Newbie/first post

[deific]

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.

[FELLOW-SHIP]

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.



FellowShip

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My motto: Just for the Grins

[deific]

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?

[FELLOW-SHIP]

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.



FellowShip

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My motto: Just for the Grins

[eggsuckindog]

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.

[deific]

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.

[deific]

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

[FELLOW-SHIP]

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

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My motto: Just for the Grins