Sounds like you are headed in the right direction.

but before you buy an old donzi or something like it, price out everything you will need to do a complete restoration and i mean everything. material, tools, tow vehicle, parts, paint, etc.

Add those numbers up, then triple it. This will give you a ballpark (a conservative one at that) of how much money it will cost you.

if it were me and i HAD to buy a boat now and I were 17 years old, i probably would have done (or attempted) something like you are talking about.

But knowing what i know now, i would buy something reliable and low maintenance that could get me out on the water immediately. Then, if that didn't scratch my itch enough, i would work on doing a project boat.

It's much easier to do a project and do it right if you have a running boat to use while you restore.

You know for 17 your a bright young man. You have watched the trends in the automotive world and you know it fits into the marine world some where and your absolutely right in many of your idea's. Here's what I can tell you the rebirth of our industry will revert back to some smaller boats and some wise OEM's already realize this.

The financial sector of america is going to be held tight for a number of years and it will be a great while before we see the days of easy money and refinance to fuel our boating pleasures. Beyond that interest rates are going to climb along with inflation and it will limit many households boat buying power. The trying economy has flooded the boat market with great values. Remember a great many companies are built through the most trying of times. But more than that remember that many of the worlds best idea's and inventions came from people who were told their dream would never work. Sometimes the idea wasn't bad it just maybe needed refining.

But where your right on the money is in todays engine technology. The LS series engine by GM is going to recreate the 500HP and below market. Its going to increase affordability and reliability as well as a weight savings. It would have replaced the 496 by now but Mercury's investment to finalize that project under their own trying times has been shelved.

But know this great boat companies were and will be built by forward thinking men with passion and a pulse in the market like yourself. Regardless of what or how you journey your future I feel confident your thoughts are good. The boat business has been built on passion by people who loved it maybe more than the right decision. I feel confident there are many better ways to make money but maybe just maybe none that you will enjoy as much. Myself and most of my staff do this because we love it I wish you the best of luck.

Thanks that means alot coming from successful company. I have been around theses boats even since i was a little kid. I could always pick out little flaws and find things that can be improved upon. Hopefully this hobby will take me right next to some of the big name companies they everyone knows. Ill keep everyone on here updated on my progress. I will have a TON of questions, there is never enough to learn when making something fast, go faster. It may take 30 years to build this company up but if I make everything to perfection then there wont be any problems getting there.

Ya another college grad working at BurgerKing.. This advice coming from clock punchers. Hey kid follow your dreams thats how America was built. Dont be another robot.

Thanks guys, ive got a long way to go until i would consider myself a company. For now im just gonna be that kid building boats out of his garage. Hopefully in a few years i will have a site, fan base, a clients, a decent income, and a spot on the NJ boat show floor. Those spots im thinking cost TONS of money but will do wonders to your reputation. Hopefully everyone will see handmade quality work not from a big manufacture but from a handful of people who know how to make boats. Even if it takes me a year to complete a boat, its gonna be done right.

I posted up on the truck side.. You have a good idea going on... Best of luck..

John jr

Yeah the guys at PT.net are gonna help me out with the 6.0 marine conversion if its possible. You guys here are gonna help me with the boat side of things. Its good to see some guys on both though haha

LOl I hear ya... I am the same as you. Been living on the water, had boats since I was born... :evilb: They are a big part in me life, well making trucks go fast :)


John jr

Same, its always been big loud fast trucks and boats haha

Very well said.