18" CC Wellcraft year88 maybe..

[Hardboiled]

Hi
I just saw this boat at a house forsale and i went in to look at it and the boat looks nice and all but the floor inside is Soft i opened a box on the back side and the botton is rotten very badly, anyway the floor inside have many soft spots but the boat looks nice and the center console look good too and the GAS TANK goes on the middle under the Center console and the floor where the gas tank is has some screws around and can be lift up, the Gas tank is made of Plastic i think.
So the boat needs a good cleaning and from outside looks strong and no damage anywhere i have seen, about the Johnson 140 engine the owner says it stopped working and hes not sure whats wrong with it and it looks like its been sitting there since 2006.
So if anyone can help me out here buying a boat i thanks you.

I believe the boat is 1988 cause i saw it on the printed numbers on the right back side and i read the last 2 numbers and i think it is 1988. Also the trailer is single axle with rollers and looks in good shape
The guy is asking $800, I just want to have a boat already i cant afford anything else so i was thinking the engine to be good and get on it and go finishing, the floor ill be able to fix it when i have a chance i think i can go out on it the way it is now..

any help on this? thanks...

 

[steelespike]

Re: 18" CC Wellcraft year88 maybe..

First of all a soft floor can be an indication of more serious problems bad stringers and a soft bottom weak transom and on top of that a suspect engine.Check bottom really carefully sight along it looking for deformities.
take hold of the engine and push pull front to back watch for transom movement.I would think you could find a good small boat and small motor for 800 to $1,000 easier to deal with and maintain.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 18" CC Wellcraft year88 maybe..

a non running motor, rotten deck and transom. they value of the trailer. you can easily send 1,500 just getting it safe to be on the water. no telling what is wrong with the motor.

 

[Solittle]

Re: 18" CC Wellcraft year88 maybe..

You wrote "The guy is asking $800, I just want to have a boat already i cant afford anything else". Buying a boat with your emotions (of I want it right now!) rather than looking objectively could cost you a big bundle. You could easily spend from $500.00 for the basics to $3,000.00 for an overhaul to get an engine like that in running reliable condition. For the hull figgure the floor (which you saw) needs to be replaced and usually in a boat of that age you will have rot in the stringers below and the transom. How much can you really spend and how much work do you want to do yourself and can you tolerate waiting untill next year untill you are done? At least have someone who really knows boats give it a thorough inspection before you leap. Impulse buys can hurt.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 18" CC Wellcraft year88 maybe..

Sounds like an absolute money pit. May have been worth it if the motor was running but as is I would definitely pass. If you're looking to get on the water cheap or for a cheap project that doesn't require as much time and skill look for an aluminum boat.

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: 18" CC Wellcraft year88 maybe..

I agree with the above replies, I too bought an older Wellcraft it looked nice and all but it had some problems with the transom as in it was SHOT I had no idea what I was even looking for. With a known soft floor (mine was solid) an engine that doesn't run and don't know why, and probable bad transom and stringers. I would run fast not that my rebuild wasn't a great learning experience but I won't do it again. I might if someone gave me a boat that I couldn't live without but I wouldn't pay for another big project boat. You won't see the water this summer for sure and unless you work very steady throughout the year might not see it next year either. Its a lot of time consuming work esp on limited finances(which I was on as well). Good luck if it were me I would go the aluminum route MUCH less to maintain and repair.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: 18" CC Wellcraft year88 maybe..

Run away from this boat as fast as you can. It will only bring you heartaches. Wait, be patient, and something worthwhile will come along, even with your small budget. If you cannot afford more than an $800 boat, this one will cost you far, far more than that before you can safely use it.

I don't know where in Florida you are, but start reading the Craigs List site for your area. If you give the name of the nearest large city, I will post a link for you.

 

[Hardboiled]

Re: 18" CC Wellcraft year88 maybe..

Thanks you all for the advice
Well yesterday i went to see the boat again and when i got there it was already gone, i was hoping to buy it but anyway its gone now maybe it was better this way but the boat looked very very nice in the way it looks i calculate comparing to other boats worth it over $4500+ easily, just that it had the soft floor or maybe worse, the engine looked in good cosmetic shape but i didnt know if it work or not, well i could have gotten the boat for around $600 + the 18" Trailer with rollers looked better shape than most trailer i have seen anywhere, maybe just the trailer alone was worth $600 or even more.

I feel bad i didnt buy it ill need to wait long time untill i see something cheap again.

I live in Miami,FL

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 18" CC Wellcraft year88 maybe..

watch craigslist in your area and Lauderdale. drive down the keys, lots for sale.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: 18" CC Wellcraft year88 maybe..

Looks can be very very decieving... Good thing it was gone, it would most likely have run you a few thousand just to be able to use it. For $3000-4000 you could have a clean (looks and structural) 18' boat.