To buy or not to buy?

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Stevey Eggy

Recruit
Joined
Dec 19, 2001
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3
I have the oppurtunity to buy a run-about boat with an evinrude 60 horse and a trailer. I think it is a 1963 King-Star or Star-King? boat. Any input would be immensly appreciated. Thanks. <br /><br />P.S.- the boat is 400 dollars.
 
JB

JB

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Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: To buy or not to buy?

Ahoy, Stevey. You need to know, and to tell us, a lot more about that boat/motor/trailer package before we can be of any help to you.<br /><br />What size and condition is the boat? what is it made of? When was it last used?<br /><br />What year is the engine? What is its condition? Does it run? When was it last run?<br /><br />Give us some details about the trailer.<br /><br />$400 is real cheap, but $400 worth of junk is still junk.<br /><br />Red sky at night. . .<br />JB :)
 
S

Stevey Eggy

Recruit
Joined
Dec 19, 2001
Messages
3
Re: To buy or not to buy?

Let me tell you the whole story, so it does'nt sound as confusing- ;) <br /><br />- I have been looking for a boat since last summer, and my buddy had a boat in his backyard one day and I asked him whose it was, it was his friends, so I told him to ask him if he wanted to sell it, he did because he needs money because he lost his job.<br /><br />Supposedly, from the the owners friend thinks it is a 1963 Star-King 15 ft Run-About. It is an Eveinrude 60 horse electric start engine, I do not know of the year, and do not know if it runs. The trailer is 2wheel/1axel steel. The boat is fiberglass, and everything looks in good shape, the only true concern I have is all of the wiring in the boat needs to be re-done, The Bilge Pump, Electric Start, Speedometer, and the Lights all need to be connected to a battery, and I don't even know where to start to do something like that. And another concern I have is say, yeah it has the Bilge Pump, and the Electric start, but what if they are shot, and I had to replace them, how costly could it get? I think, from personal boat expirience, (which is not THAT much, but a bit) that the boat is worth 400 dollars, but I think I will end up putting about another 400 into it to make it water-worthy again. <br />Thanks a lot for your post!
 
JB

JB

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Mar 25, 2001
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45,907
Re: To buy or not to buy?

Sorry, Stevey. Sounds like junk to me. Unless you are prepared to spend several thousand to get it in shape, pass.<br /><br />Red sky at night. . .<br />JB :)
 
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Fouled Plug

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Jun 29, 2001
Messages
935
Re: To buy or not to buy?

Well, I must disagree. I have come across some rigs like yours that were worth the time. Decide first what your max budget is, and then check it out. Is the motor frozen? Was it stored properly? Bilge pump and lights are simple wiring jobs, and key switch not much worse. Course, I've monkeyed with the stuff for years. You will need a mechanically inclined friend to pitch in. Find out the condition/year of the motor, if the transom of the boat is solid, and if the trailer is road-worthy. If you're looking for a beater fishin boat and not a show stopper, you may get it going for less than you think. A picture would be worth 1000 words, if you can get one. Bottom line: Check it out before you buy, don't pay first and find out you have a real slab on your hands. :D
 
J

johnkc

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Dec 12, 2001
Messages
388
Re: To buy or not to buy?

stevey,I am with J. B. ,PASS on it you will spend way more than 400.00 fixin her up
 
JB

JB

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45,907
Re: To buy or not to buy?

Hey, Fouled Plug. Sounds to me more like you agree than disagree. You are asking for the same info I asked for and Stevey can't supply. I told him to pass because he can't tell if the engine even has a crank in it, for crying out loud, or if the boat floats.<br /><br />You are, in effect, telling him to find out or pass.<br /><br />Now, where do we disagree?<br /><br />Red sky at night. . .<br />JB :)
 
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Stevey Eggy

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Dec 19, 2001
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3
Re: To buy or not to buy?

The engine is complete, it does have everything, including a crank. I am quite sure the engine will run, All I am worried about is the wiring, from what I hear the wiring should be easy, and the boat will float. the trailer is solid. and I have numerous people who are extremely mechanically inclined. I also would need to buy a new prop for it as the one on it currently is broke. will the engine be OK to test with the broken prop on it, and how much am I looking at for a new prop. thanks a lot.
 
JB

JB

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Mar 25, 2001
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45,907
Re: To buy or not to buy?

Well, Stevey, it sounds as though you know more that I realized.<br /><br />A new/recon aluminum prop should cost you well under a hundred bux. You should have a prop on it to test it.. .under load, but for no-load check out you keep it in neutral anyway so it doesn't matter.<br /><br />Rewiring the boat is a matter of getting a manual for your engine and reading the diagrams, plus making marine-grade connections of adquate size wire and fusing the works correctly. That is labor intensive and not very expensive.<br /><br />If your hull is structurally sound.. .no rot, and the engine runs, as you seem confident it will, you should be on the water for an additional four or five bills.<br /><br />On the other hand, if you are suffering from wishful thinking, you are in for a miserable winter.<br /><br />Red sky at night. . .<br />JB :)
 
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DJ

Guest
Re: To buy or not to buy?

