Called the seller last night to buy the boat and get a deposit down, he wouldnt budge 'even one cent because bobby told him not to'.

Boat isnt worth his asking (to me at least) with those old pooched motors that he doesnt know the horsepower, hours or anything about. Boat was stolen and boght off an insurance company so there could be a number of things wrong but my main concern was the engines. Those motors need a tear down for certain.

I have been getting alot of advice from a client of mine in this search process. He is an ex- world champion racer, has owned several Apaches and Skaters and god knows what else and he is even on the history of Apache DVD. Another good ol' Canadian from Toronto. Anyways when he tells me that motors need to be torn down and not to pay over a certain price, I listen. I am not a old school knowledeable offshore guy with big coin like alot of you guys. I am a real enthusiast and I have learned alot from you guys and OSO in the last year or so. I want to buy an Apache but I want the right one for me and I dont want to get hosed on the wrong deal.

It is just really too bad the guy wont move because I think he will have a hard time selling at that price with those engines.

The boat looks pretty but I have looked at 4 28 Apaches in the last 6 months with money in hand each time and all of them either have old pooched engines or cracked stringers or both.

I have talked to Bobby Saccenti and he told me that the cracks that appear in many of these boats engine compartments to what appears (even to the surveyor I used) to be the stringers is actually to another component called the knees which are designed to protect the stringers and can be fixed at a cost (like anything else). Engines can be rebuilt but from what I have been taught I shouldnt EXPECT to have anything salvageable from motors with over 300hours other than the block and the crank. Those motors definately have over 300 hours and I would guess 500 plus (as would alot of guys I have asked).

So with that boat in Georgia you are looking at 15k in rebuilds on the engines and that is before even thinking about drives and possible knee cracks and redoing the dash panels and who knows what else (the boat was stolen, remember the old term 'drive it like you stole it' --I do). With that boat I needed some more room because I am comfortable spending 50k on one with rebuilds by my clients builder in Toronto and drives that have been gone through thouroughly and no issues with cracks. I am NOT comfortable with spending 60k. For that money I might as well buy one with no issues at all.

Texoma Powerboater got the only nice one with no issues at all and it was priced right. I know this because the same surveyor that did some work for me did his and said that it was mint, no cracks great hull and sound engines. I was going to buy that boat and making a sandwich to take in the car when the owner called me and told me it had been sold. I learned alot from that about how to buy a boat.



The problem that overarches everything here is that there arent many of these boats, and not many for sale except for ones that are not really worth buying because owners are not realistic with their prices. But hey, all of the power to them, they have the APaches and I dont and I want one so I have to put up with this.

I remember when I started a thread a long time ago about this boat search someone posted that buying the boat, the search was half the fun......that person was wrong wrong wrong. This isnt fun, it is harder work than shoveling the damn 1.5 feet of snow we got on sunday.:(

Thanks for all of the help. I am going to go back after this one in a few weeks if it hasnt sold. Could make a nice boat for someone who wants to overpay 5-10 grand. For me that is too much money to throw at something just because I want it badly. I can think of much better ways to spend that, at strip joints. :D


Cheers,

Adam

What about the new one Mel has? Good luck, I spent a lot of time shopping for 28's years ago, couldn't find one I had to have so after awhile I went for a 36 instead, then a 41. I would still like to have a nice 28 someday.

I cant even get a price out of him after 5 calls. He doesnt even know if he is selling it he told me.

It is a very bizarre situation.

How many times can you call a guy before you give up?

If he would give a price then I can leave him alone or buy his boat. It is quite easy but I am sick of calling there. With all due respect obviously, the guy is a respected guy in this industry but he is definately unique.

did a bit of OSO research on the boat for sale in the classifieds.

Turns out it was owned by an OSO member 'mleslie951'

The engines are not 700's they are 550hp according to this guy and there is a bunch of other stuff in his post history about the boat as well.

Man this site is a good tool

Give it time, the guy will go down. Its much too early in the sale. When it gets close to spring he will bite. I'm with you on the value. I think mines worth $40K, but IMO - its perfect and has been very lightly used. It needs nothing.

Just got my 28 apache in last night. Its absolutely beautiful. I can't find one thing wrong with it (knock on wood). I tried to take some pics but they didn't come out well in the dark. I'll take some more on Saturday. I feel for ya bud. I knew you were on your way and you would have boughten it if you would have gotten to it. If the owner wouldn't have gone on vacation for 10 days you would have gotten to it first. If I hadn't been searching for A LONG TIME I'd feel a lot worse about it.

Adam, I feel for ya man! But, it's supply and demand and in addition to that it seems like the owner is on the fence about selling.. He's probably pricing the boat at a price that he'd "let it go" not a price that he wants to move it.

Sucks for you as a buyer because you have money and want to deal but for him maybe he's not in a position where he needs to deal... In due time maybe he'll come around! :drink:

Congrats on finally getting the boat delivered!!! Can't wait to see some pics.

i may be wrong but didnt mleslie have 1.65 bravos on his?

Is it Mleslie boat??? I was also interested in this boat

this is what I am trying to figure out Steve.

this boat (the one for sale) was stolen in the atlanta area and recovered in FLA (just like leslie's)

same engines by grimes racing as mleslie's

also from what I am gathering the timeline makes sense as far as it being the same boat and the seller told me he has done interior and graphics

lastly, the cabin in this boat matches the interior in leslie's boat.

I would bet this is the same boat.

BUT the seller told me the boat had a different name and a different colour interior (maybe modified by the thief) than the pics I have found of leslie's boat.

I am confused and trying to figure it out.