This restoration is expensive..HELP.

[riffraff]

Wow, Vezo, I hate to hear that. Reality is,it is just a boat...Hope you get the boats done and keep the girl and have fond memories of your Dad!

[blockislandguy]

Guys, I love this forum, the community, and the openess everyone exhibits. (Vezo, you're so right, 14 PBRs a day can take over a guy's life but it is really so easy to quit once you get scared.) These projects are gorgeous and I'm envious. I don't know where you can find the time.

But lets talk money. And forecasting. (No, forecasting is not what you do off the bow.) Fifty big ones (the figure mentioned for a resto on a 20 footer) would get you into a 31' Ocean Master CC. Did someone say that an Ocean Master isn't a Seacraft and maybe they can't relate to a 31'? OK, how about a used Mako 23 or 26? One with good tanks and a good transom.

I think that a lot of guys, myself included, have multiple sources of income, some of which our roomate may not be fully aware of. It's easy to dole it out $500 at a whack. Kind of like easy come, easy go. But a little planning ahead might suggest that it would cost less money to do a boat that was in better condition at the beginning.

YMMV

[FELLOW-SHIP]

I think there is a fundamental assumption that “if I buy this Old boat I can get in the water real Cheep” that assumption is really not correct. Again this is my opinion so if you don’t like it forget about it. But anyway if you want to buy the best value for the $$ buy a boat 2-4 years old that someone kept in dry storage or under a tarp that never uses it much and wants to sell. That boat probably is the best bang for your buck probably everything is in good shape including the motors and you can get it for 60-70% of new with No Work needing to be done. Not that’s said buying a 70 something SeaCraft is going to cost you $$$ + time + Beer to get it to be the boat you want it to be. Someone told me before I bought my boat to add 30-40% more $$$ than I thought it would cost and to add about 40-60% more time than I thought it would take and that is about right. When you buy a old boat plant on redoing Everything and if one or two things don’t need to be done lucky you. So what are we talking about spending for me 50% of a new boat cost and for me I had to re do just about everything and for me 150 days of working on the boat. If you don’t spend approx 40-60% of a new one you probably have cut a lot of corners in fixing her up and in a year or two something will have to be done that you didn’t do when you should have. That’s just the way it is. Redoing a boat is not fundamentally a logical decision at least for me it was first off “One Man’s Dream” and then second it was cheaper than buying a new boat by approx 50%.
FellowShip [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[sailcat]

Blockisland, I bought my 72' 9 years ago for 7,000 (boat,motor and trailer). Ran the dog out of it for those years. Last year I ripped it totally apart and rebuilt it the way I wanted. Spent about 25K, now I have a new Float-on, a new boat the way I want it and a 200 Johnson with less than 50 hrs on it. Where are you going to get new everything for this little money. IMHO it was money well spent.
Have you priced gas lately. Having a 31' looks real good sitting at the dock or on a trailer in your yard. But I like to fish and 50$ in fuel goes alot further in my LITTLE 20'.

[flash14]

I agree with everyone's view oin this, but there is still nothing like a SC! I just finished my 20' project and am in the midst of my 23' project. My dad and I are both teachers, so not millionaires. We both do everything ourselves and have come up with a good system for buying projects. The best way to make it worth every dollar you spend is balance. We don't devote our lives to the projects. My father gave me the best advice when I was growing up. He said to only spend an hour or so on each project a day. Meaning one day you spend your hour or so on one and the next day on something else. This keeps your interest level up, your checkbook somewhat balanced, and your life around you in check. The end result will be much more rewarding when all is said and done. It may take you a little more time, but the girlfriend or wife will be a lot happier to go for that first ride with you. Time to spend that hour or so on my 23'!

[Michael Vezzosi]

Very well said. My grandfather taught me to save 10% of my gross to savings at age 13 to my first bank account. 25 years later, now at 20%. Great! but no fiance. Hi! My name is Mike and I'm an alcoholic! I don't think so!!! Lost priorities, maybe. Lost fiance, looks like it. Learned in high school, "Everything in moderation". Damn Right! I love my 20 MA and she will never leave my boathouse. Still the same, I now have about 12 Grand in my 1982 Boston Whaler 15 with a 2005 Yamaha 60 four stroke, and new Owens trailer. Where am I going? Keep it in check. Like I said, my MA will not be pryed from these fingers! Good Luck. Vezo, Part II.

[riffraff]

Blockisland, I was stretching it a bit to get my point across, reality is I will be in for about 27 when it's all said and done. These guys are dead on about adding the dollars to your original estimate. Keep in mind that if you repower for 10-15k depending on what you buy, that is half of the cost, and yes, you will have a brand new bad ass ride.