cyrus77

iTrader: (4)

Good to hear. I just realized That I will not ever be able to sell it and get my money back. One thing is for sure I getting smarter as I go along.

WVBoater

love that 353 fastec !!!!!

Sunrocket24

iTrader: (1)

Nope,

I have a older boat also! I knew I was going to have to spend some money on issues when purchased it. I also ran into a little more than I expected like you did (the rebuilt engine from previous owner blew like 9hrs after I got it). I enjoy working on and restoring the boat, that is part of the fun for me. I would never be able to afford a boat like mine if it was new. I don't track the money and if you do you will kill the fun. If I try to ad the money up, I bought the boat for $9500.00 and probably have another $9000.00 into it the last 2-3 years (rough estimate). But would I have been able to spend close to 100k for a new one? NOPE and would I have the satisfaction of making the boat the way I want it? NOPE

Powerquest_Baby!!

I think the only way I would ever feel guilty about the money I spend is IF I had a newer boat (with payments, maintenance, storage, fuel etc) AND then had major engine/drive problems which required alot more money to be spent.
Personally I agree with Sunrocket24--buy older and pay cash. Its alot easier to afford the repairs without a payment to make. PLUS you do get to make the boat the way you want it. I know in Seattle we only have 3 months of boating weather up here--you would have to be insane to finance too much boat knowing the costs far outway the enjoyment.

Revd Up

I bought my current boat 6 months old. Pulled the engine as soon as I got home. Spent lots of $ that I will never see again. I will easily lose 50K at todays boat prices. You only lose when you sell, and I am not ready for that. Boats aren't an investment . They are expensive fun (and therapy). Enjoy life while you can, and you will never regret the good times you will have on your boat. I choose to piss away my money on horsepower and gas. Others piss it away gambling, golfing,strippers etc. Everybody has there addiction. Fast boats are mine.

sprink58

It goes a bit further, and is part of the reason I'm moving on the water. We have to keep a substantial vehicle to tow these things around. Now admittedly that's part of the appeal of trailer boating but I wince every time I put $75~$80 in the tank of my SUV just to be able to tow my boat...but I love it.

I will keep the SUV and trailer but at least I know I don't have to....I'm a genius LOL.

Fact is like Sonic said...we just love screwing around with these old things. In my case...my boat takes me back to a time when I was in the prime of my life...the late '70s and '80s. I'm a bit older now and I don't have any hair...but when I'm at the helm of that twin engine Formula skimming over the waves...with Skynyrd, Journey and the Eagles rocking my sound system I'm in my time machine and it's the 1980s again!!

I consider it therapy...

Twin O/B Sonic

Unless new, the engine and drive are the weak links. Someone posted on another thread about being leery of buying a "fresh rebuild" w/no or low hrs. Hardly ever w/a real warranty.
W/how hard we are on the mechanical parts of our boats, IMO the only way to truly know what you're getting is to buy the motor/drives in a box and assemble them yourselves or have someone reputable do it for you. Or of course, buy new. My friends all thought I was an idiot for spending the money but I bought two new in the box motors for my old Sonic and that was one of the smartest things I've ever done and have zero regrets.
Most common new/used boat horror stories we hear are stringers/transoms and/or drives/motors. A good surveyor will catch the stringers/transoms but even a good mechanic cannot tell you what parts are inside a motor/drive and how well they were assembled and how much life is left. Checking fluid and for leaks in a drive is a start but what if it has fresh fluid (very common when hiding something) and does not leak? It's a shot in the dark.
On the motor, you can/should do compression and leak down but then what?? Having the oil analized is good but who does that?
I raced O/B's for 9 yrs and only blew up one motor. Bought it from a well known racer who had a well known builder go through it and and was low/no hr. It popped in it's first race. The rest I bought disassembled in box's.
The last 6+ yrs I've been buying and rebuilding 200hp+ O/B's and the only time I get screwed on buying cores is when they're still assembled so I can't see inside. Interestingly, probably 50% of the cores I bought were recently rebuilt by a hack "rebuilder". I had one V-6 come through my shop that had one bad hole (as they all do) and the other 5 were fine. Had forged Wiseco's in it that I could have cleaned and sold as new. For a stock motor (this application) they're a waste of money and a nearly $1K upgrade. You think the builder took responsibility for that?? Have many similar horror stories.
I kind of equate it to playing w/muscle cars back in the old days. My target cars were the ones that were complete but w/the drivetrain out and apart.
Same w/the boats. Find the (fill in the blank) XXXXXX where the hull, trailer, upholstery is perfect and the drives/motors are out and apart. You can see everything, inspect everything and off you go.
I'm 53 and have been involved in this sport/hobby from day 1 and still love it. Hate seeing people getting stroked though, or so disgruntled that they give up and do something else. We all lose when that happens.

befu

iTrader: (2)

Crap, I do not have any money and my vices are gambling, golfing, strippers and now fast boats......

kb5050

Piss away?....I thought I was investing wisely

befu

iTrader: (2)

There are times that I am bummed when I see a similar boat sell for a similar amount that I will have in mine, which by the time spring rolls around, will be about $15k. but I go back to the fact that these boats look good but all have some underlying issues. In mine I know the motors are nice and fresh, the drives good, the back 6' of the boat are now solid, etc. Plus in the store room I have a spare drive, transom assembly, complete long block and a trim pump at the minimum. The fact remains that it is all sunk money, already been spent and can't change it.

I also think about a larger boat, but this one fits us well right now. Any bigger and it would have big blocks and more expensive drives on it. Being older, probably TRS which would weigh more. Right now I will primarily boat on a smaller inland lake tubing with the kids, so a smaller lighter boat works for me. Small blocks are also cheaper to build and learn on. Boat is light, planes easily and fits the lake we can tube on and yet be usable most of the time on Michigan or Erie when we get the chance.

Would I like a 311, Scarab 3 or 30' + Baja, sure. But maybe I have this size boat right now for a reason, so I will run with it. Maybe look for a 30 to 31 for the next restoration which will be a project also. I really think I want something in the 30 - 33 foot range long term with Bravo's, but found with bad motors or no motors. Would really like to look at running newer gen motors like the 6.0 to 6.2's I just like wrenching on things.

Brian