Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

lakeorbay

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Apr 15, 2009
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Okay my new family of friends, I need ya. I put this thread here because I'm considering buying a reported fixer upper. It's a mid 90's 17' Lund Adveture Sport, reported to have a weak transom, soft spots in the floor and dry rot tires on the trailer. I don't care about the tires. I can deal with the floor, but the transom, I'm not sure about. I'm not sure exactly what he means by a weak transom. I haven't spoken to the owner yet. I wanted to get some input before I do. The pics of the transom don't look bad.

He wants $3800 for it. It also has a 115 Evinrude ready to run on it. Should that price scare me off? it sounds like a deal, but what are the potential nightmares of a weak transom? I'm prepared to do some fixing but no more that maybe 3G's. I already have a '87 17' Lund Tyee w/no motor with a severe leak (at the bow cap) that I was considering restoring. I figured by the time I get done with that, I'll be down more than $3800 anyway with repairs and motor still required . I would also have to drive cross coutry and back to get it.

Input would be greatly appreciated and thanks to all.
 

tashasdaddy

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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

with a weak transom, it is worth the value of the motor and trailer. no value to the hull.

read the transom replacement threads, no way would i drive across country for it.
 

S. Toth

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Apr 20, 2009
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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

still for a motor, and trailer its a buy, and a transom isn't to difficult to repair.
 

Bob_VT

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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

It's aluminum and the transom is a fairly easy fix but the asking price is a touch steep.
 

cbavier

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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

Should I buy a boat with weak transom? NO ! There are plenty of boats out there that are sound unless your looking for spending your time repairing. Personally I would rather be out on the water Cruising, Fishing and using a boat. Repairs yes I've done my share but nothing major. I wouldn't start out knowing major work had to be done before I could use the boat. That's just my opinion. Now if it was a second boat and you wanted it for a project. That's a different story. You don't say where you are but up here the boating season is still a month or more away. There will be lot's of boats for sale soon. Without rotten floors and weak transoms. Besides if the boat has been so neglected to have all those problems the motor has been to and your just looking at more problems. Repairs don't come cheap even when you do the work.
 

ezmobee

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Mar 26, 2007
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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

It's a Lund...they have a slightly higher resale value than comparable boats. It's aluminum...transom jobs aren't a big deal on those. If the motor is also a 90's era engine I would think the combo would be worth around $3k.
 

lakeorbay

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Apr 15, 2009
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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

You guys are awesome! You all may be weary of the newbie questions, but never fail to answer them. For that, thanks again.

I think you guys just saved me from another mistake. I'm in San Francisco and the boat is in Florida somewhere. Those type of boats do not come up for sale around here, so that's the reason for the desperation.

Like I said, I already have a '87 17' Lund w/no motor and a severe leak. I was considering fixing it, but figured by the end, I would be out of at least as much money. The good thing about this option is, I would have a new, but smaller motor.

Considering my options, what do you all think is the better choice....

1)Stick with my leaking Lund w/no motor?

2)Buy the Lund in Florida w/running motor AND weak transom?

3)Don't buy Florida boat AND re-sale my leaking Lund?

I think my wife would vote for option 3:D
 

ezmobee

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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

We need to figure out why your Lund leaks. I stuck a hose in my boat in the driveway to see where my leaks were. I was expecting to see some slow leaking rivets. Well to my surprise, 2 seconds after I stuck the hose in there a STREAM of water started coming out of the bottom. I went under to look and sure enough there was a pin hole near the stern. I slapped some JB Weld on it and it's held up great.
 

cbavier

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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

Not only what ezmobee said but. If you sell it knowingly leaking. There is the ethical as well as legal issue. I would vote to find the leak and fix it. Then decide to either keep it and shop for a motor. Or sell it and keep looking. At least with your Lund you know what you have.
 

lakeorbay

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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