Stevey,<br /><br />You really have to have a passion for these things if you want to take on a project like this. Otherwise, every bolt you turn or every hatch you open will be another bottomless money pit. Don't wear out your friendships asking them to fix everything on the rig you touch.<br /><br />If you really ant to get on the water that bad, save up a few more bucks and buy something you can actually see run, float and go. Learn from that one before you take on something like this.<br /><br />Happy hunting.
 
K

Kramer

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Dec 18, 2001
Messages
33
Re: To buy or not to buy?

Yo eggy:<br /> Here is my 2 cents, If (and it is a big if) you are willing to put in the time, $$ and labor the boat may turn out to require here is a thought. Approach the guy who owns it and try to see how bad he wants rid of it. Assume he can't care too much if it has been sitting long enough to end up in the condition it is in. If he seems like he wants rid of it ask if you can drop it in the water to see if it floats, play around with it to see if it runs etc. Get a better idea of if it is sea worthy and what it will take to make it run. If he's not willing to go for that and you are still interested low ball him and see what he says. Worst case scenario, you don't come to terms and you move on. <br /><br />Biggest lesson I learned looking at a bunch of used boats this past summer was the importance of seperating you heart from your head. You want to buy with your head!!!<br /><br />Hope to see you on one of NY's waterways.<br /><br />Giddyup!<br /><br />Kramer<br />(who's very happy with the boat he bought this year)
 
Valv

Valv

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Jun 12, 2001
Messages
391
Re: To buy or not to buy?

Kramer, bullseye.<br />JB, Perfect.<br /><br />For my experience with buying old boats you have to consider few things you MUST do before you put it the water.<br />-1 You WILL NEED a carb rebuild kit, no matter how they winterized it before parking it.<br />-2 You WILL NEED a water pump rebuild kit.<br />-3 New battery<br />-4 Hopefully not new piston rings.<br />-5 Hopefully the old 'rude has good lower unit with shift.<br />-6 Probably a complete tune up.<br /><br />That's only the motor.<br />Now if you do it yourself, you might end up not spending too much (few hundreds), if you'll take to a shop.....don't bother, take motor apart, sell it on Ebay, with the money you have left + more get a better boat.<br /><br />That was my 2 cents.<br /><br />Val<br />(gee, I hate that Captain under my name, can we eliminate that too?)
 
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Fouled Plug

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Jun 29, 2001
Messages
935
Re: To buy or not to buy?

JB, the only thing I disagreed with was the "pass it, it's junk" reply before he had found out any more about the package. I've come across some bargains, some non-bargains, but I check 'em out all the same. To say forget it BEFORE he supplies more info seemed rather dismissive. Just my .02, and if I get hammered for it, so be it. :D
 
JB

JB

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Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: To buy or not to buy?

We don't disagree, Fouled Plug. <br /><br />"Sounds like junk - - - Pass." was designed to either get him to defend it with more info or to abandon it if he had already told us all. Another way of say it could have been,"If that is all you know about it, don't buy it." <br /><br />He did know more but, IMHO, still not enough.<br /><br />Red sky at night.. .<br />JB :)
 
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DJ

Guest
Re: To buy or not to buy?

Ditto-JB-buy with your head. GREAT ADVICE!!!<br /><br />I restore boats as a hobby. I looked 18 months for my current project. My heart went out to alot-my head chose this one.
 
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Fouled Plug

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Joined
Jun 29, 2001
Messages
935
Re: To buy or not to buy?

JB, you hit it right on the head. I may have jumped in to defend what didn't require it, but I consider myself the patron saint of all that is discarded! :D Some of my best stuff came cheap/free from many sources, and I wanted Stevey to not be discouraged. We apparently see eye-to-eye on this one, now that I reflect on it all. I toast you with this glass of Greg Norman's Australian merlot and wish you happy holidays.<br /><br /> Red wine at night.... :)
 
B

BillT111

Cadet
Joined
Oct 25, 2001
Messages
19
Re: To buy or not to buy?

Hi Steve,,,<br /><br />Looks like you stirred up some real pro and con arguements here!!!<br /><br />If you're new to boating as it sounds, you must be prepared to bite the bullet if you run into $$big$$ repairs.<br />Re-wiring a boat is not hard but time consuming and will excercize your patience.<br /><br />I have redone several older boats, am working on a 66 glastron at present. An I love to see the finished products. Althought I seem to sell them after playing in them for a season. Ask yourself...<br /><br /><br />...Am I willing to get into this for my time and possibly more money than the purchase price????<br /><br /><br />What is your ultimate goal??<br />-To have an older""Classic" type boat or just have a boat that'll be seaworthy with little or no $$ and effort?<br /><br />It might be worht a few bux to take it to a reputable boat repair shop and have them check it out and tell you what it'll need.<br /><br />If you buy it for $400 and it needs say ,,<br />$500-800 in repairs..Is it still worth it?<br />Will it be trustworthy and SAFE?<br /><br />$400 is cheap,,heck a new aluminum jonboat can be over 800.00 without the trailer and motor. I say determine what your tolerance is and if you want to proceed, take it to a good mechanic and have it checked out.Be sure to have him include the cost of a rebuilding the water pump or replacing the impeller. I have rebuilt several wooden boats where I spent well over 10 times the purchase price to fix them up.<br />Think it all thru !<br /><br />Good Luck billt111@aol.com
 
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