Newbie/first post
 

Hello, found this site on Monday. I love how it seems like a good majority of you are based around me. CT and MV. Well I am almost 27 and know nothing about building boats or mechanical knowledge. I am getting married in Nov. so I need to get into a boat before the wife sucks me dry.
I am drawn to buying a project by my nature i guess. I build my own rods, and tie my own flies. So I am looking for a 23' potter hull. Potter hull, i guess because everyone seems to be drooling over them. So i want one.
I have a boat i have been eyeing for the past year and a half, boat never moves, house is falling apart. Front yard looks like a yard sale minus the sign. Is it ever appropriate to go offer him some money for the boat even though there is no forsale sign?
What are other good places to look for a 23' SeaCraft?
Thank you!

Re: Newbie/first post
 

Also, can you suggest any reading materials to learn glass techniques? Mechanical knowledge?

Re: Newbie/first post
 

Yes it's appropriate to ask if they would consider selling the boat. I just bought a 20sf that took me about 4 months worth of phone calls before I finally got in touch with the rightful owner. Even then he was playing hard to get and said he was not sure that he wanted to sell. I waited another 3 weeks and upped my price another $500 and finally he bit. So keep at it and you will eventually get a boat. As far as books go I cant remember the names but there are two really good ones out there. They are buried somewere in my house. Go to Amazon.com and do a search. Also keep looking at this site and classicmako.com and you will pick up some good info.

strick

Re: Newbie/first post
 

Thank you. Its a 23' Mako. I had a group of boats I was looking at, but I am becoming more and more partial to these boats every day. Any idea where I should start the offer if I can't even get close to the boat?

Re: Newbie/first post
 

Welcome Aboard deific. ;) Just remember, a project boat is not done to save money.

It's easy to spend $30K redoing one yourself.

Re: Newbie/first post
 

Thank you for your reply warthog. Although I am not doing it to save money, I guess it is in the back of my mind that I could get more boat for my money by restoring it myself. I am expecting some cost, but 30k? not sure. Perhaps you can enlighten me on what I am in for before I make any purchases? Is 30k including power?

Re: Newbie/first post
 

Re doing a boat will take twice the time you thought it would and cost you approx one third to one half more that you thought usually approx 50 to 60% on what a new one costs.

Simple $$ tally
Old beat up hull. $5,000
New trailer $4,000
New motor $12,000
T-top $1,500
Leaning post $1,000
Electronics $1,500
Hydraulic steering $1,000
Glass, lamination, resin, and stuff $2,500
Paint, sandpaper, and stuff $1,000
Hardware, and miscellaneous stuff $1,000
Gas tank $800
And on and on and on- tools, equipment, BEER $1,000
-------------
$32,300

My 23 CC cost me approx $32,000 and took over 150 days to do and was worth every dime and now I kind of miss working on her now a days.

http://classicseacraft.com/fellowship/medium/0055.jpg


FellowShip

_______________________________________________

My motto: Just for the Grins

Re: Newbie/first post
 

Well here is what I was accounting for:
Old not so beat up hull. $2,000
New motor $12,000
Hydraulic steering $1,000
Glass, lamination, resin, and stuff $2,500
Paint, sandpaper, and stuff $1,000
Hardware, and miscellaneous stuff $1,000
Total budget above price of boat and power ~$4,500
And I believe I could get the boat for a lot less than $2k.

Does this sound reasonable?

Beautiful boat by the way.

Re: Newbie/first post
 

How about

2 New Batteries, Electronics, T-Top, Rod holders, Leaning Post, 2 New Bilge pumps, New Gas tank, Trailer, Trim Tabs, Boat lights, Flood lights, Live bait Plumbing and pump, Fresh water washdown, Rub Rail, Plus all the Beer you will drink while you put all this together. When I did my boat I had a ruff estimate of $20,000 to $22,000 and it cost me $32,000.

Please don’t misunderstand me. All this $$$$ info is not to discourage you but to inform you of one fundamental truth.
To do a project boat is not to have a cool boat for a really cheep price. It is just to have a Really Cool Boat…………Period.
If you want the best deal on a boat for a reasonable price. Then I always recommend looking at a 2-5 year old boat that has been kept in dry storage with a owner who is making payments on and never uses the thing. That boat is in excellent shape and you can pick it up for 80 to 60 % of new WITH NO WORK. Think of all that BEER money you would have saved.
Doing a project boat is only for truly SICK PEOPLE which have a incurable disease. putting 1/3 more money into a project KNOWING full well that NO ONE will ever give you as much as what you put in it IF YOU WOULD EVER SELL you got to be either crazy or sick.

JUST LOOK HOW SICK I AM.

http://www.classicseacraft.com/fello...edium/0055.jpg

FellowShip

_______________________________________________

My motto: Just for the Grins :D

Re: Newbie/first post
 

Fellowship-
Unfortunately I believe I am already very sick. You don't discourage me, I would much rather know what I am getting in to prior to undertaking the project. I think you are right in not misleading someone who doesn't truely understand what they are getting themselves into. I will be sure to keep costs in mind when attempting to find the best boat possible. Thanks for your help. Once you get into something like this, and built a boat like you have.. You don't actually sell it do you?

Re: Newbie/first post
 

Ha Deific;

Ya after you put that much of your time and $$$ into your dream boat it would be a very sad day to sell for any reason.
Every year I go down to the keys for a week and every year the Capt. of a charter boat called SnapShot asks if I want to sell and my answer is always NEVER.
This year I had more guys wanting to talk to me about my boat that the 34’ Seavee and the 36’ Yellowfin that were parked next to me. I even had the Capt of a 54’ Viking come down from his boat to check out this old 76 Seacraft. You will find that “guys that really know boats” will always ask.

http://www.classicseacraft.com/fello...edium/0042.jpg

FellowShip

_______________________________________________

My motto: Just for the Grins

Re: Newbie/first post
 

I find the same about my Seacraft, I would look for a boat that doesn't need a lot of structural stuff, 1. You are inexperienced 2 you will find plenty to do on one you think is in pretty good shape. Spend more on the hull and maybe a little less on the power, maybe 9K.

Re: Newbie/first post
 

Thank you for your responses. I think this is the right decision. However it is about 8 months away as I am buying my first home in March. It would be nice to purchase something in working condition that I can use for the later part of the summer.

Re: Newbie/first post
 

I would like a boat that I can run <20 miles offshore. Is 23 enough, if I found a 21 would it be sufficient?

Re: Newbie/first post
 

It isn’t as much about boat size as much as the quality of you equipment plus going with other boats and picking you days to go and of course range based on fuel and safety equipment. I go Sword fishing and Dolphin fishing which usually is 20 + miles one way on my 23’. I can remember going 20 + miles out on a bass boat looking for dolphin.

FellowShip

_______________________________________________

My motto: Just for the Grins :D

Re: Newbie/first post
 

BACKET :cool:

Re: Newbie/first post
 

It all comes down too, a sense of accomplishment.
Having the boat the way you want. NOT the way the manufacturer made it. Take pride and enjoy the many hours of your hard work. It would take an act of God for me
to part with my beloved 20SF. You will not regret it.
Just Do-It.
See ya, Ken