There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

[jigngrub]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

I'm taking all of this under advisement. I'm not a serious fisherman, I'm more so a wannabe that got a great deal on a bunch of poles that still has a lot to learn.

While I want this boat to be a fishing boat, I won't be disappointed if I keep it for a couple years, learn more about fishing AND boating and never catch a thing.

As for the expense, maybe I'm crazy, but I'm seeing the entire rebuild clock in at far less than $1000 considering that looks aren't really a concern and anything that I bolt on can be transferred to a future boat.

I've got the Wednesday jitters, though, I really want to get back to work on the boat and I still have HALF A WEEK to go!

Nah, you aren't crazy (or any crazier than the rest of us).

The great thing about restoring/modifying an old boat is that you get to build it back the way you want it, and if you want to turn that boat into a fishin' boat... I say go for it!

There are a couple of things you should consider though:

Bilge storage is bad, rust and mildew will probably attack anything you put in there.

Go for the floatatin foam in the bilge instead, I know you don't want your boat to sink to the bottom after you've put all that work and money into it... floatation is cheap insurance.


The first thing I'd do if I was going to turn that boat into a fishin' boat is do away with that pansy arse bow seating!!! I'd make from the consoles forward a raised deck, and that's where I'd put my storage with deck hatches and a pedestal seat in the middle.

There's a bunch of stuff you can do to that boat so it'll fit your needs, and you can plan out as much as you can now and then alter/modify anything when you start building back.

 

[briangcc]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

As long as you understand its not the greatest platform for fishing, you'll be fine. You at max will be able to fish (3) people in that boat - one in the bow, two in back. And the two in back may be whacking each other with poles if they're not paying attention to where the poles are in relation to the person next to the. It's going to be tight.

The side compartments are probably setup the same way as my '99 was. If that's the case, you should be able to fit a 6' pole in there without any worries. Anything larger than that gets tricky if it doesn't break down into (2) pieces.

Also, that windshield is going to make netting fish interesting. Not impossible as I've done it in both my boats, just a challenge.

The plus side is that you can bow mount a trolling motor to it. It's also a great cruising/tubing/skiing platform.


I gotta agree with these guys, if you're looking for an all around fishing platform - this isn't it, keep looking.

 

[wolfsmurf]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

I say go for it dude. Worse case is you waste some cash and labor. It will keep you outa trouble and make you sleep real good after a hard days work on the project But, it will drive you nuts on days when you can't work on it. I know I get all jittery when I can't be cuz of work,weather, or honey do's. my mrs usually says " get the hell outa here before you rupture something, I know it's killing you" . Lol. She knows me so well.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

First off, put your location in your profile. Then we can start sending you links to nearby Craigslist ads of people selling aluminum Starcrafts that you really should be buying instead of fixing up this one.

In all seriousness though, check out this thread http://forums.iboats.com/boat-restoration-building-hull-repair/1999-bayliner-project-292511.html he made some nice additions, including a bow fishing deck to a similar Bayliner.

 

[madatthe]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

There's no sentimentality attached to this boat and I really don't think it would hurt my uncle if I were to scrap this boat, but that wouldn't be as much fun for me as tackling, or at least attempting to tackle, this restoration/modification project. I like to tinker, I like the sound and feel of power tools doing their jobs, and I love getting in over my head with projects and working my way through the problems (of course there are exponentially more incomplete projects in my wake than completed ones).

I'll know a lot more about what I'm in for this weekend when I get a chance to drill the transom and the bulkhead that supports the engine to see the extent of what will need to be replaced. The thought of throwing some plywood in and using this for a couple seasons before dumping it is tempting, and may likely wind up happening, but for now I'm psyched about doing things right.

I'm going into this with a full grasp on reality and, frankly, I have fairly low expectations. I'm doing this for pleasure, not on someone else's schedule or demands. I appreciate that the more logical idea is to scrap this one and start with a better platform and if I were advising someone else on this kind of undertaking, I would tell them the same thing! Admittedly there is no logical reason why I am so eager and excited to keep working on this mess, but I'm driven to do so nonetheless!

