dont get angry
 

i can buy a classic 32 racing hull,thing is it has a 3 man stand up bolster and that is all the space there is it has no engines so i was thinking to convert it to outboards so i can use the engine room to make a bench and create some space,i want to use it for pleasure.
am i taking away the value of the boat this way,i was thinking if i ever want to sell it it can always converted back to inboards.

like to hear some opinions or do you know examples from people who did this before ?

example

Let's just take your example....Dry Martini....if you did that to that boat.......you probably better stay in SE Asia as you would not be safe in Europe or the USA.

It all depends on the boat. Race boats that no one ever heard of, no problem, famous or historic boats...problem!!!

Amen

Totally agree with both statements.

I once modified a very famous race boat many years ago and have not been forgiven yet.

Kalaazar

Old Race Boats
 

Ian,and it probably will never happen !!!.Bud

Thanks Bud you and my son feels the same way about it !!!!

OK, sorry, I was young and foolish then and like most things, it seemed like a great idea at the time.

And before my son comments on here ( he is driving Dry Martini in that picture ) yes I agree, now I am just old and stupid.

But I still love classic boats that have a history to them.

Ian

Did you buy "assigned risk"?

Here is one for you.....https://miami.craigslist.org/brw/boa/5209273420.html

Just do this!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]545656[/ATTACH]

assigned risk scorpian is a perfect candidate .. make an offer!!!

Someone suggested that I do that with mine. My reply, if I wanted a pleasure boat I wouldn't have bought a race boat.

I get doing what you want to a boat, they'll never be Barrett Jackson 69 z28 material BUT!!!! Theres certain things that should not be done!

I understand the reaasoning behind preserving old race boats, what they stand for and what they did for boating as it exists today, BUT..........

How do we preserve these boats?

Most of them end up rotting away in someone's barn, a very small number get restored and used 5 times a years for a trip down memory lane but do any get restored and end up on show where I would like to see them? Not really.

As the title says, "Don't get angry", but I would like to hear about a well known old race boat been rescued from a long drawn out, slow, painful death in someone's barn and put back in the water and enjoyed by many boating fans.

Imagine having such a piece and using her every weekend. Hull intact, cockpit and cabin remodeled to suit current usage, power updated to 2015 and the boat can still perform handsomely alongside the newer designed boats of today.

Go ahead and breath life into this well known race boat before it's too late. If people still say you have to move away to stay safe from the racing loyalists, ship the boat to me, I'll build a garage just for the boat and I would be proud to give her a nice run every few weeks. You can visit and use her any time you like, I'll make up the spare bed and pick you up at the airport!

RR

EDIT: Don't change the name on the side, where I come from, it's bad luck to change a boats name.

sorry top banana,i understand would never do that to a historic hull like that,my hull is a old scarab 9000$ hull,i should have mention that.

haha,remember the headline off this tread ; DONT GET ANGRY !

wow,that hurts my eyes.

totally agree.

So there we have it, if it`s cheap and ugly enough plus a bit non- descript, do as you wish.

But if it has any history at all and you have the cash do us all a favour and put it back to what it should be ------- Or perhaps a few of us will be round to your place to have a "word". Either way I don't think that you will ever make money out of rebuilding old race boats. You just have to have a "passion" for them plus a level of insanity helps.

Good luck with it whatever you do.
Kalaazar

Did I buy "Assigned Risk"

If the question was addressed to me, no I bought "Magnum Tornado" back in 1968 which was the then 1967 world champion powerboat for that year as a flat deck and after a long story converted it into a Magnum Sedan style cruiser for cruiser racing here in the UK.

Kalaazar

Somebody needs to just be straight out b!tch slapped repeatedly untill some form of sanity returns....

Just buy the 28 Apache for sale here on this site it already done how you want it.

Sorry, meant for jef.

Great options being offered here, can`t see either one of those being spoiled only improved upon !

Kalaazar

try to contact long time ago,never get any reply,prefer 30+ feet

thanks!

Saw a great old race boat in near perfect shape butchered a few years ago to install turbines.........

Totally up to the owner to do what he/she wants but it doesn't mean the cringe factor is any less.

Was it a 47 apache?

How, is a good question. For the most part real race boats are not made for the general market because of the way they are constructed. In the early days they were built like tanks. Everything was doubled if not tripled along with other ribs and bulkheads. Too heavy for a normal set up. Then the race boats got real light. Only built to last a season or two at most. To add insult to injury when they were made to last only a year or two anything that worth a penny was stripped out of the old and installed in the new boat when the time came. Making the hull basically worthless. Look at what nascar cup cars cost to be put together and how much they go for on Craig’s list just a couple seasons later. Then there’s the one off modifications. Holes cut and drilled for this and that. Box covers made out of paper mache. Motor configurations and placements that makes no sense except to the one person who built it and then sourcing the parts that they had on hand to make it all work. Sounds kind of insane when I think of it. Lol.
I have to say though I would have never bought mine if I didn’t plan on putting it back together as a race boat. Why bother? They usually cost as much or more as a comparable “normal” boat and if you plan on changing it to a normal boat it’s going to cost you way more to convert it to one then if you would have just started with a normal boat and fixed it in the first place. It’s like reinventing the wheel to me.
Also I take mine to the St Michales ACBS boat show every couple years and if you want to see it I’m more than willing to show within reason. And you said something like “but I would like to hear about a well known old race boat been rescued from a long drawn out, slow, painful death in someone's barn and put back in the water and enjoyed by many boating fans.” Well it’s your lucky day …. :whistle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA-bAhO101g
The same way I hate seeing 4X4 pickup trucks slammed to the ground with low profile tires on it. Or those little 20hp cars with those loud ass tailpipes that sound like a lawnmower that lost its muffler. Different strokes ....