Well ezmobee, last week I filled the boat with water and more than a stream came out it was more like a falls:(. I removed as much of the bow decking as possible. I found that I need to go deeper. The forward most plate that I guess the batteries sit on is riveted down. The next section back needs more deck removal to get underneath. The easy deck section were removed. Now it's the big piece with the doors and hinges. The third section back, is the livewell. Riveted in and the plumbing is encased in foam. So, at this point, I need to commit to it to go further, if I start tearing foam out. I know this is getting into another topic, but it's difficult to stay on just one when you have boat problems.
 

cbavier

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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

lakeorbay you never did say where it was leaking? Crack? Rivit? Hull Fitting?
 

lakeorbay

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Apr 15, 2009
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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

here's my leak
p4150056.th.jpg

and it's under here
p4150073.th.jpg
 

lakeorbay

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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

For the record, like what was done to me, I would never sell a leaking boat without full disclosure.
 

lakeorbay

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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

I'm still in research mode as far as the leak goes. i need to get under those chambers in the bow I mentioned a couple of entries ago. I was thinking of removing the keel guard or whatever you call it, if I can't get to it from the inside.
 

S. Toth

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Apr 20, 2009
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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

Well when you do get to it just apply a nice patch of JB Weld, ID go with option 1, then even if you do still want to get rid of her shes not leaking, and you could make a little more $$$.:cool:
 

cbavier

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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

I'm still in research mode as far as the leak goes. i need to get under those chambers in the bow I mentioned a couple of entries ago. I was thinking of removing the keel guard or whatever you call it, if I can't get to it from the inside.

I think you will have to get to the leak and do the repairs from the inside and like you said you could never sell it without telling someone it's leaking.
 

matt9923

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Sep 6, 2008
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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

If you have the money i would buy it. I want an aluminum boat like that. You don't have to worry about stringers and rot and a transom is not to bad on those. My uncle has an aluminum and his transom's just 2 pieces of 3/4 bolted on. Takes a few hours to do a new one.
Matt
 

cbavier

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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

If you have the money i would buy it. I want an aluminum boat like that. You don't have to worry about stringers and rot and a transom is not to bad on those. My uncle has an aluminum and his transom's just 2 pieces of 3/4 bolted on. Takes a few hours to do a new one.
Matt

But you all are forgetting the floor is rotten too. Not just the transom. And the tires on the trailer are rotten. Anyway he is working on the boat he already has now. $3800 is too much money. Nada says $2400 and that is for it if it's an average boat. Not a basket case.
 

matt9923

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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

But you all are forgetting the floor is rotten too. Not just the transom. And the tires on the trailer are rotten. Anyway he is working on the boat he already has now. $3800 is too much money. Nada says $2400 and that is for it if it's an average boat. Not a basket case.

I do agree, i wasn't saying give $3800 but maybe $2000 around. A floor on a aluminum isn't to hard and you and customize it to your needs. But i would put the money in yours make it perfect and get a nice 50hp+ motor and you will be happy. But if you have money get the boat use the motor.
Fix the one u have use the motor. Then maybe fix the one you buy, the transom floor and make it look nice then sell it make money back.
This is just an idea but it might work in you favor...
Matt
 

lakeorbay

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Apr 15, 2009
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Re: Should I buy a boat with weak transom?

OK, I've decide what I'm going to do. I'm going to keep my boat and see if I can fix the leak. In a way, I have found a special place for MY Lund and I want to fix her.:)

I was unaware of the leak when I bought her, but I gambled knowingly. I have the hull of the type boat I need for my pupose. I was willing to live with the boat the way it was, but now that I have to tear her apart, I have the opportunity to custom build and re-do the interior,electrical, plumbing and buy a reliable motor.

The big IF, is IF I can fix that leak. I've never seen a boat leak.....no wait, I mean pour out water like that before, so I'm sceptical.

I'm now going to split this venture into multiple threads w/ pics (soon as I learn to re-size them:D). Thanks to all of you.

If anyone is interested, the Lund I was considering buying is listed on ebay. Just search for Lund, located in Okeechobee, FL, listed for $3800 "buy it now". I thought it was a steal. Apparently not from what I've heard here. Like I said, those boats don't go on sale anywhere close to San Francisco. If they do, most people want too much money for a boat w/motor I can't trust. My way, I can buy new or shop long and hard for a used one.
 
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