Part of my vision for this boat was to fit a platform with lots of storage in place of the bow seating as it would be less time and money than rebuilding what's currently there and there's not going to be any sunbathing happening on this boat! But depending on time, materials motivation and a hundred other factors, as others have said, things will undoubtedly change as I get farther into this and I may wind up with something completely different in the end.

As for the cost of materials, one of my uncles (not the one who gave me the boat) is a huge fisherman and a certified boat nut with a wealth of knowledge and a nack for finding great deals and/or hoarding supplies. With any luck I won't be paying retail for a lot of what goes into this boat and he will be able to help me source what I need for the right price. Hopefully he knows someone who sells fiberglass supplies as I am learning that it's quite a bit more expensive than what I originally thought when I started ripping this boat apart. So far my biggest expense has been my time (the highlight of my week was the demo process from last weekend) and about $30 for cutting wheels, masks, goggles and a chisel blade for my recip saw (HIGHLY recommended for making foam removal EFFORTLESS).

Thanks to everyone for the comments, there is a lot more activity in this thread than I thought I'd have! Is all of iBoats like this all the time or are the in-progress rebuild threads particularly active during the winter months when the projects up north are frozen?

 

[carribbean soul]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

madatthe please read my post and make a comment.

 

[madatthe]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

In all seriousness though, check out this thread http://forums.iboats.com/boat-restoration-building-hull-repair/1999-bayliner-project-292511.html he made some nice additions, including a bow fishing deck to a similar Bayliner.

I found that thread a few weeks ago and I credit it with being the inspiration for my current undertaking. It's a fantastic read!

 

[madatthe]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

madatthe please read my post and make a comment.

I did read it and checked out the website you linked to. I'll absolutely check it out when I'm comparison shopping!

Are you familiar with any self-service marine parts boneyards in Central Florida or the Space Coast? My boat-buildin' uncle was telling me about an awesome marine pick & pull type facility in Clearwater that I should check out before buying anything new. Hopefully he and I will be able to take a trip out there in the next few weeks after I've cleared a few hurdles with my boat.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

I have pretty much concluded this forum is active whenever you need help.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

I did read it and checked out the website you linked to. I'll absolutely check it out when I'm comparison shopping!

Are you familiar with any self-service marine parts boneyards in Central Florida or the Space Coast? My boat-buildin' uncle was telling me about an awesome marine pick & pull type facility in Clearwater that I should check out before buying anything new. Hopefully he and I will be able to take a trip out there in the next few weeks after I've cleared a few hurdles with my boat.

Ha, now I see you are in Orlando. I am right in Deland. If you need a second set of hands for anything let me know.

If you go ahead and restore it, consider it a learning experiance. You dont want to learn on an expensive boat.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

I'll know a lot more about what I'm in for this weekend when I get a chance to drill the transom and the bulkhead that supports the engine to see the extent of what will need to be replaced. The thought of throwing some plywood in and using this for a couple seasons before dumping it is tempting, and may likely wind up happening, but for now I'm psyched about doing things right.

I'm going into this with a full grasp on reality and, frankly, I have fairly low expectations. I'm doing this for pleasure, not on someone else's schedule or demands. I appreciate that the more logical idea is to scrap this one and start with a better platform and if I were advising someone else on this kind of undertaking, I would tell them the same thing! Admittedly there is no logical reason why I am so eager and excited to keep working on this mess, but I'm driven to do so nonetheless!

madatthe, I think you're going to fit in just find around here...

Good luck on your project and have fun!

Jim

 

[rickryder]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

There you go a man of my own heart.... People were telling me I was crazy for rebuilding my boat.... I did more than I'll ever get back out of it but the wealth of knowledge I gained and the pride I felt completing it was well worth it! I did a pretty indepth resto thread so if you have any questions I'd be happy to lend a hand Welcome to The Dry Dock!

