Taking the Plunge...possibly!

[ezmobee]

Re: Taking the Plunge...possibly!

And then plan on it dieing in the next 2 years.

Come on now, that's a little beyond pessimistic. Outboards generally don't die, you have to kill them.

 

[osborn159]

Re: Taking the Plunge...possibly!

my point was get a running powerplant, do not buy something that does not run, if it wont run, find something else that will, was not trying to scare you, the reality is its a 20yr old boat, it will need attn at some point being the floor stringers transom whatever, would hate to see you spend money to buy spend more to make it run and only get a year out of it, go in expecting to fix stuff.
i bought mine thinking it only needed a floor, its a shell getting put back toghether soon, i will know everything about it and how its put together, i am shooting for less than 3k in mine, including a trolling motor and fish/depthfinder, but mine is only 15'9" and the motor is strong.
be aware of potential troubles is my point.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Taking the Plunge...possibly!

In my opinion and experience (which is salt water BTW) it is not unusual for a 25 year old motor encounter a problem that does not justify repair costs and needs to be replaced. Likewise, once you lose confidence in the motor, boating just isn't fun, but stressful, and we have them to relieve stress. So I say plan for the worse and hope for the best.

The fresh water boaters who are also mechanically able keep them running longer and that is enviable, and I respect it, but IMO it is not typical.

Sure anything can be repaired, but when power pack then trim and tilt then lower unit seals then gonkulator goes out, even if you do the work yourself you have to buy the parts. Then there's the time factor; a do-it-yourself rebuild is not free.

 

[OGG]

Re: Taking the Plunge...possibly!

I am learning of all the possible risks that you guys are presenting. I respect everyones opinion on here and thank all of you for your expertise. I am not a boat owner and need all the advise I can get. I realize that owning a boat is an expensive hobby, I bass fish and it is not cheap! I do not even know for sure if the owners will sell it for the price I asked to take it off their hands but if I do get it I will go into it thinking like Home mentioned, "plan for the worst and hope for the best".
The money thing is the issue in purchasing right now. It is $500 dollars and I have that. The $2000 would not be around until about this time next year when I get my masters degree finished. I was just going to tinker with it for the time being and spend $50 here, $100 there, just to start. I planned on, over the summer, taking a good look at the motor and seeing what I and a couple of buddies could do there. I am sure that if I do get it, right off the bat I am going to have to replace both tires and spare on the trailer and will have to clean the wheel bearings and so on, just to get it to where I could start working on it.
Like most of you all have said it starts with the motor and transom. Have any of you heard any good things or stories of guys doing what I am doing and coming out okay and not $5000 dollars or more in the hole?

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Taking the Plunge...possibly!

Have any of you heard any good things or stories of guys doing what I am doing and coming out okay and not $5000 dollars or more in the hole?

Of course. Our restoration section here is FULL of them.

I bought this boat for $200:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/Boat Project/DSCF0005.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/Boat Project/Before.jpg

Turned it into this:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/Boat Project/DSCF1923.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/Boat Project/DSCF1928.jpg

Used it for 5 years. Sold it the end of last season for $2100 in order to buy a larger boat.

"New" boat cost $1000, looked like this:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/New Boat/DSCF2140.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/New Boat/DSCF2146.jpg

It currently looks like this:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/New Boat/DSCF2514.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/New Boat/DSCF2539.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/New Boat/DSCF2525.jpg

I will have $5000 into this one when it's all said an done (including the purchase price) but it hasn't exactly been done on the cheap. I have over a grand in seats alone.

 

[OGG]

Re: Taking the Plunge...possibly!

I will have to look at your pics when I get home tonight. Can't open them here...firewall.
I just got some bad news. I offered the $500 cash for the boat I was looking at which hadn't been used since 2002. The guy went out and picked the boat up and mentioned to my buddy that he was going to take it home and look at it and see if it ran and if he wanted to put any work into it because he thinks he can possibly get more like $1000 to $3000 for it. I was heartbroken. I figured the guy would have jumped on the offer since he hadn't had it out running for about 8 years.
Probably a blessing in disquise. I can just save my money and get a newer boat next year after I finish my masters degree and get a pay raise.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Taking the Plunge...possibly!

If you didn't get it for $500, you're lucky. If he gets more than $500, he's lucky--but not the guy who buys it.

 

[OGG]

Re: Taking the Plunge...possibly!

Home,
I like the philosophical thought. Makes sense. I have thought about it and if wasn't meant to be then it wasn't meant to be. I can now use the $ to enter a couple other bass tourneys here in Ohio and get my sponsors some advertising time at different venues.
I was thinking about trying to save about $3000 to $5000 to buy a newer boat. One that I am sure will still need some time and work but at least it will be a newer one.

Thanks for the all the advice and if you have any boat brands that you would recommend let me know. Fiberglass boat, single axle trailor is what I am looking for. 17ft would be ideal.

 

[starcraft1982]

Re: Taking the Plunge...possibly!

good boats can be found cheaply!i just fished 4hrs this morning on an 18 1/2ft cajun "ricky green fishing machine".88 boat,88 150 mercury black max,minn kota 65lb autopilot and universal sonar,2 garmin ff,jackplate all original interior and good clearcoat.interior looks new!it sat unused for 6yrs(covered).bottom line,i paid $1000.00.have 3 new batteries($200),couple wiring issues($30)new fire extinguisher($15),mechanic came to my house,checked comp.,unhooked oil injection,drained gas tank,replaced impeller and got humming for$100.so for $1500, i got a jewel!things can go wrong,you can get screwed,hidden problems can come up.be knowledgeable,realistic,informed and patient.there are great deals out there.biggest advice i can give is that if you dont know what issues to look for or dont have the knowledge to spot them,then take someone w/you who does!even paying a couple hundred for this may very well save you from $1,000s in repairs and headaches.best of luck and happy fishing!