows that they are fairly close in terms of their electrochemical potential, which suggests a lower risk of galvanic corrosion compared to more reactive pairings (like aluminum with copper or brass). However, this doesn’t mean they are completely safe together under all conditions. Water and especially salt water make the aluminium lose electrons and start pitting, just like the back end of this boat. I used muriatic acid to clean the inside transom because it was so badly pitted.
For this project the marine sealant/anti-seize and nylon fittings will provide decent protection.

at the same time, @cyclops222 you have a point. I'll probably at least reword that.

Thanks again, I'll let you know if I strike oil with my princess boat.

 

[Scott Danforth]

never use anti-seize in a marine application. its called ever-seize in a marine environment. use permatex #3

never use stainless directly on aluminum near salt water. there is no safe zone. fresh water is ok-ish. it will still corrode, just take a year or two to start. salt water needs to have a garolite isolation tube and washer. the corrosion will start the moment salt hits them. you will also see the aluminum start to flake. if you have the aluminum painted, you will see the corrosion bubbling under the paint in short order.

the transom was pitted because someone used pressure treated lumber on the boat in the past and it galvanically ate the aluminum.

 

[LukeM]

@Scott Danforth Did the Permatex, I was just using "anti-seize" generally. I did not use any garolite, though.

you are spot on about the transom - it was obvious the second I removed the top section.

 

[JimS123]

To make a small pile of cash restoring boats required starting with a large pile of cash

Unlike a collector car where the price goes up. A boat is usually restored because it has sentimental value. It's a labor of love. My experience is you do not recoup the cost that went into the boat when you go to sell

Back in 1963 my best friend's Dad had a boat that I dreamed about for 50 years. In 2005 I found one just like it and bought it on the spot.

It is not "restored", but rather "preserved". All parts are original. Sanding, repainting, etc. took a couple of years. In the end I had $5k into her. When finished she was appraised at $10k, and online ads for similar models indicated that was a good number.

I recently saw several for less than $5k. The classic boat market has not fared well lately. People would rather buy a recent used boat in fair / poor condition. A nicely restored boat is hard to sell because any potential buyer would be afraid to put a scratch in her.

Having said that, though, there is always a buyer for everything if you want to wait long enough.