Re: Rules for: Is this boat worthy of a restoration project?
I was looking for a parts boat last week. I need outdrive parts for my 1987 32' Bayliner 3250 Contessa. Twin 260a engines, with 290 outdrives.
So I happened across a 1984 28' Bayliner Contessa twin engine ... Unfortunately, two volvo 4 cylinders, plus two Volvo 270 outdrives... Not at all a good match, the 270 parts are all different than the 290, etc.
So, I thought that I might part it out, or swap 270 parts for 290. But then I stareted looking at it. The hull is pretty nice. Needs bottom paint, but otherwise solid. The outdrives were rebuilt about 6 years ago, so they should be decent. The engines are "supposed" to be OK, winterized a couple of years ago. I checked the oil quickly, haven't had a chance to do anything more on the engines.
The boat was not wrapped, and the hatches were leaking into the cabin. So it needs new carpet (have the old as a template), redone V berth, redone side benches/sleeping area. I think I might also pull out the stove and sink, and all of the old cabinets, they are pretty dated. Put in a new sink, cabinet, and a microwave. Carpet, redo the V berth fabric (reuse the foam, - maybe - only recently started leaking.) That is just a matter of stapling new fabric over teh foam to teh boards of teh V berth.
I think I can "steam clean" teh 3 or 4 small bad areas on the headliner and save that.
I bought 3 sets of "wine"/maroon pillow cover sets at IKEA, with about 8 covers in each sets, for $90. They zip over cushions on one model of couch taht they are discntinuing. So I could use my own foam to create new benches on the existing plywood bases, or buy the IKEA pillows to fit the covers. Might even try to shove in two IKEA couches, with built in storage in one and a bed in the other one, one on each side. I also bought a nice, new latex mattress at IKEA for the aft cabin, that is all that was in there, a queen mattress.
The two things that are bothering me are :
1) cranking the engines and seeing that they turn over, maybe compression test, then try to get them started on muff's, with gas from an external can, and
2) I am not sure where the water that was leaking in the front corner of the V berth was coming from! It was actually dry below the plywood up there, stringers looked fine. The other water was clearly from a hatch, or from a window. Not sure where in teh upper deck/anchor area I could be getting that water! (There are 5 screw holes where something was removed from the deck just in front of the windshield, but that is quite a ways.)
I guess I better check the mid cabin stringers too, I know that the 3250 is infamous for having rot in the cabin, apparently from leaks under one window, per one 3250 rebuild project here. Are these Contessa's similar to the 3250?
I stilll have a day or two to say yes or no. Guess I'll buy a battery and head back out tomorow and see what I can figure out on the engines. .
Price - $1,225. No trailer. I suppose I could always part it out, but I'd really rather fix something right now ... (my 32' is at a marina, I let them repair and service that one.)
I am not working, so I have the time, but also have some chronic pain. Kind of a trade off. Something to do, add value, a bit of a sense of accomplishment. I would sell some other hobby equipment to pay for the rehab.
Best,
MIchael
