If you're stuck on having a 22 Donzi, you'd be better with any of these.

http://www.powerboatlistings.com/view/41118

http://www.powerboatlistings.com/view/41649

http://www.powerboatlistings.com/view/41669

http://www.powerboatlistings.com/view/42222

Ouch !!!!!

Replacing the engine will be the least of your issues.

I hope you really like your uncle.

Just needs a motor:

so what other issues are we looking at?

electrical?
I'm not afraid of hard work......

say I get a engine in and drive installed.

get it all cleaned up and looking good.

what other insides would I need to fix?

I'm sure theres aftermarket panels and electrical stuff.

so say 5k.

I'm not seeing where the issue is? I think it would be a fun little project. I like fixing and restoring things.

You are assuming that the stringers, transom, and floors are not wet/soft. That's a huge assumption based on the fact that it looks like its been sitting out uncovered, and with a bilge full of water.

Add a bravo drive at $3-6k, prop at $400-500, upholstery, hatch, hatch ram/pump, trim pump/rams, all new switches, batteries, etc etc.

There's a LOT of experience that you're tapping into on this forum, and they're all telling you to punt. Take heed.

Sitting uncovered with water in bilge like that I can guarantee it will need a transom, stringers, floor. Just walk away.........

I was young and dumb once too.... bought my "first boat", an old 18' Cobra Jet boat for $600 with a locked up 455 olds....I wanted a boat so badly, that I didn't care about the condition...i'm a hands on guy, and I could fix anything.

I spent 6 months working on it...stripping it down, chiseling out the rotten transom wood, cutting out the floor, trying to buff what was left of the gel. Finally had a "WTF am I doing" moment. Ended up parting it all out, selling the trailer, and literally cutting up the entire hull with a skil saw and taking it to the road piece by piece for the garbage man to take away over the course of a few months.

Then I went and bought a turn-key Hydrostream and never looked back.

We're just trying to save you the headache.

The worst part would be watching it delam/stress crack/fall apart after you just put thousands of dollars into a soggy hull.

would be a fun project. What everyone will warn you about is....

Let's say the boat is Free.

Engine (complete, carb to pan including Exhaust) is going to be significantly more than 3-4k unless you buy something used and that's a crap shoot. Even a 1800runsnew long block is 5-6k with no exhaust or accessories.

New Transom Assembly is 2k. Yes, you can repair that one for less, but I have done that twice on my boat and kicked myself both times because by the time you repair them you could have brand new for a few hundred more.

No drive? Assume 2k more for that.

Hatch - if you can bargain shop you might find it for 500 bucks.

Upholstery, even if he does it for cost is probably a couple k.

All the other unforeseens (batteries, bilge pumps, trim/tilt pumps) 1-2k.

Compare that to those ones that were posted from powerboat listings (at least one or two of which you can probably by for 12-15k) and you could go boating next week.


Ive only gone through a substantial rebuild once - lots of guys have done it dozens' of times and their advice is based off experience. The costs spiral SO fast.

If you'd like a fixer upper at least find one with all the pieces. Bad upholstery, faded gell..you will get to boat not just throw all your money at one that doesn't run.

Not to be a d*&% but i have no idea where you where get a motor for $4k that's perfect and that will give you NO problems for when you are boating. NOW if you want to always be broken than thats different and that's not boating. Also you need a drive. A good bravo drive in good shape will be $2500-$3k. Than you need headers/ manifolds, than transom or stinger or both cause water in there for a LONG time is not a good thing. Wiring, hatch, interior is free thats the cheapest thing here. You seem to know what you are doing and talking about by you are writing while everyone that is giving you the same advice has no clue SMH. Good luck