Is This A Good Beginner Rebuild?

[Still Afloat]

I hate carpet in my fishing boat too. Fish and carpet is just not a good combination.

However, if someone showed up to check a boat that I was selling and he wanted to drill a couple of holes in the transom, I’d tell him to take a hike.

 

[ajt1960]

I’ve gutted a couple of Lund’s. It’s really not hard. I strip them out, replace flotation foam, put on marine ply deck and benches. Only run essential electrical, nav lights, bilge pump, etc.
Always check compression before buying. And make sure new carbs are available at boats.net, cuz you’ll likely need them! New fuel lines, new battery and good to go!

 

[thill]

I don't just shake bigger motors. I prefer to stand 90 degrees to the transom, looking straight across the top of it. Then, I have someone else bounce up and down on the motor with their feet and watch to see if and how much the transom flexes.

If the transom doesn't flex, and the whole boat starts bouncing, you are good. If it's bowing in and out noticeably, then it's not good inside. Some of them will have a tiny bit of flex even when the wood is good, depending on how many layers there are.

IF you can climb under the splash-well in the back of the boat and see the transom around the engine mounting bolts, do it. Usually, any rot will begin around those bolts.

 

[thill]

And by the way, in the current market, you should be able to get a nice boat, ready to go for $5k.

My brother in law just got this boat for $4,700:




It's a 21'6" Kenner center console. Very light boat, very roomy. Has a $2k spot-lock Terrova on the front tons of gear, and didn't need any work at all. The pic above was the day they brought it home. This was an exceptional find, but they are out there if you scan Craigslist and FB Marketplace daily.

Their previous boat, a 17' Monark aluminum was decent, but it felt small as the boys grew up. They worked on for several months before being able to use. For the price, it was well worth it. They are much happier with a boat they could just get in and go.

So it really depends on you. Generally, when you consider the overall cost of restoring a boat, if you buy for the right price, you can get a deal, but often, when you add the purchase price plus the restoration costs, it's cheaper in the end to buy a boat ready to go.

...says the guy who has restored and flipped many, many boats...

 

[airshot]

I hate carpet in my fishing boat too. Fish and carpet is just not a good combination.

However, if someone showed up to check a boat that I was selling and he wanted to drill a couple of holes in the transom, I’d tell him to take a hike.

Probably correct there, so another method that can work is see if there is any acess such as a slot between two pieces of the aluminum structure where you can acess the wood, a small pocket knife blade will tell you how strong the wood is when slipped in there.
On my Sylvan, the entire transom is aluminum sq tubing structure with some small amount of wood inside. Not sure there would be any flex at all even without any wood !!

 

[trollingman]

I hate carpet in my fishing boat too. Fish and carpet is just not a good combination.

However, if someone showed up to check a boat that I was selling and he wanted to drill a couple of holes in the transom, I’d tell him to take a hike.

Yes. While I get where doing a couple small holes could provide useful information I'm probably not going to do that.

 

[moedelawn]

And by the way, in the current market, you should be able to get a nice boat, ready to go for $5k.

My brother in law just got this boat for $4,700:

View attachment 115831
View attachment 115832

It's a 21'6" Kenner center console. Very light boat, very roomy. Has a $2k spot-lock Terrova on the front tons of gear, and didn't need any work at all. The pic above was the day they brought it home. This was an exceptional find, but they are out there if you scan Craigslist and FB Marketplace daily.

Their previous boat, a 17' Monark aluminum was decent, but it felt small as the boys grew up. They worked on for several months before being able to use. For the price, it was well worth it. They are much happier with a boat they could just get in and go.

So it really depends on you. Generally, when you consider the overall cost of restoring a boat, if you buy for the right price, you can get a deal, but often, when you add the purchase price plus the restoration costs, it's cheaper in the end to buy a boat ready to go.

...says the guy who has restored and flipped many, many boats...

That is an insane deal. My friend just sold on 05 18'' Kenner with a 115 Suzuki for $12900. It was an a 2005 but was in excellent shape. The guy drove 4hrs to get it.
While you have the battery connected to check compression, work the power trim and check the seals. If you can't get someone to stand on the motor, trim down in short bursts the tilt range and that will show you if the transom has flex. It doesn't bounce the springs and tires as much either so it's easy to see.

Those 60 degree engines have plastic carburetor bowls which can leak from the brass inserts. Not a deal breaker but something to check.

Five years ago I bought a center console fiberglass boat and turned it into a walk through windshield and I had way more into it than I thought I would and I didn't have to replace the floor. It consumed every evening and weekend for 3 months. It was rewarding but I'll never do that again.

Don't forget about the trailer. Tires, bearings, lights, bunks board, brackets, leaf springs I would think you'd be over 5k by the time it's over unless you are not counting the purchase price is a very nice looking hull.

 

[GYPSY400]

That will be a nice boat when it's done.. but it's going to be a big project. Your time-line and budget seem appropriate

 

[airshot]

Buying any used boat can mean maintenence item replacements like water pumps, tires and bearings, hoses etc. They key is a solid hull, transom, good trailer and motor that will run...all at the right price !!