PS, we are still doing test drives for anyone thinking about restoring one without a huge budget.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQIQ_HXYkD4

Wow! Massive job but what an effort and a fine result. Two rhetorical questions we already know the answers to......

Was it worth it financially?
Was it worth it for the satisfaction on completion and the pride of ownership?

I get your point about the way older race boats were built and they don't make a straight forward conversion into a practical boat for today. The time, effort and money involved make it almost impossible for many of us to attempt such jobs but good for you, and anyone else, who puts in the hours. One old boat with a history saved, still a lot more out there, hopefully a lot more will be saved.

RR

Awh, that's funny Charlie!

Was it worth it financially?
You have to be kidding?
If starting off with a gutted, one off, customized, no parts available, no one sure how it originally was put together hull that was only supposed to last a season or two is financially sound thinking you need to have your head examined

Was it worth it for the satisfaction on completion and the pride of ownership?
See that is a different story and I have a couple reasons why.
Started off as a kid on an island off the coast of Maine. Where a boat was life (if you wanted off the island). They were for the most part utility boats and a bigger sail boat but you learner to fix you own stuff cause no one had money but there was always something in the storage shed that would work. Then in the mid 1970’s we moved and ended up on a major rive in Maryland. A neighborhood of poor shacks and mansions. The place directly across the river from us looked like something you would see on TV. Live bands every weekend during the summer, cars, girls (clothing optional), boats …. Offshore, jets, flattys all screaming in and out all hours. I was a 10 or 11 year old, totally star struck and thought someday I’m going to have that!!
By the time the race boat came around I had re-done a few boats by then and knew what I was getting into. I actually knew about where it was about 5 years before but held off on it until the last boat I restored just seemed like work and not fun. Figured we need each other. I wanted something unique to show off my talents and it need to be fixed. It then thought me I didn’t know **** and to this day I’m still not sure if it’s my biggest accomplishment or biggest mistake/failure. I’ve since restored 3 or 4 boats since the race boat was “finished” and I’m still doing “test drives”. It’s just a complicated mess that sometimes gets me down but then there are times like when it won the ACBS Best Race Boat award at the St Mike’s show. That can get you through a year or two of downs.
This year I’ve spent a lot more time on it then I have the past due to those other boats and made a lot of progress with new motors and such but there is always something else to do.
Another reason I am partial to this race boat is I also own a John Allmand Super Nova 19. Allan Brownie Brown owned Nova Marine and the r/b was their 1st. They then went on to make a 19’ Nova. When the sold the business they sold the molds to the 24’ to WellCraft and the 19’ were bought by Allmand. Sadly Allmand only wanted the 19’ boat for the hull and only built a few Super Nova’s before they changed it to a center console. After a lot of research I’ve found that I have the last SuperNova19 made and with the raceboat I have the first 24. Kind of bookends in a weird way.
Then there’s knowing that some of the biggest names in racing have stood in it and looked down the same deck from the cockpit as I have. Aronow said it was fast but to short. How many people can say Aronow said something (good or bad) about their boat? The thing nearly killed Brownie when he wiped it out. And ya, Brownine took my boat racing, real offshore racing, hundreds of miles out to sea and back racing, with nothing but a couple charts and a compass racing, wave crusher hull, blown motors and a steering wheel racing. I even have video of it in front of O’dell Lewis’s boat in the Bahama 500 (they were going out to practice but it was in front, lol).
How this all fits in with the OP, I would have never bought the boat unless I planned on making it a race boat again and didn’t for like 5 or 6 years hoping in a way someone else would buy it. And to be honest the seller turned down a lot of offers for it over the years but knowing that I knew the history of the boat and planned on putting it back to original was the main reason I was given the chance to buy it.
So like was said before, if it has a historical significance I would much rather see someone at least try to keep it semi original. And as much as I would like to save them all, if you plan on chopping it up there is so many other boats out there you can do that to. If only for economic reasons alone leave them alone.

Two rhetorical questions but you answered them anyway!

I've never spent anything on a boat that was financially worthwhile and doubt I ever will.
Pride of ownership is the only way I justify any boat expense. Your history and knowledge of the boats justify all the hard work and gives you pride of ownership.

Well done!

RR

yes tears still running over my face.

Yea, one of the older INXS boats.

Looked like a great job being done and a ton of money being spent but it sure made me cringe to see the old girl cut up like that.

Again though, I guess its up to the owner and who puts up the cash.

I'll always have a soft spot for the Apaches, classic V hulls, and the INXS boats!

Inxs is being modernized and sped up with big power because the previous stepped boat they ran swapped ends on them. I guess they saw God and decided to go with a straight bottom.

To the OP. It's your money. Do what you want.

Hogie is this one of the olddd INXS boats? The one I'm thinking of is the old John Gehret ride. Its been so darn long ago now that I cant keep them all straight.