 

[carribbean soul]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

thanks I thought you skipped right over my thread. no i don't know of any bone yards in Tampa area, I would think if a part was valuable it went on e-bay or Craigslist long time ago, so anything you find wouldn't be worth putting on the boat. You could really test your resolve and turn that boat into a center console.

 

[64osby]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

You sound like you're up for a challenge, that's good. Do you want to boat this summer?

Still think you should look at starting with boat that will be easier to fix, less expensive to fix and get you on the water this summer.

17' starcraft,60 evenrude, trailer 17' CC

1968 Starcraft Aluminum Runabout 18' I/O

17' Starcraft Aluminum 17' full project

 

[BonairII]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

My advice........get rid of your "Free Boat" ASAP.

If you are new to boat ownership, you're not going to know what type/size boat will be best suited for your needs right off the bat.

Spending a ton of hours and a bunch of money restoring a boat that you may/may not be right for you....is probably not the best idea in the world.

 

[britisher]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

I'm with Rick Ryder in that you cannot put a $ value on the 'learning' aspect of rebuilding a boat. I bought my first boat last year. A 1989 Sea Ray 180. Bought it from a dude in Ormond Beach. I was so green, the word should have been stamped on my forehead. He pointed out the floor needed a little TLC, but the price at $1400.00 seemed fair. How wrong I was. $2000.00 in fiberglass and wood supplies not counting the parts to be replaced and the total cost came to near $7000.00. Could I have bought a newer, better boat for $8400.00. Of course I could have IN HINDSIGHT. Would I have learned what I now know from the weekends I spent for most of last year had I have spent more, bought newer. Unlikely. Would I have done it then if I knew what I know now??? Hmm, that's a tough question!!

 

[jigngrub]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

The thing about it is, this boat was "free"... and to get another boat would mean shelling out $$$, and then more $$$ restoring it when all the needs to be spent is restoring $$$ on this one.

I personally think the OP made out like a bandit on this boat, he got the boat for free, the motor runs, and he knows what needs to be done. He can fix it up and use it for a few years and then sell it and upgrade if he wants.

 

[Teamster]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

The thing about it is, this boat was "free"... and to get another boat would mean shelling out $$$, and then more $$$ restoring it when all the needs to be spent is restoring $$$ on this one.

I personally think the OP made out like a bandit on this boat, he got the boat for free, the motor runs, and he knows what needs to be done. He can fix it up and use it for a few years and then sell it and upgrade if he wants.

I agree,....


Starting out at free is a good place to start out at!!!,...

All of the fixing and changing should be relatively cheap and lot's of fun,..

 

[ezmobee]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

All of the fixing and changing should be relatively cheap and lot's of fun,..

Not really cheap. To do it right, you're looking at $1000 worth of glassin' supplies and materials.

 

[madatthe]

Re: There's no such thing as a free boat: My '96 Bayliner Capri 1750 Adventure

Not really cheap. To do it right, you're looking at $1000 worth of glassin' supplies and materials.

Yes, but that puts me at a total out of pocket expense of $1000 over a few weeks for a boat that, hopefully, works when I'm done with it.

My boat budget is limited to the fairly small amount of money I can spend every week on a project before my wife's foot is put down. In my current position, I'd rather do what I'm doing now than spend hundreds (or more) up front for a boat, even if it's a nicer boat with an aluminum hull and less work to do, and take just as long (if not longer) to get it in the water. Waiting for my wife's "HOW much are you spending on this boat?" reflex to be reset would surely prevent me from being able to fund the repairs quickly on any of the aluminum options presented above.

A hundred to a couple hundred bucks a weekend and a few hours of doing something that I truly enjoy is what I have in front of me now.

I don't think I need to mention that it's FRIDAY and I'll be picking up my boat this afternoon! More details tomorrow when I get to jump back into my project!