How long will an offshore boat live?
 

Here's a question that's been bouncing around in my head lately: how long can you expect a quality offshore boat to last? Assuming that the boat is stored out of the water (trailer or lift), how long until it requires structural work?

How long will engine stringers last? Transom? What about fuel tanks? Wiring?

Just curious - we all know that engines and drives need periodic refreshing/rebuilding, but what about the rest of the boat?

I'm no expert, but I have seen plenty of mid to late 70's Cig's in excellent condition. I can't say the same for some others but I know that Cig's last a while when taken care of.

Sutphen
 

..this one's a '77, and she's still kickin' pretty well!! :cool:

A Quality Offshore boat should last at least in my opinion 10yrs under normal civilian condition. The material manufactures use today are even better then they were just 5 yrs ago. Also largely
depends on owner operation and upkeep. Now in Race condition ! I have seen them finish building on Thursday and Sundays night the boat is completely totaled

A lot of 80's Scarabs and Chris Crafts had stringer rot problems. If an old boat smells like mildew, there's probably wood rotting in there.

The condition of most boats depends on the care they receive. People are still rebuilding boats built in the 60's. Have a surveyor check wood with a moisture sensor: regardless of brand. My friend's glass shop has replaced floors and stringers on almost all brands and some were less than 5 years old!

I'd say around 10 years. More if the boat was built correctly and well cared for. Less if built really poorly and not cared for. The problem is the poorly built, well cared for boat. SUPRISE!

Here's one right here. 1976 28ss. Let me tell you this. When we pulled the drives, gimbals, etc, to convert from TRS to Bravos the inner transom looked brand new. The stringers were the same way. Not one sign of rot or decomposition anywhere. The boat is as solid as it's maiden voyage back in the shagadelic 70's. :D

Cigarette's LAST.

Any more pics of that cig? Looks great! I think it all boils down to this, owner maintenace and how you drive and take care of your boat.

Thanks alot, Click here for more pics. http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...threadid=53217

I think a lot also depends upon the design of the boat. Some offshore boats are just built better than others. Also, I think things like keeping the bildge dry account for a lot. Most of the boats I see coming out of the water for rack storage look like they have tons of water in the bildge when the drain plug is pulled.

I am restoring a 1981 Formula. When I changed outdrives, the transom was solid as the day it was built. None of the upholstery had rips in it, but some stitching was loose. I have taken the interior completely apart, and all the panels are still solid, some of the screws still look like brand new. The more I get into this boat, the more I'm impressed with the construction of it.

The key is to check with a moisture meter. that will tell all.

My buddy bought a 95 35 foutain last season and pulled the motors over the winter. found everything was saturated!!! It was mainly due to the poor rigging of the place that rigged it last. they drilled holes without protecting them etc. He took out everything that was in the engine compartment as well as everything bolted to the transom and has spent all winter trying to "dry" the stringers and transom....they finally finished re-fiberglassing and gelcoating last week.

here is a pic of the center stringer stripped to allow it to dry. they had heaters on it all winter.

have you ever seen a transome butchered like this before? i guess the made it easy to get to the gimble bolt, but they never re-gelcoated after the butcher.

I don't think you can generalize in life expectancy. Simply way too many variables, including quality from manufacturer to manufacturer. Has it been rack stored, in a wet slip, on hydro-hoist, boat house, or been trailered? Stored indoors or outdoors? Heated storage in winter? Bilge wet or dry? How many boats have drainage issues from rain,etc? How many boats have bilge bump that sits up a few inches, so always water in bilge? Had a neighbor look at a low hour 1988 boat last year that was stored on slings in a covered boat house. Failed survey! Had rotted stringers in engine compartment! Bilge was bone dry!

until I drive it. :D

Lets see if we can this old girl kicking again too.

..she's kickin' allright!...just have to get her outta the "corral" :rolleyes: :D

Despite your buddy's best efforts, that boat is still saturated. Once that moisture works it's way in there, it's trapped for good.

a boat should last no more than one year if you drive it right, lol

I have seen a few late 70's pieces in flawless original condition as well as a few late 90"s pieces that were wet wrotten pieces of chit. It all depends on quality and care period. Find the right one and a boat can last 20 to 30 yrs easy.

I sold a 77 Scarab in 2000. It was a very well maintained boat, stored out of the water. When I sold it the new buyer had a survey. They found no moisture in the boat, but the encapuslating on the stringers was starting to seperate from the wood. so even if there is no rot that is one more thing to take into consideration.

A buddy just did his 84 Fountain. Always well kept and stored out of water. Still needed all new stringers and bulkheads. Water seemsto find a way:(

I had to do this on a 1989 boat:

Thank God it wasn't my Checkmate!

They sure don't build boats like they used to.....
THAT'S A GOOD THING.......! :D :D :D

What about the new boats that are built with out wood?