Value of a repair

[datngrizz]

Folks - I have a 78 20 ft MA. I picked it up with a 150 Merc for $3500 w an aluminum trailer. I have stripped all gear, CC, gas tank etc in prep for planned repairs. It has a soft deck and the normal wear and tear. Now to the value...I found a guy that will pull and repair the deck, patch non-skid to look close to original, patch and gelcoat the hull and interior etc for $3500. Is that in the ball park? Will I have too much in the MA at $7K and counting (probably needs another $2-3K to dress out and get the motor rebuilt)...total $10K invested...to much? Thanks in advance for yur thoughts

DaTNGrizz

[NoBones]

Did you buy the boat from the stand point of resale
or a life time of enjoyment ?
I have over $30K in my 1970 SF. Doing the work myself...
If I had contracted to have the work done it would
have been well over $40K
Case in point, I plan to be buried with my
beloved "NoBones"
Your getting out cheap at $10K

Just my 2 cents worth....

Good Luck, Ken

[billythekid]

Its going to cost alot more than 2k to 3k to put it back together. just in electronics, steering,wiring, power panel, batteries,bilge pumps, livewell pump, plumbing, fasteners, hose clamps and having the motor rebuilt? Everything has gone up leaps and bounds in the past couple of years. I think you will have more like 12k to 14k into it.

Remember there were very few Master Anglers built so the value of them can only go up.

If not I will take it off your hands for $3600!

[datngrizz]

I understand the the appeal of the SCs...that is why I bought the MA. Yes, I plan on keeping it a LONG time. I live on a big lake and I hope my Grandchildren grow up appreciating this boat...maybe someday enheriting it if they don't bury me in it as well. I am going to reuse the steering and batteries and several other components that were working well and newer. But you are probably right, I have rose colored glasses on re the cost to complete...BUT, it is my story to my wife and I am sticking with it.

But the question was is $3500 labor and material to repair/refinish a good value? From reading posts here and seeing what gets done my gues (a real SWAG) is that I would have at least $2-2.5K in materials if I did it myself. So it would seem that the $3500 is a pretty good deal if the quality is there. Am I on track? THX!

DaTNGrizz

[htillman]

That price seems fair to me. I would ask the guy for references and check out some of his work. I know someone who just had a transom replaced from the outside and spent $3.6k for that alone.

[datngrizz]

The guy works out of his garage. He works at a dealer in knoxville and his work looks pretty good...not like Strick's but pretty good. THX for the input.

DaTNGrizz

[mnwnvc]

I think if you price out a new motor you will see what a deal a $10,000 total cost will be. I don't think you can ever recover your true, labor of love, cost.

[Kahuna]

not sure that i want to be burried in mine, but from the stand point of what a comparable, brand new 20' CC is going to cost you, 10-12K seems reasonable. That is about what I have got in mine (closer to the 12 than the 10 once you figure in power, electronics, and all the other nickle and dime stuff) My 20' '76 Seafari is original, but in really good shape (transome replaced a few years ago). i have new power (I/O) going into it right now (~7K). the duration i would have the boat and what the loss would be on a new one if you held it for 5-6 years, it made sense to me to repower and stick with it. What a "blue book" says it is worth and what it is actually worth are obviously two different things. a 70's vintage seacraft is a valued commodity. Besides people who know boats know what it is, and I enjoy the privilege of riding around in something that I know I have worked/put my time/effort into to maintain/restore to this condition and that not every memeber of the platinum card carrying 'Instant Gratification Club' can just go out and obtain on a whim to keep up with the Jones's (sorry a little ranting there). I fail to see how you can go wrong with one.

I think that a very reasonable number to spend for one, especially something you have worked and put time and thought into. The only little caution that I am learnig the hard way, is what ever you plan for a budget, add 10%, 15% if you want to be safe.

JC

[Mark]

I spent over $40K (yes, you read that correctly) having a 1971 SeaCraft 20' redone. While that sounds like a fair chunk of coinage, when I tally up how many days I fished that boat vs. what I would have paid a guide to take me fishing that many days, the $40K+ I spent on that boat was a raging bargain. I had EXACTLY the boat I wanted, right down to the custom hinges.

There was a post on this site a while back asking what it costs to redo a 20' SeaCraft. The answer entirely depends on how nice you want the finished product. We all have different standards as to what things are worth. I have a fishing addiction and that spilled over into how I wanted my boat to be

[datngrizz]

WoW! Between your restoration and Strick's work the bar has been set. Given all of the above, my guess is I will probably have $15K into mine after all. Worth every penny as I suspected. Thanks all for the comments.

DaTNGrizz