Project "Lil Bit"

[Gunner308]

First off let me open by saying this site is Awesome! Iv any believe how much helpful info there is here. I'm new to boating and have read a lot of useful threads but just really want to spill my story and get every ones thoughts.


I have been looking for a boat to take the kids out on but instead of buying Ive been looking to trade off 2 perfectly hood running ATV's. Well I traded for a 86 Bayliner capri 15' 3 weeks ago and was told it ran fine. (Got to see it run at idle with muffs while i was there)However, I broke the cardinal rule and took the p.o word for it rather than taking it to the water to test it out. (Mistake #1) I noticed it had fairly new higher quality carpet installed and the floor seemed solid when walking on it so I didn't bother pulling up a small piece to check the flooring. (Mistake #2). I made the trade and now was enroute to the lake near my house to try it out. Put it in the water, turned over the motor and let her warm up for a few minutes before I started to depress the throttle. At WOT I was cruising at a whopping 8mph per my GPS. Whiskey tango foxtrot???? That's mu luck. I played with the Trim but no success.

Took it home and noticed that the exhaust snout was broke. So I have a new one on the way. While I have been waiting arrival for the snout, couriosity took over and I decided to pull up a piece of carpet to see if tue floor has been replaced and you can see in the pics what I found. I'm disgusted!!!! I've got $2500 in this boat already and am afraid it's gonna take another $1500 to get it water ready. I recently was informed of Bayliner's and force outboard's reps which just adds salts to the wound.

So here is the deal. What is the best approach on this disaster? Should I count my loss and set fire to it or attempt to repair ? My time and project funds are so limited it isn't funny. What would this project cost if I take it to a restoration shop? If I attempt to tackle this myself, what am I looking at in materials?


Thanks in advance for all your help!

 

[pckeen]

Re: Project "Lil Bit"

Hi Gunner,

Welcome to iboats, and I'm sorry to hear about your bad luck. Looks like the PO did a patch job only.

Whether you give up and scrap your boat, or rebuild is a real personal choice. If you have no interest in doing the extensive work involved to do a restoration, then the idea of doing a restoration is a bad one.

Take a look at the restoration threads - that will give you a better idea of what is going on.

I would ask a few questions: what condition is the hull, and the interior seats etc. in? How much will it cost to get the engine and outdrive into running condition. Are you prepared to

Looks to me like your floor is totally rotten, which likely means your stringers are gone to - and you transom may have issues as well. Your estimate of $1500 would be about right for materials for stringers/floor/transom - but that wouldn't include finishing materials like new nautolex vinyl, carpeting, seat vinyl and upholstery etc. The cost of the engine repairs would be on top of that. There are a number of estimates for similar repairs on the restoration threads - so you may get a better idea by trolling through there.

If you do decide to do a restoration, there are a ton of people who will give you good advice here.

 

[Gunner308]

Re: Project "Lil Bit"

Thanks Peter for the info. After tinkering with it all day while at the fire station, I have decided to just go ahead and completely restore it. After all, I already have the boat. Might as well make the best out it. Btw.. The motor is in surprisingly good running condition. I noticed that the transom is in great shape which is a bright side and alittle less work for me to do.

 

[pckeen]

Re: Project "Lil Bit"

Great - look forward to following along. Do a search on iboats for 'core sampling' the transom. You would hate to get the resto done, then discover a year down the road, you needed to start tearing up the boat again to replace it.