See my post, "All My TLC was for Nothing". That boat is history and I am just wrapping up the latest project, a 1995 Chris Craft Concept that had a blown engine. I re-powered from 190 H.P. (302 Ford) to a 305 H.P. (351 Ford) with some nice mods. I plan to put it on the market in the next week or so.
I did two other boats (a Cobia and a Wellcraft) earlier this year and now its time to look around for a couple of winter projects, or one big one. So far I have stuck to 18 to 23 foot ski boats as that seems to be the largest market. But now I am thinking maybe I would like a change of pace and try my hand at something a little different.
I am tinkering with the idea of a BIG project. I was contacted by a friend that works with a large insurance company and asked if I was interested in a 48' house boat. The story behind it is this: Guy has his girlfriend living with him on board, she accued him of cheating, he gets mad and gets in car and drives away. The girl friend is fit to be tied so she goes and gets his drill and a 1" spade bit, gets down into the bilge and starts drilling holes in the bottom of the boat. Boat is well on its way to sinking and she gets out out and also drives away.
People in the next slip see the boat sinking and he gets several people to throw ropes on it and drag it 50 yards to the shore. Got the bow on the shore but boat was sinking fast and the aft went down in about 6' of water so the engine compartment was submerged. It sat there for two weeks or so. Needless to say the engines (twin Chryslers) and the generator is ruined along with quite a bit of other "stuff" in the engine compartment.
Ok, so the insurance company is asking $5K for it but my friend tells me $3K would buy it. Book value on the boat is $41,000 (No I don't put much faith in "book value?) give or take. Looking at the pics, the rest of the boat looks really nice and I don't anticipate a lot to do there.
As near as I can figure it, I am looking at around $15K to completely re-power. (Not counting my labor.) That leaves a good deal of room to make a buck but, I have never taken on anything this large and am leery about the things I don't know about that could cost me big bucks once I get into it. (Oh yeah, I forgot, it will cost about $3K to have the boat moved and set up on cribbing.)
Any and all thoughts appreciated.
I did two other boats (a Cobia and a Wellcraft) earlier this year and now its time to look around for a couple of winter projects, or one big one. So far I have stuck to 18 to 23 foot ski boats as that seems to be the largest market. But now I am thinking maybe I would like a change of pace and try my hand at something a little different.
I am tinkering with the idea of a BIG project. I was contacted by a friend that works with a large insurance company and asked if I was interested in a 48' house boat. The story behind it is this: Guy has his girlfriend living with him on board, she accued him of cheating, he gets mad and gets in car and drives away. The girl friend is fit to be tied so she goes and gets his drill and a 1" spade bit, gets down into the bilge and starts drilling holes in the bottom of the boat. Boat is well on its way to sinking and she gets out out and also drives away.
People in the next slip see the boat sinking and he gets several people to throw ropes on it and drag it 50 yards to the shore. Got the bow on the shore but boat was sinking fast and the aft went down in about 6' of water so the engine compartment was submerged. It sat there for two weeks or so. Needless to say the engines (twin Chryslers) and the generator is ruined along with quite a bit of other "stuff" in the engine compartment.
Ok, so the insurance company is asking $5K for it but my friend tells me $3K would buy it. Book value on the boat is $41,000 (No I don't put much faith in "book value?) give or take. Looking at the pics, the rest of the boat looks really nice and I don't anticipate a lot to do there.
As near as I can figure it, I am looking at around $15K to completely re-power. (Not counting my labor.) That leaves a good deal of room to make a buck but, I have never taken on anything this large and am leery about the things I don't know about that could cost me big bucks once I get into it. (Oh yeah, I forgot, it will cost about $3K to have the boat moved and set up on cribbing.)
Any and all thoughts appreciated.