 

[bigcity]

Biggest question is how much is the purchase price of the boat ???
I was given a 1982 SeaNymph "fishing machine" with a 40hp merc. about 15yrs ago. I think it had sat outside, uncovered since about 1985! LOL Anyway, I completely gutted it and started over. New 2part foam thru out, marine ply(2coats spar) flooring and casting decks. New carpet and seats. I had the console powder coated and made a new mahogany dash panel. Of course I serviced the motor myself. I probably have less that $1K TOTAL in that boat. My kids and I have been fishing it ever since. My only regret is not replacing the transom when I had it apart. My 21yr old son and I are starting that project tomorrow.
My point is, you said that you're handy. None if this is hard, a little unfamiliar to you maybe, but not undoable. Just take your time and research as you go, BEFORE you do. This place is an almost endless source of good info.
Jeff

 

[trollingman]

And by the way, in the current market, you should be able to get a nice boat, ready to go for $5k.

My brother in law just got this boat for $4,700:

View attachment 115831
View attachment 115832

It's a 21'6" Kenner center console. Very light boat, very roomy. Has a $2k spot-lock Terrova on the front tons of gear, and didn't need any work at all. The pic above was the day they brought it home. This was an exceptional find, but they are out there if you scan Craigslist and FB Marketplace daily.

Their previous boat, a 17' Monark aluminum was decent, but it felt small as the boys grew up. They worked on for several months before being able to use. For the price, it was well worth it. They are much happier with a boat they could just get in and go.

So it really depends on you. Generally, when you consider the overall cost of restoring a boat, if you buy for the right price, you can get a deal, but often, when you add the purchase price plus the restoration costs, it's cheaper in the end to buy a boat ready to go.

...says the guy who has restored and flipped many, many boats...

I have seen some pretty good deals too. It may be the way to go. The sylvan I referenced in this post was sold today. The hunt continues.

 

[thill]

Search daily, and be ready to buy, cash in hand, when the right deal pops up.

My bro in law drove 5 hours one way for that one.

 

[trollingman]

Search daily, and be ready to buy, cash in hand, when the right deal pops up.

My bro in law drove 5 hours one way for that one.

For sure. Be ready and patient are the two things you need to find a great deal.

 

[thill]

I just looked, and boats in your area are selling for a good price, and there are a bunch of them!

Here are a couple somewhere near you. A friend has a deck boat like that one, and it's very useable. Fast enough to tube, ski or wakeboard from, big enough to bring the family, and light enough to get into skinny water to fish with, using the trolling motor. If one like that turned up around here, I would jump on it, and sell several of my boats:
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1635072336914553https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2106754346344683/https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/836584504498357https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/817560199928226https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/298980732691999
Here are a few others.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/576153411085376https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1309377049973688https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/813716813744349https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/299211725914616https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/599631375652477/https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/753381250123306https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/245112178256823https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1506964133169262
I have only picked a few aluminum boats. There are some VERY nice fiberglass boats in the $5k price range you mentioned earlier.

It really depends on what you want to do with the boat.

I hope this helps

 

[trollingman]

I just looked, and boats in your area are selling for a good price, and there are a bunch of them!

Here are a couple somewhere near you:
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1635072336914553https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2106754346344683/https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/836584504498357https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/817560199928226https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/298980732691999
Here are a few others, including a few pontoon boats.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/576153411085376https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1309377049973688https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/813716813744349https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/299211725914616https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/599631375652477/https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/753381250123306https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/245112178256823https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1506964133169262
I have only picked a few aluminum boats. There are some VERY nice fiberglass boats in the $5k price range you mentioned earlier.

It really depends on what you want to do with the boat.

I hope this helps

Thanks for sending these my way. I've been a part of many forums and this is one of the most helpful group I've come across yet.

 

[MrGiggles]

I don't just shake bigger motors. I prefer to stand 90 degrees to the transom, looking straight across the top of it. Then, I have someone else bounce up and down on the motor with their feet and watch to see if and how much the transom flexes.

If the transom doesn't flex, and the whole boat starts bouncing, you are good. If it's bowing in and out noticeably, then it's not good inside. Some of them will have a tiny bit of flex even when the wood is good, depending on how many layers there are.

IF you can climb under the splash-well in the back of the boat and see the transom around the engine mounting bolts, do it. Usually, any rot will begin around those bolts.

To add onto this you can check all of the fasteners that go into the transom wood, usually there's quite a few screws and sometimes the rear tie downs. If any of them are loose, you know the wood is getting pretty soft. Many times, especially on lighter colored boats, there will be some staining/discoloration around the screw as well.

 

[trollingman]

Thanks to everyone for all the advice and help on this post. I bought a boat that doesn't need much work. There are of course a hand full of small things that I want to get fixed up, but it is water ready.

I ended up buying a 1998 Lund Tyee Magnum Gran Sport 1950 with a 200hp Mercury EFI 2 stroke and a 9.9hp Mercury 4 stroke kicker. I am more than excited to get fishing with this rig.

 

[farmer4life]

Thanks to everyone for all the advice and help on this post. I bought a boat that doesn't need much work. There are of course a hand full of small things that I want to get fixed up, but it is water ready.

I ended up buying a 1998 Lund Tyee Magnum Gran Sport 1950 with a 200hp Mercury EFI 2 stroke and a 9.9hp Mercury 4 stroke kicker. I am more than excited to get fishing with this rig.

Sounds like a nice boat. Post pictures!!

 

[thill]

Thanks to everyone for all the advice and help on this post. I bought a boat that doesn't need much work. There are of course a hand full of small things that I want to get fixed up, but it is water ready.

I ended up buying a 1998 Lund Tyee Magnum Gran Sport 1950 with a 200hp Mercury EFI 2 stroke and a 9.9hp Mercury 4 stroke kicker. I am more than excited to get fishing with this rig.

Nice boat! Hope you have a great time with it.

 

[trollingman]

Sounds like a nice boat. Post pictures!!

I'll get some pictures added once I finally remember to take some.