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Old 07-20-2012, 09:49 AM
bigeasy1 bigeasy1 is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: western massachusetts
Posts: 1,048
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Well I bought my 74 23' Tsunami for $1000.00.It needed a total restoration.I spent a little less than three years working just about every single weekend on it.
Had to replace the transom,recore all the hatches and every other single thing on it.I was lucky that only the deck floor under the seats was rotted,so at least I didn't have to recore the entire deck.
It took almost three years only because I paid for everything as I got the money.Most of the bullwork like grinding,recoring, glass layup etc, was done in a short time.It was everything else that cost a lot that slowed me down.I'm lucky to have a good friend in the fiberglass business,so was able to get all the resin,glass,paint,etc at a very good savings.

I did a lot of horse trading to save money,like buying an old Chris Craft with a newer engine with only 200 hours and outdrive for 1500.00.I took the motor and drive and gave the boat away.Everything else was new stuff for the most part.I bought all new electronics,and a new 8hp Yamaha kicker motor.I picked up a used Raymarine pathfinder radar at a good price.I bought a new radar tower from Atlantic Towers.

Anyway,I figure that even with the savings on the glass,resin,and other stuff,I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 to 17 thousand into it.
I guess I could have bought one already done over for that price,and as much as I don't want to wear another Tyvek suit again,it was a very satisfying project.

The way I look at it,is that I now own a basically new boat with an incredible hull for less than a fourth of what a comprable new boat would cost.
Three years of itchy,dirty,sweaty,back breaking work, $15,000 BUCKS! No loans,no monthly payments,"PRICELESS"

My advice,(for what little it's worth) is to just do it.Try not to fixate on cost. In the end it's the satisfaction you have from doing it,the cost becomes a non issue,besides we all like looking at boat porn and restoration projects.
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All this,just for a boat ride
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